Friday, May 29, 2020
New Additions to Dystopian Survival and Why I have returned to Facebook.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Dystopian Survival: Special Gear, Skills, and Tactics for Modern Life
So, what does urban survival look like? The following is a list, in no particular order, of some of the gear and skills that are useful for us urbanites, along with how they might be used for urban survival (their "tactical use"). Some of the gear listed should be part of your urban everyday carry (edc), while other gear should be part of your home survival gear, bug-out bag, or get-home bag.
1) USB Key (also called a memory stick or flash drive). I consider this almost a must have in today's digital world, especially if you, like me, don't fully trust online cloud storage. It allows you to carry files between home, work, and school, as well as back-up copies of important documents and information you don't want to lose. You can even keep a photo log of expensive household items for insurance purposes in case of fire or theft.
4) Personal Water Filter. Again, water is key, and it needs to be clean. A personal water filter is something you should have in you bug-out bag and in your get-home bag or car kit. There are many different ones available to choose from, so pick one that suits your needs and lifestyle.. A larger water filter for the home is also a must, of course.
5) Electrical Key (aka control panel key). Electrical keys look similar to water keys, except they open up most electrical cabinets and control panels, gas & water meters and shut-off systems, train/bus/subway windows & doors, elevator control panels, and so forth. There are many different ones available, but the 11-in-1 key is the most versatile that I have found. A good item for your bug-out bag and get home bag.
6) Local Maps. You need to know your way around, and out of, your city. Remember, GPS and Google Maps might not be available in a disaster. Not just road maps, but also maps of rail lines and greenways in your city, would be useful, too. If you ever have to bug-out on foot, abandoned train tracks is your best option, instead of trying to hike along congested and dangerous roadways.
7) Local Knowledge. Okay, this isn't really a piece of gear, but you need to really know the city in which you live. Its more than just knowing the roads. You need to know where the bad neighborhoods and high crime areas of your city are, and how to avoid them. You also need to know people. Do you know an honest mechanic? A good and dependable plumber? A babysitter you can trust with your kids? Do you know your neighbors? Do you know your local elected officials? Do you know what their plans are for your city? Do you follow the local news, or maybe listen to a local talk radio show? Get to really know you city and its people. Build a network of people you trust, and who have reason to trust you.
8) General Tools. Tools are wonderful inventions that allow us to do more than we could with just our hands. Everyone needs tools, even city folks. Here are some recommendations:
A good pocket knife is something most folks should carry (mine is a Swiss Army Knife, but pick whatever best suits your life and needs.). A multitool is a great addition to anyone's EDC and I highly recommend getting one (I always carry my Leatherman on my belt). A multi-bit screwdriver is also quite handy, so carry one in your bag, briefcase, or EDC kit. Make sure you have a precision screwdriver that fits the screws on your eyeglasses, sunglasses, and electronic gadgets. I've also found that a good pair of scissors is very useful to have on hand. Carry one in your briefcase or bag.
Of course, you should a good tool kit at home, even if you live in a small apartment. For what to include, please see my article Basic Starter Tool Kit.
9) Handcuff Key.
Check your local laws, but surprisingly these are legal most places. It's not just good cops that
have access to handcuffs, but lots of people, good and bad. Having
access to handcuff keys might come in handy some day. It
is, of course, illegal to hide them from law enforcement for the
purpose of escape, so if you ever get legitimately arrested, immediately
let the officer know you have one on you.
10) Lock Picks. If you know how to use them, lock picks could come in quite handy at times. If you don't know how to use them, they won't do you any good, so learn.
11) Useful Shoes.
Not just shoes, but useful shoes. Shoes you can walk in, run in, climb
in, and will protect your feet. So, not high heels, sandals, clogs, or
flip flops. Not even wingtips. Sure, you may need these type shoes for
work or fun, but you should always have a pair of more practical shoes with you
for when you need them. Perhaps keep them in your car? Or a spare pair
at work? I'm lucky enough to not have to dress up for work, so my
everyday shoes are hiking shoes, which are a great compromise between athletic shoes and boots. Of course, I also have work boots at home for when I need them.
