Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

The Colony Season 2 Episode 6 Skout Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VIg-SoJuUA



The Colony Season 2 Episode 8 Defense Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8lcZyaXTWI

The Colony Season 2 Episode 8 Defense Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tScc1koHraQ

The Colony Season 2 Episode 8 Defense Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLE8_-Wsc-s



The Colony Season 2 Episode 8 Defense Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOJ5sdoK ... re=related



The Colony Season 2 Episode 8 Defense Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn8z5Fmh ... re=related

The Colony Season 2 Episode 9 The Virus Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFg4JaQ6 ... re=related



The Colony Season 2 Episode 9 The Virus Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6H_Mo3U ... re=related



The Colony Season 2 Episode 9 The Virus Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkbhPdTz2s0



The Colony Season 2 Episode 9 The Virus Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQSidbMv ... re=related



The Colony Season 2 Episode 9 The Virus Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Dhi87E ... re=related

Video: Economic Collapse a Mathematical Certainty - Top 5 Places Where Not To Be http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 3-vwYJiD8g



Jun 26, 2011

Read and occasionally paraphrased from an article Written By Silver Shield Titled: Top 5 Places NOT To Be When The Dollar Collapses http://dont-tread-on.me/

My apologies for not originally giving him credit for the written material. My motives are purely to sound the alarm in a way to awaken the masses to the dangers we most certainly face. Thank you Silver Shield for your understanding

The dollar collapse will be the single largest event in human history. This will be the first event that will touch every single living person in the world. All human activity is controlled by money. Our wealth,our work,our food,our government,even our relationships are affected by money.

No money in human history has had as much reach in both breadth and depth as the dollar. It is the de facto world currency. All other currency collapses will pale in comparison to this big one. All other currency crises have been regional and there were other currencies for people to grasp on to.

This collapse will be global and it will bring down not only the dollar but all other fiat currencies,as they are fundamentally no different. The collapse of currencies will lead to the collapse of ALL paper assets. The repercussions to this will have incredible results worldwide.

The Dollar Collapse Will be the Single Largest Event in Human History

Mac Slavo
July 7th, 2011
SHTFplan.com
25 Comments

Every major civilization in history has collapsed. In almost all recorded cases the collapse has occurred as a result of infinite expansion in a finite environment. We are, no doubt, approaching a similar fate.
Silver Shield of Don’t Tread On Me outlines the fundamental problems we face, and the repercussions that will follow:

The dollar collapse will be the single largest event in human history. This will be the first event that will touch every single living person in the world. All human activity is controlled by money. Our wealth,our work,our food,our government,even our relationships are affected by money. No money in human history has had as much reach in both breadth and depth as the dollar. It is the de facto world currency. All other currency collapses will pale in comparison to this big one. All other currency crises have been regional and there were other currencies for people to grasp on to. This collapse will be global and it will bring down not only the dollar but all other fiat currencies,as they are fundamentally no different. The collapse of currencies will lead to the collapse of ALL paper assets. The repercussions to this will have incredible results worldwide.
…
This time around,it is a national and global problem. The global Ponzi scheme has run out of gas as the demographics decline,as cheap abundant oil declines,as hegemonic power declines. This comes at a time when we reach the exponential or collapse phase of our money. The Irresistible Force Paradox says, “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” We are about to find out,when infinite money hits a very finite world.

You can read the full article here, or watch a video synopsis compiled by New America Now:




What is to come is a mathematical certainty. It cannot be otherwise. The only question is one of timing.

Perhaps the final breaking point will come in a few months and the system will crumble before the end of the year. Or, maybe we experience a slow and drawn out depression over the course of a decade. Whatever the case, we’re not going to pretend like we know exactly how and when it will come to pass.

What we can surmise, however, are the effects if and when the unstoppable force hits an immovable object. Keep in mind that what we are talking about the largest financial, economic and governmental debt bubble in the history of the world – and it’s about to pop.

When this happens we can expect nothing short of unmitigated global pandemonium – on a scale never before seen.

Take nothing for granted and expect the unexpected.

Food shortages, violence, governmental tyranny, and especially wide-scale regional or global military conflict. This is the reality of collapse.
Hat tip JR, Silver Shield, Steve Quayle

http://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-pr...story_07072011

Top 5 Places NOT To Be When The Dollar Collapses

By Silver Shield,on June 23rd,2011
207 comments

The dollar collapse will be the single largest event in human history. This will be the first event that will touch every single living person in the world. All human activity is controlled by money. Our wealth, our work, our food, our government, even our relationships are affected by money. No money in human history has had as much reach in both breadth and depth as the dollar. It is the de facto world currency. All other currency collapses will pale in comparison to this big one. All other currency crises have been regional and there were other currencies for people to grasp on to. This collapse will be global and it will bring down not only the dollar but all other fiat currencies, as they are fundamentally no different. The collapse of currencies will lead to the collapse of ALL paper assets. The repercussions to this will have incredible results worldwide. (Read the Silver Bullet and the Silver Shield to protect yourself from this collapse.)

