I came across an interested video clip on YouTube recently that I found quite entertaining. My wife didn’t think so and I know there are those of you who after watching this video will also question how I could enjoy watching such events. Nevertheless, I’ve always enjoyed seeing Hollywood’s depictions of end-times scenarios. I get a kick out of seeing just how overwhelmingly devastating they can create each scene with the aid of today’s super CG effects. It really is quite amazing and realistic.
This video has taken clips from twelve such movies and put them together. There’s very little voice-over during the video, but the first sentence you’ll hear is what I would classify as a very accurate statement. Something I struggle with constantly and wish I had the answer to. A young girl is heard saying, “Everyone was warned, but no one listened. A rise in temperature, ocean patterns changed and ice caps melted. They called it extreme weather. They didn’t know what extreme was. In the year 2019, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and droughts unleashed a wave of destruction upon our planet.”
First of all, based on many of these clips, living near a coastline doesn’t appear to be the safest place to reside. That solar flare deal didn’t look too appealing as well. Not sure where you could find safely in a situation like that!
But back to the underlying reason I wanted to share this video. I believe that such movies actually have the opposite effect you may think on the surface. One might think that the viewers would be incentivized to evaluate their preparedness levels and possibly commit to doing better to be prepared to confront and mitigate the effects of such devastations.
I believe it does just the opposite. I believe such movies, in spite of their entertainment value, have a tendency to marginalize such potential events. In the movies, these events are depicted on such a grandiose scale that it becomes very easy for viewers to believe such events will never really happen – it’s just the movies. These events appear so over-the-top on the reality scale that’s it’s somewhat like old time cartoons where one character is constantly being shot, blown up, smashed or thrown over a cliff just to reappear in the next scene as if nothing ever happened.
That’s the underlining problem – these films foster the belief that such things will never really happen.
So such movies simply turn potential future events into a wild roller coaster ride that temporarily scare and excite the riders. Then it is all quickly forgotten as other interesting and distracting activities present themselves. Nevertheless, I hope Hollywood keeps making such films – I really enjoy them!
Now let me be clear – I personally don’t believe that such major natural disasters will present themselves in the manner depicted in these films. If they did, there would be basically no need to prepare as everyone would be totally wiped out. I do believe however, the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and droughts will increase.
It’s been concerning to watch the increase of wildfires this summer. I can’t remember a time when there’s been so many large and devastating wildfires in the western states. California alone has had 18 such wild
fires with many deaths of fire fighters reported along with millions of dollars of property damage and loss.
I believe such events will become more and more prevalent. Even though I don’t believe California will fall off into the Pacific Ocean as a result of a major earthquake, I do believe earthquakes will present themselves is a fashion that could cause power, gas and water disruption for many weeks or months. The same could happen with hurricanes and tornadoes as well.
What if the water lines had been broken or the water supply contaminated, how would you survive?
Just think about what it might be like if you couldn’t flush your toilet for a month. What would you do?
Once the shelves have been cleaned out at the local grocery store, where are you going to go to feed your family?
If there’s a medical emergency and calling 911 or heading to the hospital isn’t an option, are you prepared to provide the medical care needed?
I’ve talked with people who have the attitude of “just let me die” or put the target on the roof of my house so if bombs are dropped, one will fall directly on me and I won’t have to deal with the aftermath. I do believe there are those who are serious about choosing death over tribulation. But when it comes right down to it, I also believe the overwhelming desire to survive will trump such feelings. That’s why water-boarding is so effective. People will do anything to avoid the feeling of drowning.
The facts are that most of us will survive the initial effects of natural disasters or other catastrophic events. The question of survival really hangs on how long after the event we will survive. When food, water, shelter and medical supplies are limited in supply or are used up in the first few weeks – then what?
Military experts in the field of a potential EMP attack (electromagnetic pulse caused by a nuclear explosion at high altitudes) have calculated that within one year after the national grid goes down, 80% of the U.S. population would have perished, primarily due to starvation. It wasn’t the EMP that killed them, it was being unprepared for the after-effects.
So it will be for the majority of natural disasters, wars, conflicts and collapse scenarios – the events themselves will indeed cause much damage and some deaths but it’s the weeks and months thereafter that will prove far more catastrophic in deaths and disease due to basic unpreparedness.
So please, enjoy Hollywood’s end-of-the-world movies but view them as entertainment, not accurate predictions of how things will unfold in the last days. Yes, things will continue to get worse and more problematic as it relates to our day to day lives. It may unfold like the old fable of how to boil a frog. If you put the frog in cool water to keep him from jumping out and slowly turn up the temperature, eventually the frog will get cooked, simply because he becomes comfortable and complacent with his surroundings until it’s too late.
Let’s not be like the frog, let’s allow ourselves to be uncomfortable enough to take action now before such action is no longer an option. Remember the statement, “Everyone was warned but no one listened.” Let’s both listen and then act.
Several years ago, I was a scout leader and loved to take the scouts on campouts. My son was not old enough to be a scout yet but I would take him with me regardless. I loved having my boy with me and felt it would be a great learning experience for him to associate with the older scouts and learn skills both from me and them as well.
Along with shelter building and starting a fire, there was another skill that was critical at every campout – latrine building. I know, typically for boys there is no need to build anything fancy – any bush will do. But in an attempt to keep the area clean and sanitary, building a proper latrine was critical.
I remember the first time I took my son on a campout with a friend of mine and his boys; he was around 4 years old. My son informed me he nee
ded to go to the bathroom. I simply told him to go find a tree and take care of business. His response kind of surprised me – he didn’t want to. I guess he’d never gone to the bathroom in the woods before and the thought it was not appealing.
After a little coaching and encouragement, he got the hang of it and it’s been hard to stop him ever since!
Then there are those occasions when you’re in the hills and your digestive tract lets you know you have very little time to get prepared for what is about to happen. That’s when you realize you didn’t prepare for such an event and you don’t have any toilet paper. Such events can be quite uncomfortable but they can also teach you valuable lessons.