- Situational Awareness & OODA Loop
- Operational Security/Privacy Protection
- Dealing with an Intrusive Government
- Dealing with busybody neighbors, landlords, etc.
- Being the Gray Man (fitting in and going unnoticed)
- Making yourself an unappealing target for bad guys (know how to not look like a victim)
- Life Mobility (the ability to pull up roots and move yourself and your family away from threats and towards opportunities)
- Personal Mobility (your ability to walk, run, climb, dodge, and keep your balance)
- Money Management & Personal Finance Skills
- Computer and Technology Skills (using technology to your benefit, while knowing and protecting yourself from the risks)
- Self-Defense and Home-Defense Skills (more than just guns & ammo)
- Knowing what to do in an active shooter situation
- Knowing what to do if you get caught in a civil unrest or riot situation
- Health & Fitness
- Stealth and Alternative Medicine (you do not want to be dependent on the government/public healthcare system)
- First Aid (including dealing with gunshot wounds and other severe trauma)
- Employability in an era of High Tech and Artificial Intelligence
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Wedge Door Alarm |
This
article just scratches the surface of urban survival, but hopefully it
has given you some ideas and some food for thought. Again, I urge you to
check out my other articles on urban survival mentioned at the top of
this article.
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On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
Important Documents, and How To Secure Them
In all seriousness, in modern life there are important documents that we need to keep up with, like it or not. This begs two questions: What are those important documents? and How do we best secure those documents so that we have them when we need them?
Important Documents you may need include:
- Birth Certificates
- Marriage Certificates
- Death Certificates
- Wills, Powers-of-Attorney
- Military discharge papers
- Copies of credit cards, bank numbers, and other financial info
- Contact information and account numbers for insurance, investment accounts, utilities, etc.
- Tax, insurance, and other financial records
- Copies of driver's licenses and social security cards
- Title & Registration information for your vehicles
- Passports
- Medical and immunization records
- Health Insurance information
- Pet Records (registration, vaccinations, etc.)
- Copies of your high school diploma and collage degrees
- High School and College Transcripts
- Contact information for family, friends, co-workers, etc.
- Home and Property deeds
- Mortgage information
You probably already have paper copies of most of these documents at home in desk drawers or a file cabinent. Your first action step is to collect everything together, look through what you have, and see if you are missing anything. If so, start collecting copies of the missing documents.
Copies of important documents should be included in your bug-out bag. These can be digitized and loaded on an encrypted USB memory stick (for a free and easy encryption method, see my article from February). I carry a USB memory stick on my key chain and a back-up in my bug-out bag. I personally like and use the rugged GorillaDrive menory sticks (I posted a review to my website). You could also put an encrypted copy of your documents on your smart phone.
However, in a SHTF situation, you may not have ready access to a computer, so it might be wise to have hard copies of some documents. I have two 9x6 clasp envelopes containing documents that fit easily in my bug-out bag without adding a lot of weight or taking up much room. Insert them in a plastic zip bag for waterproofing.
In your bug-out bag, you don't have to have everything as paper copies. That would just take up too much room. For example, when I recently refinanced my home, the mortgage paperwork was over 160 pages long. No problem on a memory stick (the mortgage company emailed me the entire package as a .pdf), but I'm not lugging a hard copy of all that around with me in my bug-out bag. Instead, I just put the two-page summary (which has all the important numbers and information) in the 9x6 envelope I previously mentioned.
Keeping copies, paper or digital, of your important documents off-site (away from the originals) is a good idea. I recommend keeping a seperate set at your bug-out location if possible. Another possibility is keeping a set at work or a trusted relative or friend's place.
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Survival Basics...
