Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Winter First Aid 2022/23

By Timothy Gamble

Winter 2022/23 is here, and with it comes winter's own set of first aid concerns. Here is a quick look at those concerns.*

The Anatomy of Body Heat

A major concern for winter survival is body heat. The human body needs to maintain the core temperature of 98.6° F (37° C). If it gets too low or too high for too long, it could be damaging or even fatal. Most body heat is lost through the head, neck, hands, and wrists, but this is due to those areas being typically not as well-covered as the other areas of your body. If you were naked, you would lose body heat roughly equally throughout your body. The hands and feet, especially the fingers and toes, as well as the ears and nose, are more vulnerable to frost bite due to their greater distance from your body core.

Wearing warm, dry socks, and appropriate shoes or boots is important during the winter. Warm gloves and head coverings (such as a wool toboggan or a full Balaclava) are also recommended in cold weather. You should keep a bag with extra socks, gloves and toboggans in your vehicles, just in case.  A warm blanket also makes a good addition to your vehicle kit.  

Frostnip/Frostbite Symptoms & Treatment

Frostnip is a mild form of early frostbite. According to the WebMD website: "When it's cold out, exposed skin may get red or sore. This is called frostnip, and it’s an early warning sign of frostbite. If this happens, find warm shelter quickly."

According to the Mayo Clinic website: "Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone else points it out."

The symptoms of frostbite include:
  • Early on, cold skin and a prickly sensation (frostnip)
  • Numbness
  • Skin discoloration: red, white, bluish-white, or grayish-yellow
  • Hard skin and/or waxy-looking skin
  • Joint and muscle stiffness, causing clumsiness and difficulty using hands
  • In severe cases, blistering and peeling of skin after rewarming

For frostnip, the Mayo Clinic website recommends rewarming the skin and protecting it from further cold. Frostbite requires medical treatment, especially is the frostbite is severe or is accompanied by increasing pain, swelling, discharge, or fever. While awaiting medical care, do not walk on frostbitten feet. Ibuprofen may reduce pain. 

NOTE: Frostbitten skin is easy to burn, so avoid direct contact with fire, heaters,  lamps, HOT water, and heating pads. While outside, you can warm hands by placing them under your arms. Inside, you can soak hands and feet in WARM (not hot) water.

Hypothermia

According to the Mayo Clinic website: "Get emergency medical help if you suspect hypothermia, a condition in which your body loses heat faster than it can be produced.  Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C)" 

Symptoms of hypothermia include:
  • Intense shivering
  • Slurred speech
  • Slow, shallow breathing
  • Weak pulse
  • Drowsiness and loss of coordination
  • Confusion and/or memory loss
  • Unconsciousness
Hypothermia is a very serious condition. Seek medical help immediately if you suspect someone has hypothermia. In the meantime, here are the first aid recommendations from the Mayo Clinic website:
  • Gently move the person out of the cold. If going indoors isn't possible, protect the person from the wind, especially around the neck and head. Insulate the individual from the cold ground.
  • Gently remove wet clothing. Replace wet things with warm, dry coats or blankets.
  • If further warming is needed, do so gradually. For example, apply warm, dry compresses to the center of the body — neck, chest and groin. The CDC says another option is using an electric blanket, if available. If you use hot water bottles or a chemical hot pack, first wrap it in a towel before applying.
  • Offer the person warm, sweet, nonalcoholic drinks.
  • Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as breathing, coughing or movement.
  • Do not rewarm the person too quickly, such as with a heating lamp or hot bath.
  • Don't attempt to warm the arms and legs. Heating or massaging the limbs of someone in this condition can stress the heart and lungs.
  • Don't give the person alcohol or cigarettes. Alcohol hinders the rewarming process, and tobacco products interfere with circulation that is needed for rewarming.
Avoid hypothermia by wearing appropriate shoes, socks, clothing, gloves and head/neck coverings for the weather conditions. If you get wet, including heavy sweating, change into dry clothes as soon as possible. Avoid staying outside in very cold weather for too long. Older folks, babies, young children, and folks with certain medical conditions (such as Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and hypothyroidism) are more susceptible to hypothermia. Keep a watchful eye on those folks.  
 
https://amzn.to/2PUrvLz
* Of course, you should learn first aid and CPR before an emergency hits. Everyone, prepper or not, should learn first aid. Please take a first aid course as soon as possible. 
Places you may be able to find a course include your local YMCA, fire department, rescue squad, or community college. You also may be able to organize a course through your church, scouting organization, or a local community/civic club.