It’s been said that toilet paper will be worth its weight in gold when it’s in very short supply. I don’t think this is far from the truth. Toilet paper is a modern luxury that people tend to take for granted until the moment they reach for it and find nothing but a cardboard roll. When that happens, they would gladly pay top dollar for a few squares. I remember having to pay several dollars to a toilet paper scalper in Tijuana, Mexico when my young daughter insisted she couldn’t hold it any longer.
You know you’ve been there. Of course, all you have to do is waddle around the house until you find some more toilet paper or at least some paper towels. But what if you don’t have any more? What would you do then?
This is why it’s important to store plenty of toilet paper. But that’s not enough. What if the crisis lasts a long time and you run out? What if you have to abandon your home? What if your toilet paper is destroyed by flood or fire? In case that happens, you’ll need to consider some substitutes for toilet paper.
Here’s a list of possible alternative to our beloved toilet paper. It wouldn’t hurt to try these out so you’ll know what to expect.
1) Any Kind of Paper
We’ll get the most obvious one out of the way first. If you don’t have any toilet paper, just use another kind of paper. Paper towels, newspapers, phone books, notebook paper, printer paper, envelopes, etc. Look around the house and see what you can find. (By the way, most magazines don’t work very well because of the gloss coating.) It’s always best if your crinkle up the paper first by wadding it up a couple of times. This will make the paper softer and more absorbent.
2) Wipes
Before you start yanking paper out of your printer, wrack your brain and look for any wet wipes or baby wipes in the house. If you do, they make great toilet paper.
3) Sponge
These were used in Roman times. When the people finished, they would wash the sponge with water and vinegar so they could reuse it later. But even if you do this, damp sponges are still breeding grounds for bacteria. If you go this route, you’ll need to either boil the sponge or soak it in bleach water before rinsing it out and using it again.
4) Rock (Yes, a Rock)
But not just any rock. You’ll have to find a smooth, flat (but not sharp) rock like the one in the picture (it’s not as big as it looks). With it you can do what’s known as the “scrape method,” which was very popular in ancient societies. Stir the rock in water to remove excess debris before scraping again.
5) Water
In many countries, toilet paper is unheard of, and instead, people wash with water. To do this, use a plastic cup or another pouring device. Fill it with warm water, pour it into your cupped left hand, and do the necessary cleaning.
Obviously, you’ll want to wash your hands thoroughly when you’re done. You could also use an irrigation bottle so you can spray the area clean without having to touch it as much.
6) Cloth
This method is more accurately referred to as “family cloth” and is used by people who are trying to be as frugal and/or eco-friendly as possible. The idea is to use cloth rags to wipe yourself, and then wash them afterward so you can continually reuse the fabric.
Soft fabric from old flannel diapers or nightgowns works best for this, but you can also use towels, washcloths, or even old T-shirts. Whatever you chose, simply rip the fabric into suitable sizes and trim them with pinking shears to prevent fraying.
Used in connection with the water method mentioned above, this could be an effective way to get by without toilet paper indefinitely. Just make sure the fabric doesn’t accidentally get flushed down the toilet.
Instead, put it in a sealed container next to the toilet and once you have enough for a load of laundry, wash them. But don’t mix them with your regular laundry.
7) Corn Husks
Because the pioneers grew and harvested so much corn, corn husks were one of their most popular toilet paper options. The leaves, when green, are relatively soft and a good size for bathroom or outhouse use. They can be dried for using during the winter months, and if that’s too rough you can always soak them in water to soften them again before use.
8) Plant Leaves
If none of the above options are available, or if you have to bug out to the wilderness and use up all the toilet paper in your bag, you may have to turn to nature’s toilet paper: leaves. There are several types of leaves that are large enough that they can be a great alternative to toilet paper.
Maple Leaves
Specifically from the broadleaf maple. The leaves are large, don’t have irritable hairs, and are easily identifiable in the woods. Maples also produce an abundance of leaves, as anyone who has had to rake up after a maple tree can testify. Broadleaf and Sugar maples have the largest leaves, but in a pinch a mountain or vine maple could also be used, though the small leaves of these varieties would be awkward for an adult to use.
Mullein Leaves
This low growing, biennial plant flourishes in dry and sandy soils. Its leaves are a fair size and coated with a soft fuzz. The fuzz can be an irritant or a benefit, so use caution when using this plant and wash with water if irritation develops.
Large Leaved Aster
Also known as “lumberjack toilet paper,” and for good reason. The large, smooth, heart-shaped leaves are perfect for wiping, and the plant can be found in abundance across the eastern United States and Canada.
Cottonwood Leaves
Specifically, the larger leaved variety. It has smooth leaves that would make the perfect emergency toilet paper. The leaves are a little on the tough side, so they won’t tear during wiping. Cottonwood also has a bit of an anti-pain effect, and the leaves can be used for things like emergency bandages as well.
Hazelnut Leaves
Hazelnut also makes good emergency toilet paper, though they’re slightly on the small side. Also, they have a bit of fuzz on them which could potentially be irritating for people with sensitive skin. They’re very soft and completely non-toxic.
There are several other types of leaves that could be used for toilet paper such as dandelion and others, but before you use them or any of the leaves mentioned above, make sure you have real-world experience identifying them in the wild.
Being prepared for an uncertain future is much more than just having a little extra food and water stored. There are so many possible trigger points in today’s world that preparedness needs to become a mindset and not just a something to check off your to-do list. When one embraces the need to make preparedness a life-long process and not just an event, then one truly becomes an asset rather than a liability. I’m afraid far too many are relying on the government or others to rescue them in times of need. It may be helpful to take the time to consider possible events that one could face in the next five years.
Natural Disasters (weather related)
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Heavy thunder storms
Flash flooding
Mud/rock slides
High winds
Hail
Severe winter weather
Avalanche
Extreme high heat
Drought
Wildfire
Natural Disasters (non-weather related)
Earthquake
Volcano eruption
Tidal wave/Tsunami
Man-made Disasters
War (conventional, biological, chemical or nuclear)
Toxic material emission or spill (from a train, semi-truck or nearby plant)
Riot or other civil disorder
Nuclear plant melt down or other nuclear disaster
Terrorism Fire
Government action against you
Stock market crash
Severe depression
Plague or disease outbreak
Personal Emergencies
Kidnapping
Mugging, robbery or other criminal attack
Unemployment
Financial disaster
Death in family
Home destroyed by fire
Random acts of violence
This is certainly not a definitive list of possible events that could create a need to rely on your preps, but it’s a good starting point. As you consider these possibilities, you may also want to consider the underlying purpose for your preps – that of basic survival. If your preps will not provide the essentials of basic survival, you will want to re-think your priorities.
