Reader B.B. sent this “Economic Recovery” Update: Why Is One-Sixth of U.S. on Food Stamps?
Another “Economic Recovery” Update: Almost Half of U.S. Births Covered by Medicaid (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)
Items from The Economatrix:
Auto Sales Reveal a Recovery That’s Built to Last: AutoNation’s Jackson
Jobs Report: The Trend Is More Important Than the Number, Says Saut
H.L. sent: Venomous Spiders, State-By-State
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Commentary from Mac Slavo: Map: Where You Don’t Want to Be When It Hits the Fan
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Fascinating: In search of Food Deserts. Be sure to scroll down and see the maps of Wyoming and Montana. FWIW, it is a 25+ mile drive to the nearest grocery store for my family. But it is just a few steps to our well-stocked pantry room and to JASBORR.
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Reader C.K. (who lives “on a mountaintop in North Idaho”) wrote to suggest this site: Ethanol Alcohol Fuel Test Kits. Ne noted: “I read that PRI-G has organic dispersants — good on one hand, but could certain cases cause problems, warrants readers to check out the good information compiled at this link for themselves.
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Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) recommended this WikiHow article: How to Obtain an EU Passport as a US Citizen. OBTW, Mike was born in England and is qualified for several passports. From what I’ve read, Ireland is one of the most accommodating nations. With just one Irish-born grandparent, you can qualify for dual citizenship. Consider multiple passports part of your “Plan B, Plan C, Plan D” contingencies.
"The cesspool our government has turned into has neither the honesty nor the will to confront the root of this problem and on it goes, worsening with every passing day, unabated until we finally reach the tipping point when this nation is flat broke, no longer able to send the monthly checks, pick up the abortion bill, provide the food stamps or subsidize housing.
So folks, cinch up your saddle and make sure your feet are in the stirrups, because when this thing finally blows, it’s going to be a wild ride." – Charlie Daniels
According to my publisher’s schedule, Eric Dove has nearly finished the narration for the unabridged audio book edition of Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse. The hardback, e-book and audiobook will all be released simultaneously on October 1st, 2013. (Please wait until the release day to order your copies.) My previous books were narrated by Dick Hill and Phil Gigante. I’m pleased to report that Eric Dove is in the same league as those narrators. He has a great voice.
As the economy in the United States becomes increasingly complex, job opportunities continue to shift toward specialized skills. Employees working at large companies are required to have little or no understanding of how their company operates as a whole.
Like any specialized tool, many employees have become useful for only one thing. This presents a real problem for workers who get laid off or fired, because finding another job with a specialized skill set can be a difficult task.
A side effect of this problem is an increasing dependence on our interconnected system. Necessities like food and water are expected to always be provided and available at the local Wal-Mart in exchange for the dollars earned performing a totally unrelated task. While this type of monetary system is inevitable in an advanced society to some degree, the dominance of large companies over local businesses creates an extremely dangerous situation.
When a strong local economy exists, local businesses and community members can pull together to provide necessary items in a collapse. This type of resiliency in a community is somewhat of a rarity in the U.S. today. Our supply system has become so delicate that any disruption could prevent the delivery of even our most basic necessities.
A real collapse could leave entire communities in the dark. Communities made up of people who have skills that no longer apply.
Why Self-Employment is a Great Way to Prepare
I enjoy reading articles about prepping. So much that I created a web site, Survival Pulse, where I read hundreds of blogs each day and link to my favorite articles. Many of the articles that I have both read and linked to recommend learning skills that can be applied in a SHTF scenario. I think this is a great idea and a good way to guarantee that you can provide value to your community.
Today though, I would like to explain how being self-employed in any type of business can improve your chances of survival if SHTF.
Reduce Your Risk of Job Loss – There are many who believe a complete economic collapse is headed in our direction. Even if a collapse doesn’t happen overnight, there is no doubt that economic changes are affecting the stability of the job market. For one example, changes in health care law are causing employers in my area to cut hours and benefits, even for full time employees.