Survival Basics
In any dangerous situation, our first goal is to survive. So, it is worth asking the question, what do we really need to survive? I've come up with a list of six items:
- Air that is safe to breathe.
- Water that is safe to drink.
- Food that is safe to eat.
- Protection from the elements.
- Protection from physical threats.
- Ability to deal with injuries and disease.
That's it. Those are the things we need in order to live. Of course, there are other things that would be nice to have, that would allow us to survive easier and with comfort, and even to thrive. But this article is about what we need to live - the basics of survival.
Now, lets take a deeper look at each of these basic necessities.
Air that is safe to breathe.
Oxygen. Without it we can only survive for a few minutes. Luckily, its in the air all around us (unless we are under water or in outer space). But, it is not always safe to breathe. There are times that the air is so polluted it can be dangerous. Remember what the air was like in the vicinity of the 9/11 tragedy. And many large cities around the world have air so dirty from vehicle and industry exhaust that residents are often warned to stay inside and to wear masks if they must go out. Its not just pollution and smoke that can make air dangerous to breathe, but also biological and chemical agents.
Consider your particular circumstances and concerns. Do you live in a place where serious air pollution is a problem? Or near factories or power plants that may accidentally release chemicals, radiation, or other toxins into the air? If so, you may want to move to a safer location. Concerned about nuclear threats? Don't live near nuclear power plants or military targets. Concerned about pandemics (avoid high population densities) or biological warfare? Read up on nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) preparedness.
At a minimum, I suggest everyone have several surgical masks (Here's what is currently available on Amazon) at home and the office, and in their bug-out bags, get-home bags, and vehicles. More committed survivalists may consider adding gas masks to their supplies for more complete NBC protection.
Water that is safe to drink.
We can only survive a couple of days at the most without water (and dying of thirst is a particularly miserable and painful way to die). Storing water is a top priority for survival, but water is incredibly bulky and heavy. We also need to have the ability to collect and treat water. Pollution, germs, parasites, and other toxins can make water unsafe to drink, so filtering and treating water we collect is extremely important.
A personal water filter is something we should have in our bug-out bags and get-home bags or car kits. There are many different ones available to choose from, so pick one that suits your needs and lifestyle. A larger water filter for the home is a good idea, too.
See my article Emergency Water Storage for a complete guide.
Food that is safe to eat.
The good news is that we can live many weeks, or even months if we are otherwise healthy, without food. The bad news is it won't be fun. And the lack of food will negatively impact our concentration, focus, physical coordination, reflexes, and energy-levels, as well as compromise our immune system. Not good in a survival situation, or any other situation for that matter.
The typical recommendation from FEMA and similar groups is to have three days of food in our bug-out or survival packs, and two weeks worth of food at home. Both of these recommendations fall way short, in my opinion. Strive for at least one week's food in your bug-out bag. And at home, I would consider two month's worth of food storage to be the absolute minimum. Serious survivalists typically aim for at least one year or more worth of food. (Book Recommendation: Peggy Layton's Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook.)
Protection from the elements.
The elements - cold, heat, wind, rain, ice - can kill a healthy person in a matter of hours, or less, under certain conditions. Dry, warm clothing, gloves, blankets, rain gear, and some form of shelter aren't just nice to have in a survival situation, they can be critical. In addition to a change of clothes, try to include a sleeping bag and a tent with the bug-out bag. In the winter, I keep a large blanket and extra gloves and toboggans in my vehicles. Tarps also have many uses, including temporary shelter.
A Go-Time Life Bivy (available on Amazon) or other emergency sleeping bag/shelter may be a compact and low-weight alternative to include in your bug-out bag or to carry in your vehicle.
Protection from physical threats.
Most likely, physical threats will come from our fellow man (desperate people do desperate things), but may also come from dangerous wildlife (bears, wolves, feral dogs, poisonous snakes). We need to have the ability to defend ourselves (guns & ammo being typically the most effective means, but certainly not the only means), and the training to do so effectively. Pay particular attention to the "training" part of that statement. That's something you have to do BEFORE you need it.
