What To Do If The Nightmare Becomes Reality?

by Todd Walker

I’ve waited all day trying to decide to post this or not. I don’t know what to think. So I’m putting it out there.

Last night I woke up in a panic. “It was only a dream,” I told myself.

The dream was real.  But could the terror in my dream materialize? I’m not a mystic or prophetic, but I do believe we should pay attention to dreams … and even nightmares.

It’s unusual for me to remember the details of a dream. In this one, I was horrified. Sweating. Agony. I don’t ever remember utilizing all 5 senses in a dream. Last night I could smell, feel, hear, taste, and see the detailed devastation.

It was a dark night of the soul experience.

TEOTWAWKI happened and I was caught with my pants down. Literally. It was like the scene from Schindler’s List where the Nazis were making their captives run around naked in the yard of the concentration camp. The older, weak, and less “useful” were sent to the furnace. Horrible!

The worst part about it was that I felt responsible somehow. I didn’t do enough.

DRG was ripped from my arms. Terror gripped me because I had no control. I couldn’t fight back the overwhelming numbers and force. “What would happen to our children, grandchildren, and expectant daughter-in-law,” I remember thinking.

Why am I sharing this miserable night? I’m not looking for an interpretation. The meaning is crystal clear to me.

Here’s what I took away from my twilight zone.

A.) Prepare now! You can take it as a warning or write it off as a dream from a crazy mind. Each of us are free to choose. The catch is that we can’t choose the consequences. Redouble your efforts in these areas.

• Self-sufficiency skills. Increase your ability to acquire the basics – water, food, shelter, and security.
  
• After the basics, begin to build resilience into systems like alternative energy, sustainable gardening/permaculture, and self-employment.

B.) Never give up your ability to defend yourself. Owning modern weaponry keeps the State in check, some what. Giving up your natural right to defend yourself from Enemies, Foreign and Domestic, leads to genocide. History is full of examples of the wholesale mass murder of disarmed subjects. Beware of lethal laws. Are you sure you’re not an enemy of the State? Are you on any lists?

• Here’s a disturbing list of countries that confiscated guns so bully tyrants could go wild. 
• The 20th century was the century of Government’s inhumanity to unarmed citizens.

C.) Build a strong relationship with your family, group, community, and God.

• Find ways to add value.
• Exchange value for value within your group and community.
• Establish beneficial bartering relationships locally.

D.) Wake up. Don’t fall for the it-could-never-happen-here doublespeak. Read some history. Our government has engaged in civilian round-ups before… in the name of national security. And we willing traded liberty for security.

• In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which permitted the military to circumvent the constitutional safeguards of American citizens in the name of national defense. Over 120,000 Americans of Japanese decent were forced to leave their homes, livelihoods, and families with the stroke of a pen. About half of these prisoners were children. Source
  
• President Andrew Jackson signed the The Indian Removal Act of 1830 which forced Native Americans to relocate to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi. It was spun as voluntary, but always remember that government equals force. Over 100,000 people were forced to follow the Trail of Tears. 15,000 died on the journey. Source

We don’t have to have this kind of nightmare to jolt us into action. World events and the poly-ticks are evidence enough to shift your prepping into overdrive.

Was my dream just a nightmare or a premonition?

 

Life Learners: Unschooling the Prepper Community

by Todd Walker

I have to sit through meeting after boring meeting with fellow teachers, administrators, and highly paid “educational experts” and listen to the same old stuff, just in a different burning brown bag on my doorstep.

We huddle together to discuss…

“How do we get standardized test scores up – barring the Atlanta School System‘s methods?”

“How do we improve discipline?”

“Why aren’t parents doing more to help at home?”

In case you are not yet aware of the truth about government schooling, let me say it as clearly as possible…the system is not broken and doesn’t need reform. Once you come to this realization, the busy work and babysitting, the high-stakes testing, the regime-like control and surveillance, the hyper-allegiance and submission to authority, the path of dumbing-down becomes an open conspiracy. Cheating is not only tolerated, but it keeps the system healthy. This was a life-changing Aha Moment for me. I see clearly now.

The de-zombification process for some people happens first through their eyes. Text travels to the brain – rattles around – and your true nature verifies what you just read. Sometimes your intuition (your knower – “something ain’t right whisperer”) provokes you to further investigation. In my case, it was my knower’s constant nagging – reminiscent of Wife #1.

Do I really think that cheating takes place in every government-run school? YES!

While not every school or system has engaged in erasing bubble sheets behind doors with posted guards, forced institutional schooling cheats every student. The recent Atlanta cheating scandal pales in comparison to the rest of the ice burg hidden below the murky waters of coercive schooling.

Here’s how your child gets cheated by attending school.

• Creativity is squashed
• Lots of boring facts with no real-world application
• Forced “friendship” with people you don’t like
• Critical thing
• Self-discovery is damned. There’s not a moment in the day where they can sit privately and contemplate.
• Academically. We have to teach in the middle to low range to make it fair for everyone in the lesson. This bores kids who need a more challenging lesson. And it’s disheartening to those who learn slower. But there is genius in every student. There’s just no time for them to develop in the classroom.
• All work and no play

If government schooling is so great, why does it have to be forced upon us? Hum….

I’ve addressed the question here, here, and here.

The most overlooked threat in the prepper community is…

Centralized forced schooling. The products of these institutional zombie factories out number self-reliant, preparedness individuals by a very wide margin. Zombie hunters, should the SHTF flag actually be raised, will be overwhelmed.

Solutions? There are no easy ones. Hard choices have to be made by parents wishing to escape the zombified matrix.

My number one option I’ve given to desperate parents seeking asylum and sanctuary from the gulags is to disobey the societal norms and unschool their children. The earlier, the better.

If you’ve got children with a few years of indoctrination and obedience training already, open their cage so they can follow their own self-directed, free-range educational journey. This doesn’t mean your little ones won’t have any direction or guidance from you and other knowledgable adults. It’s just that they now have the freedom to discover, experiment, test, play, and decide what’s worth learning.

Preppers Already Practice Unschooling

Adult preppers are great examples of self-directed learners. We’re not seated in cramped chairs with artificial lighting, forced associations, a set curriculum with an “expert” teaching us what we could care less about. Instead, we pick what we’re passionate about and meaningful learning occurs. We discover, what every school-aged child most desires – but can’t realize because of the school-funk, that learning for the sake of learning is fun.