When it comes to survival, it can be reduced to “The Rule of Three”. You may be military, firefighter, law enforcement, rescue worker or just plain folk with an inordinate amount of common sense. Regardless, it never hurts to revisit the basics. And all of the basics can be summed up in ”The Rule of Three” which says, absent sudden death (such as an accident) or terminal illness, your survival is generally contingent upon you not exceeding:
3 minutes without breathing (drowning, asphyxiation)
3 hours without shelter in an extreme environment (exposure)
3 days without water (dehydration)
3 weeks without food (starvation)
Starvation
Most preppers‘ are stocking food. You will note that starvation is the slowest form of death among the Rule of Three. You would likely have three weeks before you starve. Your level of physical exertion has an impact on the body‘s caloric requirements. Personally, I might survive starvation for five or six weeks as I‘m carrying a lot of extra weight (just in case!). Don‘t call me over weight, call me prepped! Keep in mind, your survival strategy must consider the likelihood of you being separated from your food supply in an emergency. When that happens, stay calm, focus on any immediate threats or hazards and remember that you have three weeks to implement Food Plan B or Plan C. You do have a Food Plan B and Plan C, don‘t you?
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs much more quickly than starvation. As such, water supply is much more critical to address in an emergency. Consider that in a temperate climate and without exertion, the human body requires approximately 2.5 liters of fluids per day. In extreme heat this requirement goes up significantly. Diarrhea can lead to rapid, catastrophic dehydration as well. Given that water is far bulkier to store and/or transport than food, and that dehydration is potentially a far more pressing concern than starvation, your ability to procure water in an emergency should supplant food in your ranking of survival priorities. Stated simply, water is far more important than food. What is your home-base plan for water? What is your mobile plan for water?
Exposure
Exposure occurs far more rapidly than dehydration. Hot or cold, you could find yourself unable to function in less than three hours. Immersion in cold water, such as breaking through ice, could reduce your time to act down to mere minutes. So what‘s your shelter strategy when you‘re away from home-base? In the north, temperatures can fall to minus 40 F in the winter. If you have an accident on a slick road late at night in such conditions, you will likely not be waking up ever again unless you have prepared for such an eventuality. Exposure kills in hours, or less. Countering exposure is your number two priority for survival in any emergency situation. Yet most preppers are not thinking about exposure while stocking their pantries. Prepare for exposure.
Asphyxiation
Asphyxiation kills in three minutes. This is the emergency situation that gives you the least amount of time to react for your survival. This is your Priority One survival issue. An interior fire is the most common cause of asphyxiation. Do you have a home escape plan in the event of a fire? If not, make one – it might save your life. Unless you‘ve been in a burning building, I guarantee that you cannot imagine how blinding the smoke is nor how quickly a structure can become fully engulfed. If you have children, periodic rehearsal of the escape plan is mandatory. In the unthinkable event of a fire, panic is inevitable. Rehearsal helps to moderate the flight reaction, which might otherwise lead to death.
While fire is a common cause, there are other causes of asphyxiation worth your consideration such as carbon monoxide poisoning – usually from a combustion source in the home. This has also occurred in vehicles stranded in snowstorms. Vehicles were left running so the heaters would work and accumulating snow shrouded the tailpipe resulting in vehicle exhaust entering the passenger compartment.
Other poisonous fumes can cause asphyxiation as well. Tanker trucks, rail cars, chemical and other industrial plants often have hazardous materials that, in an emergency situation, could cause you grave bodily harm if exposed.
Take some time with your family and review “The Rule of Three” as it might relate to a variety of emergency situations. Assuring our families have the understanding and skills necessary to survive life threatening occurrences will provide peace of mind that we’ve done what matters most as we continue with our life-long process of being prepared.
I was concerned to learn Nicolas Maduro had just won his second six-year term as president of Venezuela. There is so much corruption, greed and lack of concern for the Venezuelan people that the country may implode at any time. Inflation is through the roof, the lack of food and basic supplies is putting the populati
on into starvation. And now, even the military is beginning to desert due to lack of food.
I came across this interesting article in the Associated Press by Fabiola Sanchez entitled “Empty Stomachs Drive Venezuela Soldiers to Desert in Droves” that describes the real life threatening dilemma even the military is facing.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — He enlisted in Venezuela’s National Guard to earn a ticket out of poverty. But little more than two years later, his monthly pay is worth only about $2, forcing him to moonlight at a tire shop, and he has put in for a discharge.
“I don’t know what everybody else does to survive,” said Ruben, a 21-year-old sergeant, who fearing retaliation agreed to speak about his situation only if his last name was not revealed. “If I don’t get out of this, I’ll starve to death.”
Not even Venezuela’s once-proud military is immune to the oil-rich country’s deepening economic crisis of food shortages and skyrocketing prices, and while top commanders deny there is any discontent, analysts say thousands of soldiers are asking for honorable discharges or deserting their posts by simply walking away.
Since taking office after the death of Hugo Chavez, his mentor who installed Venezuela’s socialist administration, President Nicolas Maduro has sought to lock in support from the armed forces by pampering troops with outsized bonuses and awarding loyal officers with top government posts.
He is counting on the backing of the military to ride out any turbulent reaction if he is declared the winner of Sunday’s presidential election, which has been condemned by much of the international community for barring some of his leading critics from running.
But as Venezuela quickly goes broke and hyperinflation pulverizes the paychecks of civilians and soldiers alike, discontent is penetrating the barracks, raising doubts whether the troops will remain trustworthy as their stomachs growl.
With the opposition defeated and the economy worsening at the hand of the increasingly authoritarian government, many Venezuelans — as well as the Trump administration — are looking more to the military, which has historically stepped in as the calming hand during moments of political crisis.