Ability to deal with injuries and disease.
This means both prevention and treatment. Proper equipment (gloves, work boots, safety glasses, etc.), as well as common sense, will go a long way to preventing many injuries.
First aid training and supplies are critical. Get training now, rather than trying to read a first aid manual while someone is bleeding out. We should include a small individual first aid kit as part of our every-day carry. A larger, more complete kit should be with the bug-out bag. A first aid kit can also be carried in our vehicles. Our homes and bug-out retreat (if we have one), should be fully stocked with first aid and medical supplies at all times.
Don't forget about your prescription medications. Work with your doctor to get extra medication to include in your bug-out bags. Sometimes they can write 90-day prescriptions instead of the typical 30-day, or even authorize an early refill if you are "going out-of-town" for a few weeks (it all depends on what the medication is, what the state law is, and what your doctor is willing to do).
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020
My qualifications as a "Survival Expert"? It is a fair question.
Answer: That is a fair question. I base my claim on a variety of factors, including:
- I grew up in the rural South as a good ol' country boy.
- I was literally a farm boy for much my childhood, living - and working - on my Grandfather's farm.
- I was in scouting for seven years.
- I am an avid lifelong outdoorsman - hunting, fishing, camping, hiking
- I have been a avid gardener my entire adult life
- I've been active in the prepper and survivalist community for more than 20 years.
- I took my first primitive skills workshop in 1998, and have participated in many similar workshops since then
- I've been researching and writing on prepper, survivalist, and homesteading topics for 15 years
- I was the creator and moderator of the Yahoo Group, Surviving the End, from 2005 to 2009, which had over 1,000 active members at its height.
- I ran a survival blog, Sustainable Future, from 2006-2010.
- I ran a homesteading blog, Modern Victory Movement, from 2006-2011.
- My main website, www.TimGamble.com, has featured preparedness, survivalist, and homesteading articles since 2010. It now features articles on current events, politics, and economics, particularly on issues of interest to preppers and survivalists.
- This website, www.DystopianSurvival.com, was created last year as the new home of my preparedness and survivalist articles, with an eye to preparing for and surviving modern threats.
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On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Personal/Family Preparedness Assessment
By Timothy Gamble (orginally publisshed December 7, 2017)
How prepared are you and your family for a disaster? Here are some questions and considerations to think about and discuss as you assess you and your family's preparedness:
Have you taken an actual first aid course recently? Having a first aid manual that you quickly skimmed through once right after you bought it doesn't count as training. Nor does your boy scout or girl scout training from 30 years ago. Believe me, you've forgoten much of what you learned way back then. Everyone in your family/group needs actual first aid training with refresher courses every so often.
Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? Is it still within its expiration date? Does everyone know how to use it? Do you have a fire extinguisher n your vehicle?
(In addition to a regular fire extingusiher, I have several Fire Gone fire extinguishers in my home. They are easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and work on Class A, B, and C fires.)
(The Lifestraw Family Water Filter can purify over 4,700 gallons of water, without the need for chemicals, for under $75.)
If you should not purchase any food at a store or restaurant for one week, would you have enough food stored at home to eat during that week? Expand that period to two weeks, then one month, then six-months. What holes do yu have in your food storage plan?
(My favorite food storage book: Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton.)
Gasoline can quickly disappear during a crisis. Check your vehicles' gas tanks at the moment. Are they full or near-full (good)? Or have you let them get down to near empty (bad)? Do you have any extra fuel safely stored for emergency use? How much? If you have a bug-out location, could you get there today without having to buy gas?
If your plans include producing your own food, are you already doing so? Did you grow a garden, raise chickens, go hunting, or go fishing, in the last year? Do you plan on doing so this year? Do you already have seeds for this coming year? Do you already have the tools you need? What if a collapse happens before you get your garden planted this year, and you cannot buy what you need?