Thanks to the globalization and the giant vampire squids of the Anglo-American Empire, the dollar is the world’s reserve currency. It supports the global economy in settling foreign trade, most importantly the Petro Dollar trade. This money is recycled through the City of London (not to be confused with London) and New York. This fuels our corporate vampires that acquires and harvests the wealth of the world. The corporate powers suppress REAL assets like natural resources and labor to provide themselves massive profits. This Fascist, Statist, Collectivist model provides the money into the economy to fund an ever increasing federal government. That government then grows larger and larger enriching its minions with jobs to control their fellow citizens. Finally, to come full circle, the government then controls other nations through the Military Industrial Complex.

This cycle will be cut when the mathematically and inevitable collapse of the dollar occurs. In order for our debt based money to function we MUST increase the debt every year in excess of the debt AND interest accrued the year before or we will enter a deflationary death spiral. When debt is created, money is created. When debt is paid off, money is destroyed. There is never enough to pay off the debt, because there would be not one dollar in existence.

We are at a point where we either default on the debt, willingly or unwillingly, or create more money/debt to keep the cycle moving. The problem is if you understand anything about compounding interest, we are reaching the hockey stick moment where the more debt that is incurred, the less effective it is and this leads us to hyper inflation. There are only two actors needed for this hyper inflation, the Lender of Last Resort, the Fed, and the Spender of Last Resort, the government. These two can, and will, blow up the system. I believe they will wait until the next crisis and the whiff of deflationary depression before they fire up the printing presses. That crisis is coming very soon at the end of this summer or fall. The money and emergency measures are worn out. The fact that NONE of the underlying problems that caused the 2008 crisis have been resolved. The only thing that has happened is that instead of corporate problems, we now have nation problems. In this movie Greece will play the role of Lehman Brothers and the United States will play the role of AIG. The problem is there is nowhere to kick the can down the road and there is no world government to absorb the debt, yet… (Problem, Reaction, Solution.)

So this leads me to the Top 5 Places Not To Be When the Dollar Collapses.


1. Israel- This Anglo-American beach head into the Middle East was first conceived by the most powerful family in the world, the Rothschilds, in 1917. The Balfour Declaration said that there will be a Zionist Israel years before World War two and the eventual establishment of Israel. Israel has not been a good neighbor to its Muslim nations and has always had the two biggest bullies on the block at it’s back. When the dollar collapses, the United States will have much to much on its plate both domestically and internationally to worry about such a non-strategic piece of land. This will leave Israel very weak at a time when tensions will be high. This very thin strip of desert land will not be able to with stand the economic reality of importing its food and fuel or the political reality of being surrounded by Muslims.

2. Southern California- The land of Fruits and Nuts turns into Battlefield Los Angeles. 20 million people packed into an area that has no water and thus food is not good to say the least. Throw on top of the huge wealth disparities and the proximity to a narco state and this does not bode well. We have seen riots for Rodney King, what will happen when the dollar is destroyed and food an fuel stop coming into this area. People will get desperate and do crazy things, especially when a huge proportion of its citizens are on anti depressants. If food and fuel cannot get in, what about Zolfot? At a time when people’s world are falling apart they lack the ability to deal with this new paradigm. If people come off of these drugs too fast they suffer psychotic breaks and you will have thousands of shootings or suicides.

3. England- The Land of the Big Brother and former Empire of world wide slave and drug trade will suffer heavily. The stiff upper lip that their the British Elite ingrained into their sheeple will not work anymore as the British population explodes. The human character will sacrifice and unite for a foreign enemy, but not if the enemy has always been the Elite. The Anglo-American Empire may pull off another false flag to distract it’s population on another Emmanuel Goldstein like in 1984, but I feel this collapse will happen before they pull it off. This will make all eyes point at the British Elite as solely responsible for this catastrophe. We have seen massive riots for soccer matches with hooligans. What will happen when this island with very little food and fuel gets cut off?

4. New York City- Another large urban area living too high on the dollar hog. NYC is the area I moved out of in 2008. There is little doubt that all of the wealth in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is derivative off of Wall Street wealth. The savings and investments of the whole nation and much of the world flows through this financial capital. As the world wakes up to the massive financial fraud, this will lead to the destruction of capital like we have never seen before. This will have tremendous effects on the regional economy as people driving in Mercedes suddenly wonder where their next meal is coming from.