Ruben, thin and downcast, spoke to The Associated Press after crossing the street from Caracas’ sprawling Fort Tiuna after handing in his discharge papers, copies of which he still had in a manila folder under his arm.
He said he couldn’t feed his pregnant wife and 2-year-old son on his National Guard pay. He sought work changing tires on days off, earning double the roughly $2 a month he takes home from the military. He said he plans to make the side job fulltime once he is discharged.
He’s hardly alone.
On the Caribbean island of Margarita, soldiers in olive green uniforms and rifles slung over their shoulders openly wander the market each morning begging merchants for fruits and vegetables.
In the western city of Maracaibo, Ruth Bravo, 21, said she sent her husband into the army for food benefits so she and her two young children could eat. But such help seldom comes, forcing her to beg on the streets each day for survival.
Even the rations served in military mess halls have dramatically diminished in size and quality. To compensate, soldiers are often given leave several hours during the day to hunt for meals off base, several told the AP.
Soldiers once made up a privileged class at the height of Venezuela’s oil boom under Chavez, who himself was a former tank commander. They had access to quality housing, cars and home appliances at subsidized prices.
But the largesse has dried up under Maduro, who has tried to compensate by giving top-ranking officers an even bigger slice of power. They head nearly half of Venezuela’s ministries, including control of the primary food-supply program.
Most notably, six months ago Maduro named Maj. Gen. Manuel Quevedo to revive the state-run oil company, PDVSA, and its plummeting production though he had no previous experience in the industry.
The 150,000 men and women serving in Venezuela’s military are now the lowest paid in Latin America, with monthly salaries worth only to $2 to $12, said Rocio San Miguel, a Caracas-based military analyst. Base pay for troops in Colombia begins at $75, while soldiers in Mexico earn $300 to start.
Nobody knows exactly how many soldiers have deserted. But San Miguel and other experts say they number several thousand.
In addition to the economic strains, many soldiers fear being deployed again to hold back masses of angry protesters calling for a new government. Experts say desertions surged in 2017 as the National Guard clashed with anti-Maduro protesters almost daily for four months, leaving more than 140 people dead and hundreds more injured and arrested.
There has been a spike in court martials. A handful of soldiers and officers were jailed in 2017 on suspicion of various crimes, yet 90 have already been arrested so far this year, experts say.
Aging, paunchy generals regularly flank Maduro in televised events in a show of strength, but in private they are more inclined to grumble about his leadership, said Alonso Medina Roa, a lawyer who defends some of the military detainees.
Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who commands Venezuela’s armed forces as minister of defense, announced plans in March to bolster conditions for soldiers struggling with economic challenges. But he denied there was widespread unrest in the ranks and ridiculed rumors of a brewing military coup.
“The Bolivarian armed forces won’t be divided by anyone,” he said, speaking at the nation’s biggest base in the capital of Caracas.
Adm. Remigio Ceballos, head of the armed forces’ strategic command, denied any mass exodus of soldiers, emphatically telling the AP: “Not at all, that’s a lie.”
Families of soldiers paint a far grimmer picture.
Odalys Bermudez, wife of a National Guard sergeant, said she relies on “miracles” to feed her four children aged 5 to 12. Some days, the gaunt 30-year-old borrows money from friends, or she sets up a makeshift shop outside her apartment near the military base in Maracay.
“I sell any little thing, whether it’s ice cream or cookies,” she said. “Anything I can get to fill the hole in my stomach.”
We can learn from the sad and difficult experiences of others. Living in a dream world convinced that similar things could never happen to us here in the United States is folly. As the Venezuelan people are now experiencing, there is nothing more valuable than food to feed one’s family – absolutely nothing! Now is the time to prepare, not after the need has arisen.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/empty-stomachs-drive-venezuela-soldiers-desert-droves-041847163.html
A wicked wind storm blew through our area last spring with winds over 70 mph. There was significant damage to roofs and trees in throughout our neighborhood and community. A large section of shingles blew off our roof and one of our mature 40 foot weeping willow trees was blown over. It was a real mess everywhere.
As a result of the storm, the power was off for about 12 hours. Now since it was spring time, temperatures were mild and the lack of power was in no way life threatening. What did become evident very quickly was just how dependent we are on electricity for virtually everything in our lives.
You know what it’s like when you forget to wear your wristwatch and you are constantly looking at your wrist throughout the day expecting to see the time and then are quickly reminded, you aren’t wearing a watch. The same thing happened to us during that 12 hour period of time. We were constantly flipping switches, simply out of habit, expecting lights or appliances to work.
Yes, it was aggravating and frustrating at times but we knew the inconvenience was only temporary. Then the thought came, “What if it was permanent?” What if electricity was a convenience of the past and we had to learn to survive without it? How would we survive or could we?
Unfortunately, our electrical grid is susceptible to a variety of threats that could disrupt the flow of electricity for many months to many years. They range from natural disasters, terrorist attacks and an EMP, an EMP attack being the most devastating.
A great book to read detailing the traumatic conditions following an EMP attack is “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen who has a Ph.D. from Purdue University with specializations in Military History and the History of Technology.
It is estimated that 90% of the population of the United States would perish in the first year after a nation-wide EMP attack primarily due to the lack of food. So what is an EMP and how can we prepare?
EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse, which is considered a short burst of electromagnetic radiation. This kind of burst can come from a variety of sources, including our own sun, but in this case we’re talking about a pulse from a nuclear detonation that occurs at an extremely high altitude.
As nuclear physicist Dr. Yousaf Butt explains, these pulses affect everything in line of sight of the nuclear blast. For example, a blast at 60 miles up can affect a 700-mile radius on Earth.
EMP bombs do not cause casualties directly. The blast happens much too far away from people. Their power comes from interfering, disrupting, or damaging electronic equipment. That could mean power grids going down, cars and planes losing power, computer systems going berserk, and possibly even losing emergency backup power at facilities like hospitals.
Here’s a great video describing the details of an EMP attack and the probability of just such an event.
