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Monsanto's Bt GMO corn to be sold at Wal-Mart with no indication it is genetically modified
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
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(NaturalNews) Most of the genetically-modified (GM) corn products forced on American consumers today are hidden in processed foods in the form of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), corn oil, corn starch, and various other corn-based additives. But soon to be available at a Walmart near you is Monsanto's Bt sweet corn, the agri-giant's first ever GM corn product made available to consumers as whole ears right on the cob in the produce section-- and like with all other GMOs, neither Walmart nor Monsanto has any intention of labeling this new "Frankencorn."
Monsanto first unveiled this new variety of GM sweet corn back in August, which rivals Syngenta's GM sweet corn that has already been on the market in limited form for the past ten years, claiming that it would be available to farmers for planting during Fall 2011. Now, the corn appears set to make its debut in Walmart stores across the country as early as Summer 2012, unless massive public outcry is able to convince the multinational retailer to scrap the corn, or at least voluntarily label it.
This disturbing development comes courtesy of both Food & Water Watch and Sum Of Us, which recently drew attention to the issue by creating petitions against Walmart's potential sale of the corn. Though Monsanto's GM sweet corn contains three genetically-engineered (GE) traits that have never been used in food eaten directly by people, and that have never been properly tested, Walmart still intends to quietly stock its produce shelves with this phony corn in the very near future.
Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have rejected Monsanto's Bt corn, how about Wal-Mart?
In a recent campaign alert (Monsanto corn: coming soon to a Wal-Mart near you | SumOfUs), Sum Of Us explains that immense consumer pressure has already resulted in commitments from Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, and General Mills not to use the new GM corn in any of their products. But as of the announcement, Walmart has made no such commitment, presumably because of the company's close-knit relationship with Monsanto, a "match made in hell" that Food & Water Watch has humorously dubbed "Walsanto" (https://www.facebook.com/WalsantoWatch?sk=info).
But there is still time to stop Walmart's stocking of Monsanto's latest GM poison which, if successful, has the potential to completely destroy the viability of the entire crop. If Walmart rejects the GM corn, many others will likely follow, which will result in farmers refusing to plant it.
It is a simple supply and demand situation, but one that is complicated by the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refuses to mandate that any GMOs be labeled, which means millions of people consume them all the time without knowing it. This is why YOUR help is needed to spread the truth about both GM sweet corn and GMOs in general to your friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers.
You can also sign this petition by April 1, 2012, asking Walmart not to stock Monsanto's GM sweet corn:
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org
Sources for this article include:
Monsanto corn: coming soon to a Wal-Mart near you | SumOfUs
http://fooddemocracynow.org
Buying Non-GMO - Seeds of Deception
Monsanto's Bt GMO corn to be sold at Wal-Mart with no indication it is genetically modified
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Could America's Farmers and Ranchers Face a Rhodesian Future?
I envision one possible future for America that is fairly bleak, at least in the short term. If the economy deteriorates the way that I anticipate, and if the power grids ever collapse, then it could trigger that dreaded "worst case" situation. Such a socioeconomic collapse could precipitate a large population die-off in metropolitan regions, a bit less in the suburbs, and even less in the countryside. But an extended period of lawlessness would still cause considerable loss of life and property in rural areas. There will surely be a lot of refugees from urban areas, and some of them will turn to looting, in order to survive. The new paradigm for American farmers and ranchers might resemble the security situation faced by farmers during Rhodesian Bush War of the 1970s.
Life for farmers in Rhodesia in the 1970s was nerve-wracking. Starting in the late 1960s, communist guerillas, trained and armed by Cuban and Chinese "advisors", had been slipping into the country to wreak havoc and terror on the civilian populace. While most of their victims were black, the communist terrorists (or "terrs" as they were called in Rhodesian slang) began attacking isolated farms owned by whites. Early on in the war, they were literally able to catch the farmers sleeping. Later, as defenses were raised, the terrs adopted the tactic of burying pressure-activated land mines on farm roads.
Since phone lines could be cut, a radio network was established in Rhodesia, called the Agric-Alert system. With it, there would be a chance to call for help if a farm came under attack.
Rhodesian farmers had to be constantly armed, and constantly vigilant. To carry just a pistol was considered foolhardy. Intrusion detection systems in those days were rudimentary. They were limited to trip wire-activated and a few photocell-activated bells or buzzers. (These days, of course there are more sophisticated infrared (IR) sensor systems, like Dakota Alerts.)
There was substantial reliance on dogs to give a warning if strangers approached a farm house. The Rhodesian Ridgeback proved to be a breed well-suited to this task. A few farmers also raised Guinea Fowl, specifically for their "watchdog" nature.
"Protective Works" became the norm at Rhodesian farms. Grilles to stop hand grenades were fitted outside of house windows. Floodlights were set up that could be used to daze attackers. Elaborate perimeter fences topped with barbed wire became de rigueur. Often these were constructed in depth, with two fences (or more) around a house, sometimes with tanglefoot wire in between. Traditional cow bells were sought after, for attaching to trip wires. At least one fence--typically the inner-most fence--would be constructed of chain link material, to pre-detonate rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Farmers resorted to constructing lethal electrified fences. Most of these were left on all night and were full current 220 volts, AC! They also set up remotely-fired shotguns and command-detonated directional mines. These were essentially ersatz Claymore mines. The farmer's Claymore-like mines were positioned to cover the most likely crossing points for fences, and at other choke points that could be seen from a farm house. Assuming that terrs might climb up fence posts, some remotely-fired shotguns were buried and fired upward, parallel to fence posts. (Ouch.) Late in the war, some of the terrorist's own contact land mines that had been recovered by demolitions specialists were re-purposed into command detonated perimeter security mines. There was also quite a cottage industry in mine-proofing vehicles.
Infrared and light amplification night vision equipment was very scarce and expensive in the 1970s, so it was out of reach for all but a handful of Rhodesian farmers. And light amplification gear (such as Starlight scopes) was--and still is--export restricted by western nations, as a military equipment, under the ITAR treaties. Furthermore, Rhodesia was explicitly under an arms embargo, so there was just a trickle of gear coming in from any nations other than South Africa, Mozambique, and Israel. Furthermore, of that gear, civilian farmers were "Third in line", behind the Rhodesian Army, and the British South African Police (BSAP.) By the way, the BSAP didn't change its name after Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration on Independence (UDI) in November of 1965.
The Watchful Daily Grind
Life on Rhodesian farms was largely routine, but farmers did their best to not fall into predictable patterns or lapse into inattentiveness. Each morning, farmers carefully examined their dirt roads, looking for signs that land mines had been planted. They kept in close contact with their resident farm workers, neighbors, and people living at nearby native kraals, to check on reports of any suspicious activities or any sightings of roaming terrorists. (By the standards of Rhodesian farmers, anyone living within five miles was a "neighbor.")
All through the daily tasks of tending crops and caring for livestock, every adult and most older children went everywhere, armed. Many farm tractors were fitted with gun racks, to keep a rifle close at hand, at all times. A surprising number of the guns owned by the farmers were fully automatic. The selective fire Belgian FN-FAL battle rifle was widely used, and almost reverently cherished. Some HK G3 rifles (by way of Mozambique) were used in smaller numbers. Many folks, especially the ladies, carried Uzi submachineguns, or the Commando LDP (in later years the Sanna 77 variant) submachineguns. The latter were locally produced in Rhodesia and South Africa. Some farmers were also able to acquire hand grenades and rifle grenades.
At dusk, unless under the urgency of harvest season, farms "buttoned up" for the night by SOP, and no one ventured outside of the farm house's perimeter fence unless there were exceptional circumstances. Dairy farmers felt particularly apprehensive, since at least one of their twice-daily milking sessions would be during hours of darkness, at least in winter months. So some security precautions were also set up outside of the outer doors of milking parlors.
Here is a quote from the book The Farmer At War by Trevor Grundy and Bernard Miller (Salisbury, 1979):
"In many of the sensitive commercial farming areas — and these now cover the majority of farms — homesteads have taken on the appearance of fortresses containing their own arsenal of arms that would not discredit military establishments elsewhere in the world. The chain-link security fences are usually wired to alarms designed to indicate exactly what sector of the fence has been interfered with or breached. In addition some are fitted with highly sensitive microphones to identify and pinpoint potentially hostile sounds from long distances — footsteps on gravel, movement through grass — and monitor these through a receiver installed near the farmer's bed. Alerted, the farmer can at the press of a button, switch on blinding searchlights or phosphorus flares strategically placed in the garden, and fire sets of grenades usually concealed in the bush outside his security fence. Again instant and massive retaliation has beaten off many attacks."The Aftermath: Hyperinflation and Ruin
What was once Rhodesia is sadly now Zimbabwe, a nation that has been thoroughly pillaged by Comrade Mugabe and his cronies. This former breadbasket of Africa now has frequent starvation, is thoroughly bankrupt, its currency was destroyed by hyperinflation, and it has a crumbling infrastructure. The country is nearly in ruins. The grid power is on only sporadically. The water systems have been fouled, hunger is constant, and the life expectancy has dropped precipitously--although some of that is attributable to the advent of HIV-AIDS. Ironically, after UDI, Rhodesia had been snubbed by the international community in an effort to get them to institute universal suffrage. But now, following the predicted "one man, one vote, once" (installing a "President for life"), the former terrorists that took over instituted a quasi-dictatorship government so vile and corrupt that now it too is under severe diplomatic sanctions and military sanctions by the west. (The sanctions were imposed because of flagrant "electoral fraud and human rights abuses".) In fact, a dozen people in the key leadership of Zimbabwe's perpetual ZANU-PF government including Robert Mugabe are still banned from travel to most First World nations.
Following the war, the farmers have not fared well. Many were forced to surrender their guns, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Nearly all of them have lost their life savings, due to the combined effects of currency export controls and the hyperinflation. And many of those that continued to own and operate farms under Mugabe's government were forcibly evicted, and a few were raped, tortured, or killed.
I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers take the time to study low level insurgencies in general, and the Rhodesian Bush War, in particular. History doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes.
Some good insights on the Rhodesian experience can be found in these books:
For further reading, I recommend the reference web page titled Rhodesian Farmers Defensive Arrangements at the Small Wars Journal web site, and the book The Farmer At War, now available online.
- Fireforce: One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantryhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=0958489092 by Chris Cocks
- Rainbow's End: A Memoir of Childhood, War and an African Farmhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=0743286804by Lauren St. John
- The Bush War In Rhodesia: The Extraordinary Combat Memoir of a Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialisthttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=1581606141 by Dennis Croukamp
- James and the Duck: Tales of the Rhodesian Bush War (1964 - 1980)http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=1434319733 by Faan Martin
- Contact by John Lovett
- Contact 2http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=1425100422 by Paul Moorcraft
- The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantryhttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=1920143076 by Alexandre Binda (compiled by Chris Cocks)--An expensive book but it has wonderful detail on the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) with some great photos. The recent printings come with a documentary film on DVD.
- Rhodesia by Robin Moore. (JWR's Caveat Lector Note: This is the same Robin Moore who had previously penned the best selling book The Green Beretshttp://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=s...1&a=0312984928. Shortly after publication of the first of his three books on southern Africa, Moore fell into disfavor among the American volunteers in Rhodesia, for verbally making some racist statements.)
Remember Rhodesia!
Could America's Farmers and Ranchers Face a Rhodesian Future? - SurvivalBlog.com
12 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Bug Out Bag: Series Post 4 of 12: Clothing
February 23, 2012 By Creek 1 Comment
Series Introduction
This post series is for anyone who has an interest or curiosity in building their own Bug Out Bag. In the next 3-4 months leading up to the release of my book Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit, my publisher has authorized me to write a series of 12 posts outlining the 12 Supply Categories needed to build the perfect Bug Out Bag and WHY they are important and necessary. Each post in this 12 Step Series will highlight a separate Bug Out Bag Supply Category.
In my book I elaborate on each of these supply categories in great detail with 100s of detailed photos, instructions, practice exercises, recommended gear and specific supply check-lists. The purpose of this 12 Step Series is to identify, define and explain why each of the 12 Supply Categories I outline in my book are critical elements of a well-thought out Bug Out Bag. I will not get into recommended gear, survival instruction or specific check-lists – I have to save something for the book! This blog series isn’t as much about pitching my book as it is about selling the idea of building a bug out bag. I truly believe that every person should have their own 72 hour disaster survival kit – especially in the uncertain times we live in today. You can almost look at this post series as 12 Reasons Why People Need a Bug Out Bag. It is my hope that this series motivates people to begin building their own kit that may very well serves as their survival life-line one day.
Supply Category # 4: Clothing
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My previous post in this series raised awareness around the need to include SHELTER & BEDDING in your Bug Out Bag. Shelter & Bedding is a secondary layer of protection from the elements – your first and primary layer is CLOTHING. Clothing, however, isn’t universally the same for everyone like FIRE and WATER. Your clothing needs and considerations will vary depending on where you live. Obviously, someone who lives in Northern Minnesota will have different clothing needs than a person living in Southern Florida. There are several considerations, however, that are true regardless of geography.
LAYERING FOR WARMTH
Layering is critical when it comes to warmth. With strategically chosen clothing layers you can stay warmer and dryer with half the bulk and weight of a large oversized coat or parka. You can also better control your body temperature by adding/shedding layers during times of exertion or rest. You cannot do this with 1 large bulky overcoat. Several clothing layers is also more efficient when it comes to burning energy. It’s easier for your body to warm multiple layers than just 1 layer. Heat loss is much slower through layers.
THE FABRIC MATTERS
Cotton kills. 100% cotton clothing items such as blue jeans are horrible survival fabric choices. Cotton is heavy when wet and very slow to dry. It also provides almost ZERO insulating properties when wet. Wool, however, maintains a very high percentage of it’s warming and insulating properties even when wet. Wool is also a naturally wicking fabric. Nylon and nylon/poly blends aren’t the best insulators but they are very quick to dry which is key. All of these factors should be considered when assembling your Bug Out Clothing.
CLOTHING ISN’T JUST FOR COLD WEATHER
Overexposure to the heat and sun can be just as dangerous as hypothermic conditions. Severe sun-burn and heat exhaustion can cause debilitating set-backs. A simple wide brimmed hat or quickie tarp sun-shelter can be life-savers in environments with limited protection from the heat and sun.
IF YOUR FEET ARE SCREWED, YOU ARE SCREWED
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Remember, you may have to travel by foot. A nice solid ‘broken-in’ pair of waterproof hiking books is essential for a Bug Out. Plan on wearing them out the door. I’ve found that wool socks are also an irreplaceable necessity when it comes to rigorous and extended hiking. They are durable, breathable and much less likely to cause blisters and irritations associated with socks made from other fabrics that I’ve used in the past.
EVERYTHING PERFORMS LESS EFFICIENTLY WHEN DIRTY
Clothing is a tool. Just like any other tool you own, it does not perform at it’s peak when dirty. Especially when layering, it’s important that your clothing items remain breathable. Dirt, grime and body oils effect clothing performance. For this reason, packing an extra of some key clothing items is a good idea.
MULTI-USE CLOTHING ITEMS
As all of you know, I am a huge fan of multi-use survival items. Clothing is no different. If you choose the right items, they can also be used for other survival needs. For example, a military style poncho can double as an emergency shelter or ground cloth and a shemagh scarf can be used for 100s of survival tasks. I review several of these items in more detail in my book.
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Conclusion
Nature provides animals with fur, feathers and blubber for warmth. We’ve been given a brain for warmth. Think and plan ahead by having weather appropriate clothing at the ready for a potential Bug Out. This, combined with your shelter and fire pack items, should prepare you for a wide variety of inclement weather scenarios.
Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,
Creek
Similar Posts:
- 12 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Bug Out Bag: Series Post 3 of 12: Shelter and Bedding
- 12 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Bug Out Bag: Series Post 1 of 12: Water and Hydration
- 12 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Bug Out Bag: Series Post 2 of 12: Food and Food Preparation
- Wilderness Survival Debris Hut
- Cedar: Quick and Easy Survival Cordage (And a Tree Bark Education)
12 Reasons Why Everyone Needs a Bug Out Bag: Series Post 4 of 12: Clothing |
How your underwear and a pop can COULD save your life?!
February 20, 2012
By Creek 6 Comments
Sounds pretty ridiculous, right? Well… it’s actually not at all that far fetched. You see, when it comes to survival skills, it’s all about understanding basic survival principles. This is a big reason why I love to study and practice survival skills so much – once you know the principles behind why something works, there can be many solutions that lead to the same outcome. A survivor must be creative and innovative.
If ever in a survival scenario, there are 3 questions that should always be running through your mind:
- Where will my next shelter be?
- Where will my next drink come from?
- How am I going to make my next fire?
In this post I am going to show you how to make one of the best fire starting tinders in the world from some cotton fabric (such as a pair of boxers) and any aluminum soda can (or pretty much any metal container). This tinder is called CHAR CLOTH. You may have heard of it. I’m sure you’ve seen it used in old western movies. You can make CHAR CLOTH from any vegetable fiber fabric – three that I can think of off the top of my head would be cotton, linen and jute fabrics. By burning the fabric with limited exposure to oxygen, it literally changes the chemical make-up of the fabric and CHARS it. After cloth has been made into CHAR CLOTH, it will smolder when hit with even the smallest of sparks. I’ve ignited CHAR CLOTH in instances when I couldn’t get any other tinder to catch a spark. The smoldering CHAR CLOTH can then be used to ignite a tinder bundle.
