10 Days Until The Mayan End Date....Where is the Chaos?

The countdown clock says 10 Days and counting until 12-21-12.  Where is the chaos & panic, I and many others expected?  WWIII could be unleashed at anytime in Syria, 7.0+ Earthquakes are happening, storms, & unusual weather. Yet, no one seems to connect the dots!

There was much more unrest about Y2K!  Three or four days before, you couldn't find batteries or flashlights in Detroit!  I hesitated to prep until then, alas, had to drive to multiple stores to get basic stuff!

Less than two weeks...I have not came across any stories about "panic" buying, etc.  Of course no one prepared for Sandy either and look what happened.  I guess 98% of folks are optimists and non-believers in the need to prep.  I guess FEMA will save them like they did after Katrina and Sandy.  Uh huh.

The Folly of Not Prepping...Hurricane Sandy!

Days before Hurricane Sandy struck the NE coast of the USA The Weather Channel and major News Stations were calling for citizens to fill their cars with gas, stock foods, medicines, and emergency supplies!  FEMA claimed emergency supplies were prepositioned in advance (?)... and yet 5 days after the storm, chaos reigns in many areas.  Folks are hungry, cold and angry with government!

Wait...what happened to personal responsibility? Why on earth after Katrina, would anyone think the government or FEMA would save them?

Since 9/11, The Red Cross, FEMA, and Homeland Security have had on their web sites what you need as a "72 Hour Kit"...dozens of places sell them online!  There really is no excuse for not having a "Kit".  It's Survival Insurance, just like life, car, and home owner Insurance!

This is not the first disaster in that area....it will not be the last.  I can't think of any excuse for not being prepared....none at all!

Solar Charger for When the Power is Gone!



XTG-SOL 1500 CHARGER

This is my new solar charger plugged into my Kindle Fire...the included cord also fits my cell phone or can charge my iTouch4! After leaving the unit in the SUN a few hours, it charged my iTouch4 as fast as the AC charger.  The internal battery can also be charged while plugged into your computer.  It has a really bright LED flashlight also!  It's a great little rig for $25 + free shipping.  See the adjacent Amazon Ad.

New Blog Contest!

September is National Preparedness Month!

64th Person who purchases items from any Affiliate on my Blogs will get a $64 Master Card Gift Card! My affiliates: Emergency Essentials, BudK, Smokey Mountain Knife Works, The Ready Project, & Amazon! Sunday, 9/9, was my 64th Birthday!  http://totalsurvivordad.blogspot.com/

Lawlessness After SHTF!

As in my previous definition of what I mean by "SHTF"....there maybe a world without laws or a moral compass!

I've spoken to ex-members of gangs like Bloods & Crips....they are stockpiling stuff too! Some have plans to liberate prisoners from jails & prisons! Mongols & Hell's Angels type gangs will be roaming & pillaging the countryside! Inner city hoodlums unrestrained by limited or missing police will also be looting & worse!

Many states have Militias...with well armed membership...they too maybe roaming the countryside! And least we forget the Government may impound all food supplies & weapons under Martial Law!

All these folks will be out hunting for "your stuff"! Have your retreat or bunker as low profile as possible! Camaflauge or looking abandoned is good! Don't a have a huge splashy home with a dozens of windows & lights...this screams "Rob me!" Don't have yard lights or bon fires, loudspeakers, etc!

Just as SHTF will kill off 50% of good folks it will get an equal amount of "dirtbag scum"!

Alternatives to a Survival Retreat!

*Note of Clarification!  When I use the term SHTF, I am speaking of a civilization killing, global catastrophe like Nuclear War, Global Economic Collapse, Global Pandemic, etc.  I am talking about a Global Death Rate of 50%, up to 90% in Major cities...this is permanent  catastrophe!  I caution anyone not to kill innocent people, retain your moral compass, help others in need, & respect occupied private property!

Many people want to #Prep, but not everyone can afford remote land, an underground bunker, or a years supply of stored food!  You still want you and your family to survive, and your moral compass eliminates robbing, killing, or taking what you need from others.  What can you do?

I have a few ideas, because I am in that boat myself!  I don't believe enough time is left to save up and buy 100% of what I need.  I have ideas and a "Bug Out Bag"! 