Unfortunately, if there was only one word that could describe what an EMP attack on the United States would be like, ‘devastating’ would be it. One of the thoughts that cross many prepper’s minds is what electronic devices will work after an EMP attack. The rest of your life would literally change following an EMP attack. That is not an exaggeration because life would literally return to the Dark Ages.
Should an EMP device be detonated high enough in the atmosphere, the entire power grid across most of North America would collapse. What does this mean for you?
It means there will be no more electricity. It means your TVs, computers, and phones will no longer work. It means your cars most likely won’t. It means airplanes would no longer work and could fall from the sky. Electronic banking would no longer be possible. The supply trucks would stop rolling. The economy would collapse.
And when that happens, you can guarantee there will be chaos. The once peaceful and delicate community you live in now will become a war zone. People will take to the streets looting all the stores and restaurants and businesses in the area.
The normal people you once knew could become savages. Many may turn on one another for food and supplies. Organized raiding parties would form and prey on the innocent. Every single second of your life would be focused on survival and keeping an eye out for threats. What’s worse is this catastrophe is not something that could be solved in a short time period.
The United States is woefully under prepared for an EMP attack. Even the most conservative estimates are that it would take at least TEN YEARS for the country to recover. During that time, over 90% of the American population would die due to starvation, dehydration, disease, murder, and suicide.
This is what would happen when literally nothing works. No more electronics, no more power, no more heat and electricity, no more vehicles, no more internet, no more cell service.
If you want an almost surefire way of knowing what will work after an EMP attack in regards to electronic items, using a Faraday cage at the time of the EMP blast is your best bet. Named after Michael Faraday, a scientist who lived in Great Britain in the 1800s, a Faraday cage is simply any container or enclosure that can shield the contents inside from an electromagnetic field. Faraday cages are also incredibly cheap and easy to make using materials you likely already have.
For example, you can build a Faraday cage out of nothing more than a galvanized metal trash can and cardboard, or you can build one by covering a cardboard box with at least three layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. With both of these examples, wrap your electronic item in a towel and then in plastic wrapping before placing it into the cage for added protection.
Since you won’t be able to recharge your electronic item in a power outlet after an EMP, invest in a solar charger to go with it.
Does a Faraday cage guarantee that your phone or laptop will still work after an EMP? No, but it greatly increases the likelihood, and for that reason alone is worth building.
An electromagnetic pulse attack upon the United States would be very bad no matter how you slice it. But you can become more prepared by stocking up on items that will work after an EMP attack. So while your car may not work, an older model of car may. While your phone or laptop won’t work after an EMP, protecting it in a Faraday cage may be able to save it. While you won’t be able to access information online anymore, you can still access the same information through physical copies of books.
Please take the time now to learn more about the possibility and effects of an EMP so you can be properly prepared. If you had to choose just one thing to do to prepare for such an event, securing enough food for your family for as long as you can afford would be the absolute best action to take. Remember, the vast majority of deaths are not a result of the lack of electricity but the lack of food. Having sufficient food reserves for your family will help shield against almost any potential event or disaster.
Source: https://lifehacker.com/what-is-an-emp-bomb-1820610036
I’ve always loved shooting guns and archery. I was a lot like Ralphie on “A Christmas Story” where all I wanted for Christmas was a BB gun. I tried every strategy I could come up with but unfortunately, my mom trumped them all. There was absolutely no way she was going to allow me to pack a BB gun – she just knew I’d shoot my eye out or possibly someone else’s eye.
My first real gun was a Remington bolt action .22 rifle. My dad gave it to me when I was 10 years old and if my parents would have let me, I would have slept with it. I loved shooting that rifle and still have the gun today. It’s one of the most accurate open-site rifles I’ve ever shot.
As much as I loved that rifle, I was only able to shoot it when we went to the mountains and that just wasn’t anywhere often enough. Luckily, I had received a 30lb. fiberglass recurve bow for Christmas (and yes, I still have the bow as well). Since I didn’t have a BB gun, I’d take my bow and a few wooden arrows lizard hunting with my buddies. We’d walk through the mesas near our home in Albuquerque kicking up blue tails and horny toads from the tumble weeds. I learned quickly that I just wasn’t fast enough on the draw to actually hit a running lizard.
I was determined to improve my hunting abilities so I would practice in the back yard shooting cardboard boxes. The arrows I was using were nothing like the aluminum of carbon fiber arrows of today. They were very basic wooden arrows with a metal field tip crimped on the end. I only had three arrows and they were really showing the signs of wear. What I didn’t realize was just how worn they really were.
One of my arrows had developed a crack about six inches in front of the fletching. I could easily see the crack but just didn’t think anything about it until I learned a very painful lesson. I nocked the cracked arrow, drew it back and sighted in on my cardboard box target. I released the shaft and everything seemed to slow down as if I was watching the arrow leave my bow in slow motion.
As my bow string pushed against the nock at the back of the arrow, the force caused the arrow to bow and split right where the crack was. The front part of the arrow flew away from my bow totally missing the target. The back end of the arrow ended up driving through my left index finger just in front of my first knuckle.
I didn’t feel anything at first and remember just staring at it wondering what to do. I then decided I better go inside and see if I could somehow remove the arrow. I came into the kitchen from the garage and went to the knife drawer. I decided the best course of action was to cut through the flesh on top of the arrow so I could just lift the arrow straight up rather than pulling it out. This was my first encounter with just how tough human skin really is. I had unfortunately (on second thought, fortunately) chosen a fairly dull knife. As I began to saw on my skin, I was surprised I still couldn’t feel anything but was upset that the knife was not slicing through the skin as easily as I had anticipated.
I quickly decided to abandon this approach and knew I needed help to fix this problem. I could hear my sister in the living room with her boyfriend and decided to walk in there to get help. My sister first though I was somehow faking it but on closer inspection realized this was real. I have to clarify one important point here – my parents, especially my dad seldom felt a doctor was needed to address a wound. If this happened today, I would rush my kid to the emergency room – not the case when I was growing up.
I told my sister how I’d tried to cut the arrow out and she commented on the folly of my attempt. She explained that the arrow would need to be pulled out and I definitely was not excited by this revelation. She told me to look away and on the count of three, she would pull the arrow out. I reluctantly agreed, turned my head and heard my sister begin counting. One. Two. Then a quick jerk of her hand pulled the arrow right out of my finger. She totally faked me out and pulled on the count of two! I’ve still not forgiven her for this.