Despite economic changes, businesses will always find ways to make a profit. It is the employee whose head is on the chopping block if things get tight. You can avoid the risk of being laid off or fired by creating your own income stream. While some people associate self-employment with risk, there is nothing more secure than not having to rely on someone else for your paycheck.
Understanding the Big Picture – Most individuals that spend their careers as employees have no idea what is required to make a business succeed. Business owners fully understand what it takes to make an idea come to life. While it might not seem like it matters, this ability allows an individual to have a more realistic perspective and become a better decision maker.
Decision making and perspective are two keys to survival if/when TEOTWAWKI arrives. Being able to gauge the likelihood of a project or mission succeeding could save time, energy, and even your life. A decision like whether you should bug in or bug out could determine your fate. You will be forced to make this type of decision with whatever limited information is available. For business owners, making important decisions based on limited information is just another day at the office.
Providing Leadership in a Collapse – In a post-collapse world there will be an endless number of missions that need to be completed ranging anywhere from building latrines to guard duty. The unprepared masses will be lost and in need of direction. Being a prepared individual with leadership skills will make it easy for you to direct small groups toward accomplishing goals. Without leadership, even a small number of people can become chaotic very quickly.
Strengthened Resolve – On the way to building a successful business, entrepreneurs are met with constant setbacks and challenges. This forces the development of a “never give up” attitude and an underlying belief and confidence in oneself.
Most of us will agree that life after a collapse would be full of challenges that test your resolve, day in and day out. Having the will and the confidence to push forward despite harsh conditions will not only increase your chances of survival, but also boost the morale of those around you.
Post-Collapse Community Building – There is strength in numbers. Surviving any long term disaster will likely require small communities to form so that your entire group’s needs can be met. Having multiple people that are able to perform critical tasks within a community will also make the group more resilient in the event that something should happen to one or more of the group’s leading members.
By using business skills to build relationships and lead projects in a small community, you strengthen the bond between community members and help make friends out of people that might have been enemies if you hadn’t been there. Of course, this also means that you will be considered a valuable member of the community and have a whole group of people that are watching your back.
Working Under Pressure – As an employee of a business, the quality of your decisions and your work can get you a raise at best or get you fired at worst. While this definitely creates some pressure for you to perform, you can always go out and get another job. Additionally, this environment often leads to workers doing the minimum required amount of work and simply going through the motions.
Business owners on the other hand are under constant pressure to perform. When building a business from the ground up, every decision pushes you toward success or failure. If you don’t give it your best effort you will likely fail and lose all of the time and money you invested.
After a person works under pressure for some time, it starts to feel natural. For this reason I feel a self-employed individual is better suited to handle the pressure of post-collapse life.
Networking – No business succeeds all by itself. Networking is virtually a requirement to make it happen. Effective networking creates opportunities and benefits for all parties involved.
Regardless of how prepared you are, you are going to need some help to survive in a post-collapse world. Networking and negotiating with other groups of survivors could open up opportunities for the trade of goods and services.
Personal Responsibility – Somewhere on the way to success, I believe all entrepreneurs take personal responsibility for their situation. This means not blaming outside factors for their success or failure.
After any major disaster, it could be very easy to have a “woe is me” kind of attitude. By taking personal responsibility for your situation you will realize that your actions, not luck, are going to determine whether or not you survive.
The Ability to Adapt – The ability to quickly adapt to a new set of rules (or the lack of rules) in society is one of the most important keys to surviving a SHTF situation. For example, realizing there are no police coming to help you could change the situations you are willing to enter as well as your level of caution when interacting with other people.
Business owners are forced to constantly adapt to changing technology and market places. If not, their business could lose money and eventually fail.
I’m sure you can see the parallel between keeping your business alive and keeping yourself alive when SHTF. If a true collapse occurs, you are going to need to accept that the world has changed. You can change with it and learn to thrive, or you can stick to your old ways and likely die.
Not Being Afraid to Act – The fear of failing can prevent a person from taking action. Without taking action there is clearly no chance that you can succeed.
In a world WROL every action is going to have to some inherent risk. To be successful, a business owner must become good at taking calculated risks. Having this type of real world experience will allow them to act quickly without being paralyzed by fear.