In need of a first aid handbook? I recommend the ACEP First Aid Manual 5th Edition: The Step-by-Step Guide for Everyone. It is more up-to-date than the current Red Cross one (2014 vs. 1992). 
______________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Gab = https://gab.com/TimGamble

Minds = https://www.minds.com/TimGamble

Twitter = https://twitter.com/TimGambleSpeaks

USA.life = https://usa.life/TimGamble 







Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Giving Tuesday (or any day) Recommendation

 Hi Folks,

If you are looking for a good organization to support, please prayerfully consider Grindstone Ministries / Kaleb House. This is a a 501(c)3 not-for-profit located in Eastern Oklahoma that does disaster relief and also runs Kaleb House, a rescue and recovery facility for juvenile human trafficking survivors. Link to their donation page: https://grindstone-ministries.snwbll.com/giving-portalThese are good people carrying out an incredibly important mission.

(Full disclosure, I am NOT affiliated in any way with Grindstone Ministries / Kaleb House, other than supporting their mission.) 

Please watch this video by TJ Morris, President of Grindstone. Text can be read below the video.  --Tim Gamble



Giving Tuesday 2023

Grindstone Ministries is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit located in Eastern Oklahoma. We perform disaster relief and construction projects for underserved communities adversely affected by critical weather events. GSM has deployed 36 times in the last 42 months to notable storms including Hurricanes Ian & Michael in Florida, the Mayfield Kentucky tornadoes, and most recently to Southeastern Oklahoma for the tornadoes that affected Idabel. During these deployments, we have: • donated tens of thousands of man-hours of labor for relief and recovery efforts • hauled tens of thousands of cubic yards of debris at our cost • remediated, rebuilt, or replaced a dozen homes at our cost • provided more than ten thousand hot meals to residents, first responders, line workers, volunteers, and recovery personnel at our cost • coordinated and performed Search & Rescue missions at our cost • provided medical expertise & capabilities to strained EMS agencies at our cost • warehoused & distributed thousands of tons non-perishable food items, potable water, hygiene products, infant and childcare products, tarps, construction materials, and medicines at our cost • raised more than $500,000 of private funds for disaster relief efforts and residents affected by severe weather In order to maintain the readiness required to deploy quickly and efficiently to critical weather events, Grindstone is dependent upon the generosity of folks like you who monetarily support our disaster recovery efforts. We couldn’t do this without you. In addition to disaster relief, Grindstone Ministries is also actively constructing Kaleb House, a recovery facility for juvenile human trafficking survivors. We estimate the construction costs for Kaleb House to exceed $1.5 million dollars; but for this cost we will be able to provide a safe and secure recovery facility for up to 60 children. Utilizing the House Parents model, Kaleb House will address the mental, emotional, spiritual, educational, financial, and physical challenges that survivors of human trafficking face. Our program has no time limit; when our kiddos are grown and ready to face the world on their own terms, they are free to go. But until then, we’re not asking anyone to leave simply because a certain length of time has transpired. How does someone tell a six year old that their time is up? Kaleb House already has 24 survivors in its care, which are being stewarded in a series of safehouses staffed 24/7 by professional caregivers. The cost to care for these children, ages 1 to 19, exceeds $20,000 per month. So not only does Kaleb House require funds to complete construction of the facility, but we are also dependent upon your donations to fund our monthly operating costs to continue to steward the survivors in our care. Please consider establishing a recurring donation through our giving portal at www.grindstoneministries.com to assist in our ongoing efforts to bless underserved communities and rescue & restore juvenile human trafficking survivors. Funds can be specifically earmarked through the giving portal, as per the following: General Fund: Supports operational costs & disaster relief efforts Kaleb House: Supports ongoing recovery efforts for our survivors Construction: Supports the actual construction of the Kaleb House facility Thank you for your time and prayerful consideration. TJ Morris President Grindstone Ministries Kaleb House Matthew 18:6

Monday, November 28, 2022

The Survivalist's Stockpile: WD-40 and Its 2000+ Uses

By Tim Gamble

The Survivalist's Stockpile is an occasional feature on Dystopian Survival, highlighting items that preppers and survivalists might want to include in their stockpile of supplies. This edition is about WD-40.

What is WD-40?