In school, it’s just the opposite. Just when Johnny connects with a real teacher and sees value in the math lesson, the bell tolls and sends him on to a much less appealing grammar lesson. Does he need to know what an onomatopoeia is? Maybe, but not until he needs to.

Do you remember any rote lessons that didn’t interest you during your tour of duty in school? How about now? Same answer, right?

Useful stuff happens when we’re allowed to pursue our own self-interest.

Yesterday, by chance, Dirt Road Girl and I met a gentleman that works for a local timber frame company. I struck up a conversation and invited ourselves over to see the operation. He seemed genuinely glad to see my interest in his craft. After our new friend gave us the tour, I made a proposal to come and help out (free of charge) on my summer break. I explained my skill level in carpentry and general construction and expressed my desire to learn. There may be an apprenticeship brewing for me.

This is the traditional method to learn anything new. Find an expert in the field that interest you and learn from them.

Many of you are balking at the thought of allowing your child to unschool. The chief objections I’ve heard are:

• That’s illegal in my state. Unschooling falls under homeschooling and is legal in all 50 states.
• My kids need to be socialized to be able to function in the real world. Traditional schools only allow kids to socialize with peers in their same age group and a few adults viewed as authority figures. Is that real-world socialization? Not quite.
• Where will they get their books and materials? Again, welcome to the digital age. The online world is where kids hangout. With a little direction, maybe not any, they can find info on anything they want to learn. The internet has the potential to make government schools obsolete.

Preparedness minded people seek out learning opportunities to further their prepping skills via the Internet, books, seminars, and experts in certain fields of study – without being forced to do so. Why? They’re following their self-interest. As a result, their education adds value to them, their family, community, and society. Personal preparedness and fulfillment also follows self-directed learning.

Do you see life and learning as the same thing?

I’m already working on my Ph.D. in self-sufficiency through interest-led unschooling. What are you studying? Beekeeping, permaculture, bushcrafting, wildcrafting, animal husbandry, aquaponics, bartering, security, blacksmithing, herbal remedies, alternative energy, food preservation? Share your best unschooling sources for preppering. We’d love to hear what you’re interested in and how you learn.

DRG and I want to thank each of you for taking time to visit us. One way we could really use your help is by you sharing this with your friends. If you’re on Twitter, be sure to look me up @SurvivalSherpa. 

Ability Is A Poor Prepper’s Wealth

by Todd Walker

“To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.” Lao Tzu

 

Image source

I use to look at all the preparedness blogs and books and turn green drooling over all the cool stuff these folks say I needed to survive an emergency, SHTF situation, or TEOTWAWKI.

I’d wake up at crazy hours of the night wondering how I’d get my family to safety in an emergency. I still envy some of my self-reliant heroes and heroine. It’s addictive. But I’ve come to realize that only makes me more stupid.

I’m no expert on anything. I’m a self-professed serial multi-tasker. I consider myself the stupidest survivalist on the planet. I’ve added lots of preparedness knowledge to my brain, but I have to balance my knowledge with wisdom. Taking away things like prepper envy adds wisdom. It’s so unwise to envy what many in the prepper community have in terms of gadgets, supplies, skills, and tools.  But I catch myself still doing it. Then I remind myself to live Sherpa Simple.

Here are 7 ways to beat the envy trap.

Prepper Envy Cure #1:

Be honest. Seems simple. The most useful, yet most neglected, item in my preparedness toolbox is honesty. I wish I was more honest with myself. I said I’m the stupidest survivalist on the planet. I really feel this way. This isn’t false humility or self-depreciation babble. This falls into the more I know, the less I know category.

Arrogance humbles. Last year I decided I needed to start working out with my BOB (Bug Out Bag). I consider myself to be in above average shape for my age (50). So I sling my 40 pound pack on my back and start my daily 4 mile walk with my Dirt Road Girl. Into mile 2 I discovered I hadn’t been honest about two things: A) my fitness level; B) the amount of “needed” stuff in my BOB. Find out before showtime if you’re ready. Be honest and adjust your lifestyle.

Prepper Envy Cure #2:

Don’t worrying, be happy. Pollyanna notions about whirled peas is not what I’m talking about here. Worrying may be the biggest drain and waste of energy in the prepper community.

A friend gave me this advise in the early 90′s that has served me well since (when I do it): Be prayed-up and laid back. At some point, we all have to get over ourselves and depend on a higher power. Mine happens to be God. This is by no means a He’ll take care of everything excuse not to prepare for my future. Prepare. But stop worrying about things you can’t control. Do what you can do, do all you can do, and let go of the rest.

What’s your biggest fear?

Prepper Envy Cure #3:

Hone your abilities. Coach John Wooden once said, “Ability is a poor man’s wealth.” You don’t have to be wealthy to be prepared. Skills trump gadgets.

Ability comes from experience and practice. Doing the Stuff. Turn off the TV or computer (ONLY after you’ve finished my article) and get outside and practice woodcraft or camping skills. Take a kid fishing/hunting. Walk your lawn and identify common weeds that might be useful for meds or food. You do have weeds in your yard right? I know exactly were to find plantain in my yard for the occasional tick bite or skin irritation. It’s an amazing wild weed!

Quit wishing you had the latest shiny survival object some experts say you need. Time spent developing skills helps dissolve prepper envy.

Prepper Envy Cure #4:

Avoid stupid mistakes. Avoid getting a personal “Darwin Award”.

“That could have put your eye out,” Mama said.

Why? Because we were shooting our BB guns at each other and she found out. It was obvious with the welt over my brother’s eye. Two inches lower and she would have been right!

We all make stupid mistakes. Prepper envy doesn’t have to be one of them.

Fatwood shavings lit with a ferro rod

I’m a big proponent of backyard bushcraft. Your backyard is a great laboratory for testing gear and developing skills before you actually need them. As you get comfortable with a skill in a controlled setting, say fire craft, take the skill to the next level on a day hike or camping trip.

Prepper Envy Cure #5:

Exercise mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I know I should have only listed 4 cures. But I refuse to have “list envy” on top of prepper envy – (you’ve seen it, “The 39 Top Threats…”,  “7 Myths That Schools Teach as Real History”, “30 Canned Foods You Never Knew Existed“).

Squats on the rocks!

Check out these functional fitness ideas that will save you a gym membership and build your physical fitness.