Business owners also realize that mistakes will be made, opportunities will be missed, and not every decision will be the right one. Knowing this won’t stop them from taking action though, because they realize you can’t succeed if you are too afraid to act.
In Closing
Starting your own business takes a lot of work but it can be extremely rewarding. Throughout the process you will gain a ton of useful skills and qualities that can be applied in other aspects of life.
I believe these same skills and qualities can be applied directly in a SHTF scenario. If you have ever thought about starting your own business, I hope this article has given you some more motivation to take the leap.
Good luck!
Editor’s Note: This article was written by the editor of Survival Pulse, a great daily aggregator of preparedness-related info from around the web.
I’ll reach social security age later this year – time has flown by in my life. However, my mind is still sharp, and I can remember so much of my childhood, it amazes me at times. If you were a guy, and grew-up in the 1950s and 1960s, you’ll appreciate this memory. I don’t know of any kid on my block, back in Chicago, who didn’t make a “spear” of some sort – usually, we got in big trouble, because we took the kitchen broom and broke the handle off and sharpened (using that term loosely) into a point, and we all had spears to toss at targets. Even back then, as kids, we knew better than to throw the spears at each other – but usually found cardboard boxes to use as targets. And, when it was discovered that we “requisitioned” the kitchen broom – and we all did it – for our spears….well, let’s just say we paid for our evil deeds.
Cold Steel’s owner, Lynn Thompson, has a fascination, with all manner of sharp objects, not just knives. He also has developed many useful self-defense products, that are used daily. When I was running three martial arts schools, at one time – in different locations – I made a large purchase of Irish Blackthorn Walking Sticks, from Cold Steel – and my students snapped them in up short order. These were the genuine Irish Blackthorn Walking Sticks, not the synthetic ones, which Cold Steel is now offering. I can’t think of any place in the world, were a walking stick is illegal to own. You can even carry one onto a plane – just “limp” a little bit while walking with your “cane.” So, it came as no surprise to me, that Lynn Thompson developed the Assegai Long shaft and Assegai Short Shaft spears. Thompson never ceases to amaze me, the way he searches history, to come out with improved and modern renditions of ancient weapons.
The Assegai Spears were first on the scene in the early 1800s and were the result of Zulu King Shaka, and if you’ve ever watched some old movies, in which some tribes in Africa were depicted, you usually saw the warriors carrying some type of spear, with the most common one being some sort of long shaft Assegai Spear. Thompson is a real student of ancient and modern weaponry, and don’t kind yourself, he isn’t just into things that cut or can smash a skull, he’s also into firearms and big game hunting as well. And, he can shoot, and shoot very well, too.
The Assegai Long Shaft spear is 6-foot 9 1/2 inches long – it is definitely on the long side. The short shaft model is 38 inches in length – quite a bit shorter than the longer version. The SK-5 mild carbon steel heads are 13 1/3 inches long on both models. And the shafts are made out of American Ash wood – with the shorter shaft being dyed a darker color – for some reason. I waited a year for my samples to arrive, these spears are always in great demand, and more often than not, you’ll find them on back-order on the Cold Steel web site. However, if you search around on the Internet, you can usually find them for sale some place…and they are well worth the wait or the search, trust me.
Now, the Long Shaft Assegai Spear is meant to be thrown in target practice, the mild carbon steel heads will bend if you hit something hard, though – like a large tree – been there, done that – on my own homestead. However, you can set-up a bale of straw, or hay. or an archery target, or very thickly-stacked cardboard and practice your throwing skills that way – just be close enough to the target, so the spear doesn’t smash into the ground. And, without a doubt, the long shaft Assegai is much better suited for throwing purposes, while the short shaft model is better suited for close-in combat against an attacker. [JWR Adds: Shaka, King of the Zulus was right: Except for a few circumstances, stabbing with a spear is the best way to use them in combat. That is why he ordered that all spear shafts be shortened.)] And the spears aren’t designed for slicing and dicing, they are designed to penetrate an attacker, and with the 13-1/3 inch head, it can do the job. However, in a pinch, if you can get close enough to a game animal, and have practiced your throwing skills, I can see you taking game in a survival situation, I really can!