Are your finances currently "in order?" How much credit card debt do you have? Do you have any auto-loans? Student loans? Other debt? Is your mortgage paid off? Are you spending less than you earn (are a saver), or more than you get (still in a debtor mentality)? Do you have an emergency fund? How many months worth of expenses is in your emergency savings account? Do you have any cash safely stored at home in case ATMs aren't working or their is a bank holiday declared? Do you have any savings in the form of tangibles (such as gold or silver)? Do you have possession of them (good), or are they stored for you by someone else (such as in a bank safe-deposit box, or with a broker)? In a full collapse scenario, do you really think you can get a second-party to turn your gold or silver back over to you even if you have a certificate saying that you own it (answer: no)?
Do you have any "special needs" folks in your family/group? Special needs individuals include many more than just the physically or mentally handicapped, and includes babies, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, folks with chronic illnesses (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, MS, MD, cancer, etc.), and folks with mental illness and addictions (including tobacco or alcohol).
What is your current state of health and physical fitness? What is the current health and physical fitness of all the other members of your family/group? When was the last time you had a health exam? A dental exam? An eye exam? Do you have any issues that need to be addressed at the moment, such as dental issues or new glasses, that you have been putting off? How far can you walk, carrying your bug-out-bag (BOB) or survival kit? Is that just a guess, or have you actually tried walking that distance recently?
Have you made a list of the various skills of individual members of your family/group? What skills do you have covered by at least two members? What useful skills are missing from your group? Some of the many possible skills include leadership, advanced first aid, nursing, dental, and other medical, veterinary, auto mechanics, small engine repair, home repair/DIY skills, hunting, trapping, fishing, gardening, canning, sewing, animal husbandry, plumbing, woodworking, electrical work, carpentry, butchering (game & livestock), security/defense, ham radio operator, tinker (repair, sharpen, maintain knives & tools), and so forth... Make a list of the skills you want your group to have, make an (honest) assessment of the current skills within the group, then start filling in holes by seeking training or additional group members.
These are just a few of many, many possible questions you can ask yourself and your family/group to assess your true state of preparedness for whatever difficult times that may be ahead. I hope this list helps you get started an a through assessment of your plans.
Please subscribe to Dystopian Survival using the Follow By Email field at the bottom of the right hand column.
On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
Free Resource: Guide to Wilderness Medicine for Outdoor Professionals and First Responders
On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Mobility, Movement, and the Prepper
- Stretching and Flexibility: 7 Tips (WebMD article)
- 9 Important Stretching Exercises for Seniors to Do Every Day (article)
- Stretches for the Inflexible! Beginner Flexibility Routine (You Tube video)
- The 21 Best Stretching Exercises for Better Flexibility (article)
- Stretching Exercises for Seniors (You Tube video)
- How To Stretch for Beginners, Safe Stretches (You Tube video)
Stretching
exercises and calisthenics don't require special equipment,
and can be done just about anywhere for free. Just remember the exercises you
used to do in gym class back in your school days - jumping jacks,
sit-ups, toe-touches, leg squats, windmills, push-ups, and so forth. You
can also find lots of videos on You Tube with fitness exercises and
workout programs, ranging from basic beginner videos to more
advanced workouts.
Exercise balls aren't expensive (most are under $30, some under $20) and are a great for yoga, pilates, and other types of exercise, as well as helping improve your balance. You can simply sit on an exercise ball while you watch television or work on the computer. You'll work on your balance and burn a few more calories at the same time.
Speaking of balance, walking around the house with a book on your head really does help. It'll improve your balance and your posture at the same time.
On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
The Three Foundations of Self-Reliance
Your self-reliance, as well as any preparations to survive any future disasters or crisis, rests on a foundation made up of three aspects - the mental/emotional, the physical, and the financial. No matter how well-thought out your plans, how many skills you have acquired, or how much stuff you've stockpiled, without a solid foundation you will be in deep trouble, if not quickly dead, in any crisis.