Prepper Envy Cure #6:

Fail forward. No regrets. I regret way too much. Not what I don’t have so much, but what didn’t do.

When I was five, I wanted to grow up to be the guy that rode on the back of the trash truck. It looked fun at the time. I don’t regret following that childhood dream. I do regret wasting so much money, time, and energy on stuff that really doesn’t matter in the big scheme of life. I envy those with no regrets. See how it’s a vicious cycle.

Regrets waste energy and stop your momentum. Let the past go. In an earlier chapter of my life, I read a John Maxwell book or listened to one of his cassette tapes (that dates it, huh?). I remember hearing the phrase “fail forward.” That stuck with me. I don’t always follow this wisdom, but it’s still true.

Regrets kills future ideas! I’ve never read any science on this, but it’s been proven in my life. The more I wallow in regret, the less creative I am.

Prepper Envy Cure #7:

Perfection is overrated. If you have OCD (Obsessive Compulsion Disorder), I feel for you. My mother-in-law has it. I don’t know how I passed the vetting process to marry her daughter. Thankfully, she overlooked my many imperfections.

We’re bombarded with thousands of images daily promoting perfection – the perfect figure, job, car, drug, home, makeup, gun, knife, etc. Resist the urge to envy ‘perfect’ people/preppers. Their life may be photo shopped. Be yourself. That’s enough.

Be honest about your imperfections. This quality opens more doors and opportunities than the vinyl veneer of perfection.

See, I told you I’m the stupidest survivalist on the planet.

Keep Doing the Stuff of Self-Reliance,

Todd

P.S. – You can also keep up with the Stuff we’re Doing on Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, and our Facebook page… and over at the Doing the Stuff Network on Pinterest, Google +, and Facebook.

P.P.S – If you find value in our blog, Dirt Road Girl and I would appreciate your vote on Top Prepper Sites! You can vote daily by clicking here or on the image below. Check out all the other value-adding sites while you’re there…

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I Didn’t Know Squat About Proper Poop Technique Until Now

by Todd Walker

The bus stopped in front of a what appeared to be a service station with one gas pump. My American friend and I stepped off to relieve ourselves midway through our four-hour journey to another Siberian town in the early 90’s.

“Where’s the restroom,” my friend asked since he spoke Russian better than I.

We both headed around the corner of what was left the Soviet era fueling station. There wasn’t a long line waiting to relieve themselves. Here’s why.

What I saw will be hard to believe and offensive to most modern American sensibilities – unless you’ve been there, crapped there. The “Powder Room” consisted of a four-foot wide trench with two wooden slats straddling the bottomless abyss, no running water, and a stench that killed the blow flies before they could belly up to the feast. Contrary to popular belief, it gets hot enough in southern Siberia in July to raise flies in a latrine. One brave native sojourner was perched precariously in a squat position doing his business – no stalls or paper work to finish the job.

“You go ahead,” I told my buddy as I choked back my sudden urge to hurl.

We both decided to man-up, skip the squatty hole, and pray for a speedy journey. However, I did make my #1 reach the pit from the door-less threshold of the Russian roadside restroom.

Sitting is #2

While the facilities were less than desirable, the squatting Russian’s technique I unfortunately witnessed makes my mind flow with questions. Could our western society learn a thing or two about taking a #2. Could it be that we are doing this simple bodily function wrong? I never really considered that there is a wrong way to do this deed.

Without being anal about this issue, I realize I run the risk of becoming the butt of your jokes for writing this story. So be it. I want to eliminate, in one royal flush, the misconception that doing your business on a throne is best. From my research I’ve discovered that our western pattern of elevated pooping is actually number 2 in the world. I guess we all need to get our squat on, huh?

Unless you’re camping in the wilderness or traveling through third world countries as you read this, there’s a really good chance the crapper you use today will be an elevated toilet…thanks to indoor plumbing. Don’t get me wrong here. I love the convenience of running water and sewer lines. My daddy provided for our family by installing, unclogging, and repairing these pipes and fixtures. However, the unintended consequence of  modern sitting toilets have been linked to hemorrhoids, chronic constipation, IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), colitis, and even colon cancer.

Photo credit

Getting to the bottom of the issue

It appears that we humans are meant to squat when nature calls. You see, the puborectalis muscle (sphincter) is in a bind when we sit. When doing the squat technique, things flow with less restriction and strain. Folks in the know recommend creating a 35 degree angle between your thighs and torso for proper elimination. Talia Marcheggiani quotes the smart people at Standford in her post about colon health:

According to researchers at Stanford University, the puborectalis muscle, which chokes off the lower end of the rectum, preventing you from eliminating waste, is partially flexed while in a seated position (like when you sit on a modern toilet).  This prevents waste from leaving the rectum and prevents you from having a proper bowel movement, leading to straining and constipation.

This doesn’t mean you have to revert to caveman living, takeover you cat’s litter box, or dig latrines in the backyard. You can achieve the desired pooping angle on your sitting toilet by simply elevating your feet. Here’s a new DIY project for the weekend. Fancy is not necessary. A simple stool (no, not that kind) like toddlers use to stand and deliver when they’re going through their rite of passage – using the big boy toilet. A basket or crate could be used. Make sure it’s not flimsy. A collapse could de-throne you.

Not into DIY? Here are some commerically built potty aids:

• Squatty Potty

• Nature’s Platform. For those not afraid of heights. This product is for the squatty purist. They don’t settle for the 35 degree angle achieved by a stool on the floor. They go hardcore with their poop platform. For $144 you can own this nifty perch.

Is there any merit in these methods or only marketing myths?

What do y’all think? Time to log out and delve deeply into the bowels of the issue. Seriously, anyone want to share – anonymously if you wish?

Oil Pulling: An Ancient Technique For SHTF Dental Care

by Todd Walker

Do you kiss your mama with that mouth!?

Ever let one slip over at grandma’s house and have to wash your mouth out with soap? It was her attempt to exercise that foul language from your soul.

I’ve posted several times on the health benefits of coconut oil. Here and here. Just when I think coconut oil has reached its maximum usefulness, I discover Oil Pulling.

Pulling a teaspoon a day keeps the doctor and dentist away!

Oil pulling has nothing to do with vehicle maintenance. Interestingly enough, this technique is similar to changing the motor oil in an engine. I started the ancient (bazaar to me) practice of oil pulling about two weeks ago. I’ll give you my take on its effectiveness (two weeks of anecdotal evidence) and a little research before you’re tempted to file this in the “Snake Oil” folder.