Now, I’m not advocating that anyone head out to the wilderness, with only an Assegai Spear, and live off the land and hunt with it – that is not what this spear is designed for, and you’ll die in short order if you believe you can live off the land with a spear and a loin clothe as your only clothing. Nor am I’m saying that the Assegai spears are the perfect weapon for self-defense, either. What I’m saying is that, these spears are a lot of fun to own, and they would look great hanging on the office wall at home or at work, and they are a great conversation piece as well, not to mention the history behind them.
We are simply looking at, a couple of very well made spears, that can, in a pinch, save your butt, let’s say, if someone was breaking into your home – “yes” you can defend yourself with a spear – but let’s not be foolish here – I’m sure you’ve all heard to never bring a knife to a gun fight – well, the same holds true here, don’t bring a spear to a gun fight, either. Believe me, if someone had one of these spears flailing it around in front of me and I had nothing but empty hands, I believe I would remember an appointment I had on the other side of town and get to it.
Survival comes in many guises, and unfortunately, many armchair survivalist, believe that survival means heading out to the wilderness and playing Rambo with a knife, or in this case, just a spear. Yes, you can, in a pinch, take game with a spear, if you’ve practiced and have a quality product to start with. However, a spear wouldn’t be my first choice in a hunting weapon, but it also wouldn’t be my last choice, either – I believe I’d take a spear over a David and Goliath sling shot. And, I’d sure take a spear over throwing stones, or being empty-handed, too. So, there is a place for a spear, especially if you are into more than just guns and knives, as a collector, Survivalist or Prepper.
Both the Long and Short Assegai Spears come with a polymer sheath to cover the spear’s head when not in use, too. And, the spears come in two parts, the head and the shaft, that you have to put together – just a couple screws, takes a few minutes. The Long Assegai retails for $76.99 and the Short Assegai retails for $65.99 – and in my humble opinion, you’ll want both models – if for no other reason than to hang them on the wall in your office or den. When I worked for the late Col. Rex Applegate, he had several spears and other weapons from Africa in his Annex building – that was next to his house – where he kept all his guns, knives, books, and other weapons, and we had many conversations about the spears, that once belonged to a relative of his, who was a professional big game hunter in Africa.
So, if you want to add a little something a little bit different to your weapons battery, or just have one of these Assegai Spears as a conversation piece, or have some fun, throwing them into a hay bale, or as a last ditch weapon, place your order for one or both – and I’m betting you’ll want both of them – they are a lot of fun, and they do start conversations when someone comes to your home or office. Lynn Thompson never ceases to amaze me, with the variety and different types of weapons he comes out with at Cold Steel. And, one comment I have heard over and over again, by folks when they saw my Assegai Spears was “awesome!” – SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Pat Cascio
Linda H.’s Three “Beans for Beginners” Recipes
They’re healthy, they’re thrifty, and they’re delicious. What’s not to love about beans?! Here are three very different, easy, and tasty recipes to get you started.
Lee’s Pinto Bean Soup
½ lb. bacon, cut into large dices
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea.) chicken broth
2 cans (14.5 oz. ea.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. finely chopped jalapeno peppers (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
In large saucepan or soup-pot cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, another 5 minutes. Drain most of grease, leaving 1 tbs. or so. Add rest of ingredients, except for salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (This soup just gets better the longer you cook it, so don’t be afraid to leave it simmering all day. It will also simmer just fine in the crock-pot on high setting.) Salt and pepper to taste before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.
Hot Bean Dish
½ lb. bacon, cut into large dices
½ lb. ground beef (or other ground meat)
1 c. diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 can (14.5 oz.) pork and beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz.) green beans, drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) butter beans (baby limas), rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) wax beans, drained
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. ketchup
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
In soup-pot or Dutch oven cook bacon, ground beef and onions together, stirring frequently, till beef and bacon are done. Drain grease. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes 6-8 servings.
Note: any 5-can combination of beans may be used.