5. Washington D.C.- The political collapse of the Federal Government will wreak havoc on the hugely inflated local economy. As more and more states find it necessary to assert their natural control, the Federal Government will suddenly loose power and importance as the whole world suffers from a Global Hurricane Katrina. The money that they create and spend, will become worthless and the government minions pensions will evaporate. Millions that once relied on the ability to force others to send their money to them, will learn that the real power has always been at the most local level. Massive decentralization will be the answer to globalization gone mad. Local families and communities will forgo sending money and power out of their community, as they will care about their next meal and keeping warm.

“You can ignore reality, but you can’t ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.” -Ayn Rand

To sum up, those areas that have lived highest on the hog in the dollar paradigm will most likely be the worst places to live when the dollar collapses. Many of you will find this article with passing interest, but rest assured this dollar collapse is coming. It is a mathematical inevitability. We will not be as fortunate to muddle through this collapse like we did in 2008 when it was a corporate problem. This time around, it is a national and global problem. The global Ponzi scheme has run out of gas as the demographics decline, as cheap abundant oil declines, as hegemonic power declines. This comes at a time when we reach the exponential or collapse phase of our money. The Irresistible Force Paradox says, “”What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?” We are about to find out, when infinite money hits a very finite world.

If you want to become aware and prepared for this collapse, please join the free Sons of Liberty Academy.


http://dont-tread-on.me/?p=3174

bttt

Dietitian Touts Disease-Fighting Benefits Of Red Produce

July 8, 2011
by Personal Liberty News Desk



Dietitian Touts Disease-Fighting Benefits Of Red Produce Summertime brings along with it a bevy of delicious fruits and vegetables like watermelon, tomatoes, strawberries and red peppers. Consumers should take advantage of the availability of such produce, since dietitian Donna Fields reports that they may help to stave off several illnesses.

Fields said that red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, which include antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene, lycopene and beta-cryptoxanthin. In addition to giving the bright produce its color, the antioxidants may also reduce an individual's chance of getting cancer.

The dietitian cited several epidemiological studies to support the disease-fighting benefits of carotenoids. She said that lycopene, in particular, has been linked to a decreased risk of cancer, especially that of the prostate.

In addition to locally grown produce, Fields said that tropical fruits like guava and papaya have powerful antioxidant properties.

"We continue to learn that bright colored fruits and vegetables are best for our bodies," says Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science, the journal in which Fields' article appears.

The finding that richly colored produce also tends to be the most healthful should make it easy for consumers to choose the most nutrient-dense foods.

http://www.personalliberty.com/news/die ... 07_08_PLA_[P11607724]&rrid=238434262

Lessons from Life on The Edge: The Evolution of My Go Bag, by Tim K.

By James Wesley, Rawles
June 28, 2011 8:21 PM

I was stranded on the streets of Los Angeles because my so called "friend" stole my rent money. Down and out, with no one to help, in a state where I knew nobody, I started out with nothing but the clothes on my back.

I started out grabbing odds and ends in an attempt to get by and make do. I got some give-away matches from a corner convenience store and used a coffee can to cook whatever I could find. After some finagling, I came up with a thick black garbage bag which held my supplies:

* Rain poncho I bought at the dollar store
* Bandana
* Roll of duct tape
* Coffee can and matches
* Slingshot
* Notebook and pencil
* Hacksaw blade with a handle I fashioned
* Food: Typically a few oranges, a can of sardines, and two cans of beans

Finally, I got a part-time job at the convenience store, but I knew that I could be fired at any time, so I decided to upgrade my Go Bag. I folded up my black garbage bag and put it inside a used knapsack I bought for $4 at a second-hand store. Along with my other items, minus the perishable foods, I included:

* Leatherman multitool
* Flint and steel fire maker
* Whistle
* Headlamp (which is good for dumpster diving)
* Folding knife
* Compass
* Knife sharpener

Deciding I knew where I was, I got rid of the compass and whistle. Since I know how to sharpen my knife with a rock, I got rid of the sharpener--traded it for something, I forget what. But I decided I needed:

* 100 yards of paracord
* Jar of peanut butter and jelly
* Bag of rice and
* Bag of black beans
* Vaseline (somebody had recommended Bag Balm, which is similar)
* Safety pins
* Lighter

Then a guy told me that electrical tape is good. I already had duct tape, but I figured this was good advice. The same guy traded me some fishing hooks and 8 pound test fishing line for my jar of peanut butter.