1.  National Parks, National Forest, State Parks and State Forests.  These are "Public Lands", as citizens we own them....many are in wilderness, remote areas, BLM land, unlikely to be over-run by refugees from major cities (most of whom will unfortunately be dead).  There are most likely some in every state, but most obviously are in the Western US.  Find an area you can get to in a reasonable time, check it out in advance, get topo maps, etc.  You can even bury some supplies discreetly in advance!  Some areas contain caves, which make an impromptu Nuclear Fallout Shelter.

2. Commercial Buildings.  Banks, universities, science related companies. Oh my, your "trespassing"....folks, when SHTF for real no one is going to worry about that crap.  I'm talking you and your families survival. Banks have vaults, and heavy duty basements construction.  Most major universities have science and microbiology class rooms and laboratories. These are also built with better construction HVAC, security doors, deep basements, etc.  Throughout the country are companies that build all types of heavy duty equipment, computer clean rooms, scientific materials, etc.  In Texas there is a mothballed "Supper Collider" deep underground, with room for 100's!

3. Mines.  Throughout the United States are mines..coal mines, salt mines, gold mines...some active, some abandoned.  These need to be checkout in advance.  Actually buying abandoned mining claims can get cheap land and a mine (bunker).  Salt mines are historically very geologically stable.  There is one under Detroit!

I don't want to give-away-the-farm here, but by now I think you get the idea!  Most of these ideas and some of your own can be checked out in advance, which I recommend. Alternative routes, distance and time to arrive are important considerations.  While I am writing this, it brought to mind a great 1950's movie that is relevant..."Panic in the Year Zero"...its a good "what if" flic.

List of National Parks

List of Colleges & Universities

Mines in the USA

Salt Mines in the USA

Abandoned Texas Super-Collider

List of Summer Camps

Are You Prepared to "Liberate" Supplies from Abandoned Stores, Factories, & Railcars in Order to Survive?

*Note of Clarification!  When I use the term SHTF, I am speaking of a civilization killing, global catastrophe like Nuclear War, Global Economic Collapse, Global Pandemic, etc.  I am talking about a Global Death Rate of 50%, up to 90% in Major cities...this is permanent  catastrophe!  I caution anyone not to kill innocent people, retain your moral compass, help others in need, & respect occupied private property!

Like the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina....your supplies, home, & future maybe destroyed or in jeopardy! FEMA can't or won't help you due to ineptness or the scale of the destruction.  Earthquakes, endless draught, EMP attack, or war can create chaos as severe or worse than Katrina's floods.  What alternative do you have to survive than "Liberate", boost, loot & steal from destroyed stores, homes, or crashed trucks and rail cars?

Don't start screaming moral judgements, we're talking your survival or your families here.  I'm also not speaking of stealing, robbing or killing from other folks trying to survive!  I'm speaking of taking supplies from insured entities with no one guarding them, foods that will likely perish in a few days if left to rot!  I'm a pretty moral guy...I don't see this as stealing, but surviving! Each will be making their own decisions, but if a crashed truck full of bottle water and fresh fruit crashed in front of your staving family....survival instincts will override moral hesitation.  If you still feel guilty, leave an IOU!