Ham and Bean Soup
1 lb. dry navy beans
8 c. water, plus 10 c. water
2 c. diced ham
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 c. cubed potatoes
½ c. chopped onions
½ c. chopped celery
½ c. chopped carrots
In soup-pot or Dutch oven bring the beans and 8 c. water to boil. Boil 2 minutes then remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain water. Add the 10 c. fresh water, the ham, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 hours. Add potatoes, onion, celery and carrots and continue to simmer 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
Just Bean Recipes (4,033 of them!)
Israeli bean soup (marak shu’it) recipe
Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!
Five hurdles the market must clear this fall
From G.G.: Unemployment dips to 7.3 percent, but only 63% of working-age Americans are in labor force
Tim J. sent this news from Florida: Three arrested, accused of stealing used cooking oil
Items from The Economatrix:
US Yields Retreat From 3% After Tame Jobs Data
Jobs Market Bumping Along Bottom of Very Deep Hole: Economist
Krugman Overboard! Says Economic Policy a ‘Horrifying Failure’
There is a new but familiar listing on SurvivalRealty that I once owned: Secluded But Not Remote Retreat for Sale in Idaho County, Idaho. I can personally vouch that it is a fantastic piece of retreat land, with multiple springs, a good mix of timber and quite a variety of wild herbs. It is advantageously situated down at low elevation on a very private side canyon of the South Fork of the Clearwater River. The winters there are very mild–with just a month of snow that “sticks”–and a long growing season. The surrounding properties are large cattle ranches, so it feels very private. The property has abundant water, fantastic harvestable timber, and a naturally-exposed quarry of road rock (that can be crushed as needed) right next to the road through the property. With only one vehicular approach, the property is quite defendable. I highly recommend this retreat property!
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Here is an interesting “water risk” map that is useful for retreat locale selection. (Thanks to CDV for the link.)
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As I ‘ve mentioned before, for National Preparedness Month, Mountain House has removed their Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) restrictions on their authorized dealers for long term storage foods packed in #10 cans. This is an unprecedented opportunity, with low sale prices that haven’t been seen in decades. There are now five SurvivalBlog advertisers are Mountain House dealers, and I strongly recommend that you stock up to take advantage of these sales prices in September.
Here is a summary of the five September sales on Mountain House foods in #10 cans. They are all offering deep discounts and most of them are offering free shipping:
Because of the huge volume of orders expected, you can expect up to a 15-day delay before your order ships, with all five of these Mountain House dealers. Note that the deepest discounts are limited to selected varieties and to stock on hand, so place your order soon. Check with the vendors’ web sites often, as they will be adjusting some pricing during the month, and listing the food varieties that have run out.
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G.G. flagged this: Survive the apocalypse in style: Home that boasts a luxury bunker 26 feet underground with fake grass and simulated night and day.
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Rick G. was the first of several readers to send this: Revealed: how US and UK spy agencies defeat internet privacy and security
“Was the Mayflower launched by cowards, steered by men behind their time? Turn those tracks toward Past or Future, that made Plymouth Rock sublime?
They were men of present valor, stalwart old iconoclasts, Unconvinced by axe or gibbet that all virtue was the Past’s;
But we make their truth our falsehood, thinking that hath made us free, Hoarding it in mouldy parchments, while our tender spirits flee
The rude grasp of that great Impulse which drove them across the sea.
They have rights who dare maintain them; we are traitors to our sires,
Smothering in their holy ashes Freedom’s new-lit altar-fires;
Shall we make their creed our jailer? Shall we, in our haste to slay,
From the tombs of the old prophets steal the funeral lamps away
To light up the martyr-fagots round the prophets of to-day?
New occasions teach new duties; Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still, and onward, who would keep abreast of Truth;
Lo, before us gleam her camp-fires! we ourselves must Pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempt the Future’s portal with the Past’s blood-rusted key.” – Thomas Lowell
Today we present another entry for Round 48 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:
First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), F.) A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy. G.) Two BirkSun.com photovoltaic backpacks (one Level, and one Atlas, both black), with a combined value of $275, H.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and I.) A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com. The current value of this roll is at least $225.
Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P.), E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials F.) A full set of all 22 of the books published by PrepperPress.com. This is more than a $200 value, and G.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).
Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value.), E.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security., E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value).
My sister and I both retired due to disabilities are working as we can trying to prepare for the family. Often, we say did we really do that, like talking to a stranger in our local Wal-Mart and saying we would like some green beans and he happened to have about a bushel in his truck he had not sold so, we got them and yielded 14 quarts of beans we needed. Ask and ye shall receive hit us in the face so hard, Thanks be to God! We are on an extremely small budget but we continue to buy sale items. Then, we do a stupid things and go where it tells you how much you need for x people and kids. It is so disheartening. The adult kids know we are preparing but they do not have the time or seem too understand what can happen even with us talking to them. We pray they come to their senses and help.
Where do you store 500 lbs of flour, and rice, or 200 lbs of oatmeal and 300 lbs of assorted pastas? And do not leave out the 500 lbs of beans of all kinds! It is on the floor, table, corners, under the bed, under anything and everything and stacked to the ceiling here and there. But now where do we live? Then, there are the candles, and wicking, and of course Toilet Paper. I do not want to use corn cobs which I have, or other alternatives! Store toilet paper.
One work in progress is our assortment of "Gimme Bags." They are bags to hand out to people who ask "please gimme something to eat" or to tuck into your backpack! They are snack bags and zip lock bags of a pack of coffee, tea bag, kool aid, hot cocoa mix, and sugar in a bag. Then, in another bag, add protein bar, cup of soup, Raman noodles, pack of tuna or whatever you devise. In another add some dried beans with salt and pepper packets. Make a snack bag with band aids, Q-tips, other first aid items. You can add on and on. Another thing we are adding to some is like a Weight Watchers Protein Drink, 10 gram. Dollar Stores are great, but watch for sales. Packets of salt, pepper, and a bullion cube or two helps too.
Be creative and make a list of possibilities on an index card, pull that card, make up a few, then another card with different things and make a few. Mark the number made. EASY to pull out things already together than trying to go through your stuff if one shows up. Children can design a paper bag with artwork for you to hand to the “visitors“. Always keep your children away from the doors, out of sight, if someone shows up. Have your good ole handy defense weapon on you, not "nearby"! But, in order to be God’s children, help others as you can, but do not forget they want your stuff! I am sure you have things in place to determine when to open the door and not to! Be careful.
Make out menus, extend them to include your family members coming. Oops, I need 2 lbs of beans, instead of a cup, and see how it stacks up to your storage. Do not let it get the best of you. You are starting to get all things together, keep it up. Do not panic, just pull up your big girl drawers and suck it in and go on! Check calories, protein, etc! Have something for the kids too, pudding, or a cookie. We are saying a prayer, “GOD give us a chance to find beans cheap and some dried milk! Seriously, think of the amount a family needs! Rice doubles but even though millions of people eat it, we are used to a different diet and the beans with rice would make each go farther but can get very tiring!
Know how to make noodles, spaghetti, and breads! That includes lots of flour, solid shortening, and yeast! Get your recipes together for all kinds of breads! Corn bread on a fried grill is quick and good but again you will need variety! You must practice making things!
One thing that lays ahead for my sister and me is killing the rabbits with a broomstick and canning them. Yuck! I know we have to but do not look forward to it! YouTube has things on there that are amazing on how to dress rabbits or squirrels to making breads or cheese! Please get your act together and get organized! This is one thing I am doing too!
check for those dratted mice! I thought the mylar bags would deter them but to no avail. I lost some vital dried vegetables, and some other goodies. They do not seem to like cinnamon, so I sprinkle some around, get the cheap kind. Only mylar bag not eaten had some in it! Go figure! Make sure you have traps, etc for those unwanted detestable things. Be careful with handling them due to the disease they can carry!