As I walked about town I grabbed small odds and ends that I either was given or found on the ground, including:

* Two hose clamps
* Some moist towelettes
* Pair of pliers
* Deck of playing cards
* Some small nails

Eventually I did get fired from my job, because I showed up to work too early. They got suspicious and figured out that I was still homeless. So I grabbed my knapsack and left, headed east.

With my last paycheck I bought a water filter that you can drink through.
I also somehow ended up with a box of baking soda, good for many things.
I am keeping my eye out for an itty-bitty chess set to bring along.

Sometimes I throw some bouillon cubes in there, but they get used up quickly when we make soup on the run. I always have some extra socks, so I let my other ones dry when I wash them in filling station bathrooms.

As I traveled from state to state, walking and hitchhiking, I added some items:

* Small flashlight
* Magnifying glass (for reading and could use to make fire)
* Aluminum foil to bake in
* Small mirror
* Salt and pepper packets
* Candle

I formerly had a sleeping bag, but all I carry with me now is a military poncho and a wool blanket. My goal was to get back to my home state. I found a lake, caught some fish, and fried them up!

I jotted down some notes in a journal as I traveled. Some of the following is from that.

Candy bars make good trading stock out on the road.

Met a guy who had a wind-up flashlight that doesn't need batteries. Need one of those.
Somebody traded me a box of .22 rimfire cartridges for a roll of Tums. I don't have a gun, but they make good trading stock.

I don't need an axe, but it might be good to get one of those little tiny wire saws that weigh next to nothing.

As I traveled further east I ended up with:

* Military can opener
* Insect repellant
* Sun block

... all in trade for half of my roll of paracord. That was a pretty good deal.

Oh yes, I always carry some Kleenex or a roll of toilet paper.

And I've got my sunglasses, but they are always on me, so not really a part of the Go Bag.

Usually wrap stuff in those little grocery store plastic bags.

Got a little jar filled with Band-Aid, rubber bands, zip-lock ties, AAA and AA batteries, etc.

No canteen, instead I've use one of those foldable water bottles.

Usually carry some beef jerky, ramen noodles, and a little portable stove that I made out of a tin can.

Recently added some Lifesavers candy and some cough drops.

Had a portable chair, but got rid of it, along with my portable stove.

Some guy was locked out of his car. I used a wire coat hanger to open it and he gave me $20.

With the $20 I bought a pair of gloves and a bottle of aspirin. I decided to carry with me a small bottle of water for cooking for when I get stranded at road stops.

Got stuck at one road stop for three days, and fortunately I found a bestseller someone left there. Now I always carry this small Trucker's Bible someone gave me.

If I had a driver's license I'd carry it, but I do always have my birth certificate, and some family photos.

Found some nail clippers in a purse that someone dropped. Would have turned it in, but there was no name and I was miles from anywhere. There was bag of weed inside. I guess somebody ditched it, throwing it out of their car window when the cops were after them.

Always carry some spare change in the bottom of my bag, just in case.

Got a little bar of soap one night when I stayed at a motel.

Met a guy who carries tampons, thinks they are good to start fires.

One thing that I wished I had was some mosquito netting. And another is a hammock.

Got a sponge to take sponge baths when I get the chance.

Bought a little lightweight frying pan, but still use my old coffee can, along with a wire handle I attached.

Decided I did need a small sleeping bag, and got a plastic liner to lay it on.

Found a cool sun hat at a Salvation Army store, so got rid of my boonie hat.

Attach stuff to my bag with bungee cords

Threw away a screwdriver that somebody gave me, because I already had the multitool.

Met this gal on the road who carries pepper spray. I found that out the hard way.

Don't think I need one of those little emergency space blankets, but you might.

Ripped my jeans crawling through a barbed wire fence. For sewing I use a three-sided leather needle and dental floss.

Always carry a small tube of Super Glue.

Toothpaste and shampoo (go without saying)

About three weeks into the trip, I was out on the road and two guys mugged me and beat me up. They stole my knapsack, and left me to bleed. All I had was a twenty dollar bill in my shoe and a pack of matches in my pocket.

I was determined to get back home. I had traveled from California and was now in Oklahoma, headed further east.

There was a motel, and I went and knocked on the door, but the guy wouldn't let me in because I didn't have enough money. But by this time I knew the drill. I knew that in order to survive I had to start gathering useful things. When the sun came up I went over to McDonalds and bought a tray of hash browns and scrambled eggs. I put some salt and pepper and ketchup and napkins in my paper bag and got a big cup of water.