I never got stitches and pulled out slivers from the wound for several days thereafter. Somehow, I survived. It might have gotten a little infected but nothing I couldn’t handle with some antibiotic cream under the Band-Aids. I still have the scar today and can even see the cut mark where I tried to slice the skin to remove the arrow.
Now, the facts are – I was very lucky. Had such an accident happened in the wild, I could have died with an infection. It really is easy to take for granted the extraordinary medical care available to all of us by simply walking into an Emergency Room. But what if all that was unexpectedly taken away? Are you prepared to handle more than applying a Band-Aid?
Most first aid kits are really not much more than Band-Aids, gauze and medical tape. If there is any antibiotic ointment, it’s probably very limited in quantity and does have an expiration date. The bottom line, most first aid kits are woefully lacking in real world needs. In addition, there may be specific medical needs for members of your families that cannot be ignored.
So what should you have in a comprehensive first aid kit? The options are almost limitless and you could spend close to a thousand dollars so you’ll need to decide what would make sense for your personal and family needs. There are several companies that specialize in very comprehensive first aid kits that can at least serve as a resource, listing the types of items you may want to consider in your own kit.
Here is a link to a kit that has over 700 items – too many to list in this post but may provide a good working list for your own kit.
I personally own this first aid kit and have added several additional items to customize it to my family’s needs. Please don’t neglect this part of your preps – your health and well being are far too important. You never know when a bizarre accident may happen and the option of heading to your local hospital emergency room may not be an option.
Russia Prepares for Nuclear War With U.S., Instructing Citizens to Buy Water and Gas Masks
Russian state-owned television is urging the country’s residents to stock their bunkers with water and basic foodstuffs because Moscow could go to war with Washington.
Warning that the potential conflict between the two superpowers would be “catastrophic,” an anchor for Russia’s Vesti 24 showed off shelves of food, recommending that people buy salt, oatmeal and other products that can last a long time on the shelves. Powdered milk last five years while sugar and rice can last up to eight years, the newscaster explained before showing videos of pasta cooking in a bomb shelter.
The channel’s newscasters also displayed charts explaining how much water people need to store for drinking, washing their face and hands, and preparing food every day—and how that amount changes depending on the temperature of a person’s bomb shelter. The program also recommended that people stock up on gas masks and read guides on how to survive nuclear war.
The program aired just one day after sources told Newsweekthat “there is a major war scare” in Moscow, as President Donald Trump prepares to strike Syria in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons against civilians over the weekend. The Trump administration has said it believes Syria’s Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad was responsible for the attacks, and it plans to ensure that Assad pays the price. Russian military forces have responded by saying that Moscow would meet fire with fire and said that it will shoot down any U.S. missiles.
“If there is a strike by the Americans, then the missiles will be downed and even the sources from which the missiles were fired,” warned Alexander Zasypkin, Russia’s ambassador to Lebanon, during an interview on Tuesday with a television station linked to Hezbollah.
The increasingly bellicose rhetoric has sparked fears that a conflict could break out between two nuclear-armed superpowers. On Wednesday morning, Trump took to Twitter to issue a stark warning to Russia, which he accused of partnering with “a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”
Source: http://www.newsweek.com/russia-prepares-nuclear-war-us-instructing-citizens-buy-water-and-gas-masks-881823
The main reason an economic collapse is a big priority is because it could happen at any time, and it seems like no one even cares anymore that we are trillions in debt.
Politicians don’t care about the national debt, they care about getting reelected, and if you think they are going to be the ones who say “we need to make huge spending cuts” you’re kidding yourself. They would never get reelected because the people in this entitled society that we’ve become would have none of it.
First off, I have to say that I am no economist by any stretch of the imagination. I understand that government economics and budgeting and home budgeting are completely different. With that being said, I am not so naive to think that this business as usual approach, and massive government overspending is just “how government works”, Regardless what they would like is to believe.
According to some experts, when factoring in unfunded liabilities like Social Security, Medicare, government pension plans and Obamacare, estimates put the real national debt somewhere around $200 trillion.
Let me got off my soap box here and just say, at some point, something has to give. How that looks, when it happens, and what the repercussions are no one knows. One thing is certain though, if we continue on this path, something is bound to give.
Not preparing for a potential economic collapse could be catastrophic. Everything we’ve worked for and saved over our lifetimes could be gone in a flash.
Preparing for an economic collapse should be one of our highest priorities because it encompasses every area of preparedness. As you prepare for a economic collapse, you are inevitably preparing for other disaster scenarios.
Most disasters would be short lived, and you would know fairly quickly whether or not you were going to get through it. A collapse could be something that requires a longer term preparedness plan. How much you prepare depends on your situation, but this could last anywhere from a few months to a few years.
The most important thing is to stay vigilant and pay attention. Watch what is going on in Venezuela right now, and pay attention to how the government is reacting, how the people are reacting, and what the major issues are.
Take a few minutes and watch this video. It’s hard to argue with the facts. We cannot say we’ve not been warned!
Sources: survivalistprepper.net/preparing-economic-collapse/
A number of years ago, on an elk hunting trip, my father in law, brother in law and myself came extremely close to dying as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. It was a very scary experience to look back and realize just how close we came to perishing as a result of our carelessness.
The three of us had purchased a cabin for our families in a remote, high altitude mountain area. The elevation of our cabin was about 9,600 feet above sea level. It was high enough that it took several days to acclimate to the altitude and would often cause headaches if you exerted yourself too much.
Since our cabin was located in such a remote, wooded area, there were no utilities available. We were totally off the grid. We used a generator for power and propane for cooking and heat. We also used the fireplace on occasion for heat and light both. Due to the altitude of the cabin, it was common to have four to six feet of snow on the ground most of the winter. As a result, our access to the cabin was usually limited to between the months of May and November.