You have heard of WD-40, but what exactly is it? Technically-speaking, WD-40 is a penetrating oil and a rust-preventive solvent that can displace water. It was invented in 1953 by the Rocket Chemical Company (now named The WD-40 Company) as a chemical to thoroughly clean and protect rocket parts. WD stands for "water displacement" and the 40 refers to the successful 40th formulation, after 39 previous attempts failed to meet needed specifications. What exactly is in WD-40, beyond various hydrocarbons, is a closely guarded trade secret. (Link to WD-40 products on Amazon.)

2000 documented uses for WD-40! 

According to The WD-40 Company, there are over 2,000 documented uses for WD-40. A .pdf of those documented uses can be downloaded from the company by clicking this link (link is to a large .pdf file, so may take a few moments to load). I'm not going to list all 2000+ uses (they are all on that .pdf, so check it out), but here are just few things WD-40 can do:

WD-40 lubricates and unsticks things that are stuck together. Examples include stuck bolts and nuts, lug nuts, hose ends, & other parts, zippers, door hinges, gate hinges, car locks, car doors, sheers & scissors, and a whole host of other stuck things. WD-40 can even be used to unstick, without breaking, drinking glasses and glass cookware that have gotten stuck together. 

WD-40 lubricates and quiets things that are noisy or squeaky. Examples include squeaky hinges, drawer rollers, bed springs, rocking chairs, leather shoes & boots, car & boat seats, ventilation systems, and basically anything else that squeaks, grinds, or makes other noises when it moves. 

WD-40 removes and prevents rust. Examples include anything made of metal, from garden tools to hand tools, from metal fishing hooks & lures to golf clubs & metal cleats. General rule of thumb: If it is made of metal, it can rust. If it can rust, WD-40 can remove that rust. And even prevent that rust in the first place. 

WD-40 cleans removes adhesive residue, tar, grime, and dirt. That sticky leftover adhesive from stickers and tape? WD-40 easily removes that from metal, wood, plastic, ceramic, leather, and glass materials. That dog poop all over your shoes? Gone with WD-40. That grime and gunk in soap dishes, ash trays, barbeque grills, and even the spray nozzle on your kitchen sink? WD-40 works wonders. 

WD-40 is a pest repellant. This one surprised me, but it turns out that many pests, including flies, squirrels, rabbits, and rodents, hate the smell of WD-40. Spray it along the bottom of fences and on wire tomato cages to keep the pests away from your garden. 

WD-40 is a stain remover. It can remove red kool-aid stains and tomato stains from carpet, upholstery, clothing, and fabrics. It also removes lipstick stains from clothing, shoe polish stains from socks, and hair-dye stains from towels. WD-40 also successfully removes many other stains. 

There are many "How-To" videos showing how to use WD-40 for many of its 2000+ uses on the company's website (click here to go to their webpage for those videos). 

WD-40 Multi-Use Products are available on Amazon in many sizes, raging from 1-ounce bottles to 55-gallon drums.

Previous articles in The Survivalist's Stockpile series:
______________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Gab = https://gab.com/TimGamble

Minds = https://www.minds.com/TimGamble

Twitter = https://twitter.com/TimGambleSpeaks

USA.life = https://usa.life/TimGamble 


Sunday, November 27, 2022

America Is Fat, but You Don’t Have to Be

In a culture where diet and exercise fads come and go, what do you need to do to be healthy? Prager U. recently released an excellent five-minute video by Vinnie Tortorich, entitled "America Is Fat, but You Don’t Have to Be," that I want to bring to everyone's attention. In it, Tortorich, a renowned fitness expert, offers three key behaviors that must be repeated to get and stay in shape. This is a simple and easy plan that anyone can do. Please take five minutes to watch it on the Prager U. website. Here is the direct link to the video: https://www.prageru.com/video/america-is-fat-but-you-dont-have-to-be 
_____________________

Ad: Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets - Twin Pack of 50 Tablets Each (100 Tablets in Total). Provides  water purification for camping, hiking, traveling and emergency water preparedness situations. Good for the bug-out and get home bags. 

Ad: 4-Way Silcock Key (aka Water Key) - Opens those recessed water spigots without handles that are on commercial buildings, and at parks & golf courses. Get access to water that you otherwise wouldn't be able to get. Good for the bug-out and get home bags. 



______________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Gab = https://gab.com/TimGamble

Minds = https://www.minds.com/TimGamble

Twitter = https://twitter.com/TimGambleSpeaks

USA.life = https://usa.life/TimGamble 


Thursday, November 24, 2022

Great gift ideas to promote self-reliance and resilience!