I went out and sat on the curb and ate. I saw a dumpster and went over and looked inside. There was a bicycle inner tube that I grabbed, figuring it might be good for something, like making slingshot bands. There was also a shower curtain that I took to use to make a shelter.

I went over to this gas station and a gal gave me a garbage bag. I looked across the street, and I saw the two guys who had mugged me and stole my Go Bag. They got out of their car and went into McDonalds. I went over and looked in their car, and sure enough, there was my Go Bag. I was so happy.

The car was locked, so I took a rock and busted open the side window. I reached through the glass and opened the door and grabbed my Go Bag. I felt like urinating in their car or something, but I was too worried about getting out of there, so I just left.

After a couple of hard weeks on the road, I finally I did make it home, and now I think of that horrible trip as a life's lesson. My Go Bag now has two components, the heavy weight items that I can do without if I need to, and the essential core that I keep on my person so they will stay with me even if I get mugged.

If I need to I can do without:

* Machete
* Foot powder
* Liquid soap
* Bottle of honey
* Powdered milk
* Dehydrated fruits and vegetables
* Spices
* Energy bars
* Towels
* Small bottle of chlorine bleach
* Citizens Band radio

I have found my small pair of Vise Grip pliers to be invaluable on the road.

I did run into a situation (forest fire) where I wished I had some goggles or a dust mask.

Nowadays I go out on the road once in a while, just for old times sake, and to practice my survival skills. Sometimes I hop a train and wind across the plains and up into the hardwood forests. But now I usually have a credit card somewhere safely tucked away. And a tube of Chapstick in my front pocket.

And I have found it handy when hitchhiking to carry a length of siphon hose, because motorists who run out of gas are usually willing to give you a ride anywhere if you can get a car to stop and give them some gasoline.

And when out on the road, a jar of Tabasco sauce makes everything taste better.

http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/06/les ... _edge.html

Prepping for Apartment Dwellers, by Anthony S.

By James Wesley, Rawles
April 15, 2011 8:29 PM

Preparing for an uncertain future when living in an apartment or a condominium ("condo") can be a struggle. When the Lord has not chosen to give you land to work with, you work with what he has given you, knowing first and foremost that he is your first retreat, and no matter what happens, "All things work together for the Glory of the Lord...". There are many limiting factors when you do not have the smallest amount of land. And if you are reading this, you probably agree that our future has many uncertainties from economic, to natural, to spiritual. I would like to share a bit of my families walk in this world that the Lord has chosen for us.

Our Situation
As a starter, I have been married for 12 years, and have two wonderful children who are not in school yet, although when the time comes, we will likely do home-school. Our finances are poor, weighted down by circumstances beyond our control, and poor spending habits from our youth, so living on a budget is a new thing for us. We have lived in our condo, that is for all intents and purposes, an apartment on the top floor, with neighbors beside and below, for five years. Our condo is in a cold climate, with a very abbreviated growing season, but with much hunting and wilderness close by. Still, as you might expect, the condo is in a small city, about 80,000 population, and not in the best neighbor hood. During our time here, we have learned many lessons, and would like to share those with you.

Setting Goals
Before you start anything, it is wise to have a plan, and a destination. Our goal over this time has been to prepare for any situation that may arise, so that we will be self sufficient for 30 days minimum in our condo, and then have resources to contribute should we be forced to relocate.

Water
The first concern of any prepping situation should always be water. It is the most vital component of any survival situation, second only perhaps to shelter. You can understand the difficulties of storing watering an apartment, but there are some things that can be done. The 5 gallon office jugs that are used in office are great for storing gallons of water, and can easily be stored in a closet. For 30 days and 4 people, it was decided that 30 gallons would have to do. Worthy of note, is that you should still add a cap full of water purifier to this, since it will be stored for a long period of time, and should be rotated about once a year. This provides a gallon a day, and could be supplemented by a nearby creek. This is the next step in our water prep plan, to have a water filter capable of handling raw water to supplement what is on hand. Also an option I have considered, is installing a large water tank in the condo (in a closet or under a cabinet) and have all the water run through it, so if the water goes out, there will still be a large tank of water we could draw from, and it will constantly be rotated and fresh. This will take some investment though, and handyman work, so for now, the 30 gallons and filter plan will have to do.

Food
Food storage is also an issue that has special considerations. Space being the most obvious. For living in an apartment, all the same food rules apply, but I would say that storage is a bit different. Here again, a converted closet fills in as a Larder. When an item is used up in the pantry, it moves in from the Larder, and you go shopping for the larder. But there is a catch for the apartment dweller, so everything is made mobile. Placing everything in 5 gallon buckets, that may or may not be sealed, but this makes them portable in case the need to relocate comes up. Also, there are no 'root cellars' or basements in apartments, and not in our condo. So keeping things cool dry and dark becomes an issue, and the 5 gallon bucks with gamma lids seems to work will, especially with mildew issues, that seem to happen.