The mental/emotional aspect is, in my opinion, the single most important aspect of being self-reliant and prepared. All you planning, skills, and stockpiles will be useless to you if you panic, freeze up, or otherwise "fall apart" during a disaster or crisis. You will make poor decisions (or no decisions) that will endanger yourself, and your family, if you cannot think in a crunch.
The ability to not panic, stay focused, and think clearly in any crisis is obviously crucial. But, how do you develop your abilities in this area? Here is a quick summary of my Prepper's Guide to Mental Health and Emotional Preparedness article (please read the full article for more details):
- Develop a healthy spirituality
- Reconnect with your spouse
- Reconnect with family, friends, & neighbors
- Weed out toxic people from your life
- Get rid of your addictions
- Relax, Life. Enjoy life.
- Reduce stress
- Connect/reconnect with the natural world
- Get enough sleep on a consistent basis
- Be a life-long learner
Most of these ideas revolve around building positive relationships in your life (with God, spouse, family, friends...) which will build you up, and getting rid of problems that drag you down (toxic people, addictions, unnecessary stress, poor sleep habits...).
Of these, I really consider ones relationship with God to be the most crucial. My relationship with God gives me great comfort, encouragement, strength, and purpose. I really do believe "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)
"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." -- Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
The physical aspect includes your health and fitness. I am constantly amazed at the number of so-called preppers who are quite overweight and badly out-of-shape. Many are still heavy smokers. Worse, they are often doing nothing about it. The excuses flow like beer at a frat party - genetics, bad knees, no time, too hard,I'll get around to it later, even "I'll live off my body fat long after those skinny people are dead."
Folks, ten years ago I topped out at over 330 pounds, and was badly out of shape. Today, I'm down to 210 pounds and in much better shape. I've still got work to do, but I am doing it. Health and fitness is, and will remain, a major area of focus for me.
Don't know where to start? Here are the basics:
- Stop smoking and/or abusing drugs and alcohol - Need help to stop smoking? Visit the CVS Quit Smoking website (scroll down the page to find the info) and/or the Quit Smoking webpage of the American Cancer Society. Need help with alcohol addiction? See the AA website. Drug addiction? See the Narcotics Anonymous website.
- Get adequate sleep on a consistent basis - Sleep is an often overlooked, yet extremely important, foundation to physical and mental health.
- Eat healthy - Generally speaking, try to avoid highly-processed, industrial foods. Instead, eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, eggs, and poultry. I personally try to follow the Mediterranean diet (link is to a Mayo Clinic webpage) as closely as possible.
- Be physically active everyday - most experts recommend at least one hour of moderate exercise per day. This doesn't have to be in a gym or exercise class. Walking, biking, jogging, swimming, yard work, and gardening all work just fine.
- Visit you doctor and dentist on a regular basis - What constitutes "regular check-ups" depends on your age & health conditions and should be mutually decided on by you and your doctor.
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who
is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." --
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The financial aspect is also very important, and one some people unfortunately choose to ignore. In fact, I get the feeling some folks are hoping for an economic collapse that will end up being a financial reset for them, eliminating the debt they are already in. I seriously doubt it is going to happen that way. Besides, even if a complete economic collapse happens, we need to be able to pay our bills until then.
We all know the basics we should be doing financially. Spend less than you make. Get on a budget or spending plan. Avoid new debt. Pay off old debt. Reduce your expenses. Build some emergency savings. Get adequate insurance with a financially sound company. Improve your job skills and make yourself more employable.
All much easier said than done. Here is an article of mine to help you get started:
Financial Preparedness: Back to the Basics - A mega article crammed with information and details.
"The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." --Proverbs 22:7
On Social Media:
Twitter: @DystopianSurv - My account specifically for this website. 99% prepping, survivalist, and homesteading tweets. Few, if any, posts on politics.