In DRG’s battle with cancer, preventive medicine has become a priority for us. Oil pulling is my latest journey searching for non-pharmaceutical methods of healing and health.

History of Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy dating back thousands of year from Ayurveda medicine. Many claim it’s healing effects, both for teeth and gums, and the entire body. We can trace the modern practice of oil pulling to Dr. F. Karach, MD who introduced the technique in 1992. He claims that oil pulling cured his chronic blood disorder and arthritis.

After reading Dr. Joseph Mercola’s article on oil pulling, I was intrigued. I follow his how-to suggestions.

Oil pulling is simple. Basically, it involves rinsing your mouth with coconut oil, much like you would with a mouthwash. The oil is “worked” around your mouth by pushing, pulling, and drawing it through your teeth for a period of 15 minutes…This process allows the oil to “pull out” bacteria, viruses, fungi and other debris. The best time is in the morning before eating breakfast, but it can be done at any time, the important point is to just do it. I seek to do it twice a day if my schedule allows. The used oil is discarded and your mouth rinsed with water. You should not swallow the oil because it’s loaded with bacteria, toxins, pus, and mucous. [Emphasis mine]

I especially like the whole idea of ridding my mouth of pus – before DRG plants a wet one on me! Totally nasty, right. It’s too early to see the effects on my oral health. I can report that my teeth and gums “feel” better, cleaner. I’ve also noticed my sinuses completely clear after pulling. Is this just in my mind or does this stuff work? I guess I should make my once a decade dental appointment to get checked out. Seriously. My last visit was to have my impacted wisdom teeth removed in 2004. Oil pulling could push the frequency of dental visits to every 20 years I’m hoping.

The technique makes sense. When I change the oil in our vehicles, the previously clean oil has turned black from pulling out all the engine gunk hiding in the dark crevices of the motor. Sucking and swishing oil (oil has to be used to bind the nasties) between my teeth uses the same principle.

Photo credit

Lead or Fluoride

Why not just use a fluoride mouthwash? When I first started buying investment properties, I had to give every tenant a CYA brochure on the dangers of lead paint if the house was built before 1977. Apparently, allowing your child to eat the peeling lead-laced paint chips off the wall is a bad idea. Who knew?

Stating the obvious, government officials said eating lead is quite harmful. The same I’m-from-government-and-here-to-help crowd crowed about the importance of fluoride treatment for oral health despite studies showing this chemical to be more toxic than lead. Hum, which to eat – lead or fluoride? I’ll take unleaded, thank you.

Oil pulling shouldn’t replace regular brushing with a non-fluoride toothpaste and flossing (which I never do with string floss). My flossing method is achieved via wooden toothpicks. I floss with the shredded wood fibers. It’s more of a habit I kept from childhood. Oil pulling should only enhance my efforts.

It’s also important to quite eating processed junk foods and refined sugars. Oil pulling/swishing is now part of my SHTF dental plan. Its cheap and is beneficial to more than oral health.

How To Getting Started

You can use any veggie oil. Finally, a healthy use for hydrogenated vegetable oils. Just remember not to swallow. I prefer coconut oil. Every morning, I wake up and brew a pot of coffee. When its ready, I add some organic heavy whipping cream and a spoon of coconut oil to my cup of Joe. This has nothing to do with oil pulling. I just like CO in my coffee.

5 gallons of Tropical Traditions coconut oil ‘under’ the Christmas tree

Next, I place a spoon full of coconut oil in my mouth. Do this without eating or drinking anything before hand. It takes a few seconds to melt since CO’s melting point is 76 degrees. I chew it up to speed the process. I sit down to do my daily routine on the computer – while swishing and pulling the oil around in my mouth for about 20 minutes. After checking email, responding to comments, and reading an article from LRC or SurvivalBlog, its time to spit out the disgusting pus-filled, bacteria, virus laden liquid in the kitchen sink. If you’re afraid of stopping up your drain lines, discard it in the trashcan. Of course, you won’t notice any visible nasties in the discarded spittle.

I wash my mouth out with water and go back to my coffee. I’ve read where it’s recommended to go ahead and brush you teeth at this point. Being up several hours before DRG, I don’t have to talk to anyone when I’m pulling oil through my teeth. You understand, talking with a mouth full of oil is not an option.

Oil pulling offers more than just oral health benefits according to experts. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire” doesn’t necessarily apply. But there’s lots of smoke in the air surrounding oil pulling. Below are a few more links to help you investigate further.

• Detoxification: Read here, and here.
• Cleansing: I’ve experience a noticeable clean feeling in my mouth after each session. My sinuses are also relieved of congestion. If using coconut oil, Streptococcus bacteria, which causes plaque, tooth decay and gum disease, is inhibited.
• Immunity builder

Read oil pulling testimonials.

• Oil Pulling for a Brighter Smile and Better Health
• My Attempt at This Crazy Thing Called Oil Pulling: Does It Really Make a Difference?
• Oil Pulling: My One Month Experience
• Will Oil Pulling Fix my Sensitive Teeth…or is it Just a Hoax?

As always, if you find anything on our site helpful, please share it. You can also follow us on Twitter, and Pinterest. If you ‘like’, comment, and share on our new Facebook page, our stories will continue to show up in your news feed.

Any information on this site may be shared freely, in part or whole, with a link back to this site crediting the author.

Keep Doing the Stuff of Self-Reliance,

Todd

P.S. – You can also keep up with the Stuff we’re Doing on Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, YouTube and Facebook page… and over at the Doing the Stuff Network on Pinterest, Google +, and Facebook.

P.P.S – If you find value in our blog, Dirt Road Girl and I would appreciate your vote on Top Prepper Sites! You can vote daily by clicking here or on the image below. Check out all the other value-adding sites while you’re there…

Thanks for Sharing the Stuff!

Copyright: Content on this site (unless the work of a third-party) may be shared freely in digital form, in part or whole, for non-commercial use with a link back to this site crediting the author. All links in articles must remain intact as originally posted in order to be republished. If you are interested a third-party article, please contact the author directly for republishing information.