There is a big misconception when it comes to fire & survival. TV is probably to blame.
Many people think that as long as they have an ignition device such as a flint and steel or a ferro rod then they can start a fire whenever and wherever they want. In a perfect world, this is true, but in the world I live in perfect is rare at best. Survival fire is as much about preparation and planning for the future as it is about having the right tools. Never take fire for granted and ALWAYS think about where your next fire will come from. How will you start it? Do you have viable tinder?
Gathering or making tinder during the good times and planning for the bad times is a very good survival code to live by. In survival, nothing is guaranteed, so plan ahead as much as possible.
Making CHAR CLOTH is at the core of this basic survival philosophy. It requires a FIRE to even make it. Making CHAR CLOTH in a survival situation when you already have a fire almost ensures you will have very good tinder next time you need to start a fire. In the example below I will show you how to make CHAR CLOTH with an old cotton bandana and a pop can I found in a ditch.
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The first step is that you must already have a fire going. CHARRING the cotton will require a fire. So, before you starting assembling the items you need to make CHAR CLOTH, go ahead and get a fire going. Once you’ve got a nice hot fire, start by cutting the soda can in half.
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Make sure the can is dry inside. The end goal is to slide the upper part of the can OVER the lower part of the can to make little container that you can open and close. It makes it easier to do this if you use your fingers and make a few crimps along the top of the bottom half. This way, the top ’LID’ slides on fairly easy.
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Next, cut your cotton fabric into 1-2 inch squares. Anywhere from 5-10 pieces is fine. Put these into the bottom half of the container.
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Before you put the top of the can on, make sure that you close the drinking hole flap as well as you can. Just line it up as best you can with it’s original position. This creates a nearly air-tight container with limited exposure to oxygen. You do not want a completely air-tight container and the crack along the edge of the broken seal of the drinking hole flap is just about right to allow exhaust to escape while the cloth is charring. The next step is to place the container in the fire. Before you do so, slightly bend up the pull tab on the top of the can so that you can hook a little stick under it to easily remove it from the fire. Your aluminum can container even comes with a convenient removal handle!
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It won’t be long (sometimes just a few seconds) after you place the container in the fire until you will see smoke spewing from the cracked seal along the drinking hole flap. This is what you want. This means that your cloth is burning inside. The whole process doesn’t take long at all. Mine in this example was finished in under 1.5 minutes. Once you stop seeing smoke coming from the can, you are all set. If your fire is smokey and you can’t tell then just wait a couple of minutes and you should be good to go. Then, hook the pull tab with your stick and remove the container from the fire.
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Once your container has cooled enough for you to handle it, just twist off the top lid and take a look at your CHAR CLOTH inside. That’s all there is to making CHAR CLOTH. Unless you have a better (water-tight container) with you, the aluminum can also makes a really great carrying case for the CHAR CLOTH. It’s not water-tight but it offers a fair amount of protection.
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GIVE IT A TRY!
Throw a spark at your CHAR CLOTH now and see what I mean. It ignites almost instantly and will smolder long enough for you to use it to ignite a larger pre-prepared tinder bundle.
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CONCLUSION
As a survivalist, you must live in 3 realms:
- THE PAST: You must learn from the mistakes, successes, trials and errors you’ve had in the past in order to grow and advance your knowledge and skills.
- THE PRESENT: You must coordinate all of your skills, knowledge and resources in the present to stay alive.
- THE FUTURE: You must always be looking toward and planning for the future. This involves predicting what might happen and also planning for the unexpected.
What are some other future survival priorities that you must prepare for in the present based upon your knowledge from past experiences?
Remember, it’s not IF but WHEN,
Creek
Similar Posts:
- Bug Out Survival Fire Kit
- It All Starts With The Tinder Bundle
- WHO Training Philosophy
- The Best Fire Starter Money Can’t Buy: PET Balls
- Mullein: 4 Fire Making Tools in 1 Plant
How your underwear and a pop can COULD save your life?! |
The night I served military rations to my family: A review
Comments (11)
http://thesurvivalmom.com/wp-content...12/01/LRP1.jpgLong Range Patrol entrees
My kids are in a competitive swim club and have practice every night of the week. It makes dinner time really, really crazy because I have two choices: do I serve dinner at 4:30 every afternoon or wait until they get home and have dinner at 7:30? I’ve decided to serve dinner later in the evening, and last night I decided to do something I’ve never done before. I served them a military-grade Long Range Patrol entree.
I didn’t make this decision lightly. The Freeze Dry Guy had sent me a sample package of their newest military-grade meals, called Long Range Patrol entrees (LRP), and I was amazed to find out just how delicious they were. There are 8 varieties of these LRPs: beef stew, turkey tetrazzini, spaghetti with meat sauce, chili mac with beef, chicken and rice, western eggs with ham, seafood chowder, and scrambled eggs with bacon. I tried the stew, tetrazzini, spaghetti, chili mac, and chicken.
No one expects this type of food to be delicious but the chili mac with beef was just as good as my homemade recipe. Seriously! I had two packets of turkey tetrazzini, and that’s what I served my family for dinner, along with a spinach salad. My husband initially refused to taste the LRP entree, but one bite later, he was a convert! He ate two huge servings. My son asked if he could eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day. I sat back in amazement. How could an entree, planned and prepared for the military, be so good that it could be served at a family’s dinner table?
Well, I don’t know all the voodoo magic that went into formulating these meals, but here’s what I like about them as an addition to my food storage pantry:
I know that the supply of these at FreezeDryGuy.com is limited. Click on “Limited Stock” in the left sidebar to see what’s available.
- They really do taste good. Every entree was delicious.
- They are very compact at about 3″ x 2.5″ x 4.5″. A half dozen or so would fit easily in a bug out bag.
- Preparation time takes 10 minutes, plus the time to heat up 16 ounces of hot water.
- There are enough flavor choices to suit just about anyone, including two breakfast entrees.
- Each LRP weighs less than 5 ounces.
- One entree could easily feed two people.
- These are an outstanding option for singles and couples who aren’t sure they want to stock up on #10 cans of freeze-dried entrees.
- They taste fresher than most of the MREs I’ve tried.
- For just $40, you can buy a Sample Unit.
© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.You may also like -
- Product review: Wise Foods, "Creamy Chicken Pasta"
- When things go south or What to expect when SHTF
- Handgun Reviews for Women: Which .22 is the best?, Part 1
The night I served military rations to my family: A review | The Survival Mom
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Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 1: The Bug Out Boat
Contributing Author
Ready Nutrition
February 2012
Editor’s Note: If and when an emergency occurs where evacuations are ordered, many of us will be scrambling to get our bug out vehicles packed and ready in hopes of not getting caught in the mass exodus along the way. Mike, a nautical virtuoso, along with his wife will be bugging out by another mode of transportation: their yacht. While we are sitting in stand still traffic for hours on end, they will be setting there sails toward a remote island to sit out the emergency in quiet solitude. Read more on how they have, and continue to prepare for a SHTF scenario.
http://readynutrition.com/wp-content...Brickhill2.jpg For over a year now, my wife and I have been actively prepping for the collapse of the system that we all have grown to believe could never fail. We often see others afflicted with the normalcy bias; something so terrible it could never happen to us here. Wrong, it can and will.
Both my wife and I are entrepreneurs, and make our living from the sea. Boats and yachts are our life; we sleep aboard a boat and work aboard one almost every day. So when the process of prepping began, it was no question that the sea would provide our getaway plan; it’s what we know best.
We own a 44 foot motor yacht and keep it docked on the southern US coastline in a small fishing village. (I’ll not divulge any location specifics as I must maintain my confidentiality.) We are about ½ mile from the open waters of the sea.
When beginning our prepping process, we prepared a list of priority items. A year’s supply of freeze dried foods, instant foods, boat maintenance equipment, survival gear like guns and ammo and normal household supplies were placed on the list, most things any prepper would do. We even have items like sprouting seeds, instant orange juice, and a year’s supply of coffee to provide some semblance or normalcy. We carry 500 gallons of diesel fuel and have a 400 gallon fresh water storage capacity. All of these are stored aboard.
Using a yacht as a getaway vessel gave us some advantages. It allows us to retreat to remote locations that only a boater will be able to get to; we will then be out of reach of some 95% of the population.
Using freeze dried foods takes water and we carry a finite supply, or we did. We have now installed a reverse osmosis watermaker aboard our boat too. We can now turn salt water into drinking water at the flip of a switch.
But a water maker takes power to run and we have a limited power supply, or we did. Recognizing that we must conserve diesel fuel by not operating the generator any more than necessary, we have installed both solar panels and a wind turbine. These can keep the boats 12 volt power supply at 100%. An inverter converts battery power to 120 volt ac power to operate the yacht’s refrigeration.
We have selected a getaway anchorage on the leeward side of an island not too far from us. The anchorage offers good protection from possible storms, and allows us good visibility to observe other boats approaching. The island is only accessible by water and has only several part-time inhabitants. The mainland is over a mile away. It’s not likely too many boats will be out when the SHTF.
The island is abundant in deer and wild turkeys and my shooting skills are right on target. Fish, crabs and shellfish are also abundant too. I was raised on the coast so fishing and hunting is a natural. Fresh game or trout for dinner anyone?
So when the SHTF, you may be retreating to a cabin in the hills; we will be living off the sea.
Fair winds.
Mike
Author: Contributing Author
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: February 13th, 2012
Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 1: The Bug Out Boat | Ready Nutrition
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Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 2: Harbors of Healing
Contributing Author
Ready Nutrition
February 2012
Editor’s Note: We all have our own definition of what freedom is. In Part 2 of the Nautical series, Capt. Mike gives us a first hand account of why he has chosen his boat as a means to bug out and what his plans are until the veritable “S” hits the fan.
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What makes us boaters the people we are? Why do people go to the expense of owning a boat? US country singer/songwriter Kenny Chesney has a song titled Boats on his CD Lucky Old Sun. In the song he sings:“Boats…. vessels of freedom, harbors of healing…boats, twenty years of a landlocked job was all that Tom could take….. sitting at his desk all alone and depressed (he) says this just can’t be my fate, ….went home that night and told his wife (that) you can tell all of your friends it’s been real but it ain’t been fun (so we are) gonna get us one of them…boats… vessels of freedom, harbors of healing…boats”.I’ve listened to that song a hundred times and it gets better each time. He found the words I’ve always known were there but never could quite find them. Good for him!
As a boater I find it sometimes becomes hard to explain to non-boaters what the love affair is all about. Perhaps it’s a sickness; at least it’s a bug. Some of us use our boats as a home, treating her like a member of the family. I do have a habit of talking to our boat; she speaks back but in ways only I can hear. She has become a refuge of sorts, a protected port. Sleeping in a motel room when I’m on the road just isn’t the same; I can’t wait to get back to my baby.
I have friends that use their boats for an escape from life’s uncertain path, relying on their boats to unwind from everyday stress. They take their sailboats, trawlers or motoryachts out to feel the wind on their faces, the sun on their backs; their boats bring them peace. Other friends, have their boats equipped to make a living from the sea, as do the many shrimpers and charter boat Captains that ply the waters of our Florida coast.
Our boat has become a life ring of sorts, protecting us from the “stormy weather” that waits at the cabin door. She offers us a mobile platform to escape the coming collapse and likely civil unrest that will surely follow. She provides the warmth from the cold and protection from the rains. My lady is a small city afloat offering luxurious accommodations, water making and power generation capabilities as well as having a complete waste treatment system.
But as a full-time waterman, I can say it’s more than what it seems. Yes, it’s a state of mind. Leaving the world behind, knowing you have everything you need to sustain yourself and your crew for weeks on end. If I want to stay in one place, I do; if I want to leave, I can do that too. Oh boats can be trouble and they take tons of work to maintain but we boaters consider it a labor of love.
You just can’t place a price tag on the feeling when you are at the helm, everything works as designed, the air is crisp and the sea is calm. It takes only one good sunset to make it all worthwhile. And as far as escaping from the coming collapse of our culture, you could not do it any better way.
Until the SHTF I am going to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures; there is little use worrying over when it will happen. But when the time to bug out is upon us, I’m going to do it in style.
Mark Twain, an American author eloquently said “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Spanish philosopher Jose’ Ortegay Gasset once said, “Tell me the landscape in which you live, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
That pretty much sums it up.
Fair winds.
Mike
Author: Contributing Author
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: February 15th, 2012
Related Categories: Evacuation, Preparedness
Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 2: Harbors of Healing | Ready Nutrition
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Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series: Pt. 3 Solar Power
Tess Pennington
Ready Nutrition
February 2012
Editor’s Note: While we are sitting in stand still traffic for hours on end, Capt. Mike and his wife will be setting there sails toward a remote island to sit out a SHTF emergency in quiet solitude. This article will discuss, in depth how they have equipped their yacht with solar energy as a means to thrive during a long-term emergency. Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2.
In a recent article Tess Pennington wrote “So, what happens if and when the grid goes down for an extended period of time? Aside from the aggravation of not being able to determine what is happening through traditional media channels, for the Average Joe, his problems have only just begun. Our dependency to the grid doesn’t just stop at lack of electricity in our homes to power our appliances or an inability to charge our cell phones; it is much broader and affects every aspect of our lives”.
Oh how true that statement is; most people could not survive a day without computers, refrigeration, cell phones and TV. Most people have never had to live off the grid unless they were primitive camping; and even then it was probably only for a weekend. But for some of us people planning to use our yachts as a refuge for when the SHTF, using solar is already being practiced. Some of us have already taken the steps necessary to keep the power flowing; we have built our own power grid. We have tested it in the actual real world environment and have been using it when we are away from the dock for pleasure, so we know the application and technology works.
What is a Solar Panel and How Do They Work?
Solar panels are in theory any panel that uses the sun’s thermal energy to produce electricity. A solar panel can be described as a photovoltaic panel, the term used in the industry, for panels designed to produce electricity from the rays of the sun. Despite the category of solar panel being discussed, almost all solar panels are flat.
This is because the face of the panel needs to be at a 90 degree angle from the sun’s rays for the most favorable angle to absorb the sun’s rays. Solar panels are able to take in energy from the sun through an array of solar cells on their surface. Much like how a plant is able to soak up energy from the sun for photosynthesis, solar cells perform in a comparable manner. As the sun’s rays hit the solar cells on a photovoltaic panel, the power is transferred to a silicon semiconductor. The power is then changed into (dc) direct current electricity and then passed through connecting wires to finally enter a storage battery.
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Types of Solar Panels
Types of panels most normally used in boating applications have either multicrystalline or amorphous thin-film cells. Multicrystalline panels are the oldest technology available and also the most powerful. When sized appropriately and matched to suitable batteries, these are the panels to use for operating large loads such as refrigeration. Amorphous thin film solar panels are only about 50% as effective as multicrystalline panels, but can be bought in flexible forms so they can roll or fold, or correspond to the shape of a yacht cabin top or bimini. They don’t normally have enough output for significant energy replenishment, but can be used to trickle charge a battery bank.
How Much Power Do Solar Cells Make?
Generally, we measure solar panels by wattage and that is how we buy them. You can buy solar panels for boats as small as 10 watts to as large as 200 watts or even larger. But it is easier to understand when we convert watts to amperage. We arrive at these values by multiplying the number of hours the panel spends in full sun (usually defined as 8 per day in Florida) times the panel’s wattage. For a 195 watt solar panel the output would be 195 x 8 hrs = 1,560 watts/day. Taking it step further, 1,560 watts/12 volts = 130 amps per day. Keep in mind that solar panels produce DC power which means that you will need a deep cycle battery bank to hold the charge. Batteries are rated by the amp hours they hold.
So what is Needed in a Solar Panel Setup?
Obviously, one or more solar panels are necessary to make the system work. In addition, you will need:
- a large bank of deep cycle batteries, the bigger the bank the better
- an inverter, choose between pure sin or modified (to be discussed in another article)
- a controller and
- proper wiring and fuses to wire the parts together.
Energy Consumption – A
My guiding principle on how many panels to buy is simple; buy as many panels as your budget and mounting location will allow. You cannot have too many. But you should complete an energy audit to make sure you are buying enough for your needs. Example, if you have 3 interior lights that draw 2 amps each and you leave them on for 4 hours per day, your consumption would be 3 x 2 x 4 = 24 AH/Day. You can generally find the amp load for appliances on a label inside a door etc.
Amps Hours AH/Day House Lighting Refrigeration Freezer Stereo Other TOT AMP HRS:
Inverter Loads – B
An inverter is a device that coverts battery DC power to household AC power; without an inverter, unlike on a yacht, your solar panel will have little value if used at a home. But with an inverter you can use your hair dryer.
Inverter loads use DC power but they are powering AC appliances and equipment. If you need to convert watts to amps use (12watts/12 volts = 1amp).
Amps Hours AH/Day Computer Microwave Refrigeration Freezer Heater Hair Dryer TV Other TOT AMP HRS: *Calculate your total daily energy consumption
AH/per day
Solar Energy Production – C
Alternative sources of power such as solar panels can replace the amp/hrs drawn from the batteries. But like the energy budget that calculated your usage you will also need to calculate your re-supply of amp hours.