11-24-2022   Here are some great gift ideas to promote self-reliance and resilience! I wouldn't mind getting a few of these myself. I am a Amazon affiliate, so I do make a tiny percentage (and I do mean tiny) off any purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this website!!

Survivalist Family: Prepared Americans for a Strong AmericaBy Pastor Joe Fox / Viking Preparedness. Great guide to beginner and intermediate preparedness and survival. 


GREAT Survival Knife: KA-BAR #1213 


Leatherman Multi-Tools - I am a HUGE fan of Leatherman Multi-Tools. I carry one on my belt everyday. 


Water Filters and Water Straws for camping, hiking, emergencies, and survival are must haves! 



Non-GMO Heirloom Seeds for your survival garden! Grow your own food. 


Don't forget about your Medicinal & Tea Herb garden!



DefenderShield Cell Phone Faraday Bag & EMP Shield - Complete wireless signal blocking for data security and privacy protection. Military-grade anti-hacking from 0-90 GHz


The Scriptures - This new version in English is a literal translation that restores the names of God. 


Battery Storage Cases - GREAT for organizing! Many different sizes and designs available.


Laplander Folding Saws - I have a couple of these! GREAT for camping, hiking, bug-out bags, and chores around the homestead. 


https://amzn.to/2Dab8oa

The Mini Farming Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre - This book, by Brett Markham, contains detailed information on: Composting, Seed Starting, Pest and disease control, Selecting and saving seed, Raising chicken for eggs and raising chicken for meat, Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, and other veggies, Weed control, and much more, all geared towards urbanites and suburbanites with small yards of ¼ acre or less!   



_____________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

 

Monday, November 21, 2022

The Skills That Will Help You Survive Our New Reality

By Tim Gamble

Dystopian survival starts with awareness of potential problems and developing self-reliance. Building on that foundation, there are many other useful skills, including:

This list is, of course, just the tip of the iceberg of needed skills. If you have suggestions for other needed skills, just put them in the comments section below.

______________________

Ad: Cresson H. Kearny's Nuclear War Survival Skills: Lifesaving Nuclear Facts and Self-Help Instructions is currently on sale at Amazon for $10.39 (subject to change at Amazon's whim). This is the 2016 edition, which is the most recent edition.

______________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Gab = https://gab.com/TimGamble

Minds = https://www.minds.com/TimGamble

Twitter = https://twitter.com/TimGambleSpeaks

USA.life = https://usa.life/TimGamble 


Sunday, November 20, 2022

Fall Gardening Success Story

By Tim Gamble

November 17. That was the day that I picked the last of my fall garden. I picked enough loose-leaf lettuce to fill two large containers. I also picked a smaller container of spinach to mix into the salad. We ate the last of it at supper tonight (Nov. 20). 

I live in Western North Carolina, in the foothills (not deep in the mountains). We have had several frosts already this fall, and the overnight temperature has hit 32 on a few occasions. We had our first hard freezes on the nights of the 17 and 18 (temps hitting 25 and 26 respectively), which is what finally did in my fall garden. 

Many of my  herbs are still producing despite the freezes - Rosemary (an evergreen that has survived many winters in my yard), Chives (still looking healthy for now, they die back over the winter, then return in the spring), and even Oregano (I have one in a large pot that has survived two winters so far). 

I am sharing this with you to encourage people to plant fall gardens. I have often suggested this over the years, and it seems like whenever I do, I always get one or two folks who whine that fall gardening really isn't possible, especially in their area. Well, unless you are living waaay up North, and I am sure some of you do, I am here to tell you that you can grow a garden in the Fall in most places. And without a greenhouse (though I wish I had one for a winter garden). 

Of course, your fall garden won't be as productive has your spring/summer garden, and you probably won't be able to grow some favorites like tomatoes and peppers. But some food is better than no food. Learn what grows in your area in the Fall, and plant some next year! 

--------------------

https://amzn.to/2Dab8oa

The Mini Farming Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on ¼ Acre - This book, by Brett Markham, contains detailed information on: Composting, Seed Starting, Pest and disease control, Selecting and saving seed, Raising chicken for eggs and raising chicken for meat, Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, and other veggies, Weed control, and much more, all geared towards urbanites and suburbanites with small yards of ¼ acre or less!   