 

Death of the Nickel: A Hoarding Strategy

Source: LewRockwell.com

Storing Nickels

by David Hathaway

Are you doing due diligence with nickels? As many LRC readers know, nickels are the only real “money” being distributed by the U.S. Government at this point in time. The value of the metal in a nickel equals the fiat value assigned to it by the state. This cannot be said about the currently produced pennies, dimes, quarters, or half dollars and certainly cannot be said about the paper money or the even more insidious and plentiful computer digit money that we are forced to use. Nickels are uniformly marked, impractical to counterfeit, and easily recognizable for their metallic content (75% copper, 25% nickel).

So, is it really that easy to get real money in exchange for the worthless stuff floating around? Yes, it still is. You walk into a bank, hand the teller a 20-dollar bill, and walk out with 10 rolls of nickels. There is no dealer markup. There is no sales tax. There are no shipping fees. There is no capital gains tax or value added tax. It almost seems impossible in this day and age. It soon will be impossible. We are temporarily in an era with nickels that is analogous to the pre-1965 silver coinage period. Coin composition is slated to changeduring the 2013 fiscal year. So, what are the issues that would preclude a person from taking advantage of the inevitable increase in the value of nickels when compared to the fiat dollar? Well, there is one small issue and one slightly bigger issue. The small issue is obtaining the nickels and the bigger issue is storage. Both issues can be resolved fairly easily for most people. First, let’s look at the smaller issue.

You don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot when obtaining nickels; not to mention your fellow hard-money brethren who are doing the same thing. Don’t go into a bank and make a grandiose gesture by asking to speak to the branch manager and discussing the bulk acquisition of $1000 or $10,000 worth of nickels. I have read articles where people proudly describe the incredulous looks they get from the bank employees and the follow-up questions administered by the bank staff from such an action. These articles usually include a description of how they schooled the bank employees about how the customer was hoarding nickels as a hedge against inflation. Don’t have this conversation with the bank. You don’t want to be the source of new bank policy restricting the acquisition of coinage. Some banks may charge a percentage for obtaining coins but, most still don’t. With nickels it is still so easy.

You need to have a systematic outlook. What you do is always lay down a 20 dollar bill and ask for 20 dollars in nickels. No more. That’s all. Make this fit into your lunch break at work, your commute, your exercise routine, or your shopping routine. You can go to one, two, or three banks fairly quickly. Don’t get the coins using your debit card or a check. Keep it to a simple hand-to-hand cash transaction. You don’t want multiple computer entries showing up on your bank account at different bank branches 10 minutes apart. It looks like you are doing something. Banks look for patterns and they will ask more questions. You aren’t doing anything wrong but, once again, you don’t want to make waves. You want to be able to continue getting your nickels. Giving out $20 in coins is no big deal to a major bank but, retailers that get coinage regularly usually do have to pay extra for the privilege. Small account holders and even non-account holders are usually given “small” amounts of pre-rolled coinage in exchange for paper currency as a courtesy at no charge. You want to be in the small customer “courtesy” realm on this issue. Being in a slightly bigger town is a plus but, not essential. If you happen to be on a lengthier shopping trip or road trip, you can get $20 worth of nickels ten times fairly quickly at ten different banks. Remember, you don’t want to be responsible for the issuance of new restrictive policies within your local banking world. Banks talk to each other. They go to conferences. If only a few guys in a town of a million people are trying to get large quantities of nickels on each transaction, the word will get out and policies will change.

You won’t believe how quickly you acquire nickels at this rate. You quickly get in and out of the bank since you are not doing account-related transactions. You get 400 nickels each time you hand over a 20-dollar bill. The transaction usually takes less than a minute. If you do this twice every day on your lunch break, you will have nickels coming out of your ears. Don’t try to do it at a quicker rate. You will end up causing problems.

The second issue, which is really the point of this article, is the storage of your nickels. One of the first rules for obtaining and storing metal as a hedge against inflation is to take possession of the metal yourself and to not trust someone else to store it for you. A warehouse receipt can be next to worthless in a hyperinflationary environment and is subject to the same type of mishandling that has been seen in metal futures, ETFs, and other paper forms of metal. Nickels do present a challenge for storage but, the challenge is not insurmountable.

Green military style ammo cans are a very tempting solution. They have one serious drawback. They look valuable. That wall of ammo cans in your basement really looks like a stash of something worth stealing. The larger size (generically called .50 caliber ammo cans) are too heavy when filled with nickels. The smaller size is easier to handle. They weigh about 35 pounds when filled. They hold about 88 rolls. Each roll contains $2 face value of nickels. So, you are preserving about $176 face value of nickels in one ammo can. To get up into multiple thousands of dollars, you will have quite a wall of ammo cans. They get harder and harder to conceal. They won’t fit in a floor safe or that hollow brick like your gold coins do.

So, what’s the answer? After years of experimenting, I have found the perfect solution. Home Depot sells pre-cut 24-inch sections of thick walled 4-inch black ABS pipe. They also sell the 4 inch ABS end caps and ABS cement. This combination makes a perfect long-term burial solution. The ABS cement causes a reaction to occur that is the chemical equivalent of welding the plastic end caps on by chemically softening, melting, and then permanently binding the adjoining surfaces of the two plastic pipe fittings together. PVC pipe also works. The nickels will last for decades in pristine condition underground when stored in these pipes.

I had an occasion to dig up 10 pipes recently containing a total of 560 pounds of nickels that had been buried for three years. The store bar-code stickers hadn’t even come off the pipes yet. The pipes with the caps glued on with the ABS cement still looked brand new. Each of these pipes holds 122 rolls of nickels on average. The pipes weigh about 56 pounds when finished. I have found that drilling a tiny hole with a small drill bit aids with pushing on the final cap since the glue makes the caps airtight and the air pressure makes it hard to push the second cap on. The air relief hole allows the cap to slide on easily before the cement binds the parts together permanently. The small hole can then be filled with ABS cement to make the pipe watertight. To get the nickels out, you will have to cut the pipe open with a saw.

After preparing multiple pipes, dig a trench. It will look like you are installing a water line or a sewage pipe. The 24″ X 4″ inch black pipes look like sections of sewer line. You can rent a trencher to make the process quicker and to reduce prying eyes. I have found that even sensitive metal detectors cannot detect the pipes when they are more than 12 inches deep. To be on the safe side, you can make your trench 18 to 24 inches deep. Even if they are buried less deep, they have the metal detector signature of a buried water pipe and won’t look like an attractive target to unearth.