Remember the formula – (12 watts/12 volts = 1 amp). But keep in mind, the formula is only a gage; absolute accuracy can only be where the panel output is constant and a solar panel may at times operate inefficiently due to shading by clouds.
Watts Amps X – Hours Sun Exposure = – AH Day Solar Panel 1 Solar Panel 2 Total AMP Hours production:
Solar Panel Needs
Compare the daily energy consumption in AH/Day to the solar energy production. Your solar energy production ( C ) should be greater than the consumption ( A, B ). If not, select a larger wattage panel and recalculate. Always purchase more solar panel output than you will think you will need; some planners recommend at least 30% in excess. We bought our panel from Sun Electronics in Miami, www.sunelec.com as they had the best pricing I could find anywhere online. But remember, panels must be shipped via freight as they are heavily packed to reduce the chance of damage so be sure to calculate those costs in your purchase.
Mounting Your Solar Panel
Now that you have your solar panel, where do you mount it? As we said before, mounting the panel 90 degrees to the southern sun is optimum. You will get the best energy production this way. But on boats, finding a suitable location is tricky at best.
I chose to mount our panel on the top of the trawler sundeck hardtop in a horizontal manner. Here it will get the best view of the sun and be clear from the radar arch shading as the trawler turns at anchor. The angle toward the sun in not exactly at 90 degrees but it will have to do. I chose a 195 watt panel so I have almost a 50% reserve capacity in my panel to make up for the slight inefficiency of the sun’s angle. If you choose to install a panel on land, consider mouthing it on rooftops or you may design and build a platform solely for that purpose.
Wiring Your Panel
Electrical wiring is very technical and hazardous; if you are not comfortable in doing this part of the task, please consult a qualified electrician. Your panel will be prewired for attaching to your boat/house but you will need to supply the connecting cables that will also be sold by your panel supplier; they are referred to as MC4 cables. The cables will come in different lengths suitable for your needs with a male and female connector attached; you cut one connector off. (The photo shows how we have our modified solar/wind turbine system wired.) . In addition, you will also need a controller. The controller regulates the electrical flow from the panel to your batteries keeping your batteries charged yet preventing over charging. Some controllers are simple but others have LED displays showing the rates of charge etc.
The more whistles and bells the more expensive it will be. Your panel supplier will be able to recommend a controller that will meet your needs. I chose a controller made by Specialty Concepts. It is simple yet does the job. And the folks at the company are a big help in helping you choose the right model for your desired panel. When you contact them, the will need to know what size panel (wattage) you are buying and what the voltage is. Check them out at www.specialtyconcepts.com. I also bought my controller from the people at Sun Electronics in Miami. And lastly, you will need the appropriately sized cables to run from the controller to your batteries and a fuse to hook the controller to the battery bank. In selecting the correct fuse, you will need to find the short circuit current for your panel and rate the breaker at 125% of that number. The short circuit rating will be found on the panel specifications. This will give you the amperage of the breaker you will need. Your controller operating manual will have guidance on these too.
Having a solar panel to maintain your batteries seems like a great idea but you’ll need to have a way to monitor your batteries. I chose to also install a Trimetric 2025RV Battery Monitor; www.bogartengineering.com.This smart device is wired into your battery bank to give a real time measurement of voltage going into the bank, amps being used by your boat, the percent full charge on the bank, and the amp hours used since the last charge.
Panel Operation
So we have now installed a 195 watt solar panel coupled with an 1800 watt inverter and a battery bank with 443 amp hours aboard our boat. We ran our tests at anchor with clear skies. Using the worksheets attached I concluded that our power consumption is 112.5 amp hours per 24 hours. The freezer alone is the biggest draw using 60 of the amp hours followed by the refrigerator. On a clear Florida summer day, the solar panel can supply 100% of the boats needs from sunup to sundown; we only lose approximately 40 amp hours overnight, but the panel will bring it back to full after a few hours of sunlight. When relying upon alternative energy, you must always be aware of your surroundings and how much energy you are consuming. For instance, our previous anchor light consumed 20 amp hours in a 10 hour period; replacing it with an LED light uses only .2 amp hours. When the SHTF, I think we’ll be able to maintain our lifestyles to a relative degree of normalcy. In future articles, I’ll discuss how to choose an inverter and how I have supplemented the solar panel with a wind turbine.
Fair winds,
Mike
Special thanks to Mike for taking the time to share his preparedness endeavors with us and helping us learn how being self reliant is possible, we just have show some initiative.
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: February 21st, 2012
Related Categories: Preparedness
Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series: Pt. 3 Solar Power | Ready Nutrition
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Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 4: Wind Turbines
Contributing Author
Ready Nutrition
February 2012
Editor’s Note: While we are sitting in stand still traffic for hours on end, Capt. Mike and his wife will be setting there sails toward a remote island to sit out a SHTF emergency in quiet solitude. This article will discuss, in depth how they have equipped their yacht with a wind turbine to capture additional energy as a means to thrive during a long-term emergency.
Click here to read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
http://readynutrition.com/wp-content...3_094731-1.jpg In another article I wrote about the necessity for preparing to live off the grid when the SHTF. I wrote about using solar power. Finding ways to produce energy without the aid of my yacht’s generator was a necessity. It does not take very long to go through 100 gallons of diesel fuel when using a generator. And I suspect that when the SHTF, diesel fuel will be in short supply.
First it was a solar panel, and now, the latest is a wind turbine. I have installed a wind turbine aboard my boat, but you can use these same principles to install one on land.
Wind has been used for producing energy for centuries; first in Persia (present-day Iran) as early as 200 B.C. However, the first known functional windmills were developed by the Dutch in 1300, by means of cloth sails stretched across wooden frames. In some designs these sails could be trimmed to take advantage of unpredictable wind speed conditions. The large windmills of the Dutch design remained in use all across Europe until the introduction of the steam engine in the 1800s.
Wind is in reality a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the irregular heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth’s surface, and revolving of the earth. Wind flow patterns are created by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, man-made structures and vegetation. We humans can use this wind flow, for many purposes: sailing a boat, flying a kite, flying an airplane and even generating electricity.
The term wind power describes the method by which the wind is used to produce mechanical power. This mechanical power can then be used for specific mechanical tasks such as grinding grain or pumping water. Or as used on a boat, an alternator in a wind turbine can convert this mechanical power into electrical energy.
So how do wind turbines make electricity? Simply stated, a wind turbine works the reverse of a fan. As an alternative to using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind spins the blades, which turn a shaft. The shaft connects to an alternator and produces electricity. In our boat’s turbine, the alternator produces 220 volt 3-phase AC current. The controller, converter, then converts the AC power to 12 volt DC power to charge the battery bank.
Wind Availability
When evaluating whether a wind turbine is economically realistic for your use depends on the quality of your wind resources. Usually, average wind speeds of at least 4 mph are required for a small wind turbine to generate enough electricity to be cost-effective. Being less than ½ mile from the Atlantic coast, we have afternoon sea breezes in the summer which routinely produce 10-15 mph winds. In winter months, we frequently have cold fronts coming through that give us sustained winds of 15-20 mph. If your location is inland, your winds will likely be different.
The most significant component of evaluating your wind resource is an anemometer. Anemometers are wind measuring devices, typically designed with rotating cups mounted on a vertical shaft. The anemometer will allow you to “read” the wind speeds. We have one of these permanently mounted aboard our yacht.
If there is another wind turbine owner in your area, you may be able to obtain useful information from its owners about the electrical output of the system and wind speed data. Such information could be tremendously valuable as an option to installing an anemometer.
Turbine Mounting
Determining the location to mount your wind turbine takes a bit of planning. It must be high enough to capture the wind, preferably away from arches, sails, masts or trees that will block or alter wind flow. There is also the issue of rotating blades. We want to make sure that they do not strike anything while turning, especially someone’s head while moving about.
I chose to use the factory designed pole kit that was built for our turbine. It provides a 3-point connection which also allows us to lay it down for servicing. It is powder coated anodized aluminum, with stainless steel, brackets, designed to withstand the harsh marine environment.
My wind turbine is actually a hybrid system I designed using both wind power and solar power; a schematic is provided in the solar panel article showing the configuration.
Being Neighborly
Many people feel strongly about the need to preserve the views and peace and quiet of their marinas. Expect some questions from your dock mates. Understand your neighbors’ natural fear of the unknown and be prepared to respond to their concerns.
Some of the concerns raised about wind turbines are not true. Wind turbines are not, as many people think, hazardous to birds. A shiny reflective window is more dangerous to birds than a small wind turbine. Wind turbines also have no potential to interfere with radio and television reception.
Wind Turbine Noise
Your neighbors’ concerns involving wind turbine noise are important. Regardless of the size of the wind turbine, the possibility for turbine noise to bother other people always exists. Even if a wind turbine does not emit enough sound to break any noise regulations, the noise it produces may still be offensive to other people.
Older turbines were indeed noisy, but modern day engineering has developed turbine blades that are virtually silent. Our turbine is about 3 feet in diameter and at 4 mph winds; the unit produces a light flutter. At 10 mph the unit produces no sound at all.
Wind Turbine Advantages
Wind Turbine Disadvantages
- Wind is free
- Produces no waste or greenhouse gases.
- The wind is not always predictable – some days we have no wind at all.
- Some units can be noisy. The small modern wind generators used on boats hardly produce any sound at all.
How Much Power Do They Produce
Turbines can be purchased that produce different power outputs. The turbine that I chose is a Sunforce 450 watt turbine. It has a cut-in speed of 4 mph and has a survival wind speed capacity of 157 mph.
The amps (power) produced is:
The unit has a built in brake that will engage automatically when the batteries are at full charge, or it can be manually set if so desired.
- 6 mph winds – 8.3 amps
- 10 mp winds – 25 amps
- 14 mph winds – 58.3 amps
Author: Contributing Author
Web Site: http://www.ReadyNutrition.com/
Date: February 27th, 2012
Related Categories: Featured, General, Preparedness, Reserve Supplies
Prepping to Survive: The Nautical Series Pt. 4: Wind Turbines | Ready Nutrition
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Antibiotics Shown to be Ineffective at Treating Sinus Infection
Mike Barrett
NaturalSociety
February 28, 2012
In 2010, approximately 29.8 million adults were diagnosed with sinusitis, a sinus infection. A very large amount of those diagnoses resulted in doctors prescribing antibiotics in order to treat the problem, but new research shows that antibiotics are not even effective at treating sinus infection. In fact, a placebo was shown to be just as effective.
Antibiotics Shown to be Ineffective at Treating Sinus Infection
For the study, main author Dr. Jane M Garbutt and her team examined data involving 166 adults stricken with acute sinus infections with either moderate, severe, or very severe symptoms. Specifically, the symptoms had to include pain or tenderness in the face and sinuses, and nasal discharge lasting between 7 and 28 days. Each participant was randomly assigned either a 10-day dose of an antibiotics known as amoxicillin, or a 10-day dose of a placebo.
While the antibiotics relieved symptoms more than the placebo up until day 3, it was not anymore effective than the placebo for the remaining time period.
“We hope this study provides scientific evidence that doctors can use with patients to explain that an antibiotic is not likely to help an acute sinus infection…our results show that antibiotics aren’t necessary for a basic sinus infection – most people get better on their own.” said lead author Dr Jane M Garbutt, associate professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.
Since the beginning of using antibiotics, the needed dosage to potentially treat most bacterial infections, including sinus infection, has increased tremendously. The overuse of antibiotics has become a serious problem, with even mainstream doctors warning against the excessive overuse of the drugs due to the permanent negative alterations in digestive flora. Contributing to mental illness, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, antibiotics are evoking fear in scientists by perpetuating diseases ‘impossible’ to treat.
Sinus infections almost always go away on their own, but there are ways to lessen the length, severity, and also prevent the negative experience. Boosting your own immune system through eating organic foods, exercising, and supplementing with powerful supplements like turmeric and vitamin D is at the base of prevention.
In addition, an absolutely fantastic solution for relieving symptoms is raw organic apple cider vinegar. After simply consuming apple cider vinegar on its own or combining it with other powerful relievers such as cayenne pepper, you will undoubtedly see a an improvement.
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Wyoming State Government Preppers
February 28, 2012 by Sam Rolley
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State legislators in Wyoming, like American preppers, have decided to prepare for economic and political collapse of the United States because of the Nation’s soaring national debt and Americans’ growing dissatisfaction with the Federal government.
A House bill recently passed in the State (HB 85) calls for the creation of a State-run continuity task force to study and prepare Wyoming for potential catastrophes including disruptions in food and energy supplies and a complete breakdown of the Federal government. The task force will consider the feasibility of the State issuing its own currency, creating a standing army, implementing a State military draft and acquiring strike aircraft and an aircraft carrier.
According to Wyoming’s Star-Tribune, the measure has gained healthy support from State legislators.
“I don’t think there’s anyone in this room today what would come up here and say that this country is in good shape, that the world is stable and in good shape — because that is clearly not the case,” State Representative Lorraine Quarberg (R-Thermopolis) told the paper. “To put your head in the sand and think that nothing bad’s going to happen, and that we have no obligation to the citizens of the state of Wyoming to at least have the discussion, is not healthy.”
The bill’s sponsor, State Representative David Miller (R-Riverton), said that he does not expect the U.S. government to collapse anytime soon, but that it is important for his State to hedge against problems at the Federal level.
Wyoming State Government Preppers : Personal Liberty Alerts=
Opting Out Of Vaccines May Get Easier
February 28, 2012 by Catherine Frompovich
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Some States are considering legislation that would make it easier for parents to opt out their children from mandatory vaccinations via philosophical exemptions, according to the Immunization Action Coalition.
Mississippi and West Virginia, two die-hard vaccination States that grant no exemptions except medical, are now considering exemptions based upon philosophical beliefs. That’s very telling, I think.
On Feb. 22, parents rallied in Charleston, W.V., in support of Senate Bill 50, which would permit nonmedical exemptions for vaccines. Participant Claudia Raymer, founder of We the People, claimed the chicken pox vaccine is unnecessary because it’s not a deadly disease and that the Hepatitis B vaccine is unnecessary for infants, since Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted disease.
Perhaps parents are becoming concerned about the 36 vaccines children must receive in order to attend school. Eighteen of those vaccines contain the neurotoxin aluminum. The DTaP vaccine contains 625 mcg of aluminum; the Hepatitis B vaccine contains 375 mcg of aluminum and is given within 24 hours of birth; and the Hib vaccine contains 225 mcg of aluminum, according to Russell Blaylock, M.D., a neurosurgeon and expert on excitotoxins, chemicals that affect the brain.
Twenty-seven States and Washington, D.C. allow religious exemption. The 27 religious exemption States are: Arkansas, Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming.
It seems that some States granting religious exemptions now are considering philosophical exemptions. To see a religious exemption vaccination opt-out form for Washington, D.C., click here. You probably could use this form as a guide, but make certain that you cite your State’s correct code section (§).
Personal or philosophical belief exemptions currently are granted in 21 States, according to Mayer Eisenstein, M.D.
A philosophical exemption is not restricted solely to religious or spiritual beliefs but includes the moral and/or personal beliefs of parents and/or adults. For example, California’s philosophical vaccination exemption objections can be based simply on a parent’s personal beliefs with no other reason needed, including medical.
The 21 personal exemption States are: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
The two medical only exemption States are Mississippi and West Virginia.
Click here to view a Hepatitis B Vaccination Consent/Refusal Form for adults.Keep in mind, though, that the Hepatitis B vaccination is given to infants within 24 hours of birth and twice thereafter. Parents who want to opt out of that vaccination for their child should sign an opt-out form before the child is born. The mother should take it with her to the birthing facility, and the father should make certain it is enforced. I’ve heard stories of nurses waking mothers during the night to ask permission to vaccinate the baby with the Hepatitis B vaccine, even when the parents have said they didn’t want one for their baby. I believe both parents-to-be should sign the form in the presence of a notary public. That may prevent legal problems should the parents ever split up.
Information surfacing from Australia may be encouraging opposition to vaccines and prompting Legislatures to rethink vaccination mandates. It seems the Australian government has awarded CSL, the maker of Fluvax®, a $117 million contract to supply seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines until 2016.
Australia’s 9News reported: “The vaccine has, however, been banned for use in children under five after it triggered febrile convulsions in some children in 2010.”
So what happens with children younger than 5?
“The federal Health Department also awarded contracts to British-based GlaxoSmithKline and French company Sanofi who will provide vaccines Fluarix and Vaxigrip for children under 10.”
In the United States, getting an annual influenza vaccine is recommended for children, beginning at 6 months of age. Click here for the immunization schedule. Can you see why many parents are becoming concerned with the ever-growing number of mandated vaccinations? Did you count the number in a child’s first year of life?
Vaccinations really don’t make ecological sense, since they pump loads of toxins into infants and toddlers. When will they realize you can’t poison a body into wellness? You can be certain teens and adults receive toxins, too. Maybe this growing concern will force the Food and Drug Administration and Big Pharma to do the right thing, but please don’t hold your breath.
