Saturday, October 11, 2014

Social stimuli and the punishment for reacting incorrectly.

In today's politically correct society, the sheep mentality is a pervasive one that attempts to dictate how we behave and think. In the presence of certain social stimuli, behaving in any manner that does not mirror the mindless drones around you will earn you one of the many hateful labels that we are suppose to fear like the Black Death itself. The labels themselves are also a kind of social stimuli, and that stimuli also has a certain behavior pattern that is supposed to follow. Reacting differently to the abhorrent scarlet letter you are given will only solidify in the mind of the sheep just how ugly and dangerous to society you are.

Anytime the media trots out another daily edition of whatever typical social stimuli we are supposed to digest this time, our duty as citizens is apparently to observe it and behave appropriately. A recent example would be a local news story where a young girl wrote a letter to the executives at Dick's Sporting Goods with the complaint that their catalog featured no female models. The writer of the letter made sure to drop in the compulsory tag words. Words like "equality" for example. The writer actually pontificated about herself for over half of the letter and then went on a meaningless tangent for about a quarter of it, but those things don't matter. The purpose and quality was adequate for use by the media to serve as our daily dose of propaganda and training.

The sheep immediately began reacting the way their masters hoped, even using the expected "you go girl!" cliches. Lots of support was shown for the rude and sarcastic attitude of the letter and no one seemed to take issue with the writer asserting that because no females were in the catalog, that Dick's doesn't support women following their dreams. Also, no one mentioned the absurdity of the writer claiming that women would have an easier time breaking into women's sports if Dick's had featured women in their catalog.

My reaction to the news story was not similar to the reaction of the mindless drones in the comment section. As expected, this caused some people to regurgitate that ready-made label in a few different varieties. "Sexist". "Woman hater". The usual suspects. It was as predictable as anything can possibly be.

I'll just say that I actually don't dislike these people who attempted to control my behavior with their hateful labels. I don't have any negative feelings toward them personally because I know that they were reacting with absolutely no thought required. They were simply following the training their masters have given them. It was mental muscle memory for them. When one encounters a certain type of social stimuli, such as this letter I talked about or a gay marriage news story or an article about how evil guns and their owners are, you are required to pull from yourself a purely emotional, thoughtless, rigid response. Failing to do so, or rather, succeeding in doing anything but, will place you in a category that used to be reserved for people like Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden. They'll tell you that you're as dangerous to society as any terrorist and in the more extreme cases, they'll give you that label as well.

These labels are completely meaningless. Sexist used to mean thinking that one sex is inherently inferior to the other. Racist used to mean the same thing in regard to race. Homophobic is a fairly new word, and had it been in use for longer, it would have meant the same thing in regard to sexual orientation. But those labels don't mean those things anymore. In fact, they mean only one thing. They simply mean that you didn't react correctly to the social stimuli of the moment. The sheep will sometimes use the blanket label of "bigot" in cases where they've determined that your transgression either doesn't fit into the neat box of racism or sexism, or when you've reacted incorrectly in such a way that they're confident that you're equally as dangerous on the full range of social issues. Outing yourself as a Christian can easily get you labeled a bigot, for example. Especially by atheists.

The thing to remember about all this political correctness is that it is essentially an "end-around" to avoid 1st Amendment constraints. The Marxists who are working hard to transform America into a communist-socialist utopia can not technically control what we think and say. So in place of taking office in Congress and passing laws against the 1st Amendment, the powerful have trained and conditioned the masses to ostracize members of society who do not react correctly to the distributed stimuli. It has the same desired effect, which is to silence dissent toward a collectivist society, but it's much harder for the masses to notice.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Florida Concealed Weapons License and Stages of Awarness

I recently applied for a concealed weapons license in Florida. The process of applying is very simple, especially if you use the "fast track" process. Below, you'll see the site that has all of the information you'll need to obtain a Florida CWL.

http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Licensing/Concealed-Weapon-License

Carrying a concealed weapon gives you an edge in any violent encounter you may come across. Just be sure to always observe laws in your area, and use some version of the "deadly force continuum". There is no need to pull a weapon for a verbal altercation, for instance. Doing so can and probably will get you arrested.