I will address one more point since I hear this all the time. How do you cash in the nickels for the metal value? You don’t in the short run. This is not a buy and turn over proposition. You don’t have to worry about the legalities of melting coins. People don’t have to melt down pre-1965 silver coins to get the metal value. There will always be a market for the actual metal value in the coin. You don’t have to melt down gold coinage to get the metal value. Some day, when the effects of massive inflation are more evident, you will have your hedge against inflation and you will be able to sell your coins for their metallic value as you need to. In the case of nickels, they won’t have to be assayed. They are marked and it is obvious what they are. Their metallic content is common knowledge. There is no down side with nickels. If nothing else, you have gotten your money out of computer digits and you are holding it in tangible form for the coming banking crisis. It just so happens that you got full value for yours in incorruptible metal form with a picture of one of the less offensive presidents stamped on the side.

December 29, 2012

David Hathaway [send him mail] is a former supervisory DEA Agent who homeschools his nine children. He enjoys writing about the injustices of the state.

Is It Too Late to Start Prepping?

by Daisy Luther

Author bio: Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

A lot of new folks are starting to realize that the outlook in North America is every bit as grim as the reality in European countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal and a host of others. When even the mainstream media is making dire predictions, the writing is truly on the wall.

If you’re new at this, you might be dipping your toe in the water, reading some survivalist and prepping websites, trying to figure out how to keep your family safe and well-fed in the difficult days ahead…and you may also read a host of discouraging comments saying that it’s too late to get started.  ”If you aren’t already prepared, there’s no time left,” many experienced preppers are saying dismally. “You’re screwed.”

If you’ve already come upon some difficult times, you may think to yourself, “I’d like to prepare but I barely have enough money to keep a roof over our heads…We’re screwed.”

You might be reading these terrible prophecies, rolling pennies to buy milk at the grocery store, and watching the parade of terrible daily events and be ready to give up before you even get started.  You may agree, “Yep, it’s too late. I’m screwed.”

The thing is, I’m the eternal optimist, and I don’t believe that it really IS too late.  I don’t believe that you are screwed, even if tomorrow is the date of your first stockpile shopping trip!  If the stores are open, there’s still time.

While I agree that the situation is dire and that economic doom is getting closer every day, if you’re reading this site and others like it, you’ve taken the first step to preparedness already – just like a 12-Step program for addiction, you have recognized and admitted the problem.  This, in and of itself, puts you in the company of an estimated 3 million preppers who are aware that life as we know it today could change in the blink of an eye!

This recognition of the need to prepare puts you ahead of “the herd”.

• This means that you will look at current events differently.
• This means that you will think critically when presented with information via the media.
• This means that you will truly weigh the pros and cons of fiat currency that you intend to spend.
• This means that when you shop, you aren’t just looking to feed your family until the next grocery trip.

Even if you just have a little inkling in the back of your mind that things are not as they ought to be, you have crossed a thresh-hold and you can choose whether you want to step in to awareness or slam the door on that uneasy feeling and go about your life, doing things the way you have always done them.

If you’re still reading, then you may have decided to come on in and join the ranks of the prepared!

While it’s late in the game we aren’t in the last inning just yet – so let’s get started!

The wake-up call for many of us is a downturn in finances.  While it’s ideal to begin stocking up while your income is still good, don’t be discouraged if you’ve taken a financial hit. You won’t be able to buy a year’s supply in one marathon shopping trip but you can empower yourself by getting started.

Getting Started

The first step is to take inventory of what you have – you may be surprised to realize that you already have a week or a month of supplies in your pantry.  Read “If You Don’t Know What You Have, You Don’t Know What You Need!” for more detailed information on inventorying the items that you already have. (Note: the 52 Weeks to Preparedness section of the website Ready Nutrition contains a wealth of information for the beginning prepper. It’s a budget-friendly approach to getting prepared!)

Once you’ve figured out where you are as far as supplies are concerned, you must figure out a way to finance your prepping endeavors.  Your budget may be so tight that you can barely keep the lights on but there is still hope.  When you change the way you shop, you’ll soon find that some of the budgetary stress is relieved.  But first things first, you have to free up enough money to get started.

You might think that the week after Christmas is a terrible time to get started on something that costs money, but in actuality, you will probably never be in a better position to do so.  If your house is anything like mine, you probably have a whole refrigerator full of holiday leftovers – resist the urge to do your normal weekly shopping trip and feed your family leftovers combined with the goods you have in your pantry.  Use that money that you would normally spend for groceries and let’s get started!  No matter how small your budget is, you can begin building security for your family.  I am basing these prices on my teeny tiny small-town grocery store, this week. You may be able to get more, based on what’s on sale in your area.

$20 List

• 2 pound bag of rice
• 2 pound bag of beans
• 4 cans of spaghetti sauce
• 2 cans of peaches in water
• 1 jar of peanut butter
• 1 jug of white vinegar
• 5 gallon jug of water

$50 List

everything in the $20 list and

• 4 boxes of saltine crackers
• 4 jars of unsweetened applesauce
• 2 pounds of sugar
• 5 pounds of flour
• 1 liter of olive oil
• 3 cans of green beans
• 2 boxes of baking soda

$100 List

everything on the $20 list and the $50 list and

• 1 canister of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 canister of baking powder
• 10 pound bag of potatoes
• 5 pound bag of onions
• 5 pound bag of carrots
• 2 pounds of powdered milk
• 6 pounds of pasta
• 5 bags of dried spices of choice
• small assortment of treats (candy, chocolate chips, etc – you have $5 to spend on things that make life more pleasant!)

If you’ve read my other articles, you may think these lists are in conflict with the “organic” theme.  While I’d certainly love to see everyone give Monsanto the cold shoulder by buying local and organic, it’s just not always feasible, especially when you are just getting started. I’d rather see people begin to take control by having a supply like the one listed here – something that when combined with the foods in the cupboards might see you through a month of hard times.

What’s more, when you have this little bit of security – this one-month food investment, you can begin to build on this with healthier and more nutritious options.  You can start learning how to be more self-sufficient by growing what you can, by learning to preserve food and by buying in bulk.

It’s Not Over – There’s Time

That little voice whispering warnings is telling you something very important – it’s saying that things just aren’t right.   Call it instinct, the voice of God, or a premonition – but listen and get prepared. Start right now.   Even if you only have 2 weeks’ worth of food and water, that is two weeks that your family will not be hungry or thirsty. After Superstorm Sandy people were complaining that they hadn’t eaten after only two days.