–Catherine J. Frompovich
Editor’s note: If your State Legislature is considering philosophical exemption legislation, please let us know so we can pass that information along to our readers.–BL
Opting Out Of Vaccines May Get Easier : Personal Liberty Alerts=
Nutrient-Dense Food: Your Secret Arsenal for Food Storage Success
February 27, 2012 by Peggy Layton
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In any survival scenario, the most valuable asset or currency you will need is food. Food reserves will be more precious than gold, oil and cash. We must have food to survive. Let’s face it, when you’re hungry, nothing else matters. If you don’t have nutrient-dense food, your food reserves will be insufficient.
Nutrient-dense food is your secret weapon. It is the single most important factor to catapult you from “someone who just has food storage” to someone who has a nutrient-dense food reserves.
It’s not enough to just have “food.” You should have food that has the highest nutritional density for the space that it will take up. This will ensure your family’s health will not be compromised in stressful times.
Pound For Pound And Dollar For Dollar
Money is getting tight for most people. We must be wise with each dollar we have.
The food-reserve decisions you make now will determine your wealth when food prices double and triple. Determining how much money you put into food reserves is like buying stocks. When it comes time to invest in your food reserve bank, there is one key investing tip that you must know.
One “dollar” doesn’t equal $1, and one can of “food” doesn’t equal one can of food.
A dollar spent today on dried fruits and vegetables is a stronger dollar than a dollar spent on a box of cereal. One jar of fruit whose juice you could also drink at another meal or add to pancake batter is not the same as one jar of food that is not as versatile and is limited in its recipe appeal.
I believe that pre-made meals that you just add water to and cook are a great investment. You don’t have to open six to 10 cans and find a recipe to make a meal. When you need food reserves, you need them now and you need them convenient and easy to prepare with the minimal amount of heat and fuel. Each food-reserve choice must give you optimal return on investment, pound for pound and dollar for dollar.
Quantity Doesn’t Equal Quality
You may have a large food reserve, but is it quality food? In times of stress, you need the highest quality food available. To optimize storage space, each inch must yield the highest quality of food to justify occupying the space where it is stored. When it comes time to pack your 72-hour emergency bug out bag, every square inch counts. Lightweight, nutrient-dense food could save your life.
A “cheap” bag of processed food will not give you the nutrition needed. You need high-quality food in any stressful situation. In a worst-case scenario, there could be viruses in the air, irritants in your throat, bacteria to combat and gastrointestinal tracts that are not properly digesting food. If we eat nutrient-dense food, we will better combat illnesses caused by a pandemic flu or some other disaster.
I would rather have oatmeal or nine-grain cereal of the highest quality with a few dried apple slices than boxes of processed, poor-quality, sugary cereal. Why? Because each bite you put into your mouth will cost you — not financially, but you will pay with your health.
Digestive Enzyme Optimization
If your food is not living (whole foods), your body will need to produce enzymes and digestive juices to break the food down and make it bioavailable. Dehydrated fruits and vegetables are the highest quality because the water has been removed, and the enzymes are still in the food. Any grain, bean or legume that will sprout is a nutrient-dense food.
It takes more energy and digestive enzymes to digest processed, packaged food than high-quality, dried whole foods.
Food That Ignores Constitutional Law
All food reserves are not created equal. One can of dried food has greater nutritional value than other cans of wet pack food from a grocery store. Homegrown food that you dehydrate at home in your food dryer is better-quality food, because you can regulate what goes into putting up the food and the temperature at which it is dehydrated. Get fruits and vegetables from your local grocery store, farmers market or your garden. Even winter vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and onions can be sliced thin, dried and stored, then reconstituted in soups.
Imported food from countries with less-stringent inspection for insecticides, fertilizers, bacterial and chemical contamination have entered our country’s food supply and have proven to be problematic. Storing safe, clean food is essential.
When storing dehydrated food, it is best to look for the healthiest dried foods available. You want to get the most for your money. Read the labels on the containers. You should purchase foods that do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), Hydrogenated Oils or Trans Fat. Organic food is usually more nutritious than other foods.
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...orage_book.jpgUse canned stored food such as dried fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and beans in recipes from my food-storage cookbooks, which are available here.
You can purchase high-quality freeze-dried or dehydrated foods that are in gallon-sized cans. These non-GMO foods do not contain MSG, trans fats, harmful chemicals or insecticides, and they have a 15-year shelf life. Click here to check out all the different foods available.
I’ve been testing a line of nutritious fast-and-easy gourmet meals called GoFoods. This company has a new concept in storable foods that are delicious, nutritious, affordable, clean and convenient for daily use. GoFoods are for on-the-go families because they can be eaten today, stored for the future or shared with family, friends or neighbors.
I am very impressed with the food. It is dehydrated, not freeze-dried, so the prices are very reasonable. Each package of food is ready to go with everything except the water. It takes only 15-20 minutes to cook, and the food is delicious. The packages feed two to four people.
The Mylar® packages include breakfast items such as pancake mix, oatmeal, granola and powdered milk. They also include soups for lunch like cheddar broccoli, Italian chicken, vegetable beef, tortilla soup, corn chowder, minestrone, chicken noodle, chili, and potato cheddar. Entrées for dinner and other baking items include chicken pasta Alfredo, cheesy chicken rice casserole, beef stroganoff, au gratin potatoes, instant seasoned potatoes, corn muffin mix, cornmeal dumplings, wheat bread mix, buttermilk biscuit mix and more.
Click here to check out this great food with a 15-year shelf life.
–Peggy Layton
Nutrient-Dense Food: Your Secret Arsenal for Food Storage Success : Personal Liberty Alerts=
No Matter How Much Food You’ve Got Stored, It Will Eventually Run Out in a Full-Blown Collapse
Joe Alton, M.D.,aka Dr. Bones
March 1st, 2012
Doom and Bloom Nation
Comments (254)
The following article has been generously contributed by Joe Alton, M.D., aka Dr. Bones, of Doom and Bloom Nation where you can find strategies to stay healthy that include traditional medicine, alternative remedies, and medicinal/survival gardening. For the best in emergency and long-term disaster medical preparedness we encourage you to check out The Doom and Bloom Survival Medicine Handbook and follow Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy on their weekly podcast.
To Survive, How Much Land?
Have you ever wondered how likely it is that you’ll be able to produce all the calories you’ll need on that piece of land you have? How much land for livestock? How about those solar panels you were thinking about? How many square feet of panels will provide you with the electricity you’ll need? There are ways to figure this out, and the answers may surprise you.
Let’s start by talking power. In a collapse situation, you’ll probably be able to rely on the sun and wind and not much else, unless you’ve built a watermill. The best answer might be installing some solar panels on your roof. This is a commonly available option that many people are considering nowadays. Let’s say part of your roof is facing south (the best place for a solar panel) and you get 7 hours or so of sunlight, on average. To get the amount of power that an average home uses in a year, you’ll need 375 square feet of panels. These things aren’t cheap, and that much hardware is going to be beyond the average family’s financial reach. This means that you’ll have to make decisions regarding how to ration the power you ARE able to produce. Look around the house, and you’ll probably see lots of things that are plugged in that you can eliminate if the stuff ever hits the fan. This is part of the planning you’ll need to do now, so that you’ll be better prepared for times of trouble.
How about food? If you have a family of four, you’ll want to provide at least 2000 or so calories per adult, more if you’re a big guy, maybe a little less for kids. The formula is simple: At least 30 calories per kilogram of body weight. One kilogram equals 2.2 pounds, so an 80 kilogram adult would weigh 176 pounds. 30 x 80 = 2400 calories/day. Less for kids, of course. All in all, you’ll need to provide 8000-9000 calories a day to maintain your family of four’s weight.
So, let’s talk about some hard realities. No matter how much food you’ve got stored, it will eventually run out in a full-blown collapse. For your future success, better get that garden growing.
Anyone who’s done it will tell you that there’s a learning curve, and you sure don’t want to plant that first seed in the midst of the Zombie Apocalypse.
Now, let’s separate your garden out into three categories: fruits, berries, and vegetables, then wheat, then corn. If you went totally vegetarian, you would need a little less than half an acre per person to provide all of those calories. That means a family of 4 needs almost 2 acres of farmable land!
The majority of this land will go to fruits, berries, and veggies. You’ll get the most nutrients in terms of vitamins and minerals from these. To decrease the amount of land you’ll need, consider companion planting. Some organic farmers will plant sunflowers, and then plant peas that will grow up the long stalks. The same goes with corn, squash, and pole beans. Squash will grow low to the ground, pole beans will take the intermediate area, and corn up high. Make sure you don’t put plants in the same family together, such as dill and carrots. They will share the same pests and diseases, which could possibly spread from one crop to the other.
If you stock up on wheatberries and use your handy dandy Wondermill, you can cut the land requirement down a bit. A mix of prepared food storage and gardening will keep you healthy and fed for a longer time. Corn isn’t a very land-efficient crop, but you might need it for your livestock. An alternative if you need to trim that acreage down a bit more is to stock up on bushels of corn feed; that’s about 55 pounds of feed for about $9-10. This is a good idea, but you’ll use a lot of it. It takes 10 bushels of corn to get a hog from weaning to slaughter. Btw, corn prices are going higher; they were less than 5 dollars a couple of years ago.
Don’t forget, you’ll need some land for hog wallows, goats, rabbits and chickens. All of these animals can be raised in relatively small amounts of space, and provide important protein. You’ll need a good 200 square feet for 3 hogs, more if they have piglets. You can get away with less for each of the other animals.
You might have to forget about cows; they aren’t land-efficient. If you want milk, think about goats, especially Nubian Goats. This variety can produce 1800 lbs. of milk a year, according to various sources. That’s a lot of milk! How about eggs? The average family of four will eat 1000 eggs or so a year. To reliably get this quantity, you’ll need about 10-15 birds in your henhouse, depends a lot on the breed and the ingenuity of the local foxes and raccoons.
You could probably squeeze this all in with an acre and a half of land. If you don’t have that much property, now you know you’ll need that much more food storage to make up the difference. This is information I thought was important for me to know, and now you know it too.
Joe Alton, M.D.,aka Dr. Bones, is a medical doctor and a certified Master Gardener for his state. He’s a regular contributor to Survivalist Magazine and the author of The Doom and Bloom(tm) Survival Medicine Handbook, due out early next year. His blog at www.doomandbloom.net is all about medical preparedness, survival gardening, and figuring out strategies to keep you healthy in a collapse.
No Matter How Much Food You
Living With Snipers: The Reality of Collapse *Photos; Video*
Mac Slavo
February 27th, 2012
SHTFplan.com
Comments (222)
[Man runs from sniper in Homs, Syria. 2012]What does it look like when your relatively safe, stable and secure way of life is plunged into chaos, disorder and violence? Though history is replete with examples of entire civilizations collapsing for various reasons, we need only review the events of the last century to see how quickly modern-day society can devlolve into hell on Earth.
Whether the cause is a natural disaster, economic and monetary calamity, political revolution, or armed conflict, the consequences for the general population can be severe.
When just-in-time food and medicine distribution systems fail, utility infrastructures crumble, emergency response becomes non-existent, and the rule of law becomes unenforceable, only survival will matter.
Selco of SHTF School, who survived the war in the Balkan region during the 1990′s, recounts how everything changed after TEOTWAWKI:
Nothing is like it was before. When you defend your home you need to have [a] mindset change. Home is not [a] cozy secure place anymore. Home is the place [in which] you chose to defend yourself and loved ones. You will feel very different about the place you used as defensive base forever.When you live in a grid-down situation, especially in the midst of armed conflict, the necessities for life that we take for granted in the West become a daily struggle, often requiring you to put your life in danger. The following pictures were recently taken over the course of a week by Mulham Al-Jundi in the eastern Homs neighborhoods of Syria, where shelling, killing and unrest are taking their toll on the civilian population.
Via: Being in a city under siege
We reached Al-Jundi on Skype, as he was recovering from being shot in the leg by a sniper.Homes damaged from shelling and gun fire. The streets are riddled with debris:
“Snipers have tried to shoot me so many times,” he says. “Today, they got their goal.” He was treated in a poorly-equipped field hospital, much like the one he photographed earlier in the week.
Before he had to go back to resting, he expressed anger that kids were out in the streets, selling cigarettes and gasoline to get by. “They should be in school!” Schools, of course, are closed for the time being.
Source: France 24
http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...homs-homes.jpghttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...oms-homes2.jpgThe power grid and maintenance services have collapsed. Residents create burn piles and bonfires to stay warm. Trash accumulation will lead to unsanitary conditions and disease.http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u.../homs-grid.jpgFood is scarce. Residents complain that there are no fruits and vegetables to be had. Those with the ability to do so provide direct commodities like bread, eggs, gas, meat and even cigarettes for sale or trade.:
http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...homs-grid2.jpghttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...homs-trash.jpg
http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u.../homs-eggs.jpghttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...homs-bread.jpghttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...2/homs-gas.jpghttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...oms-smokes.jpg
Photographer Mulham Al-Jundi before being shot in the leg by a sniper. He tweets “A sniper is right behind me!” :
The other perspective. Syrian snipers take aim at ‘rebels’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=AKp_d2tTIkU <---- Video Link
(Video hat tip The Prepper Website and Selco)
Video Report: Syria: the horror of Homs, a city at war Syria: the horror of Homs, a city at war - YouTube <---- Video Link
If The United States were to undergo a paradigm shift like that which have seen in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, or any number of countries and regions in the last hundred years, including World Wars I and II which changed the face of the entire world and claimed the lives of over 100 million people, everything will change and the entire system in which we live, including our conceptualization of the laws by which society and civilization are supposed to function, will be turned on its head.
No matter how much we prepare for the expected and unexpected, when the laws of society and humanity break down no one is really ready for what the singularity of collapse will bring.
Selco Recounts: Being In a City Under Siege:While difficult for many to accept, societal breakdowns are a common occurrence on our planet. They happen more often than governments of industrialized nations and the mainstream media like to admit. Often, entire populations of cities, regions and countries are thrown into impossible and unimaginable circumstances.
Some dark memories hide deep inside of me. Not easy to get to them. But this is one that came back.
My friend got caught with his comrade in one house, actually two of them are left something like behind enemy lines, in basement of destroyed house. Enemy group, some 150-200 men was doing sweeps through that street, robbing, and killing civilians who had no time to run. He said to me that they spend two days in basement, covered with all kinds of junk, watching outside through a small opening, few meters from opening was a corpse of girl, maybe 10 years old.
In order to see if somebody is coming to their basement, one of them needed to be constantly on that small opening, watching. He said he managed to watch atrocities that those people did to civilians and somehow push that deep inside his brain, over the time, to put these memories away. But to stare at dead kid, all the time, with her eyes wide open, blond hair, he almost lost his mind.
One of them had a pistol and few bullets, other one had a rifle , 30 bullets and homemade grenade (made from unexploded tank grenade).
They make agrement, if they see enemy is coming to the basement, they gonna fire everything and blow themselfs with that grenade. Nobody came in basement, burned house was not interesting for other guys. After two days enemy group just pulled back.
The world as we know it today, with all of its current political, economic, financial and social instability may very well be on the brink of a wide-spread, historic collapse of unprecedented proportions.
Worst case scenarios have happened before. For many, they are happening tonight.
Let history be our guide. Let current events be our warnings signs. One day the worst case scenario may not be just a hypothetical event.
Special thanks to Todd at the Prepper Website and Selco at SHTF School.
Living With Snipers: The Reality of Collapse *Photos; Video*
Society’s Five Stages of Economic Collapse
David Meyer
February 28th, 2012
Target of Opportunity
Comments (330)
Society as we know it will break down and collapse in a five stage process outlined here. While it can be accelerated by certain events like war, a natural disaster, pandemic, terrorist attack, or even an impending asteroid impact, history has shown that economic collapse will essentially happen in this five stage process. To survive the collapse, it is important to read and interpret the signs and understand what assets are important to the current situation so you can be prepared for the worst thereby allowing you to survive intact and with as little damage as possible.
STAGE 1. The Decay Begins
Everything is good and the economy is thriving. A high standard of living has been achieved. This is the way things should be. Goods are cheap and readily available. Everything seems to be in abundance. Stores are filled with retail items ready to be purchased. Life in general is good. The nation’s working infrastructure is solidly intact and working well. However, the idea that everyone is entitled to have what others have earned now permeates society. Redistribution of Wealth Policies are implemented and quietly woven into the fabric of society. Unchecked and under the guise of fairness and equality, these policies slowly decrease productivity and increase dependency on government entitlement and welfare programs.
Primary Assets:
- Career
- Home Value
- Savings
- Investments – Stocks and bonds
- Health Insurance
- Lifestyle Image
- Good Credit Rating for Debt Accumulation
STAGE 2. The Slippery Slope
The economy goes into a slow but steadily increasing decline. Unemployment is on the rise. Ever increasing numbers of people receive government assistance in one form or another. People are paid not to work. Government spending has increased dramatically. The price of gold, silver, and other precious metals rise to prices unheard of just a few years earlier. Inflation reaches the double digit levels.