_____________________


Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

 

Statement on Resistance / Statement on Self-Defense

For the benefit of the federal agent assigned to monitor my websites, I thought it would be useful of me to post a Statement on Resistance, and to repost my Statement on Self-Defense and the Use of Force, in order to prevent any potential misunderstandings. Note that I do not in any way call for civil war, armed revolution, or political violence of any type. 



Statement on Resistance


By Tim Gamble  11-20-2022

We the people have an inalienable right to resist, by all means peaceful and moral, any and all oppressive or tyrannical governments, corporations, and other authorities, including individuals who by their wealth, station, influence or other means, exercise or attempt to exercise power over others. 


This Statement on Resistance is a short and simple, but for the sake of clarity in these troubling times, I will explicitly point out a few things. 

First, this is a statement of peaceful and moral resistance. It is not in any way a call for, or an endorsement of, armed revolution, civil war, or political violence of any type. 

Second, resistance is an inalienable right, meaning that this right cannot be taken or given away by any means. This right is not subject to governmental or legal authority, nor is it subject to any vote. It cannot be legislated by politicians, nor regulated by bureaucrats. It is not subject to corporate policies or terms-of-service agreements. 

Third, "oppressive or tyrannical" refers to any exercise of illegitimate authority, unconstitutional power, and immoral acts. It refers to any attempt to limit or restrict our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It refers to any attempt to revoke or restrict our personal freedoms as outlined in the Bill of Rights. It refers to any attempt to change or invalidate the Constitution, or any portion thereof, through any means other than the prescribed legal and proper amendment process. It refers to any attempt to limit, restrict, or take our economic freedoms for any reason, including the right to personal property, the right to work, and the right to engage freely in commerce (the right to buy and sell). It includes any attempts to deny or limit the rights of parents to raise their children, including overseeing their children's education and healthcare. It includes any and all attempts to force people into any form of collectivism, including fascism, socialism, communism, marxism, and maoism. It includes any attempt to cancel individuals who hold traditional viewpoints, values, or beliefs, or to otherwise bully people into accepting or conforming to so-called "woke" ideology. 

Fourth, this statement does not preclude self-defense and the use of force as a last resort to protect oneself or others from the threat of imminent harm (see my Statement on Self-Defense and the Use of Force).


Statement on Self-Defense and the Use of Force


By Tim Gamble  (originally published January 20, 2020)

This statement reflects my views on Self-Defense and the Use of Force, prayerfully developed over many years of consideration. I do not seek to prove these views to the reader, but rather hope the reader will investigate the many sources given in the footnotes, should they have questions about why I hold these views. 

For the purposes of the following statement, I define self-defense as "the use of force, including potentially deadly force, as a last resort to protect oneself or others from the threat of imminent harm." This definition therefore excludes the use of force solely for personal gain, or out of a desire for revenge or vengeance. Also notice some key words of that definition - "last resort", "protect", and "imminent harm" - that suggest there are limitations upon the use of force in self-defense. Self-defense is not an excuse for the unlimited use of violence.  

Statement on Self-Defense and the Use of Force

I strongly believe in the unalienable right of self-defense, including the defense of others. It is a biblical concept, which can be proved with numerous passages from both the Old and New Testaments. (see footnotes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8)

I strongly support the Second Amendment. We have the right to possess the tools of self-defense, including guns and knives. (see footnotes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,)   

I reject retaliation, revenge, and vengeance, because God's Word makes it clear that such belongs to the Lord, not man. (see footnotes 1, 6)

I reject unwise and inappropriate use of force in self-defense. This includes being too quick to anger, and lacking self-control. Defensive force should only be used as a last resort. "Employing potentially lethal force out of anger, hatred, jealously, or revenge is always wrong and is condemned by Scripture." (see footnote 7)

I reject unprovoked aggression (the initiation of force without just cause). Aggression (force) is necessary, and ethical, in some circumstances to protect ourselves (or others) from actions or threats against our lives, freedoms, rights, or property. 

I reject the concept of absolute pacifism (the idea that force should never be used under any circumstances, even in self-defense or defense of others). I consider refusing to help defend those in legitimate need, when you have the ability to do so, to be a potentially immoral and cowardly act, because it suggests that life isn't worth defending.

----------
Footnotes

1) See the website Biblical Self-Defense for a lengthy examination of dozens of Old and New Testament passages on self-defense.

2) 
See the article Self-Defense by Fr. John Whiteford on the Orthodox Christianity website. 
 