None of us knows how long the dollar will last.  We, in North America, will be going the way of Greece – not if, but when.  Natural disasters occur, interrupting the flow of commerce and the availability of goods. Jobs are lost, illnesses occur, and storms blow in.  If you listen to that little voice telling you to get ready, you will not be standing in line with all of the rowdy crowds waiting for FEMA to dole out benevolence.

Take the time we have left and make the most of it.  Ignore the naysayers with their discouraging pronouncements that there isn’t enough time.  Every single meal you put aside, every book of matches, every candle and every alternative cooking method you invest in, increases the security of your family.

Focus on what you can do – and block out the static of those who say the word “can’t”.

If you are an experienced prepper, what budget-friendly suggestions do you have for the newcomer?  Post them here in the comments!

[Sherpa Note: Check out the comment section at the Organic Prepper to add your thoughts and read other suggestions to this list.]

How Many Pills Until Pharmageddon?

by Todd Walker

Expert preppers recommend at least a years worth of the 3 B’s: food (beans), guns and ammo (bullets), and first aid supplies (band aids). I addressed this issue in a previous post about becoming a producer. All this stuff is consumable. What then?

A question I don’t see addressed by many experts is: What happens when the psychotropic drugs run out? How many Adam Lanza-types, armed and drugged, do we work with, live beside, or are married to?

The other day a fellow teacher told me that one of my students in his class must be off his meds. “What happened,” I asked.

“He was flopping on the floor like a fish and making strange sounds and had crazy eyes,” my friend said.

Most times, teachers just send out of control behavior to me to handle. I’ll ask if they took their medicine. The usual reply is negative.

The link between school shootings/violence and legal pharmaceuticals is disturbing to say the least. Here’s a sobering read on the effects of all the mind-altering pills swimming in public schools (Hat Tip to Caroline Cooper – a regular Sherpa commentista). What a disastrous mix: Big Pharma, Medical/Psychiatric Establishment, Industrial Food Complex, and Gun-Free Zone Government Schools. Our appetite for quick fixes, coupled with pharmaceutical profits, places America on top of other pill-popping nations consuming 60% of all psychotropic pills manufactured.

Every year it seems, we hear of another manufactured illness. Ever heard of ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)? Here’s how the Mayo Clinic defines ODD: [NOTE: I added emphasis in bold, a helpful layman’s interpretation for those not familiar with psychobabble, and alternative solutions to pills in brackets]

if your child or teen has a persistent pattern of tantrums [take Jane or Johnny to the woodshed], arguing, and angry or disruptive behavior [see Founding Fathers] toward you and other authority figures [Police State, the collective, Leviathan –  they know what’s best for their subjects citizens] he or she may have oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).

As a parent, you don’t have to go it alone in trying to manage [not raise] a child with oppositional defiant disorder. Doctors, counselors and child development experts [BEWARE of ALL ‘experts’] can help.

Treatment of ODD involves therapy, training to help build positive family interactions, and possibly medications to treat related mental health conditions (follow the money equation: more patients = more money).

A “problem” child often gets labeled with a mental disorder by refusing to submit and obey the oppressive rules, constant spying, and authoritarian rule in public schools. A school counselor pointed out to me that one of my students (we’ll call him John) must have this dreaded ODD mental order. He would often refuse to sit down and shut up. His mom made the decision to take him off the prescription drugs the previous year. He was making great strides in my math class. Unfortunately, the target was already painted on his back. And he knew it. I responded to the genuinely concerned counselor by saying that I think I must have caught the ODD too. This young man and I had a great year together. I ran interference for him as much as possible to give him a chance to learn. You see, once a child gets labeled, the collective memory of staff and teachers can’t be erased. Finally, his mom moved him to another school.

Zombie Factories

Image credit

Government schools are the perfect Petri dishes for profitable pharmaceutical companies. Anti-psychotic drugs, once only prescribed to adults, are readily available to school aged children. Unruly children are drugged for social compliance more than for the mental health of the individual. I call it the zombiefication process. Mix a mind-numbing cocktail of strong anti-psychotic drugs and the invisible straightjacket turns any student into a compliant zombie. Even after John’s mom took him off the drugs, I believe his young, developing brain was badly affected.

Parents and teachers embrace and encourage the pill-popping culture in Zombie Factories. In this fantasy world of rainbows and flying unicorns, we can alter behavior with a prescription pill. We are no longer responsible. Big Psychiatry will “save the children” – some doctor, bought by Big Pharma, will make everything okay with a pill. Like I tell my students repeatedly, school is not the real world. The real world is not fair. Everyone doesn’t “win” and get a trophy. It’s even more cruel when living as mind-controlled zombies drugged on legally addictive pills.

Big Pharma’s Best Kept Secret

Can prescription drugs cause you to kill someone? “Absolutely”, says Dr. David Healy, author of Phamageddon. “Violence and other potentially criminal behavior caused by prescription drugs are medicine’s best kept secret,” he adds. Want to find out if the drugs you or a loved one are taking might cause violent behavior? Enter the name of the drug over at the Violence Zone. Even if it’s “just” a pill to help you quit smoking, side effects can be deadly. Don’t expect to hear about this on major media outlets. Pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in keeping journalists inline.

Dr. Mercola reports on a disturbing top-ten list below.

Antidepressants Top List of Most Violence-Inducing Drugs

It’s certainly worth paying heed to drug interactions such as violence and homicidal leanings, both as a patient and as a concerned parent, family member or friend. According to a 2010 study published in the journal PLoS One, half of the top 10 drugs disproportionately linked with violent behavior are antidepressants:

1. Varenicline (Chantix): The number one violence-inducing drug on the list, this anti-smoking medication is 18 times more likely to be linked with violence when compared to other drugs

2. Fluoxetine (Prozac): This drug was the first well-known SSRI antidepressant

3. Paroxetine (Paxil): Another SSRI antidepressant, Paxil is also linked with severe withdrawal symptoms and a risk of birth defects

4. Amphetamines: (Various): Used to treat ADHD

5. Mefoquine (Lariam): A treatment for malaria which is often linked with reports of strange behavior

6. Atomoxetine (Strattera): An ADHD drug that affects the neurotransmitter noradrenaline

7. Triazolam (Halcion): This potentially addictive drug is used to treat insomnia

8. Fluvoxamine (Luvox): Another SSRI antidepressant

9. Venlafaxine (Effexor): An antidepressant also used to treat anxiety disorders

10. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq): An antidepressant which affects both serotonin and noradrenaline

The big lie laid on our pill-for-everything culture destroys self-reliance and individual responsibility. The food I eat makes a huge difference in my overall health. The S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) served in government school lunchrooms won’t create physical specimens of students, much less mental health. Could our stomachs be connected to our mental health? I think so. I’m not alone. Below you can check out a few resources to put you on the road to enlightenment and self-healing.