Primary Assets:
- Cash
- Precious Metals, Gold and Silver coins
- Job Stability
- Elimination of debt
- Health Insurance
- Home Equity
- Automobile with good MPG
- Acquiring secluded land more than 40 miles from densely populated areas
STAGE 3. It is Going to Get Worse
The total collapse of the economy begins after a significant and prolonged decline. The government implements price controls. Shortages on essential goods become widespread. Foreclosed houses sit vacant and deteriorating by the tens of thousands. Middle class neighborhoods begin to look like slums. The government begins to print currency to pay its bills and support the tens of millions on public assistance. Inflation increases even more and unemployment exceeds 25%. Banks and businesses fail at ever increasing rates. Nobody seems to have any money. Many are now homeless. Labor unions instigate strikes, civil unrest, and large scale riots. Government services are interrupted and unreliable. Local and national infrastructure is in decay. Violent gangs begin to appear and assert themselves. The government begins confiscation of firearms from law abiding citizens. Violence is everywhere. Cities and urban areas become very dangerous places to live.
At this stage, the country seems pretty much beyond the point of no return. However, things can still be reversed even at this stage if the right person at the top really believes in the basic fundamental concepts of Freedom, Independence, Liberty, and Individual Rights and is not afraid to do what is necessary to reverse the current trend. He will be vilified and hated because of his attitude toward personal responsibility, cutting entitlements, and ending welfare programs. Of course, if the right person were in power and did what needed to be done, none of this would have happened in the first place.
Primary Assets:
- Gold and Silver coins
- Cash
- Job
- Automobile
- Home
- Short term food supplies
- Short term fuel stores
- Firearms and ammo
- Plans to relocate to a secluded rural hideaway
- Small livestock – chicken, rabbit, fish…
- A close network of like minded people
- Survival knowledge and skills
STAGE 4. The Grab for Power
The collapse can transition to this stage at any time after Stage 3. Most of the middle class have lost everything. What used to be well manicured middle class neighborhoods are filled with the carcasses of empty houses damaged and destroyed by vandals. The nation’s infrastructure has been seriously neglected and is in need of a major overhaul. The power grid becomes unreliable. Rolling blackouts are a daily occurrence. You can no longer buy or sell gold or own foreign currency. Inflation is out of control. Now the economy collapses. There is a rush for everything and the shelves go empty in a matter of hours. Society falls into chaos. The control of urban areas shifts when violent gangs takeover control of the streets and urban neighborhoods. The government issues restrictive measures in an attempt to control the economy. Everything is in short supply and heavily rationed. Food and gasoline is very expensive and there are very long lines to get them when they are available. Affordable quality health care is non-existent and your job is a distant memory. You will do without what you are unable to provide for yourself. You will discover what it is to live in a third world country.
Primary Assets:Once all of the above has come to pass, the realization of the current circumstances at this moment must be all too obvious. It is too late to prepare at this point. What you did not acquire earlier, you are not going to possess now. Anything of value necessary for your survival has already been claimed. The situation gets worse… much worse.
- Relocation to the rural hideaway
- Firearms and ammo
- Long term food supplies (1 year minimum)
- Adequate fuel stores
- Security plan to protect the group and assets
- Trained dog for security
- A working knowledge of survival gardening
- Survival knowledge and skills
Stage 5 is next… and it is not pretty.
STAGE 5. Freedom, Liberty, and Independence is Lost
The government implements martial law. Fighting between civilians and government forces break out nationwide. Maintaining more than a 30 day supply of food is considered hoarding food and is illegal. Severe poverty and starvation become a common sight. The government offers marginally acceptable food, water and shelter in exchange for your Freedom, Liberty, and Independence. Democracy ends and a Socialist form of government takes over under the guise of fixing society’s problems with the false promise that peace and prosperity will return better than it was just a few years ago. A Totalitarian regime assumes power and the individual freedoms and liberties once enjoyed by the people are completely eliminated.
Primary Assets:As you can see, priorities change as the world changes. Your most prized assets of today – your good credit, luxury automobile, and career are no longer important after the economy collapses.
- Rural Hideaway
- Security plan to protect the group and assets
- Living below the radar in a community of like minded people
- Firearms and the ability to use them
- Guard dog for security
- Survival knowledge and skills
- A working and producing garden capable of feeding 150% of the group
- A stable supply of clean water
- Vegetable seeds for long term food production and barter
- The will to live and survive in a harsh political climate
FAILURE TO PREPARE TODAY WILL INCREASE THE MAGNITUDE OF YOUR SUFFERING TOMORROW.
It is better to prepare 10 years too early than 10 minutes too late. Many who lack vision will say that it will never happen and for those who decide to live unprepared should consider the following statement.
LACK OF PLANNING ON YOUR PART DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON MY PART.
This article has been contributed by David Meyer. You can read more of his editorials at the Target of Opportunity web site.
Society's Five Stages of Economic Collapse
The Puzzled Homemaker: What's On The Menu For A Bioterrorist Attack?
February 13, 2012 by Peggy Layton
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...0210_image.jpgHomemakers can use supplements to help their families survive in times of stress.
In 2012, we plan for the worst and hope for the best. The threats are real and include bioterrorism and nuclear war. When all “heck” breaks loose, homemakers can use supplements to help their families survive.
The Missing Ingredient
For food to be truly nutritious, it must provide the minerals and other nutrients that our bodies need, especially in times of stress. When we are under stress for long periods of time, the body releases hormones to help deal with the stress. These hormones increase blood pressure and cause muscles to tense up.
In times of stress our body’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase along with our blood pressure. Our calcium/magnesium level is depleted when we are under stress. If we had to take off and walk several miles in a bug out situation, we could sweat out a great deal of our minerals. Illness such as severe diarrhea and vomiting can deplete us of our minerals. Diabetics have to be especially careful when the “tummy bug” hits because the flu can mess up the blood sugar and make them extremely ill.
Taking time to get healthy now is just as important as being in good health in the face of severe challenges.
When our nutritional needs increase in times of stress there are three things we can do:
Proper nutrition is a key factor in getting through a tough situation.
- Eat healthier foods and store the best quality foods and supplements that will support our body’s needs in times of stress.
- Detox.
- Mineralize.
Enzymes
Man does not live by carbohydrates, fat and proteins alone. Man (and woman) must have enzymes as well as minerals.
Enzymes are catalysts to break down the foods we eat, and enzyme activity is down in times of stress. Enzymes naturally occur in fruits and vegetables that are alive. If you don’t have access to live foods in a stressful situation, you will need to stock up on enzymes in the form of supplements from the health food store.
Minerals
What else does the body need? Minerals. Chances are you are depleted in much-needed minerals right now. Your body obtains minerals from the food that you eat. Does your current diet provide enough minerals?
Between 1900 and 1940, minerals in the soil were depleted by almost 85 percent. In 1936, the government issued Senate Document 264 and during the second session of the 74th Congress, lawmakers ordered this report to be printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office. It is interesting to read and applies to our plight in the 21st Century:
Do you know that most of us today are suffering from certain dangerous diet deficiencies which cannot be remedied until the depleted soils from which our foods come are brought into proper mineral balance?Almost 70 years ago, the food that was being grown was not providing enough sustenance. The food itself was devoid of minerals. Why aren’t we doing any better now? The suggested solution to this problem is to put minerals back into the soil. Another solution is to put the minerals back into our bodies.
The alarming fact is that foods—fruits and vegetables and grains—now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contains enough of certain needed minerals, are starving us—no matter how much of them we eat!
If you are not growing your own food, you have no control over what goes into the soil where your food was grown. Composting and building up the soil with organic minerals will help keep your backyard garden from becoming depleted. You can control this yourself if you are a gardener.
Are the synthetic minerals that are put into the soil the same as naturally occurring ones coming from organic composting? It was documented that 99 percent of Americans were deficient in minerals in the early 1900s. Has anything really changed? Oh, yes. We drink more soda and eat fast food. Our stress levels are elevated and our hearts are failing us.
Both the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (Sept. 2003) and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (October 2006) revealed a correlation between carbonated drink consumption and decreased minerals in the bones.[1]
Stress, disease, poor diet and soda consumption all increase our need for minerals.
Adding these missing minerals back into our daily diet in a naturally occurring form can be one of the most important dietary changes that we can make today to give us reserves in times of stress.
How Can We Increase Mineral Consumption?
This shocking suggestion was proposed by Jordan S. Rubin his book The Maker’s Diet, which gained popularity a few years back. He recovered from a serious wasting disease by including healthy soil in his diet. Have you ever heard of Bentonite Clay? He asserted that there are essential microorganisms in healthy soil that we need in our bodies and that we would naturally get if our food weren’t depleted.
- Research the origin and content of your current food supply. (Is this possible? With so many foods coming from different sources could we ever know their mineral profile? )
- Take a reputable mineral supplement. It is up to you to decide what mineral supplements are the best for you. Personally, I would stock up on vitamins and mineral supplements for times of stress. Find them in health food stores. It is best if you can eat organic foods that you know have been raised properly; however, that is very hard to do, especially in the winter when crops must be imported from Mexico and other countries.
- We could eat dirt.
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...Clay-group.jpgEat Redmond Clay Daily Detox
Last year, I featured Redmond Trading Company’s Redmond Clay as a way to detox the intestinal tract and remove harmful toxins. In times of bacterial and viral outbreaks, a strong immune system and an ability to absorb nutrients are needed.
Redmond Clay Daily Detox also provides the minerals needed but missing in the standard American diet. In addition to being an essential component of a food-storage program for the future, it is a powerful adjuvant to restoring health now. Taking two capsules of the highest-quality mineral resource every day will clean out toxins that weigh you down.
http://plimages.blob.core.windows.ne...eliminater.jpgRedmond Trading Company also has a product that eliminates leg cramps that is sold under the Re-Lyte brand. Athletes use it to help their performance. Mothers give it to their children when they have growing pains that cause them to cry because their legs cramp up. Re-Lyte is made from the mineral-rich Sea Salt from the Redmond Salt Mine.
Purchase these Redmond products at www.peggylayton.com.
Redmond Clay
The gifts of the Earth are for you to use. Redmond Clay is harvested from the site of an ancient sea right in the middle of Utah. The Sundance Sea has been buried for millions of years; the Redmond salt comes from a Jurassic source 200 feet below the Earth’s surface. The salt and clay mine are protected from the pollutants that absorb into regular salt extracted from the sea. With Redmond clay and salt, what is left from its concentrated mineral deposits for you is worth its weight in gold. Native Americans knew of its value. They carried “mud balls” made of clay with them and ingested small amounts of the mud with water to cleanse toxins and promote internal healing.
My Testimony
I have my own testimony of the power of Redmond Clay to heal. Just last week, I got up in the middle of the night to get some calcium magnesium supplements to help me sleep. I came into my dark bedroom and crashed into my grandson’s baby bed. I jammed my middle toe into the bone in my foot. It was definitely broken. I tried to sleep but couldn’t because the pain would not subside. I hobbled to the bathroom and reached for my bottle of premixed Redmond Clay called First Aid. Applying it liberally around my toe and then wrapping it with gauze and tape to splint it, I hobbled back to bed. The pain subsided, and I was able to get to sleep. Redmond Clay reduced the inflammation dramatically, had an analgesic effect to reduce the pain and has eliminated the bruising.
Burn Relief
Another testimonial of Redmond clay is that my daughter-in-law burned herself on the forearm with a curling iron. It was a large burn and very blistered. I doctored her with Redmond clay that is already premixed called First Aid. I put a bandage on it and, within seconds, the pain was gone. It healed in a couple of days. If anyone gets a burn of any kind in our family, I always use Redmond Clay. The high mineral content helps heal much faster than anything else I have tried, and the pain leaves instantly.
Intestinal Problems
One tablespoon of Redmond Clay can be mixed in a glass of water and let set for an hour. It will settle to the bottom of the glass, then you drink the water full of minerals. For the diehards that can handle it, they drink the clay and water. It has been proven to help with all kinds of intestinal problems as well as colon issues like colitis, diverticulitis and many other intestinal tract problems. People who eat clay report better health and get rid of problems that plagued them for years. I sell a book on my website called The Healing Power Of Clay.
Keep Clay In The Medical Kit
This is a must-have for any home emergency kit. I have a 6-pound gallon bucket of Redmond Clay in my storage. I would not be without it. Redmond clay comes in powdered form, which you just add water and mix yourself. It also comes in a premixed squeeze bottle called First-Aid. It comes in capsules, called Daily Detox. Daily Detox is good for the intestinal track, absorbing 30 times its weight in poisons and toxins as it moves through the body.
One of the best ways to support an overtaxed immune system is to eliminate the toxins that are taxing it. You can detox and strengthen your immune system with minerals provided from the gifts of the Earth. To enjoy the gifts of the Earth and to store for future needs, check out Redmond Salt and Clay Products at www.peggylayton.com.
–Peggy Layton
The Puzzled Homemaker: What's On The Menu For A Bioterrorist Attack? : Personal Liberty Alerts
Massive Solar Storm Could Kill Grid By 2020
March 2, 2012 by Sam Rolley
http://personallibertycom.files.word...0301_image.jpg
The number of American preppers appears to have grown in recent years. With shows such as “Doomsday Preppers” on major television networks, the prepper lifestyle has become a bit more mainstream. If one space physicist is correct, now may be a better time than ever.
According to research published by Pete Riley, senior scientist at Predictive Science in San Diego, Calif., in Space Weather, there is about a one in eight chance that the Earth will be hit by a massive solar megastorm this decade. The event would likely fry electrical components and cause trillions of dollars in damage.
Solar flares are caused because the sun goes through an 11-year cycle of increased and decreased activity. During solar maximum, sunspots and enormous magnetic whirlwinds erupt from its surface. Sometimes, the flares burst outward from the sun, spewing a mass of charged particles out into space.
The biggest solar event ever to affect Earth, the Carrington Event, occurred in 1859. Astronomer Richard Carrington watched an enormous solar flare erupt from the sun’s surface, emitting a particle stream at the Earth traveling more than 4 million miles per hour. When the energy reached the Earth’s atmosphere, the particles generated the intense ghostly ribbons of light known as auroras.
A 2008 report conducted by the National Research Council concluded that in today’s electronic world a similar event could spark: “disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure; and the loss of perishable foods and medications because of lack of refrigeration.”
Massive Solar Storm Could Kill Grid By 2020 : Personal Liberty Alerts=
The Five Principles of Preparedness
Phil Burns
March 3rd, 2012
American Preppers Network
Comments (83)
The following article has been generously contributed by Phil Burns of the American Preppers Network. Phil and his family were recently featured on the Animal Planet show Meet the Preppers and you can follow him at Phil801 on Facebook.
http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...32-300x202.jpgThere are basic principles that keep us and our families grounded that are key to our happiness as a family unit while we Walk the Path of the Prepper. There is safety and peace that comes from having car insurance, home insurance, medical insurance,etc. What many families frequently ignore is “Standard of Living Insurance”. At its heart, this is whatPreparedness, Self-Reliance, Prepping – however you want to call it – is. By Getting Started in Prepping, or continuing in Prepping as the case may be, and following these five Principles of Preparedness we can provide our families with the assurance that we will be able to maintain a certain standard of living. This standard of living is dictated by the level of preparedness we are able to achieve and maintain.
For example, if a family falls into crisis and they have no preparations then once the average two weeks of supplies they have on hand has been used up, they will drop to a poverty standard of living. If that same family had a month’s worth of supplies stored up, they would have a buffer of a little more than a month before they suffered consequences of their situation. Likewise, if they had a year’s supply of essentials stored, they would effectively be giving themselves a year to be able to recover and plan in the event of a paradigm changing event.
Standard of Living Insurance, or Prepping, provides us with a hedge against calamity. There is much talk recently of “Doomsday” events – which are inappropriately and improperly titled. After all, Doomsday literally means the last day before the end of the earth. What point is there in preparing for that? Massive, widespread crisis, such as; an EMP, Nuclear War, Coronal Mass Ejection, Economic Collapse, and so on is a frequent topic as well. While these things are important to consider in preparing, it is a mistake to hyper-focus on them. There are many other immediate, closer and more likely scenarios that make sense to focus on such as the loss or major injury of a breadwinner, loss of a primary job, extended sickness, accidents and other personal calamities. These happen every single day and each of us likely knows someone to whom this has happened. These are the things that are most essential to develop a “Standard of Living Insurance” against.
The most common effect of living an abundant life, as many of us do, is complacency. As we progress and develop disposable income the complacent tendency is to adjust our standard of living upwards by purchasing a bigger house, a new vehicle, a boat or other recreational toys instead of investing that money to insure the standard of living that we previously grew accustomed to. It is most prudent to instead, in times of largess, not expand your standard of living right away but to choose to ensure that if the current boon withdraws the family is not affected by it. Complacency however, leads us down the path of seeing increased income to the home as play, expendable, or rewarding money – all of which it can be with the proper perspective. That perspective is to view this blessing as an opportunity to ‘play’ at increasing our stores as much as possible, to purchase as many ‘expendable’ goods as possible – that can go into storage, or to ‘reward’ ourselves by adding a more expensive item to our storage that will significantly increase the amount of coverage our Standard of Living Insurance provides us. It also gives us the opportunity to scrutinize our funds and storage to determine if the family can splurge a little and enjoy some recreational time without it impacting the bottom line of our Standard of Living – but adamantly without changing our cost of living.
Following the Principles of Preparedness allows heads of households to reduce stress, find peace and be comfortable in an ever-changing and tumultuous world.