Expanding food stores to a year or more is something else that is a important, but as the space is an issue, has to be handle carefully. We decide to diversify our food and store it within our community of friends, so if a retreat is necessary, we will have already been contributing to them, and relocating should be a little easier.

A surprise is that a garden is not out of the question. Although it is small, the association or manager may allow you to put up a small garden were flowers or anything else may grow. We setup a square foot garden behind our unit. Its not private, and pretty open to the neighborhood kids, but it is better then nothing, and also teaches us need to know stuff information for when the Lord decides we may have a home.

Fuel
Fuel is a large concern for apartment dwellers. It is dangerous to store, and very needed when temperatures can reach 20 below zero (Fahrenheit) all winter, and even colder, at times. Not to mention the need to cook, and power for other living needs. Our solution at this time is to make sure we can last for 30 days, and with this in mind, we have gotten a Big Buddy heater. This has the low O2 sensor on it, and in addition, we have a CO2 detector. In our apartment, we have ventilation vents, about 6 inches in diameter that allow fresh air into the house, but I don't think I would rely on these. When push comes to shove, there are also the dryer vent, stove vent and bathroom vent that will allow rotation with outside air. At this time we haven't tested our heating, and possibly cooking means, but with a little piping, a heating system should be available. As for storage, Some of the small enclosed fuel for camp stoves are kept in the house, but the large propane tanks that would be required for the heating are stored outside, at a friends house within walking distance.

Security
Security for some people is large concern. I personally believe it is taken out of proportion to other needs that may exits, that is why I mention it only after 4 other points. That being said, it is a priority, and I do believe that in a worse case scenario, we would be more like New Orleans then Japan. To that end, I do have arms in the form of:

* A semi-automatic rifle with full capacity magazines,
* A hunting rifle,
* A .22 rimfire rifle
* A 12 gauge shotgun

I hope to add a large caliber revolver, later.

Of more import though is the operational security (OPSEC) of keeping what you are doing out of direct light of your neighbors eyes. With an apartment dweller, this is all the more important because of the close proximity of potential threats, especially, if like me, you do not live in the greatest neighborhood. This is best handled in the obvious ways. Keeping things low key, and moving equipment and food in small amounts. [JWR Adds: I advise apartment dwellers to use musical instrument cases when they transport their guns. Used cases can often be found for very modest prices at thrifts stores or via Craigslist. ] As a follower of Christ, it is still important to reach out to your neighbors, and form bonds with them that the gospel may be spread through love, but at the same time, there is no need to broadcast your preparation plans. Here the saying is best applied, loose lips sink ships.

Medical and G.O.O.D. bag
These two I will mention as they are important to any prepper, but only in passing as these do not differ greatly for an apartment dweller then with a home owner. But there are some points that I will bring up that I think should be made.

G.O.O.D. bags are easy enough to put together, and should include a mini set of everything you would normally make for prepping. I include at the end of this a simple list of our bob bags, a starting point that we used. We put these together for less then $150 over the course of two weeks. Special attention was placed on the weight, and should be a special note to an apartment dweller, as if it comes to bugging out, you will have to hike your bag out.

The First Aid kit or Medical Cabinet as I am coming to call it is also a priority, but does not differ greatly for the apartment dweller. There was recently a fantastic post about your first aid kit (What is a Well-Stocked First Aid Kit?, by K.M.), and I will simply reference it here and say that is what we are aiming for. For preparing, there will be a medical cabinet that is currently under construction, a first aide kit for the BOB bags, and a car kit, for any camping or out of the house needs.

Retreat and Community
It is apparent to me, as a condo or apartment dweller, making plans beyond 30 days would be unreasonable, as the logistics and OPSEC become more and more complicated and dangerous with each passing day. The time to move out to a retreat would be highly dependent on the situation. Should there be an event were a break down in society takes place, waiting 30 days may be suicide. But this is very situational, and should be handle as such. I would add to this only that you should not push it, if you wait until the last minute when the decision is obvious, it may be to late.

Now a retreat is not like it sounds to to most, and perhaps I should not call it so, but for the lack of a better word. Here it means going someplace for the long term, a year or more. This could be a friends house, or perhaps a relative, but someplace planed far ahead of time, as dropping in on anyone only adds to your problems, and theirs. This will likely get you turned away, even by the best intentioned people, when it comes to choosing your family or theirs. So Planning ahead is important, probably the most important, and this leads into community.