Twitter: @TimGamble - My main account. Survivalist information, plus heavy on news, politics and economics.
GAB: @TimGamble - Mainly a back-up account for when Twitter bans me for being not being a leftist.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Are people already going back to sleep when it comes to prepping?
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times, by James Wesley, Rawles. Rawles is a well-known name within the survivalist community, and this book gives coverage of most topics within survivalism and prepping, not just food storage and bugging out.
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Saturday, May 2, 2020
My NEW Recommendations for Preparedness and Survival
Preppers and survivalists should constantly be reviewing,
updating, and changing their plans to reflect current circumstances and
concerns. Recent events, especially the current
worldwide pandemic caused by a Chinese bio-weapon,* and its many
repercussions, should give us plenty to think about and consider. The ongoing example of the failure of Socialism in Venezuela also provides many lessons. On a personal level, dealing with my ongoing health problems (my diabetes and related eye problems) has also provided new challenges and insights for me to consider in my planning. Here are my new recommendations.
Double your goals for food and water storage. Two weeks isn't enough. A month isn't enough. You aren't storing enough. Nor am I. In Venezuela, even former middle-class folks have been reduced to dumpster-diving and even eating family pets to survive. The problem isn't just high inflation, or even temporary disruptions in the supply chain. There simply isn't much food to be had for any price. Store shelves are empty, and staying empty. And here's the dirty little secret: food scarcity is even hitting rural areas, as few country folk are fully self-reliant when it comes to food. I recently accomplished my goal of doubling my food storage, and will likely add even more in the coming months.
Avoid high-density urban areas. I'm
not saying you have to move to an isolated homestead in the middle of
nowhere. If that type of rural living isn't for you, then consider
moving to a town or small city (the smaller the better, but at least
keep it below 100,000 in population). And make sure it is well away from
one of the mega-cities (I suggest at least a two-hours drive away under
normal conditions, more if possible). If there is anything that the
current pandemic proves beyond any argument, it is the dangers of living
in or near large cities. Not only are big cities major incubators for
disease, they are high-profile targets for terrorists, they are almost
always controlled by authoritarian, socialist types. And, if a hot war
breaks out with China, a realistic possibility at some point, mega-cities like New York, Washington, Chicago, and Denver, among
others, will make likely targets.
Food, supplies, guns & ammo, and even skills are ultimately worthless you you aren't healthy or fit enough to use them. Health and fitness MUST be your number one preparedness & survival priority (your relationship to God is your number one Life Priority).
You and everyone in your family/group should get a complete physical exam within the next six months. Also, dental and vision exams this year for everyone. I've chronicled my mistake of putting off a doctor's visit until I absolutely had to, and it cost me dearly in terms of my health, my vision, and my finances. Learn from my mistake.
*
There is no doubt that the coronavirus is a bio-weapon created by the
Chinese government. Pay attention to what epidemiologists, bio-weapons
experts, various intelligence services, and others in a position-to-know, are saying. Covid-19 is a bio-weapon. The only question if it is
1) an escapee from the Wuhan bio-weapons lab, 2) released by the Chinese
on a small segment of their society as a test, of which they then lost
containment, or 3) intentionally released worldwide by the Chinese. Why
does this matter? If the answer ends up being #2 or #3, we will be in a very
hot war with China within a year or so, guaranteed.
** Read the opion piece, Coronavirus unmasks America's real national security vulnerabilities, written by Brig. Gen. Robert S. Spalding (USAF Ret.) for more on this topic. You may alse be interested in his book, Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept. Highly recommended! Another good read by a different author is China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine.
*** Read the articles Fifteen Commandments for Keeping Your Job and What To Do BEFORE Losing Your Job.
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times, by James Wesley, Rawles. Rawles is a well-known name within the survivalist community, and this book gives coverage of most topics within survivalism and prepping, not just food storage and bugging out.
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