One note of dehydrating things. One ounce of dried equals about a pound of raw vegetables, so when you see the cans on sale use this like a guide to determine if you can do it for less! IF we get the stuff given to us, it will be cheaper but to buy 10 lbs of green peppers and then uses the electric, etc compared to $14 a #10 can, you determine what best fits into your needs. Check into dried vegetables in minestrone soup or vegetable soup at your local discount stores! Usually, the package is about $1 and it is over an ounce of dried ingredients, so I think it is cheaper to buy!
Remember to get the necessities, like Gorilla Glue, metal tapes, and duct tape and Toilet Paper. Make sure all your tools are in good shape with good handles and clean them up. Get a few yards of extra screening, or muslin for cheese making and tuck it away in that pile, but label it well. You know what specifics you need in your neck of the woods. Of course, you need all the staples and some other necessities like chocolate and coffee! Check on this blog for list and lists. Not many can have everything they think they need but start marking off what you do have. It makes you feel like you have done something! Those hash marks behind the cans of coffee make you feel like I know I can have coffee! Also, try to find natural alternatives! If we can no longer get coffee or chocolate, the world would not end, but sure would make it easier to tolerate tough times with it!
One trick my sister thought was when storing canned jars, take off the rings, place clear plastic on the top of the jars and lids, and put a rubber band around it to keep the moisture out, and it works! She is so smart!
It is almost to the panic zone! Okay, we have the stuff to do an appendectomy but who knows how! Get someone in your group or two or three that have some medical training. Or who knows how to deliver a child? We see on television, it just comes out but really! Run off lots of" how to" situations and add in another binder. Pictures here are helpful. Let’s go from Point A to… Can you sew a cut or cleanse a wound, or bind a broken bone, find out how.
We are solicitors too, but it is legal. We ask people for apples when we see the trees are full, and not being picked, and have made lots of apple butter, apples, etc. We ask people if they do not want the produce may we buy it, usually, they give it to us and we can and can. ASK and ye shall receive, at least doing it in the right way, under the Lord’s guidance, we have been blessed.
My sis and I plug away, we read this blog daily and run it off too. Thank goodness people give me paper.
We will take most anything one gives us and find a way to make it work into our plan. If we do not can it, we bind it, or box it or seal it or sew it!
Please prepare for the children too. Get the crayons, cards, board games, glitter, glue, dice, books (i.e. school), rulers, pencils, (do not how to make pencils) etc. IT will be hard on them living a life so differently than they have for10 years or so. Get some cheap presents to have on their birthdays and for Christmas and tuck them away. A frilly top can work wonders on the girls and a neat shirt for the boys. Cheap! Right now summer sales are on. Get ones in several sizes.
SHOES-Where will I find a size 13 or 3! I can not make them, so how do I have room for all this or the money to get it! I have Please get boots in various sizes for your crew! Please tell the adults to bring boots! Good sturdy, hiking boots or work boots! Even community boots wear out, and you need several pair of working boots, and rain boots, and and and….
Okay, it hit’s the fan and the crew is coming! Have them bring clothes, bedding, and bring all the food they can fit in the car. Make sure they bring food for the animals too! Tell the family to make sure others in the family can pick up the kids from school. Keep trying to talk to those loved ones who do not believe it will happen. Also please talk to them about the value of having extra meds they need on hand! They do not have time to stop and get whatever at the store as it will be gone and your car will be stripped if you try and stop! Listen, have ears, and look, thorough eyes that GOD has given you! Have a plan, a meeting place and pray all will make it.
Being informed will help you in making wise choices. Know how to use that grinder, water purifier, and baking bread from freshly ground flour. IF you wait till something happens that is more burden on you and more stress. Practice some simple things with few ingredients that are great tasting and give you the proper nutrients. That is a job but one you must do, in all your spare time! Many cookbooks with four or five ingredients are great! This article could be 20 pages long and still not share all I feel is needed but certainly hope this may help at least one person.
Remember the Lord, go to HIM in prayer, and hold on to your faith, and beliefs. – The Peas in a Pod Sisters in a Pear Tree (And yes, we do have a pear tree).