By connecting with like minded people in your area, you can begin to plan ahead. Finding out what they need, and building relationships that will endure. You can learn skills that will add to the group, buy things to supplement what they have or add to needs that they may have already. This will provide you some place to retreat to. It is highly advisable that you pre-stage food and other things there ahead of time. This proves your commitment to them, and at the same time diversifies your assets, in case of fire or other eventuality, all your resources are not lost with your apartment.

Something else that can be considered in conjunction with the retreat portion is a trailer. Getting a trailer, or a pop-up camper, is a great way to expand your flexibility. You may not be able to keep it in your apartment parking lot, but by setting one up, you add to you storage space, add space to store volatile things best stored outdoors, and also provide a living space in case you are forced out at the apartment.

Don't get down yet, there are some positives for being an Apartment Dweller!

Education-Training
This deserves its own special section. Lets face it, if the SHTF, then apartment dwellers are going to need someplace to go. But this doesn't have to be a bad thing. Everyone can't know everything, and as an apartment dweller, you can make yourself much more valuable to your group by learning and expanding skills that will be needed. In addition to two strong arms and like minded faithful Christian loyalty that any apartment dweller can bring they should also be able to bring other skills, like Sewing, woodworking, cooking with raw ingredients, baking, engine repair, and many others. Personally, I am focusing on butchering, as that is what is needed in my community. So I am gathering those skills, as well as some of the specialized equipment that demands. This coincides with planning ahead for your retreat, so people are not doubling up on skills, and invests you in the group, even if you don't have your own dirt.

Communications
Communication is a point that is often overlooked in prepping. If a community wants to be effective in coming together and working together, then they will have to be able to communicate in a grid down situation. This is actually an asset for the apartment dweller. Communications gear, and ham radio training is relatively cheap, and with little creativity, is easy enough to keep out of sight. For the community, which is likely not in the middle of town, information will become more important then gold. This is were the apartment dweller can and should shine. Just like a scout that feeds information back, the apartment dweller can do the same, and holds a highly valued place in the system in which they support. Countless people have died for lack of good intelligence, and an apartment dweller can give this back to the group like no other.

Conclusion
I often wonder why the Lord keeps me where I am, I have tried to move into a house 5-6 times, and it just was not to be. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do your best to prepare. When "you see the red sky in the morning" you should prepare for the storm. And to those who may think that an apartment dweller has nothing to offer, think again, the Lord has placed us all exactly where he wants us. All things work together for the Glory of the Lord and those who serve Him!

As a final point, I have found very little for apartment preppers, so I have started my own little blog. Please drop by. If I get enough interest, I will keep up with daily posts and tips on prepping while on a budget and living in an apartment.

Appendix--My G.O.O.D. Bags Contents:

Bag X2 Waterproofing Clothes Base layers Fleece pants Fleece shirts Wool socks Hats Gloves Undies Diapers Covers for Diapers Re-usable wipes for diapers Ring Sling Packable rain coats/ pants x4 Gun and ammo Water Food 6-8 Mountain House meals Chocolate Blanket--wool or emergency blanket Fire Matches Magnesium or fire key Fuel, steel wool, fire sticks Propane cook top Camp cooking set Knifes Sharpening stone Leatherman Saw Hand axe Machete Tarp Compass Magnifying glass Mirror whistle Duct tape String & rope & hooks & Carabiners Documents - copies Cash Optics--binoculars Traps--rat traps Emergency radio Batteries Water filter Pencils, paper, books Waterproof cards Survival books Portable med kit Insect repellant Fishing box Sewing box LED Flashlights and headlamps Children's bags - Blanket, bottle of water, food, book, and stuffed animal


http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/04/pre ... eller.html

In Survival There Are No Uni-taskers

by M.D. Creekmore
28 comments

This is a guest post by Jason Akers

[This is an entry in our non-fiction writing contest where you could win a number of prizes including an 84 serving storage bucket of Wise Food Storage, 500 rounds of 9mm ammo, a NukAlert a copy of my book The Dirt Cheap Survival Retreat and a copy of my CD It’s The End Of The World As We Know It – And I Feel Fine . For complete rules and list of prizes see this post.]

The only cooking show my fragile male ego will allow me to admit watching is Good Eats with Alton Brown. Alton has a simple philosophy when it comes to tools he allows in his kitchen: Absolutely no one-task (uni-tasker) tools! Often he will come to a task that requires a tool and instead of using the standard known uni-task tool he will make use of another tool designed for another task. It’s not above him to open a can with a drill or attach a whisk to the chuck.