• Can Inflammation in this Organ be at the Root of Your Depression?
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome
• Beyond Meds: Alternatives to psychiatry. Nutrition and Gut Health
• Gut Flora and Your Healthy Immune System

The typical food storage recommendations by prepper experts are loaded with foods that destroy the brain-gut-axis. I wrote about my Primal Pantry here. My Down and Dirty Sauerkraut is loaded with gut-healing probiotics. Maybe it’s time to rethink food storage methods.

How many pills?

So, this brings me back to the original question: How many pills? What happens when your personal stock of antidepressants run out? The drug-altered fantasia will disappear when the pain of withdrawal grips the one in ten Americans dependent on psychotropic pills just to get through the day – when times were normal. Times won’t be “normal” when the sh*t hits the fan.

Images of maniacs shooting up innocent victims could pale in comparison once the prescription pill machine grinds to a halt. Adding insult to injury, all the  stuff needed to combat depression are the exact things that will be hard to come by in a prolonged SHTF situation. For instance, proper amounts of sleep, vitamins like B12 and D, omega-3 fats, and exercise all have been proven to help with mental well-being.

Educating yourself, then taking action, could save you and yours lots of future pain. A few small steps now could help you prepare for the coming Pharmageddon.

 

What Does It Mean to “Prepare for the Economic Collapse”?

Two days before Christmas y’all! Our 5 gallon bucket of coconut oil was delivered yesterday. Thankfully the Mayans were wrong 🙂

Tropical Traditions

I deal with the denial Daisy describes in her article below everyday I walk into my school. Entitlement, dependency, and even violence when their world view is challenged. If you’re able, pay Daisy a visit and lend a word of support.

Still doing the stuff,

Todd

______________________________

December 22, 2012

Last week I wrote an article in response to the media’s vilification of preppers in the aftermath of the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.  The article was quoted in an article on Yahoo.com, to my great astonishment, and that is when I saw how little most people understand about prepping.  You can see in most of the 4492 comments the article received that many folks just don’t “get it”.

My inbox was filled with a barrage of  hate mail and a number of people felt compelled to leave angry (and rather ignorant) comments on my website. I got messages from people that called me “batsh*t crazy”, messages from gun control advocates, messages from people who directly blamed me and all other preppers for the massacre, and even one particularly hate-filled email from a person who said “I hope that your kids are killed at the next school shooting.”

All of this leads me to reconfirm my belief that people sincerely do not understand why we do what we do, and that ignorance leads to fear.

People fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer. ~ Andrew Smith

If you go back through history, the “visionaries” or “wise ones” were always mocked at best and feared at worst.  They were  cast out of society to live alone at the edge of the village; children would sneak onto their property to show their bravery; they were burned at the stake as witches and heretics.  Anything the larger percentage of people does not understand is treated as something evil and frightening.

Am I saying that preppers are all visionaries and sages?  Not in a mystical “Joan of Arc” sense – but I am saying that preppers are willing to see the writing on the wall and search for a deeper understanding.

Many preppers are preparing for an economic collapse and the subsequent social collapse that will be close behind.

If you don’t think this is realistic, then you aren’t paying attention to the world around you.

People have this image of hunger – they see it as the skeletal dark-skinned children in some third world country, bellies protruding as malnutrition sets in.

But the face of hunger and poverty today is as close as your next door neighbor. Millions of North Americans can barely afford to put their next meal on the table. They are living in their cars, if they’re lucky, and without shelter if they are not so lucky.

For many people the economic collapse has arrived. Their “end of the world” event has already occurred in the form of a job loss, the foreclosure of the family home, or an illness that has caused such massive personal debt that there is truly no way out of it.  Less than 60% of Americans who are of age to be in the work force have a full time job.  When you tally that, it means that more than 100 million people are out of work.    More than 100 million people in the United States have no jobs.  For more than 100 million people, the economic collapse has arrived in full force.

Read the rest here

Author bio: Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

The Knoppix Thumb Drive (KTD) Project

Claire Wolfe over at Living Freedom sent me an email last night around 10:00. Of course, I’d been sleeping for an hour and a half when it hit my inbox. A reader of hers, Scott, has a project going that will put 600 + preparedness documents in a thumb drive. Don’t know if you can get one by Christmas for stocking stuffing, but I’m ordering one today.

Like Dirt Road Girl, Scott is fighting cancer. He’s working to put a little (very little) extra money into his pocket with this project. If you’re so inclined, get one ordered today. I have no financial interest in Scott’s project. I just love preparedness and support folks who show initiative, love liberty, and build self-reliance. I’ve added Claire’s post about the project below. To order, just follow the links.

Still doing the stuff,

Todd

________________________________________

Practical preparedness essential; everybody should have this

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

The first entry in our “Two Weeks of Sanity” was inspirational. Now for the practical. Not just the practical — the essential.

You already know about the DIY Knoppix Thumb Drive Preparedness Project dreamed up by Mark/Greylocke. It puts 600+ preparedness documents at your fingertips — bootable on nearly any USB-capable computer. Carryable in an emergency. Great for a bug-out bag or any prepper stash. The only catch: it’s been a do-it-yourself project (and I confess, beyond the likes of me).

Reader Scott said he’d like to set up a mini-business supplying ready-made KTD drives. And with Greylocke’s cooperation, he’s done it.

Now, for just $10 above the cost of the thumb drive itself, you can get a ready-made bootable drive with vast amounts of preparedness/survival information on it. Just $30. Postpaid. For all that.

Scott’s making one for me right now.

For the few dollars extra, I hope you’ll send some business to Scott. Who went through a lot to set this up. Who has cancer. And who’s a dedicated reader of this blog. Besides, the DIY version is WERK!

Everybody should have one — or two or three — KTDs stashed various places. And how about telling prepper friends and neighbors about them, also?

NFI on my part. And frankly, not all that much FI on Scott’s, considering the amount of work involved.

You want an effective way to fight the bastards? Be ready not to need the bastards.