Practice thrift and frugalityhttp://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/u...inciples-1.jpg
Principle 1
The depression era saying of “Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without” sums up the practice of Thrift. Living thriftily is not a popular concept in our “Staying up with the Jones’s” mentality, but the folly of that mentality is that if one thing goes wrong and your family slips into crisis, you will have to learn all about “Staying above water”. Living thriftily is a very simple, effective and immediate method to increase your spending power. Imagine being, instead of a consumer; a creator, a repairer, or simply abstaining. It is phenomenally financially wasteful to eat at restaurants on a regular basis, in addition to being typically un-healthy; it also takes away from time spent together as a family creating a personal dining experience at home, together. Thrift is a practice of not wastinganything including time and money.
Frugality dictates that we live within our means and “Waste not, want not”. It requires us to be prudent with how we spend our money and to cautiously and guardedly decide how to distribute it. Why do Americans work themselves so hard and as soon as the paycheck comes in, they throw it to the wind as quickly as they can – leaving them with no reserves, no safety and no peace? It is because we have come to accept abundance as our standard. We foolishly assure ourselves that there will be a check next pay period – which there normally is, until there is not. It is the high possibility that at some point something critical will happen in our lives that brings us to the conclusion that it is very likely that at some point, that check will not be there.
One massive waste that Americans have become very comfortable with is living on credit. We have become extremely complacent with our finances in this regard. Instead of doing without for a short time while we save, we finance everything and as a consequence, pay financing fees and interest that we somehow justify as necessary. It is not necessary that we ever pay financing fees or interest for anything, even a house, if we are willing to be prudent. Instant gratification is the bane of thrift and frugality. We Americans have deceived ourselves into believing that we ‘deserve’ to live a better lifestyle than our parents (which took them a lifetime to achieve) – when in reality – we DESERVE to be secure and at peace in our lifestyle. It is ironic that as a society, we will dicker over $3,000 on a new vehicle and then finance it for 5 years – wherein we condemn ourselves to paying several times that in financing fees and interest.
What good have we done ourselves by shaving $3,000 of off $30,000 when we just finance it? If you’re willing to pay astronomical fees for the pleasure of immediate gratification, amortizing $3,000 does NOTHING to our monthly bill. A frugal person would take 3 years and save monthly as much as they would have paid out on their car payment with a little bonus savings here and there over time. In that short period of time they would accumulate enough cash that they could go into the car dealership and lay down a pile of $23,000 in cash and say they want to walk out with either their money or that $30,000 car. They’re going to walk out with the car because the dealer wants the instant gratification of the cash versus selling an amortized note at a discount.
Living a thrifty and frugal lifestyle is truly simple. Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Do without. Waste not. These things lead us to not being left wanting when a crisis strikes our family. These two highly empowering tools not only give us the ability to build up our Standard of Living Insurance, they also bring an assured peace and allow us to live a truly abundant lifestyle where we are in control of our money instead being a slave to lenders.
A Prepper who successfully follows this principle for a few years will find themselves in a position where they are able to spend time not working without it affecting the family in an adverse manner.
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Principle Two
Debt can be crippling and crushing to a family, making them unable to move forward due to the demands of making payments on things they potentially don’t even own anymore. Seek to become Independent from debt! Learn to abhor the idea of being forced to labor and earn money that is not yours as a consequence of choosing to “live a little better” by going into debt. Living independently means being free to choose what is pertinent for you and your family to do with your money.
As you avoid going into debt and gain greater control of your money, establish savings that will grow and serve you as you become the master of your money. Learn to budget and responsibly manage your money as it is a very powerful tool to either enslave or empower you. You can begin to build wealth while you’re getting out of debt by putting together a wise plan like the ones Dave Ramsey teaches in his Financial Peace University.
Independence doesn’t just mean money though. Seek to be Independent of the influences of the world such as; caffeine, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, un-healthy yet addictive food, medications (where possible) and so on. All of these things not only make you a personal slave to addictions, it also indentures your wallet to spending wasteful amounts of money to satiate your personal weaknesses. Strive to become Independent of all these things and you will not only find a healthier you, you will also increase your income as you free a daily outgo to servicing your demons.
Live Independent of the entrapping influences of society as much as possible. Free your mind of thinking you need a better looking car, a prettier house or better clothes. Do what works for YOU, not what you think others will think highly of. Live independent of the fear of judgment of others and become secure in your own person. There seems to be a farcical belief in our society that we should appear as wealthy as possible. The idiocy of this belief is that it fails to take into account just how damaging it is to our self-esteem, our lives and our livelihood. Break free of these childish societal ‘norms’ and live a life independent of the influence of advertisers, marketers and peer pressure!
Prepper families who learn to live independently will find themselves prospering greatly – in ways that may not be apparent to the enslaved masses of society.
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Principle Three
Learn, Explore, Do. Manage your circumstance to your advantage, be enterprising and fully explore opportunities that come your way. Seek always to discover ways to create benefit to you and your family. When opportunity presents itself, work hard at redefining and reshaping yourself, your position and your knowledge to be worthy of the success that opportunity can provide. Be resourceful, always looking for a new way to create what you need in order to succeed.
Common ways to be industrious include furthering your education – your whole life – and constantly working to develop new skills. By exploring opportunities, we are able to assess their potential, weigh risk and make a decision as to whether our conclusions merit committing to an opportunity or walking away from it. By improving ourselves constantly, we open up even more opportunity that can potentially bring success.
Idly standing by and waiting for success to land in your lap is a poor strategy. Being industrious means getting up and attempting something – even if it has the potential to fail. The Farmer who fails to put in a crop because he doesn’t think there was enough snowfall during the winter loses out when spring rains finally bring plenty of water. When you commit to something, work hard at it; throw in everything you’ve got. Getting up and going is truly the only way to end up somewhere else.
Preppers who industriously seek out opportunity will soon find the one that will create a change in the direction their lives have been heading.
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Principle Four
The Principle of Self-Reliance is predicated by and builds upon the first three principles. They are unavoidably intertwined and interdependent. Self-Reliance is, in its simplest form, being able to create or provide all needed things as the result of labor using a developed skill or talent and being able to provide resources as a result of a judicious practice of storing needful things. Therefore, becoming Self-Reliant is the actual process of developing skills and talents while putting away resources.
When combined with Thrift and Frugality, Self-Reliance is providing needed things for yourself that you would otherwise have had to pay money for such as; growing a garden, sewing or repairing clothes, building furniture, building a home, fixing your vehicle and so on. It is being willing to enjoy the fruits of your labor versus the blandness of buying something commercially produced. It is accepting things for their functionality, not for the logo that was stamped on them in a plant somewhere. It is being willing to use something that may be less than perfect in its manufacture but is pure in intent and purpose, knowing that the next one you create you will be able to work out flaws and produce something better.
Self-Reliance, when combined with Independence, drives us to be truly reliant on ourselves in all areas. It teaches us to discover a vocation where we are able to create an expandable income using our talents and labor instead of falling into a career where our income is constricted by salaries and our progress in hindered by being boxed into a job description. A truly independent person creates income opportunities for themselves and others while staying free and clear of debt and interest. A Self-Reliant person builds their own storage and is not dependent on a grocery store to be stocked and operational for them to feed themselves and their family.
Your Industriousness should be more than simply financially motivated. Self-Reliance is the act of being free of needing others, including companies, the government, or your community to provide for or support you. It is learning how to; make soap, grow your own food, provide your own energy, defend yourself, create the things you need and so on. It requires research, learning, experimenting, failing, experimenting more and finally succeeding – in gaining a new skill, accomplishing something new or developing a new vocation. An industrious and Self-Reliant person is truly a creator and experiences the joy of creation on a daily basis.
A Prepper who begins to become Self-Reliant experiences a mental shift and begins to see things such as a grocery store as a warehouse that is utilized to stock up their own storage.
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Principle Five
The natural outgrowth of becoming truly Self-Reliant is to feel compelled to store things up that are essential for our family’s ensured safety, comfort and existence. Every needful thing teaches us to consider the possibility of storing up a supply of every item that we purchase which we truly need. What is a need? Simply put, it is something that it would be difficult or impacting to have to live without. This includes; food, clothing, water, heat, power, home medical supplies, fire starters, light and so on.
It is obviously not prudent to just purchase a year’s supply of every needful thing. Instead, it is a goal that is pursued relentlessly by the Self Reliant Person and is adjusted for each item of consideration. For example, it is quite inexpensive and easy to acquire a year’s supply of ketchup – at most a family will probably use 2 bottles a month.
Therefore, purchasing 24 bottles would give you a year’s supply. However, a year supply of something like water, which is consumed every day, requires a very different approach. It is not feasible to store a year supply of water unless you have your own water tower. There are other options available though which include such things as; drilling a well, installing a rain catchment system, being situated near a body of water. Several of these options would require filtering the water that you acquire. For the money spent on a filtering system, such as a Berkey filter, it becomes prudent to purchase filtering capability for the system that will last several years. Each item is adjusted in quantity and time by its own consideration.
One year is not a magic number. It is, however, a measure which provides us with a lengthy buffer to recover from whatever has happened. It also allows us to be charitable towards others who have fallen on hard times without it creating a severe impact on us. Imagine an unprepared neighbor or friend having their bread winner incapacitated for a period of time and not being able to provide for themselves. You are not impacted by their crisis and because you have a year’s supply stored up, you have the opportunity to assist them by opening your storage to them and allowing them to take what they need without it causing you an economic impact and with very little added risk to yourself.
Begin by striving to build up a 3 month supply, then double it and double it again. Once you’ve accomplished the first three months, you will have an idea of the amount of time and money it will take to acquire a year’s supply.
The Prepper who is striving to build a year’s supply of every needful thing will experience a dramatic reduction in stress and inverse increase in peace as they begin meeting goals on the path to achieving this principle.
The impact of living The Principles of Preparedness
When teaching these Principles, the question is inevitably asked “What if nothing ever happens that I need my supplies for?” To which I respond, “That would be wonderful!” Most people don’t get it right away, but let’s consider it.
Consider if you adjusted your life and lived for years under these principles. What impact would there be if nothing happened that required you to survive off your stores? Might it be possible that in following these principles you will have created a new life for yourself that is infinitely better than it would be otherwise? Would you possibly have spent that time living in peace, without stress and with a much higher level of confidence, satisfaction and self -esteem? I can testify to you that this is indeed what will happen! In fact, the mere application of these principles in your life will allow you to weather small crises without them even registering a bump in the continuity of your life. When you are living a Self-Reliance lifestyle with a full year’s supply, not having an income for a month is inconsequential. If you fully commit to living these principles, do you see how this would be the outcome? Would that serve you to be able to live that way?
Consider also that as you develop a year supply of every needful thing, you are to live off of that supply. You don’t just package things up and leave them in a corner to gather dust. You consume your supply each month and at the end of four weeks, go to the “warehouse” (aka grocery store, etc.) and replenish your supply with six weeks worth of what was consumed. This allows you to continuously grow your storage with little to no visible impact to you. And, if times are tough financially, you can extend to 8 or 12 weeks without it stressing your family.
As you become these Principles, you will experience breaking free of the slavery of debt, a ‘career’, of “keeping up with the Jones’s” and most importantly, the stress of trying to live month to month. What you will find instead is that you are able to fully experience life and truly enjoy the blessings of your family.
All the while knowing that the secret to a happy life is wrapped up in a little concept called being a “Prepper”!
- Inspired by a talk by James E. Faust
The Five Principles of Preparedness
Recommendations From the Three Mile Island Recovery Team: How to Survive Nuclear Holocaust
Mac Slavo
March 2nd, 2012
SHTFplan.com
Comments (99)
When the three mile island nuclear accident happened in March of 1979 Joy Thompson (www.wiselivingjournal.com) was one of the members of the health physics team responsible for initial recovery operations. The accident, which plant owner Metropolitan Edison downplayed by claiming that “everything is under control,” later led to wide-spread evacuations, first with a 5-mile radius evacuation zone being established, and then later a 20-mile evacuation zone. As was the case with the recent Fukushima disaster, those who would be most affected by the spread of dangerous radiation were the last to be told of the seriousness of the disaster. In the case of Three Mile Island, it was well over 24 hours before residents were told to get out. In Fukushima it was days.
Ms. Thompson contacted us recently to advise us that she and the surviving members of her team have created an easy to follow info-graphic and checklist that can help you to survive a nuclear disaster should you ever be faced with the same emergency as those people living around Three Mile Island.
While often ignored by most Americans, even on the heels of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear meltdown, the potential for nuclear disasters today is clearly more of a threat than ever before. Despite assurances from reactor manufacturers and plant operators, we’ve seen numerous disasters over the course of the last three decades, and we can be fairly certain that we will have another one in the future.
If you live anywhere on the east or west coasts, chances are you are close to an existing reactor.
According to the infographic below, one in three Americans live within 50 miles of a nuclear reactor, and by all accounts, as demonstrated by Fukushima, in the event of disaster this could very well be the ’kill radius.’
Thus, we urge all of our readers to explore the below graphic, as well as the ‘weapons’ and checklist that follow.
Additionally, if you are ever in an area that has experienced any type of nuclear emergency (be it a reactor meltdown, dirty bomb attack, etc.) we strongly recommend that you evacuate first and ask questions later, because as we saw with Three Mile Island, “everything” is not always under control.
Don’t wait for the experts on TV to tell you it’s time to go. Just grab your bug out bags, GOOD manuals and go!
How To Survive A Nuclear Holocaust
Last year, nuclear meltdowns and multiple explosions at the Fukushima Daiichi reactor complex sent plumes of radioactive contaminants across the northern Japanese countryside. These contaminants were projected in the atmosphere putting the northern hemisphere in danger of hazardous isotopes.
The events at Fukushima brought into focus the very real danger of a nuclear holocaust. At Best Health Degrees we decided to put together this infographic detailing some practical steps you can take to survive the danger posed by harmful nuclear radiation.
The Key: to surviving a nuclear holocaust is minimizing exposure to internal and external radiation. You will need some “weapons” to help in this effort.
The Weapons
- Duct Tape
- Mop
- Water filtered vacuum
- Sponge
- Paper towels
- Plastic bags
- Sutrdy trash container
- Hand-held radiation detector
Survival Checklist
- Think of nuclear radiation as an invisible layer of dust on all surfaces that needs to be carefully cleaned away and managed
- Create an air tight seal in your home (duct tape comes in handy)
- Aggressively clean off surfaces in your home without creating dust (wet wipes and water filtered vacuums)
- Keep food in clean, sealed containers
- Clean floor and furniture with water filtered vacuum
- When you go outside, wear a set of coveralls or a duster over your clothes.
- Shower every time you come indoors from having spent more than a few minutes outdoors.
- Use good quality dust masks to cover your mouth and nose, especially when going outdoors
- Launder sheets, handkerchief masks, outdoor clothing, at least once a day
- Keep all windows closed even if it’s nice outside) and sealed with duct tape
- Seal all doors that open to the outside with duct tape.
- Carry young children while outdoors or going to and from a vehicle.
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible for the duration.
- Sleep at least two feet above the floor
- Keep pots, pans, plates, silverware and utensils in clean cabinets
- Rinse your cooking utensils, plates, silverware, glassware
- Rinse the outside of all food cans before opening
- Do not do anything that can stir up dust (don’t use duster or a normal vacuum)
Special thanks to Joy Thompson.
Hat tip Ryan
Also see:
Survive Anything: Nuclear Attack
The Number One Catastrophic Event That Americans Worry About
US Nuclear Emergency Response Plan: “Get On The Phone Really Quickly and Figure it Out”
The Effects of Nuclear Weapons, Primary U.S. Targets, and Nuke Detonation Mapping
From The Ready Store: IOSAT – Radiation Protection Tablets
Recommendations From the Three Mile Island Recovery Team: How to Survive Nuclear Holocaust
http://enenews.com/wp-content/upload...3-02-11.37.jpg
Fig. 1. Particles spacing on 20 March, 2011 at 12:00 UTC (top) and on 27 March, 2011 at 18:00 UTC (bottom); shades of red indicate particles in the bottom layer, up to 3 km; black to dark blue indicate the middle layer, up to 6 km height; and light blue indicates the upper layer; the trajectories were simulated using the Lagrangian dispersion model (time of the particles release was on 12 March 2011). (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)
Study: All of Western US and most of East Coast, Midwest, Canada covered with airborne particles at various altitudes on March 20, Fukushima plume model shows — Based solely on Reactor No. 1 explosion (PHOTO)
More at the story Link Study: All of Western US and most of East Coast, Midwest, Canada covered with airborne particles at various altitudes on March 20, Fukushima plume model shows — Based solely on Reactor No. 1 explosion (PHOTO)
More at the pdf file http://www.happysmile.se/dokument/sc...um_litauen.pdf
Paul A Drockton M.A.
Inflation and Economic Collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_V6mydJ9Q0&feature=player_embedded
http://moneyteachers.org/images/paste623.jpg
http://moneyteachers.org/images/paste613.jpg
Dollar Adjusted return: Lost $165,000
http://moneyteachers.org/Inflation.html
How The Globalists Create Heart Attacks
By Kentroversy
8-16-5
The recent deaths of over 100 microbiologists over the past several years, along with the deaths of 3 NWO bankers in less than a week at the end of July 2005 have caused many people to ask -- how does the NWO kill people and get away with it? In every sense of the phrase -- these people are above the law -- and the list of crimes hidden behind the veil of the 'National Security Act of 1947' and their compartmentalized security clearances is as staggering as it is saddening. The NWO will assassinate anyone who comes too close to the real truth -- and those who have been 'suicided' include investigative reporter Gary Webb, the author of the book 'Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President,' James H. Hatfield, INSLAW/PROMIS investigative reporter Danny Casolaro, and Margie Schoedinger, the woman who alleged in a civil lawsuit that she was raped by George W. Bush.