Top 10 Reasons Why The Future of America Depends on Survivalists & Preppers

Reprint Article by David Morris

There has been a lot of derogatory talk lately about “preppers” and “survivalists” and I’d like to take a minute to point out 10 reasons why preppers and survivalists have always been vital to the United States and why it is essential that we have as many as possible to survive future disasters.
1.  FEMA–The cost for local, state, and federal agencies to plan, equip, and staff for EVERY disaster that might happen is cost prohibitive.  When disasters strike, government is quick to talk, quick to “ramp up”, but government help is slow to come and inefficient when it arrives.
Survivalists and preppers on the other hand are able to act quickly and efficiently to take care of their own house and provide stability, structure, and assistance for their streets, neighborhoods, and beyond.
2.  Stable Base–An organization (or nation) of people with specialized skills may accomplish great things when everything is going smoothly, but it quickly fall apart when trouble comes.  The survivalist & prepper mindset of “Jack of all trades, master of ONE” makes for a stable organization (or nation).
3.  Joseph in the Bible–Preppers/survivalists have been around saving the day since the beginning of time.  In Genesis 37-50, Joseph sees trouble coming and prepares for seven years.  At the end of seven years, a severe drought/famine hits that lasts for the next seven years.  Because of Joseph’s preparations, Egypt survived the drought/famine and was able to help the surrounding nations.
4.  Founding Fathers–With the Constitution and Bill of Rights, our founding fathers pushed responsibility from the federal government down to the individual citizen and promoted a survivalist/prepper.  They did it with the 2nd and 4th amendments, they did it by example (Washington leading a mostly barefoot army across the Delaware,) and they did it throughout their writing, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.”  –Ben Franklin
5.  Siege warfare–Many of the things that happened after Katrina are textbook examples of why siege warfare is so effective.  The normal city has a 3 day supply of food.  The normal prepper has a 6-24 MONTH supply of food.
Which do you think is more stable in the event of a siege that is due to disasters or war?  If you ONLY focus on food and water supplies, a city/county/region/country with many preppers will be much more resilient to being cut off from outside help than one with few preppers.
6.  Independent from the government–How much leverage does an energy tax (or most other taxes) have on a family who’s living off the grid?  The more self-reliant you are, the less control the government can exert over your life through taxes.
7.  Criminals fear the aware and prepared–This is fairly straight forward.  Preppers & survivalists gradually become more aware and prepared than the average person.  This will show itself in your walk, in your eyes, and how you carry yourself.  In short, you stop looking like a wounded gazelle and more like a badger…cute & cuddly, but ready to do anything necessary to stop a threat to him/herself or loved ones.
8.  Tyrants fear survivalists and preppers–In addition to living a lifestyle that insulates them from siege, some taxes, and being nannied, survivalists and preppers are usually well armed & seek advanced training.  Good men have nothing to fear from an armed populace, but tyrants who seek to control the lives of others will always try to disarm them first through confiscation, taxation, or pressure through media and the educational system.
It worked for Hitler, Mao, and many more narcissistic, mass murders suffering from munchausen by proxy throughout the ages.  So far back, in fact, that Aristotle spoke extensively about how, in any society, those who control the arms control the state.
9.  More preppers = fewer refugees & faster recovery from disasters—After a local, regional, or national disaster, the number of refugees will be inversely proportional to the number of preppers & survivalists in the area.  In other words, the more preppers you have in an area, the less strain the hospitals, volunteer organizations, and government run refugee centers will have.
10.  More able to help their fellow man—After a disaster, you’re not going to see very many refugees donating their food/supplies/time.  It’s not that they don’t want to, but rather it’s because they are in a fight for their lives and may be dehydrated, hungry, and tired.
Preppers and survivalists who have food storage, water or water treatment tools, and who have prepared themselves psychologically for disasters will be able to help in several ways.  First, they’re less likely to become refugees or use the time/resources of first responders.  Second, since they ARE prepared for disasters, they can help the people in their immediate area which will lessen the load on first responders and reduce the number of refugees.  Third, by helping themselves and their neighbors, preppers will increase the quality of care for people who DO end up still needing first responder care or to relocate to a refugee center.
In short, the more survivalists and preppers that we have, the more stable our families, cities, and the country as a whole are.  If you believe in this message, please forward it to your friends and family, tweet it, and link to it from your website or Facebook page.

Publicly Traded Firearm & Ammo Stocks Rise!

Stocks listed in a previous post on Firearm related stocks, continue to rise, in response to the Aurora, Colorado tragedy and fear on the UN Treaty!  Average is +1.00%

07-27-12

Gun and ammo related publicly traded stocks up an average of 2.1% today....Metal Storm up 38%!

What if You Have to Bug Out on Foot?

I don't drive, nor have a car.  I live in a 184 Sq Mile city, Portland, OR.  Public transportation, if it runs can take me 20 miles East.  My safe zone is on the East side of the Cascade Mountains at least 150 miles away!  If an EMP or huge natural disaster hits this area, infrastructure is destroyed, public transportation, even cars, may not work.  How do you Bug Out?

I walk everyday about 3-5 miles, without gear.  At any pace, it would take days to walk 150 miles!  In the covered wagon era, they averaged 28 miles per day...that's 6 days to evacuate Portland!  If you had a mountain bike and it wasn't winter, you could probably cut that in half...but it's mostly uphill.

The more obvious answer is to get the hell out of a major city, in advance of trouble!  Gut reactions to events and increasing warnings may give you time, while things still work.  Better yet, don't live in any major city!  Cities will be Hell...remember Katrina and New Orleans...and that was after large numbers had already evacuated!

Exercise, walk a lot...with gear...get a good mountain bike...hope it's not winter!