3) A book on the subject of biblical self-defense that may be of interest is Stand Your Ground: The Biblical Foundation For Self-Defense, by Steve Jones.

4) The article The Six Things Americans Should Know About the Second Amendment, by Richard W. Stevens, contains an examination of self-defense within a Judeo-Christian framework.

5) See The Bill of Rights, particularly the Second Amendment.

6) See the page Revenge and Retaliation on the Knowing Jesus website for 37 verses on retaliation, revenge, and vengeance belonging to God, not people.

7) Quote is from The Biblical View of Self-Defense, on the Biblical Self-Defense website.


8) Watch the five minute video, Do Not Murder, by Dennis Prager. 

_____________________


Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Friday, November 18, 2022

How To Prepare For the End of Cash

By Tim Gamble

You may also be interested in my article "Stop The Madness! Keep Cash Alive!!" on why a cashless economy is very bad for people, and why cash is superior. 

How To Prepare For the End of Cash

The bad news: cash is going away. Our esteemed leaders in government and big business have decided this for us, and are picking up the pace in the move to a cashless, all digital economy. We can try to resist (and should), but at this point it is almost a done deal. 

The good news: cash isn't going away this year. When it does go away, it won't happen overnight. It will take time to complete the move. This gives us some time to prepare for what is almost certainly coming. So, how do we prepare? Here are some of my thoughts.

Start by getting your financial house in order. Reducing your expenses and getting out of debt are very important steps to surviving a cashless economy. The fewer bills you have, the less dependent on the cashless system you will be. Check out my article Financial Preparedness: Back to the Basics for some great ideas on this topic.

Next, try to put aside at least one year's worth of food (more is better) before being being forced into the all-digital system. You then can keep your stored food "topped off" without it being as apparent to their algorithms that you are stockpiling (or in their terms "hoarding") food. Same goes for cleaning supplies, hygiene supplies, first aid supplies, OTC medications, vitamins and supplements, and so forth. Do most of your stockpiling ("hoarding") now, before we are forced to go cashless. 

I especially recommend you buy any guns, ammo, body armor, and other politically incorrect items sooner rather than later. I do believe they want to use the cashless, digital economy to regulate the second amendment out of existence. 

Barter will become a major means of economic exchange for people not willing to fully buy into the new digital system. Do you know people you can barter with? Do you produce things that could be used for barter? Do you have skills you can barter? You can barter some of your supplies, of course, but eventually you will run out. What then? Now is the time to figure this out. 

Make contacts with local farmers and other producers, and start building your barter networks now. This way you won't be scrambling to figure this out after the fact. Another reason to make contacts and start building networks now is that you are going to need people you trust, and who trust you. Once government figures out that people are bartering instead of placidly joining the digital economy, they will make barter illegal. This will force us into an underground, black market. For this, we are going to need people we trust. 

Metals, such as gold, silver, and even lead (in the form of ammo), will also be a primary means of exchange for those wishing to avoid the digital system. Most of us probably can't afford gold at this point, but silver and ammo are still relatively affordable. Copper pennies (1981 and before) and even nickels (75% copper, 25% nickel) will likely retain value and be used as a means of exchange. They both are already worth more in metal content than their face value (copper pennies are worth about 2½¢ each and nickels about 6¢ each at this time). You may be interested in my article Prepper's Guide to Junk Silver.

The government may attempt to confiscate metals at some point (they did so in the past), but I believe that may push our unsustainable economic system over the edge into collapse. At that point, folks will pay little attention to the failed government and its authorities.  

The most important thing, and the hardest, to do is to get out of the worldly economic system as much as possible. Become a producer, not a consumer. Buying land and setting up a homestead, where you and your family can be as self-reliant as possible, is a good way to go. Doing this with a community of similar folks also seeking self-reliance would be even better.  Consider moving to a small town or rural area with lots of nearby farms and country folk, or get together with some other families and start your own self-reliant community!
______________________

Ad: Cresson H. Kearny's Nuclear War Survival Skills: Lifesaving Nuclear Facts and Self-Help Instructions is currently on sale at Amazon for $10.39 (subject to change at Amazon's whim). This is the 2016 edition, which is the most recent edition.

______________________

Survive the emerging Dystopia. Subscribe to Dystopian Survival by clicking here and by following Tim Gamble on social media:

Gab = https://gab.com/TimGamble

Minds = https://www.minds.com/TimGamble

Twitter = https://twitter.com/TimGambleSpeaks

USA.life = https://usa.life/TimGamble