I come from a family of hunters and it was a regular event to use the cabin as a base camp for both deer and elk hunting. It was common for us to either bring our four wheelers or horses on our hunts as it made carrying our game back to the cabin so much easier. It was in late September we had planned on elk hunting near the cabin and had trailered our horses up to the cabin to make the hunt easier.
It was an Indian Fall with temperatures in the upper 50’s and low 60’s. It was beautiful weather for a hunt with the leaves just starting to turn on the quakies. We were having the time of our life, riding all over the mountainous area near our cabin, enjoying the scenery and weather almost as much as the anticipation of bagging a big bull elk. We glassed a herd of about 20 elk more than 1,000 yards away but were never able to get close enough for any kind of a decent shot.
The next day out, clouds began to roll in and by mid-day, it began to rain. We donned our slickers but not before we got wet. We continued to ride the rest of that soggy day with no luck finding a decent bull. By the time we got back to the cabin that evening and got the horses put away, we were wet, cold and hungry and anxious to get inside, warm up and get some food on our stomachs.
Ever since my father in law suffered hypothermia on a backpacking trip, he had become hyper sensitive to the cold. I even have a picture of him sitting on the beach in Coronado, CA wearing his cowboy hat and a jacket with the beach towel wrapped around his legs. He hated to cold! Anyway,
as soon as we entered the cabin, he asked me to fire up the propane heater even though it wasn’t that cold inside. So, being an obedient son in law, without a second thought, I lit the heater and turned up the thermostat.
I then went outside and fired up the generator as it was getting dark. After a quick bite of food, we decided to setting down and watch a video. We had an old color TV set up on a shelf by the fireplace and used an old full size VHS camcorder (the big ones that would rest on your shoulder when you shot videos) as a video player to watch the limited library of video tapes we kept at the cabin. That night, the video of choice was “Tremors” with Kevin Bacon. If you’ve never had the privilege of watching that masterpiece, it’s about these huge underground worms that are eating people and destroying the town.
One of the unique characteristics of our fancy entertainment center was that the TV would occasionally change from color to black and white. The high-tech method we used to rectify this annoying shift was to smack the TV hard on the side. This procedure usually solved the problem.
I glanced over at my father in law who was sitting in an over-stuffed chair next to me and he was out – fast asleep which seemed quite appealing to me after a long day of hunting, a full belly, warm cabin and a classic movie. As a result, I was quickly dozing off to la la land myself. My brother in law was laying on a couch closest to the TV and was also feeling sleepy when in a critical part of the movie (the giant worm was eating yet another victim), the TV went black and white. My brother in law, who had become an expert in adjusting the TV and bringing it back to “technicolor”, sat up to smack the TV once again.
As soon as he sat up, he grabbed his head and yelled out to us – “Wake up, were being poisoned!” It took several seconds to come to but as we tried to stand up, our heads felt like they were going to explode. We could feel our hearts pounding like we had just run a mile and we felt like we were going to throw up. We managed to make our way out to the front porch where we quickly sat down with our heads between our legs and tried to keep from passing out from the headache pain we were experiencing. As soon as I could stand again, I went back inside, turned off the heater and opened the windows and doors to try and air out the cabin.
How could this happen?! We had never experienced any problem like this before. The propane heaters always seemed to function properly in the past and we never worried about carbon monoxide poisoning. Then it came to me – the reason we almost died – we had neglected to take the metal bucket off the furnace flu. In an attempt to keep squirrels and other critters out of the cabin, when we leave the cabin, we climb up on the roof and put a bucket over the top of the flu. Because we hadn’t used the furnace the night before, we simple hadn’t thought about the issue of a blocked flu.
As a result, over a period of about an hour, we had been slowing breathing in the odorless carbon monoxide, making us sleepy and gradually and painlessly killing us. It really is scary to think how close we came to dying that night and I’m convinced that wonderful old color TV went black and white purposely, by a higher power, to save our lives. Had that not happened – had my brother in law not needed to sit up to smack the TV, our families would have discovered three bloated bodies several days later. We were that close!
The effects of carbon monoxide poisoning are prolonged – in fact it took about three days for us to feel back to normal. You see, the hemoglobin in our red blood cells became saturated with carbon monoxide which blocked oxygen from being absorbed and transported throughout our bodies. So, for three days, our bodies were trying to replace the carbon monoxide with oxygen that would provide energy and stamina. We were so oxygen deprived; our bodies were struggling to do the simplest of tasks. Granted, we were at a very high altitude (which didn’t help) but even walking just 20 feet would cause us to be winded and needing to rest. Nevertheless, like the tough guys we thought we were, we weren’t about to bail on our hunting excursion.
Luckily we had our horses to do most of the work. Every now and then when we’d be in a really densely wooded area and we’d have to get off our horses and walk them over all the fallen timber and brush, it would about kill us. It was like trying to run a race breathing through a straw. I hope never to have to experience that silent killer again (I may not be as lucky the second time).
Unfortunately, I’m afraid many families will be subjected to the potentially fatal consequences of carbon monoxide poisoning in a grid down scenario. Many who have stored away emergency camp stoves or other alternate forms of cooking, light and heat, due to the stress of the situation, will fail to follow proper safety precautions when using such emergency systems indoors. Here’s the best safety tip I can provide – regardless of how safe your cooking or heating source may claim to be, NEVER use it in an enclosed area. I know, I know, there are many heaters that are ventless or fluless and claim to be safe to use indoors – nevertheless, ALWAYS keep a significant fresh air flow when using such a device.
Some may say, “Why would I open a window and let cold air in when I’m trying to heat the room?” Yes, it is a little counter-intuitive but essential for survival. Please take my word for it, it’s absolutely not worth it! Life is far too precious to risk the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Have you ever seen a $1,000 bill? The United States used to print $1,000 bills picturing our 22nd and 24th president, Grove Cleveland. It would be very rare if you had seen the actual note as the U.S. stopped printing them by 1946 in an attempt to help thwart illegal activity and the laundering of money.
Even far more rare were the $5,000, $10,000 and $100,000 notes that were used primarily for large real estate transactions or by banks or other financial institutions to transfer large amounts of money. Remember, this was way before the digital currency era had even been dreamed about and there needed to be a way to transfer funds for large transactions.