Publicly Traded Firearms and Ammuntion Companies

Doing a little reseach, I've put together a list of publicly traded companies in the firearms business.  Many major manurfacturers and most ammo manufactureres are private companies (and closed to nosey public inspections).
The stock ticker symbols are:
 

SWHC - Smith & Wesson; TASR- Taser International; MTSX -  Metal Storm Ltd; GD - General Dynamics; OLN - Olin Manufacturing; ATK - Allient Techsystems; RGR - Ruge

I've set up a "Watch List" to check the progress of these companies.  Today, not so good. #Preppers and survivors should be interested in these stocks.  On a seperate note, I also have a "Watch List" of major Defense company stocks...they are down as well!

50,000 Evacuees from Fire...Where do you go?

Colorado Springs is burning....Mountain towns like Woodland Park are threatened. Where on earth do 50,000 people go?  Many will have no home to return to.  lots of apartments in Colorado Springs, but not that many vacancies! For many this will be long term...what on earth do you do?

Underground Living...A Home & A Bunker!

As a former Designer-Builder of Solar Homes & Structures, I always built above ground.  Looking forward, I can see many advantages in underground or Earth Sheltered designs, particularly as a #prepper.  For one to maintain safety for your family, you only need one structure....not two (home + bunker)!

Underground construction, back East in Upstate NY where I worked, cost a large percentage of constructions costs for water-proofing, due to snow and rain...and ground water.

Now remote land in the high desert or mountains, requires less waterproofing and more modern materials exist.

Depending on family size and how many you need to "shelter" will obviously determine your costs.  My current studio apartment is 12" 6" X 20' 6" (256 Sq Ft)  It has everything I need.  If built as a stand alone cabin in the woods, I'd add a loft for a bedroom, and a deck or porch.  Plenty big enough for one person.

Built as a cave home, or into a hillside, adding aluminum security shutters on exterior windows.  You have a secure area.  Easily under $100,000.

Underground-Homes

Cave Homes

$50 & Up Underground Homes!

Forest Fire Survival

With record breaking Forest Fires in Colorado and New Mexico now burning, and people's retreats burned to the ground, Fire Survival is critical.  Your retreat has to survive as well as your family and critters!

Underground construction with concrete would seem ideal.  Above ground, build your cabin or retreat of materials that resist fire as much as possible...tile or metal roofs, concrete or stucco siding, & full log siding is relatively fire resistant.

Clear the area around your home for about 100 yards of flammable material (also creates clear field of fire). Keep grass and brush trimmed or choose plants that are fairly green most of the time (don't dry out).  Bury your propane tank if you have one, cover top with gravel, keep firewood away from your house (insect reason too).  Many states now require these items on all new construction...some states or counties require sprinkler systems on rural homes.

Building your cabin in the woods, surrounded by trees, with a wood shake roof are a thing of the past.  Are you #prepared for Fire Season?

Kudos to the brave men & women who help fight Wild Fires, risking their lives to protect people & property!  In 2006, my son and I took part in Wild Fire Training in Colorado Springs, CO.  It involved wearing a lead weighted 40 pound vest crammed with instruments, to measure vital signs, while walking 4 miles as fast as possible and climbing up an 18" step as many times as possible in 5 minutes! At age 57, I wasn't first, but I finished and wasn't last!  It was one of the most strenuous things I've ever done!

Fire Resistant Construction

Log Homes

Fire Resistant Construction Requirements

Aluminum Security Shutters

Steel Security & Fire Doors

Underground Homes

Fire Resistant Plants

Free Kindle Books on Prepping!

One of the first things I did when I got my Kindle Fire a month ago, was to research books on Prepping. I've loaded several that were free.  many more are available at $0.99 to $2.99 range.  There are many for every situation from general surviving and prepping to specific Tornado's, Earthquakes, Nuclear War and other specific scenarios. Go online & check them out!

The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetable Book by Catherine Abbott  A large ammount of information, well organized with illustrations.

Woodcraft & Camping by George Washington Sears

Backpack Gourmet by Linda F Yaffe  A great tie in to the current Mountain House 20% to 25% off sale!

Basic Soap Making by Elizabeth Letcavage - Editor  An informative book with nice color illustrations and photo's.

Prepping for Off Grid Survival by Nicholas Hyde  Covers many of the the key topics of any prepper homested.