JWR: I had to ad my own two cents to the Preserving a Digital Library. As a seasoned IT pro myself (one of my early customers upgraded all the the Windows for Workgroups network I setup for him to Windows 95 himself and called me when he couldn’t get it working) I have reliance on my systems, be it my cache of reference documents and ebooks to documents I’ve written myself to my gear and prep inventory spreadsheets.
I see no reason to choose Windows XP over Windows 7 or Windows 2000 or Windows 3.1 when it comes to back doors. Every version I can remember since Windows 3.1 was rumored to have a back door. That includes XP, 2000, etc. A Windows preference you may wish to stick with XP just because it can run on older hardware.
With regard to activation, sure you can over the phone, but we are talking disaster planning. What happens when you have bugged out of the area you lived in due to a storm and arrive at a motel and your drive has crashed and you reinstall and then the phone lines are down when you try to activate. I’ve seen a number of desktops, laptops and even servers just decide one day they were no longer activated and require a re activation or reinstall to fix. I myself also have some laptops with OEM XP which will install and run for years without ever activating, so Windows 7 is not the only (Windows) OS that can do it.
On a related note Windows activation has been cracked multiple times over the years resulting in Microsoft changing and improving the code over time as well as blacklisting some licensed and OEM keys which were widely pirated. This has resulted in a few combinations of install CDs that would not accept the license key on the computer I was attempting to reinstall. Many of us IT folk who dealt with end user workstation installs ended up with multiple XP install CDs so we could use one with worked with a customers license. By the way, a quick call to Microsoft World Wide Fulfillment with a valid license key would allow purchase of a replacement media for around $20, though its been quite a while since I last called.
I’ve chosen the Linux route. For the average end user its no more difficult to install now a days than Windows. I run the oldest distro (Slackware) which comes with a stock Kernel compiled to be very compatible. I’ve taken the drive from a laptop and stuck it in an adapter and booted it in a desktop. Sure I might not have gotten all the extra hardware or X windows to work upon first boot but the Kernel was able to figure out the new hardware and load the right modules to get the system up and running. Try that with XP without a BSOD.
I’ve seen activation issue over the years with software such as Microsoft Office as well. I’ve seen compatibility issues even with Adobe PDFs. I have some scans that were created with an old version of Acrobat that the current versions of the reader have to repair them to open them. When I made the Linux switch I started converting everything to as open a format as I could. This was I have no software that needs activation or even a license and my files are more portable to new software should the need arise. One of the things I strongly suggest when you are refreshing your backup media is to test opening various files to ensure the software you have now can open the file you saved many years ago. Lastly there will never be an end to which is more secure, closed (Microsoft, Apple) or open (Linux, BSD) source. Close proponents argue that its harder to find exploits without access to the source while the open source world says more eyes can quality assure it and fix it faster. The closed source software still has the highest number of exploits if you look at statistics though there are many other factors such as size of user base, ease of exploiting, availability of tools, etc. I believe the open source side is a better match to self reliance. – Eugene X.
Wall Street Week Ahead: Markets could turn choppy as Fed, Syria risks mount
Economy Minister says Italy will dodge political crisis
Items from The Economatrix:
169,000 New Jobs Created In August, Bad Downward Revisions; Labor Force Participation Rate Falls
U.S. Economy Adds 169,000 Jobs As Unemployment Rate Falls
Unemployment And Jobs Not Good Enough To Bring End To Quantitative Easing
A reminder from Al in Maryland: Readers in Maryland are doubtless already aware that after October 1, 2013 it will be illegal to buy a firearm defined as an ‘assault long gun’ including any long guns deemed to be ‘copies’ [of banned models.] Current owners are grandfathered-in, for now. Handguns will be harder to acquire and there will be more hoops to jump through.” There will also be restrictions on full-capacity magazines. So Marylanders should stock up, muy pronto!
In related news: Maryland gun applications overwhelm police, dealers as tough limits draw near.
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B.B. sent: Homeland Security Allocates Nearly One Billion Dollars For Explosives Storage Magazines
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California’s slippery gun-control slide
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Scary Implications: San Antonio Passes Ordinance Banning Anyone Who Opposes Homosexuality From Running For Office, Receiving A City Contract…