Since the largest bill most of us have ever held in our hands in a $100 bill, it seems inconceivable that a $100,000,000,000,000 (one hundred trillion) Zimbabwe dollar note was a common denomination in 2008. What is even harder to grasp is that the one hundred trillion dollar note was worth only 40 cents in US currency, enough to purchase three eggs. How is this possible? Well, it’s all a result of hyperinflation. In June 2008, the annual rate of price growth in Zimbabwe was 11.2 million percent. The worst of the inflation 
occurred in 2008, leading to the abandonment of the currency. The peak month of hyperinflation occurred in mid-November 2008 with a rate estimated at 79,600,000,000% per month.
There have been 57 episodes of hyperinflation throughout the world in the last 100 years including countries such as Hungary, Germany, Taiwan, France, China, Argentina and many others. It’s hard to imagine prices doubling every 15 hours as experienced in Hungary in 1946. How could people cope? The moment families would receive their paychecks, they would race to the stores in an attempt to spend it all by purchasing essential needs before prices went up again.
We are currently seeing the devastating effects of hyperinflation repeat in Venezuela where the inflation rate is expected to hit 13,000% this year. According to the Wall Street Journal, “prices are doubling in Venezuela every few weeks, confounding cash-strapped Venezuelans who are scrambling to find a way to pay for basic transactions.”
“The problem is that in a country as broke as Venezuela, the government can’t print enough bills or pay the hefty fees for commercial printers to supply them. Paying with plastic? Credit-card readers seldom work.”
“That leaves ordinary Venezuelans ingeniously searching for solutions.”
“Yorli Uzcategui, who sells vegetables from a streetside stall, keeps notebooks with handwritten IOUs and spends his off-hours chasing customers through chat groups on WhatsApp to get repaid via bank transfers.”
“‘If I don’t do this, I’ll sell nothing,’ the vendor said as he bagged lettuce on a recent day.”
“Things are expected to get only worse this year. The International Monetary Fund estimates an economic contraction of 15%, which means that by the end of 2018 the economy will be half of what it was in 2013. And inflation will hit 13,000%.”
“Following in the footsteps of Brazil, a slew of post-Soviet countries, Venezuela has become the 57th recorded case of hyperinflation, according to Steve Hanke, a Johns Hopkins University economics professor.”
How is it possible for a typical family to cope with the run-away pricing hyperinflation causes? In today’s society, it’s almost impossible to transact business or purchase the essentials of life without money. Even with the recent explosion and popularity of cryptocurrencies, one must initially purchase these digital currencies with conventional money. As these fiat currencies lose their value, less and less cryptocurrency can be purchased, if one makes the assumption these digital currencies are indeed a solution to hyperinflation.
In the meanwhile, families in Venezuela have to rely on a more time tested method on survival – bartering. The Wall Street Journal also addressed this issue.
“One U.S. dollar now fetches around 236,000 bolivars on the street, around 80 times what it bought at the start of last year. Five years ago, that could buy a small apartment; now it barely covers an appetizer at lunch.”
“’The authorities have lost control, they can’t stop creating bolivars even if they wanted to,’ said Omar Zambrano, a former economist for the Inter-American Development Bank. ‘This ends in two ways: Either we adopt the dollar or we go back to bartering.’”
“That’s what Marina Fernandez, a professor of architecture at a Caracas university, has done, finding out that some people will take, yes, the humble egg. When she didn’t have enough cash to pay for parking, she handed over two eggs. Her university department, short of cash, paid a computer programmer with a carton of eggs.”
“Ms. Fernandez said onions or bananas, for some reason, just won’t do. ‘If you’re going to receive food as payment, the people want it to at least be a protein,’ she said. ‘The egg is perfect.’”
Whether it is through a severe recession, a depression or some form of hyperinflation, as an economy begins to implode, there are typically three types of currency that can be relied upon, at least for a period of time.
FIRST – CASH. I’m talking about actual greenbacks in your possession. A minimum of $1,000 in small bills with the goal of several months’ worth to cover all your needs during that period should be on your priority list. In the event of a banking holiday, grid down scenario or rapid onset hyperinflation, you will need cash to transact any typical business. Without cash, gas for your car, food for your family, payment for utilities or any other essentials simply won’t be possible, regardless of how much money you may have in the bank. Under these circumstances, cash may only have value for a few weeks or maybe a few months before it becomes basically worthless paper. You can’t eat it, you can’t wear it and you can’t get enough of it together to burn to keep you warm.
SECOND – PRECIOUS METALS. Once again, in your possession. You see, the primary cause of hyperinflation is tied to any given government issuing a fiat currency that is backed by nothing other than the government stating it’s worth and value. If there is no anchor to some form of asset with intrinsic value, the worth and value of such a fiat currency can drift off course just like a ship without an anchor and the outcome is never favorable.
Just take a look at this chart of what happened during the early twenties in the German Weimar Republic. Keep in mind, the price of silver and gold did not go up, it was the value of the German Mark that decreased significantly. Over the last century, the value of gold and silver has remained relative constant as compared to the fiat currencies that are extremely volatile. This is why precious metals are an excellent form of currency, especially in times of hyperinflation. This form of currency may also only be valid for a number of months until things deteriorate enough that one realizes most people will not trade food for gold or silver.
THIRD – FOOD. This is the most important of them all. If push comes to shove, there will be nothing more valuable than food. All of the greenbacks and precious metals in the world will do you no good if you can’t exchange them for food. In fact, think of it this way – Is there anything you currently own or anything you could own, that you would not be willing to trade for food if it meant the survival of your family? The obvious answer is NO, in fact we would trade all the wealth in the world if that’s what it took. Due to its great value, it will be the ultimate bartering currency. If one has prepared with extra food storage, not only will they be able to feed their family, but they will have access to all other goods and services they may need – simply by bartering with their excess food.
Even if the only reason one purchases food storage today is to hedge against future inflation where the cost of the same amount of food may be ten-times as much, you just can’t go wrong by storing long-term food storage for your family. Remember the value of an egg.
Sources: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-fast-are-prices-skyrocketing-in-venezuela-see-exhibit-a-the-egg-1517832001