What in the world does this have to do with survival? In survival there are no uni-taskers.

Sometimes a person will come to a task and attempt to find a tool that will fit. Sometimes a person will find a tool and discover a task that can be accomplished. Neither is necessarily right or wrong. The real problem occurs when a task is overlooked because the perfect tool is not at hand.
The Man With A Hammer

Given enough time, anything can become cliché. The man with the hammer is officially clichéd. You know the saying. To a man with a hammer, everything is a nail. The saying should read: To a man with a hammer and no imagination, everything is a nail. Personally I’ve used a hammer as a makeshift hatchet to chop down saplings. And I’m not the smartest guy in the world but I’m pretty sure I could use one with flint to start a fire or use it to defend myself.
Taken the wrong way the saying could mean a few things:

Carry a lot of tools because you will never have the right one when you need it.
Don’t carry a hammer because you might start building something involving nails.
Hammers are only good for building with nails.

I have a theory regarding that supposition. In order to take use of every potential of any object it must be seen as a collection of parts. The simpler the object the more difficult it is to arrive at alternative uses. The unfortunate truth is that the designed use is difficult to shake from our mind.

It’s much easier to take a tool that is complex and break it down into its components. Those components are then so alien to our eyes in many cases that their uses become immediately apparent. In some cases a little digging is still necessary.

But really the saying is just a thought exercise. Here’s another.
The Ultimate Survival Tool – The AR15

When everything is good, your AR15 is a great survival tool but for most people it’s a uni-tasker. Sure, we can mince words. It doubles as a long-range rifle, a CQB rifle or a very black awkward club. Bottom line, it’s just a weapon. Or is it?

Take away all of the ammunition. Say you spent it all fighting the black helicopters or at least that’s what you tell your “squad” after you accidentally lost all of your mags in the river. Is it just a neat looking club?

Now granted hard times would have to be upon most of us before we starting reducing our beloved black rifles to a pile of parts. Again, consider this a thought exercise and quit cringing over what I’m about to do to your rifle (assuming I have a few tools and the skills to disassemble this thing).

Assuming you have a CAR model you’d could remove the stock and use the tube to hold and or boil water. I’m not claiming the chemicals would be good for you or that it would work well but hey, it might just work.

Secondly there are springs all over the place. From a collapsible to stock to nearly every inch of the innards is spring loaded. When I see a spring I think of one thing and its not those cool bouncy shoes that Wile E Coyote used to order from Acme when he went chasing the Roadrunner. Springs make great fishhooks. A little bending and you can quickly be feeding yourself.
If you had a lot of time on your hands (and a few tools) you could also pop the mag apart. Then you’d harvest the spring and the metal endplate. The mag body itself, sans plastic, spring and endplate might make a nice skillet for cooking food. The spring, of course, makes fishhooks and the endplate could be sharpened for a spear point or arrowhead.

Speaking of arrowheads and spear points I think there is nothing I can think of improvised that would be better on the tip of an arrow than the AR firing pin, removed and sharpened of course (provided you had enough time!).

Some people don’t pretend they are buying a new Cadillac and are happy with their AR as is. But if you were lucky enough to make your weapon “tacti-cool” you’ve just given yourself another gathering bounty.

Those tactical rails will fit just about anywhere on an AR nowadays. You can put them on four sides of the forearm, the flattop, I’m pretty sure you could clamp one to the trigger if you wanted. When I see these rails I think of one thing and its not “hey I wonder if two flashlights are better than one”. I think saw teeth. If you removed one and lashed it to a handle it would be tough to beat as a saw. If you purchased the option vertical grip then you probably have the handle covered as well.

Speaking of flashlights you could use any added ones to signal location. You could also use the parabolic reflector out of the end to start a fire during a sunny day. If it’s durable enough, that’s also another tube to disinfect and hold water.

A sling would be a nice extra as well. Depending on what kind you have on your weapon you could improvise some other tools. If the fibers are durable and can be removed you could braid a nice length of fishing line to use with your spring fishhooks. You could also use it for cordage and anything you’d normally use cordage for.

Of course all of this is conjectural. I’ve never taken an AR apart past fieldstripping. Someone is reading this right now thinking I’m crazy and trying to pick apart something I wrote. “You can’t remove the stock tube with tools!” Again, it’s a thought exercise. It’s not about taking apart an AR.

It’s about using what you have to survive. Whether that’s a fully stocked kit and a Humvee or a knife and bad luck you may someday have to make due with what you have. Pessimism and an inability to see past your nose will kill you quicker than anything out there.

http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/in...o-uni-taskers/