The easiest manner in which to kill someone and leave no trace of the obvious crime having been committed, would be to cause a heart attack by using chemical substances that break down as naturally occurring compounds that would be normally found in anyone's body. The process is relatively simple to anyone with knowledge of medicine and procedures involving those medicines. For the answer to this, I consulted with a local health care source, who was quite happy to explain to me how the Illuminati could create a heart attack.
Still, people continue to ask -- HOW do they do this?
For the answer to this question, we begin by looking at two substances that would break down into ordinary bodily chemicals. Of course, these are prescription drugs, and the only barrier preventing such a crime is gaining access to a doctor's prescription pad. Once that relatively minor detail has been worked out, the commission of the crime is contingent upon getting the drugs into the victim's body. The following two chemical compounds can be used to create a heart attack in anyone, while leaving no trace of a crime:
Potassium Chloride:
Potassium Chloride is known to be among the ingredients in many prescription drugs, such as: Klor-Con, Klor-Con 8, Klor-Con 10, and Klor-Con/25, among others. Potassium Chloride breaks down into both its' individual components, potassium and chlorine. Both are found in the human body and the presence of either or both of these will not raise suspicion by either the attending physician or the coroner, who will carry out the autopsy.
This compound breaks down into both potassium and chlorine, in which the chlorine (Cl) binds with the human body's naturally occurring sodium (Na) to create NaCl -- sodium chloride -- common table salt. The resultant heart attack is found to have no known cause -- as all that is found in the body is a slightly elevated level of NaCl. Too much potassium in the body causes tachycardia (fast heart-rate), which then leads to something known as ventricular fibrillation, which is one of many types of cardiac arrest.
Calcium Gluconate:
Calcium Gluconate is available in a 10% hypertonic I.V. (intravenous) solution, which simply means that the concentration is higher than what normally appears in the human body. The process by which this works is known as osmosis -- the hypertonic solution removes the water and glucose from the body's cells -- replacing it with Calcium Gluconate. The calcium and the glucose are deposited in the body to be used as energy/fuel. The glucose is used for fuel, while the calcium remains in the body.
The Calcium Gluconate removes chlorine and replaces it with calcium, thus creating an electrolytic imbalance. The three compounds that become imbalanced are sodium (Na), potassium (K), and chlorine (Cl). This interferes with the normal LUB-DUB heartbeat impulse, which can then be regulated either too fast or too slow, creating a heart attack.
Air Embolism:
This is a third completely undetectable manner by which to murder someone by forced heart attack. A direct injection of 60 ml of air in a syringe into any vein causes the chambers of the heart to fill with air, which causes a heart attack. This type of heart attack is known as a P.E.A., or Pulseless Electrical Activity, and is another form of cardiac arrest. Here, the problem is from leaving a needle mark on the skin. However, with a little creativity, a vein in an usual body location will do the trick.
If a small enough gauge needle is used, the associated needle mark would be barely noticeable. If the coroner is not as careful as he or she should be --- the tiny needle mark would avoid detection. A tuberculin needle, or an insulin needle would more than adequately do the job, as it is intended to do.
Ventricular Fibrillation:
As stated above, this is a form of cardiac arrest. In this situation, there is no effective cardiac output. The ventricles of the heart are only twitching and very erratically at that. There is no ventricular pumping, thus, no circulation. According to Dr. Dubin's book, Rapid Interpretation of EKGs, the following is stated:
"VF requires immediate defibrillation. Cardiac Arrest is an emergency that demands immediate intervention. Cardio-Pulmonary-Resuscitation (CPR), is carried out in order to circulate oxygenated blood by external mechanical means."
Thus, if CPR is withheld from the victim, death is assured.
Conclusion:
These three methods of creating an undetectable heart attack are of course known to the NWO assassin squads. To pull off the assassination, the proper chemicals are needed. Being as they are all prescription drugs, a complicit physician is also needed. Think Dr. Bill Harford of Stanley Kubrick's film Eyes Wide Shut. This is never a problem to these mass murderers, such people are without souls and are always pathological in their behavior.
So, when the news talks about yet another microbiologist who was found dead under peculiar circumstances, or a European banker who died under similarly peculiar circumstances -- please realize that there is tremendous potential that the individual died because of the advances of an assassin -- and not simply because of the stated reason that was given on the nightly news.
SOURCES: The following sources were used in the preparation of this Kentroversy Paper
Dubin, Dale Rapid Interpretation of EKGs; Cover Publishing Company, Tampa, FL USA pgs. 167-170. Kelly, William J. (Editorial Director) Nursing 2005 Drug Handbook; Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA USA, 2005, pgs. 870-872 and 876-877.
© 2005 The Kentroversy Papers http://kentroversypapers.com
How The Globalists Create Heart Attacks
Other Mysterious Deaths...Lest We Forget
By Prof. G. Cope Schellhorn
Other Mysterious Deaths...Lest We Forget <---LINK
Was Brietbart Killed Like BP Gulf Disaster Hero Matt Simmons? <---LINK
Was Breitbart Killed Over Obama 'Terrorist' Video? <---LINK
Breitbart Murder By Heart Attack?<---LINK
The Breitbart Tapes On Obama To Be Released Soon <---LINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tzIw44w00ow#!
Sheriff Joe Spoke To Brietbart 4-5 hrs Before He Died <---LINK
THE CLINTON BODY-COUNT http://whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO...CS/BODIES.html
Orwell's Startling World Is Officially Here
Friday, March 02, 2012 9:13
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Before It's News <---Link to the story
Hep B Vaccine Damages The Liver It Is Supposed To Protect
Wednesday, February 29th 2012 at 7:30 am by Sayer Ji
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“According to Hippocratic tradition, the safety level of a preventive medicine must be very high, as it is aimed at protecting people against diseases that they may not contract.” ~ Marc Girard, Autoimmune hazards of hepatitis B vaccine.
Startling new research published in the journal Apoptosisindicates that hepatitis B vaccine, which is designed to prevent Hepatitis B virus-induced damage to the liver, actually causes liver cell destruction.
In the study titled “Hepatitis B vaccine induces apoptotic death in Hepa1-6 cells,” researchers set out to “...establish an in vitro model system amenable to mechanistic investigations of cytotoxicity induced by hepatitis B vaccine, and to investigate the mechanisms of vaccine-induced cell death.”
They found the hepatitis B vaccine induced a “loss of mitochondrial integrity, apoptosis induction, and cell death” in liver cells exposed to a low dose of adjuvanted hepatitis B vaccine. The adjuvant used was aluminum hydroxide, which is increasingly being identified as a contributing cause of autoimmune disease in immunized populations.
The discovery that the hepatitis B vaccine damages the liver (hepatotoxicity) confirms earlier findings (1999) that the vaccine increases the incidence of liver problems in U.S. children less than 6 years old by up to 294% versus unvaccinated controls.
Another study published in the journal Hepatogastroentology in 2002, observed that Hepatitis B vaccination was statistically associated with gastrointestinal reactions including: hepatitis, gastrointestinal disease and liver function test abnormalities in comparison to other vaccine control groups.
This, however, is only the tip of the iceberg...
In a revealing study published in June 2011 in the journal Molecular Biology Reports, researchers demonstrated that hepatitis B vaccine alters the expression of 144 genes in the mouse liver within 1 day of vaccination, 7 of which are related to inflammation and metabolism. The authors noted:
"Pharmaceutical companies usually perform safety testing of vaccines, but all requirements of the World Health Organization and drug pharmacopoeias depend on general toxicity testing, and the gene expression study of hepatitis B vaccine is not done routinely to test vaccine quality."
Could the gene-expression altering affects of hepatitis B vaccine be one reason why there are over 60 serious detrimental health effects associated with the vaccine as documented in the peer-reviewed and published biomedical literature, including sudden infant death?
Other potential mechanisms of action behind hepatitis B vaccine's dangerous side effects, are as follows...
- Hepatitis B vaccines may contain Hepatitis B Virus polymerase as a contaminant, which may trigger an auto-immune process against the myelin (protective coating on the nerves) in some vaccinated subjects. SOURCES: PMID: 16176857, PMID: 15908138
- Hepatitis B vaccine may induced autoimmune demyelinating disease through the molecular mimicry that exists between the vaccine antigen, Epstein-Barr virus and human myelin. SOURCES: PMID: 17630224 PMID: 16295528
Why Are They Vaccinating Infants For Hepatitis B Virus?
The real danger here is that universal vaccination against Hepatitis B virus may be causing far more harm than good. It is actually our youngest -- infants -- who are most at risk of being irreparably harmed, as the CDC's vaccine schedule requires Hepatitis B vaccination at birth, 1-2 months, and then again at 3-6 months of age.
Universal hepatitis B vaccination was recommended for U.S. newborns in 1991, despite contradictory safety findings. Perhaps not coincidentally, the prevalence of autism today is 1500% higher than that occurring in the period immediately before their introduction. While there is no such thing as a "genetic epidemic," in the traditional inheritable sense of the word "genetic," there is such a thing as environmentally induced gene-expression changes, as described above. In other words, vaccine adjuvants (e.g. mercury and aluminum) and vaccine antigens are capable of profoundly affecting the stability of the genetic infrastructure upon which our health depends.
According to one review published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health in 2010, male newborns vaccinated with hepatitis B prior to 1999 had a 3-fold higher risk for parentally reported autism. Why before 1999? On 8/27/99 the CDC, in tacit acknowledgment of the profound neurotoxicity associated with the use of thimerosal (organomercury), approved the first thimerosal-free hepatitis B vaccine. Sadly, even after the removal of mercury (which was replaced by another neurotoxic agent aluminum hydroxide), autism prevalence is still several orders of magnitude higher than it was before the CDC's increasingly overwhelming vaccine schedule (60+ by age 6) reached its present-day proportions.
Another glaring problem with Hep. B vaccine in infants is that Hepatitis B virus is only transmitted through blood or semen by those who are infected, which are two routes of exposure an infant -- certainly not one born in a hospital -- should ever be exposed to; unless, of course, the mother is a carrier, and therefore can transmit it vertically to her offspring. But hospitals can and should screen mothers for Hepatitis B preemptively, therefore making it unnecessary to vaccinate every infant blindly.
In addition, there are no randomized controlled trials that have assessed the effects of hepatitis B vaccine during pregnancy for preventing infant infection, despite the fact that pregnant women are being given the vaccine for exactly this reason.1 There is also research indicating that immunization for Hepatitis B does not guarantee protection against becoming infected with it; i.e. it may not truly fall within the category of a vaccine-preventable disease.2
NOTE: For additional research on the under-reported, minimized and/or actively ignored adverse health effects associated with routine vaccination, visit the GreenMedInfo.com Vaccine Research Archive. For the research on Hepatitis Vaccine only, visit the Hepatitis B Vaccine page.
Hep B Vaccine Damages The Liver It Is Supposed To Protect | GreenMedInfo | Blog entry | Natural Medicine | Alternative Medicine | Integrative Medicine | Consumer Advocacy
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VITAMIN PILL THAT CAN FIGHT OFF SKIN CANCER
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A daily vitamin pill could help prevent skin cancer, scientists have revealed
Friday March 2,2012
By Jo Willey
A DAILY vitamin pill could help prevent skin cancer, scientists have revealed.
Experts have found that taking essential food supplements packed with potent vitamin A every day can make people less likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease.
Over the past 30 years, rates of malignant melanoma have quadrupled.
American scientists found that retinol, one of the main components of vitamin A, could protect against the disease.
A team from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research looked at the vitamin A intake of 70,000 men and women.
They found no association between dietary intake of vitamin A – found in animal foods such as liver, eggs and milk – and a reduction in risk.
There was no reduced risk seen by the intake of carotenoids, the colourful plant pigments in vegetables including carrots and tomatoes which the body can turn into vitamin A. But they did discover that retinol had a protective effect against the disease.
http://cdn.images.dailyexpress.co.uk...tropheLeft.jpgWe don’t recommend people start taking retinol supplements based on this study, as high doses can be toxichttp://cdn.images.dailyexpress.co.uk...ropheRight.jpg Dr Clare Knight
The strongest protective effects were found in women and in sun-exposed sites, suggesting that retinol combats skin cancer.
In this latest research – published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology – dermatologist Dr Maryam Asgari said: “Our data suggests a possible interaction between supplemental retinol use and the anatomic site of melanoma, with sun-exposed sites showing a stronger protective effect than sun-protected sites.”
But Dr Claire Knight, of Cancer Research UK, said: “We don’t recommend people start taking retinol supplements based on this study, as high doses can be toxic.”
More than 11,700 Britons a year are diagnosed with skin cancer and 2,070 die as a result.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...ff-skin-cancer
Guest Post: Americans Will Need “Black Markets” To Survive
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Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/03/2012 15:05 -0500
Submitted by Brandon Smith from Alt-Market
Americans Will Need “Black Markets” To Survive
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As Americans, we live in two worlds; the world of mainstream fantasy, and the world of day-to-day reality right outside our front doors. One disappears the moment we shut off our television. The other, does not…
When dealing with the economy, it is the foundation blocks that remain when the proverbial house of cards flutters away in the wind, and these basic roots are what we should be most concerned about. While much of what we see in terms of economic news is awash in a sticky gray cloud of disinformation and uneducated opinion, there are still certain constants that we can always rely on to give us a sense of our general financial environment. Two of these constants are supply and demand. Central banks like the private Federal Reserve may have the ability to flood markets with fiat liquidity to skew indexes and stocks, and our government certainly has the ability to interpret employment numbers in such a way as to paint the rosiest picture possible, but ultimately, these entities cannot artificially manipulate the public into a state of demand when they are, for all intents and purposes, dead broke.
In contrast, the establishment does have the ability to make specific demands or necessities illegal to possess, and can even attempt to restrict their supply. Though, in most cases this leads not to the control they seek, but a sudden and sharp loss of regulation through the growth of covert trade. The people need what the people need, and no government, no matter how titanic, can stop them from getting these commodities when demand is strong enough.
This process of removing necessary or desirable items from a trade environment leads inevitably to counter-prohibition often in the form of strict cash transactions, barter markets, or “black markets” as they are normally derided by those in power. The problem for economic totalitarians is that the harder they squeeze the masses, the more intricate the rebellion becomes, especially when all they want is to participate in free markets the way our forefathers intended.
The so called “drug war” is proof positive of the impossibility of locking down a product, especially one that has no moral bearing on the people who are involved in its use. Only when a considerable majority of a populace can be convinced of the inherent immoral nature of an illicit item can its trade finally be squelched. During any attempt to outlaw a form of commerce, a steady stream of informants convinced of their service to the “greater good” is required for success. Dishonorable governments, therefore, do not usually engage in direct confrontation with black markets. Instead, they seek to encourage the public to view trade outside mainstream legal standards as “taboo”. They must condition us to react with guilt or misplaced righteousness in the face of black market activity, and associate its conduct as dangerous and destructive to the community, turning citizens into an appendage of the bureaucratic eye.
But, what happens when black markets, due to calamity, become a pillar of survival for a society? What happens when the mainstream economy no longer meets the available demand? What happens when this condition has been deliberately engineered by the power structure to hasten cultural desperation and dependence?
In this event, black markets not only sustain a nation through times of weakness, but they also become a form of revolution; a method for fighting back against the centralization of oppressive oligarchies and diminishing their ability to bottleneck important resources. Black markets are a means of fighting back, and are as important as any weapon in the battle for liberty. Here are just a few reasons why such organizational actions may be required in the near future…
The Mainstream Economy Is Slowly Killing Us
There are, unfortunately, some Americans out there who have not caught on yet to the grave circumstances in which we live. Obviously, the stock market seems to have nearly recovered from its epic collapse in 2008 and 2009, and employment, according to the Labor Department, is on the mend. The numbers say it all, right? Wrong! The numbers say very little, especially when they are a product of “creative mathematics”.
Despite the extreme spike in the Dow Jones since 2010, and all the talk of recovery, what the mainstream rarely mentions are the details surrounding this miraculous return from the dead for stocks.
One of the most important factors to consider when gauging the health of the markets is “volume”; the amount of shares being traded and the amount of investors active on any given business day. Since the very beginning of the Dow’s meteoric rise, the markets have been stricken with undeniably low volume interspersed with all too brief moments of activity. In fact, this past January recorded the lowest NYSE volume since 1999:
Stock Trading Lowest in U.S. Since 2008 After Fund Withdrawals, Job Cuts - Bloomberg
Market volume has tumbled over 20% since last year, and is down over 50% from 2008 when the debt implosion began:
Stock Trading Volume Anemic This Year - MarketBeat - WSJ
So then, if trade is sinking, why has the Dow jumped to nearly 13,000? Low volume is the key. In a low volume market, less individual investors are present to counteract the buying and selling of larger players, like international banks. When this happens, the big boys are able to trigger market spikes, or market drops, literally at will. Add to this the high probability that much of the stimulus that the Federal Reserve has regurgitated into the ether probably ended up in the coffers of corporate banks which then used the funny money to snap up equities, and presto! Instant market rally! But, a rally that is illusory and unstable.
Improving employment numbers are yet another financial hologram. As most of us in the Liberty Movement are well aware, the Labor Department does not calculate true unemployment in the U.S. Instead, it merely calculates those people who currently receive unemployment benefits. Once a person hits the extension limit (99 weeks in many states) on his benefits, he is removed from the rolls, and is no longer counted in the “official” unemployment percentage. While Barack Obama and MSM pundits are quick to point out the drop in jobless to 8.3%, what they conveniently fail to mention is that MILLIONS of Americans have been unemployed for so long that they have been removed from the statistics entirely, and this condition is what has caused the primary fall in jobless percentages, not burgeoning business growth.
Roughly 11 million Americans who are jobless have nonetheless been excluded from the statistical government tally because of a loss of benefits:
Working-Age Americans | White House Economic Report | The Daily Caller
According to the Congressional Budget Office, over 40% of the currently unemployed have been so for over 6 months. It also points out that America is suffering the worst case of long term unemployment since the Great Depression:
http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/02-16-Unemployment.pdf
More than 10.5 million people in the U.S. also receive disability payments, which automatically removes them from the unemployment count, making it seem as though jobs are being created, rather than lost:
Report: Millions Of Jobless File For Disability When Unemployment Benefits Run Out | Fox News
Around 8.2 million Americans only work part time, meaning they work less hours than are generally considered to be necessary for self-support. These people are still counted as “employed” even if they work a few hours a week.
True unemployment, according to John Williams of Shadowstats, is hovering near 23%:
Alternate Unemployment Charts
Combine these circumstances with the ever weakening dollar, price inflation in foods and other commodities, and rocketing energy costs, and you have an economy that is strangling the life out of the middle-class and the poor in this country. It is only a matter of time before the populace begins searching for alternative means of subsistence, even if that entails “illegal” activities.
Government Cracking Down On Freedom Of Trade
I was recently walking through the parking lot of a grocery store and ran into a group of women huddled intently around the back of a mini-van. One of the women was reaching into a cooler and handing out glass containers filled with milk. I approached to ask if she was selling raw milk, and if so, how much was she charging. Of course, they turned startled and wide eyed as if I had just stumbled upon their secret opium ring. Somehow it had slipped my mind how ferocious the FDA has become when tracking down raw milk producers. The fact that these women were absolutely terrified of being caught with something as innocuous as MILK was disturbing to me. How could we as a society allow this insanity on the part of our government to continue?
That moment reminded me of the utter irrelevance of petty law, as well as the determination of human beings to defy such law.
The Orwellian hammer has been thrust in the face of those who trade in raw milk, organic produce, and herbal supplements, while small businesses are annihilated by government dues and red tape. In the meantime, law enforcement officials have been sent strapped to shut down children’s lemonade stands (no, seriously):
Ga. police shut down girls' lemonade stand - CBS News
Government legislation which would give the FDA jurisdiction over personal gardens has been fielded. Retail gold and silver purchases of over $600 are now tracked and taxed. The IRS even believes it has the right to tax barter exchanges, even though they do not explain how bartered goods could be legally qualified as “income”, or how they can conceive of ever being able to trace such private trade:
Four Things to Know About Bartering
Want to choose what kind of currency you would like to use to protect your buying power? Not if the Department Of Justice’s Anne Tompkins has anything to say about it. After the railroading of Liberty Dollar founder Bernard von NotHaus, she stated:
“Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism…”
“While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country,” she added. “We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, disruption, and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government.”
FBI — Defendant Convicted of Minting His Own Currency
As our economic situation grows increasingly precarious in this country, more and more people will turn towards localized non-corporate, non-mainstream business methods and products. And, the government will no doubt attempt to greatly restrict or tax these alternatives. This mentality is driven in part by their insatiable appetite for money, but mostly, it’s about domination. They do what they do because they fear decentralized markets, and the ability of the citizenry to conceive of choices outside the system. Slaves are not supposed to choose the economy they will participate in…
A “black market” is only a trade dynamic that the government disapproves of, and the government disapproves of most things these days. Frankly, its time to stop worrying about what Washington D.C. consents to. They have unfailingly demonstrated through rhetoric and action that they are not interested in the fiscal or social health of this nation, and so, we must take matters into our own hands.
Black Market Advantages
If the events in EU nations such as Greece, Spain, and Italy are any indication, the U.S., with its massive debt to GDP ratio (real debt includes entitlement programs), is looking at one of two possible scenarios: default, austerity measures, and high taxes, or, hyperinflation, and then default, austerity measures, and high taxes. In the past we have mentioned barter networking and alternative market programs springing up in countries like Greece and Spain allowing the people to cope with the faltering economy. Much of this trade is done away from the watchful eyes of government, simply because they cannot afford the gnashing buffalo-sized bites that bureaucrats would take from their savings in the process. When a government goes rogue, and causes the people harm, the people are in no way obligated to continue supporting that government.
Black markets give the citizenry a means to protest the taxation of a government that no longer represents them. In a country stricken with austerity, these networks allow the public to thrive without having to pay for the mistakes or misdeeds of political officials and corporate swindlers. In a hyperinflationary environment, black markets (or barter markets that have been deemed unlawful), can be used to supplant the imploding fiat currency altogether, and energize community markets that would otherwise be unable to function. Ultimately, black markets feed and clothe the grassroots movement towards economic responsibility, and every man and woman with any sense of independence should rally around this resource with the intention to fight should it ever be threatened.
“Legality” is arbitrary in the face of inherent conscience, or what some call “natural law”. Without arbitrary legality, and unjust and unwarranted regulation, many federal alphabet agencies would not exist, including the FDA, the IRS, the EPA, the BLM, etc. These institutions do not matter. What they say has no meaning. What matters is what is honorable, what is factual, and what is right. Our loyalty, as Americans, is to our principles and our heritage. Beyond that, we don’t owe anyone anything. A black market in one place and time is a legitimate market in another. For now, private localized trade is able to flow with only minor interference, but there will come a day when even the most practical and harmless personal transactions will be visited with administrative reproach and vitriol. Alternative market champions will be accused of “extremism”, and undermining the mainstream economy. We will be vilified as separatists, isolationists, terrorists, and traitors. I believe it will be far more surreal than what we can possibly imagine now.
They are welcome to call us whatever they like. Honestly……who cares? Let the paper pushers do their angry little dance. The goal is freedom; in life, in politics, and in trade. If we do not change how this country does business ourselves, the results will be far more frightening than any government agent at our doorstep, and the costs will be absolute…
Guest Post: Americans Will Need
Trajectory Unclear: Feb 2013 Asteroid Will Be Within Thousands of Miles of Earth; Impact Would Be As Big As Siberian Tunguska Event; 1000 Times More Powerful Than Hiroshima
Mac Slavo
March 4th, 2012
SHTFplan.com
Comments (77)
In the history of the solar system, and even in human history, there are clear records of extraordinary and devastating catastrophes… On the landscapes of other planets, where the records of the past are better preserved, there is abundant evidence of major catastrophes. It’s all a matter of time scales. An event which is improbable in a hundred years, may be inevitable in a hundred million years. Even on the Earth in this century there have been bizarre natural events.
On June 30, 1908 an incoming meteor exploded approximately 5 miles above Siberia. The force of the air burst explosion, estimated at between 15 and 30 megatons, or about 1000 times bigger than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, was so powerful that it annihilated everything in an 830 square mile area, and reports suggest that that explosion was heard up to 1000 miles away. Because of the remoteness of the impact zone, the Tunguska Event over Siberia had very little effect on the human population in the region, but the destruction of some 80 million trees in the area shows just how powerful a blast was created.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EiXpp-i442s
Should a Tunguska type event occur on our planet today, especially over a populated metropolitan area, millions would be killed instantly, with many millions more being affected by the social and economic reverberations that may result from the catastrophe.
According to NASA, there is a distinct possibility that an asteroid recently identified by star gazers in Spain could hit Earth around February 15, 2013. Based on its size and trajectory, it’s estimated that the 60 to 100 meter wide asteroid, dubbed 2012 DA14, could be similar in scope and devastation to Tunguska should it enter our atmosphere.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure where on Earth the impact would occur, but they are sounding proximity warnings now:
The asteroid, known as DA14, will pass by our planet in February 2013 at a distance of under 27,000 km (16,700 miles). This is closer than the geosynchronous orbit of some satellites.How close is it? In 2005, scientists warned of the potentially hazardous asteroid named YU55, which passed within 200,000 miles of earth. In space distance terms, 2012 DA14 which will be within 20,000 miles of earth, is just a stones throw away.
There is a possibility the asteroid will collide with Earth, but further calculation is required to estimate the potential threat and work out how to avert possible disaster, NASA expert Dr. David Dunham told students at Russia’s University of Electronics and Mathematics.
“The Earth’s gravitational field will alter the asteroid’s path significantly. Further scrupulous calculation is required to estimate the threat of collision,” said Dr. Dunham, as transcribed by Russia’s Izvestia. “The asteroid may break into dozens of small pieces, or several large lumps may split from it and burn up in the atmosphere. The type of the asteroid and its mineral structure can be determined by spectral analysis. This will help predict its behavior in the atmosphere and what should be done to prevent the potential threat,” said Dr. Dunham.
In the event of a collision, scientists have calculated that the energy released would equate to the destructive power of a thermo-nuclear bomb.
Source: RT
It’s close, as demonstrated by the following orbit diagram from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so6W1KjMnuM&feature=player_embedded
Asteroid impacts are certainly a low probability event – well, at least when we look at them in terms of human time scales. But history is replete with evidence that asteroid impacts have been responsible for massive earth changes, and that they happen fairly regularly when considered in times scales of tens of millions of years.For Your Entertainment: A scene from one of our favorite doomsday movies of all time:
While the chances of earth being hit by a ‘global killer’ during our lifetime is remote, the Tunguska event and DA14′s near-earth passing next year is strong evidence that smaller impacts do happen quite regularly – perhaps at least once a century. DA14 may not be a global killer, but it is certainly large enough to destroy an entire city or region, an event that could lead to destabilization and systemic, cascading collapse in other parts of our intertwined modern day economic, financial and political systems.
We’re not suggesting that we should all panic because of DA14′s near earth passing, or even potential impact, because if this asteroid is meant to hit us there’s nothing that we as individuals on the ground here on earth can do about it. However, the US government is and has been Preparing For Unlikely Events Like War, Catastrophic Collapse of Society, and Even Asteroids, so you can feel confident knowing that you’re not a lunatic to at least consider the possibility of an asteroid impact adversely affecting life as we know it.
Take a page out of the the government’s SHTF plan. Far-from-equilibrium events do happen and as unlikely or improbable as they may be, include wide-spread natural disasters like mega Tsunamis, mega quakes, super volcanoes and asteroid impacts.
President: “What kind of damage [are we talking about]?”
Dan Truman: “Damage? Total, sir. It’s what we call a global killer. the end of mankind. It doesn’t matter where it hits, nothing will survive. Not even bacteria.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ7D4rnXqFA&feature=player_embedded
Trajectory Unclear: Feb 2013 Asteroid Will Be Within Thousands of Miles of Earth; Impact Would Be As Big As Siberian Tunguska Event; 1000 Times More Powerful Than Hiroshima
Vitamin D Shrinks Fibroid Tumors In Rats
March 5, 2012 by UPI - United Press International, Inc.
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NASHVILLE (UPI) — Vitamin D reduced the size of uterine fibroids in rats predisposed to developing the benign tumors, U.S. researchers found.
First author Sunil K. Halder of Meharry Medical College in Nashville — who conducted the research with Meharry colleagues Chakradhari Sharan and Dr. Ayman Al-Hendy and Kevin G. Osteen of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville — said uterine fibroids are the most common non-cancerous tumors in women of childbearing age. Fibroids grow within and around the wall of the uterus.
Thirty percent of women ages 25-44 report fibroid-related symptoms such as lower back pain, heavy vaginal bleeding or painful menstrual periods, the researchers said.
Uterine fibroids also are associated with infertility and such pregnancy complications as miscarriage or preterm labor. Other than surgical removal of the uterus, there are few treatment options for women.
For the study, the researchers examined the genetically predisposed rats to developing fibroid tumors and confirmed the presence of fibroids in 12. The researchers divided the rats into two groups of six each — those that would receive vitamin D and those that would not.
Half of the rats had small pumps implanted under the skin that delivered a continuous dose of vitamin D for three weeks.
The study, published in the journal Biology of Reproduction, found the fibroids increased in size in the untreated rats but shrunk dramatically in rats receiving vitamin D. On average, uterine fibroids in rats receiving vitamin D were 75 percent smaller than those in the untreated group.
Vitamin D Shrinks Fibroid Tumors In Rats : Personal Liberty Alerts=
Responding To A Major Riot
March 5, 2012 by Bob Livingston
http://personallibertycom.files.word...0302_image.jpg
In August of 1965, a reported act of police brutality touched off riots that consumed the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts for five days. When it was over, more than 34 people were dead, at least 1,000 were wounded and $200 million in property was destroyed by looting and fire.
Twenty-seven years later, the acquittal of four officers in the beating of Rodney King sparked more rioting in Los Angeles that lasted three days and resulted in the death of 54 people and destruction of $1 billion in property.
This is what can happen when social order breaks down. The “riot beast,” as some people call it, grows quickly and can suck in innocent bystanders as easily as it can the fringe criminal element just looking for an opportunity to strike.
Do you know what to do if a riot begins in your area? It’s not always possible to avoid a riot, as most of those injured or killed are innocents caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there are a few things you can do to help protect yourself from getting caught up in the worst of it:
- Be prepared. If you know that tensions are brewing to such an extent that a riot is possible, but you can’t avoid the area, try to be as inconspicuous as possible. Wear clothes that make you look like part of the crowd, but take care not to wear colors that could signal allegiance to one group or gang.
- Plan possible escape routes for the duration of your journey outside.
- Keep cash on hand to arrange for transportation or pay off looters.
- Remain calm. Riots bring intense emotions to the surface, and you have to keep your emotions in check. Think rationally at all times.
- Get inside and stay inside. Stay away from windows and doors, try to get into the middle of the structure to put as many walls as possible between yourself and any bullets fired from outside, and lock all entrances into the building. Keep in mind you need to have at least two escape routes. If rioters gain entry to your building, leave in a hurry and try to find law enforcement authorities.
- Stay on the sidelines.
- If you’re caught up in a riot, don’t take sides. Try to be inconspicuous and move slowly, but purposefully, to the outside of the mob.
- Move away from the riot. The longer you spend in it the greater the chance you will be injured or killed. But move out slowly. Think of it as escaping the undertow, and move toward the outside so you can find an alley, side street or doorway to get into.
- Avoid major roadways, as this is where the crowd is liable to be the greatest.
- Avoid public transportation. The stations may be particularly dangerous because of the chance of large crowds and difficult egress.
- Don’t stop your car. Drive away from the riot and don’t stop until you are in a safe place with no other people, except maybe law enforcement, nearby. If people try to block your course, honk your horn and continue driving carefully through them.
- If you’re in the midst of a riot and police begin using chemicals, such as teargas, try to stay out of the line of fire. Try to stay away from the front lines, which will bear the brunt of a police action. If the air gets thick with chemicals, get low for fresh air.
- Do your best to stay on your feet. If you fall, you are likely to be trampled. If you do fall, curl into a ball and protect your face and vital organs.
Should you believe that riots or looters may soon affect your neighborhood, you may deem it prudent to leave your home until the situation stabilizes. Most people think that simply locking their doors and leaving is sufficient. But this won’t keep out rioters who are not bound by the rule of law and certainly don’t respect the locks on your doors and windows. So you need to prepare your home to make it as looter-proof as possible before you leave. To do it properly, you will have to have prepared in advance by purchasing and storing the needed materials.
You’ve probably seen video or photographs of homes along the coast being prepared for the onslaught of a hurricane. Keep this visual in mind as you begin to make your home looter-proof.
Plywood over the windows and doors will confound most looters because the riots that fuel the looting are generally somewhat spontaneous. It’s difficult to remove plywood covers without the proper tools, and the odds are against looters carrying pry bars, hammers and screwdrivers when a riot breaks out. Don’t forget to cover skylights and other soft points as well.
If you have a large screened or glassed-in porch, the best bet is to secure the small door that allows access to the home. Sacrifice the glass or screen on the porch.
Garage doors can be problematic to cover. If you have a metal garage door, you probably should just trust it to keep out looters. A wooden door can be breached with a swift kick to one of the panels. Cover each of the panels with plywood as if they were glass.
The plywood you use should be at least 3/8 inch thick. Any less and you may as well have no protection at all. Use screws to secure the wood. The screws should be 1½ to 2 inches in length.
If your home is boarded up and other homes in the neighborhood are not, yours will likely be spared in lieu of the easier pickings.
If your house is hooked to natural gas or a propane tank, turn off the gas at the gas meter and water at the main valve. Turn off the electricity at the breaker or fuse box.
Responding To A Major Riot : Personal Liberty Alerts=