When carrying (or even when not carrying) a useful mental tool is the Cooper color code system. The colors and what they stand for are as follows:

White - Oblivious to surroundings, unaware.
Yellow - Attentive, but relaxed.
Orange - Directed focus on potential threat situation.
Red - Direct focus on specific, active threat.

Keep in mind that you still need to be aware of surroundings even while your focus is narrowing in on a potential or direct threat.

Black is sometimes added to this scale. Some experts will use black to mean that you have frozen or blacked out, having become unable to respond effectively to the threat. Others will use black to represent when you actually engage or otherwise respond to the threat effectively. Regardless of what black means to you, or if you even add it to the code, understand that training and alertness will help you respond appropriately to any threat presented to you. Do your best to keep yourself "at yellow".

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

List of Lists - Personal

The personal section of the list is there for you and your group to list any items that you all know you will need on a personal level. Instead of giving examples, I'll show a few items, and it will become immediately apparent what kind of items belong here. This part of the list will largely depend on you and what you need.


Replacement glasses & repair kits
Medications & birth control
Necessary personal medical equipment



CPAP machines, Oxygen tanks and anti-arthritis joint wraps are just a few examples of medical items individuals may need for personal use. Do a thorough check of the items you use on a daily or weekly basis when tailoring this list for your use.

List of Lists - General Security

General security is a very basic part of the list. It's not long because most of the items you'd expect to be on this list have been placed on the "tactical living" section (coming soon).

General security will allow you to place barriers between yourself and thieves, looters, rioters or marauders.


Empty sandbags
Padlocks
Road flares
Emergency whistles
Warning triangles or road cones
Concertina wire


Empty sandbags can help to create a bulletproof barrier to hide behind or keep flood waters out. The list of things you can do with a sand bag is limitless. Padlocks are obviously useful for keeping robbers out of your storage facilities. Emergency whistles can be used as a makeshift alarm system.

Concertina wire and road signals such as flares can be used to create a roadblock or checkpoint. Any vehicle that attempts to run through "C-Wire" will sustain heavy damage to the wheels, axles and undercarriage. It's also extremely difficult for a person to maneuver through without getting stuck or sustaining bodily injury. Roadblocks can be very effective for blocking access to roads that lead to your property. Be sure not to commit any crimes by blocking roads during times of stability. Only during a time without rule of law (WROL) would it be alright to block roads. Use your own judgment, and remember that no one is responsible for the actions you take besides you!

List of Lists - Hygiene

In a post SHTF scenario, hygiene becomes one of the most important factors to survival. Infection control is paramount in an environment where antibiotics are not readily accessible. Keeping yourself and your clothing clean becomes much more important. Clean clothing breathes better than dirty clothing during warm seasons, and it insulates body heat better during colder seasons.


Toilet paper
Baby wipes
Sanitary napkins
Hand soap, dish soap, laundry soap
Toothpaste (or baking soda)
Dental floss
Deodorants and antiperspirants
Shampoos and baby shampoos
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
Condoms
Foot powder
Tinactin
Nail clippers
Hand sanitizer
Disinfectants


Dental care is also extremely important. Infection and dental disease can turn deadly if left untreated for long enough. It can be very painful and debilitating. Even when there is no toothpaste, baking soda works well. Without baking soda, even simply using a brush and water is much better than nothing. Dental floss with help keep gums healthy. Obviously, string or thread can be used as a substitute, but be careful not to injure the gum.

List of Lists - Hunting, Fishing & Trapping

It's been a long time since my last posting on the list of lists. I've made many of those major life changes I've been alluding to and now it's time to get back to the list.

The entry today will be based around finding food. Hunting, fishing and trapping is a great way to supplement your food stores. Think of it this way; Every time you hunt, fish or trap a day's worth of food, that's another day your stores will last you.


Compound bow w/arrows & hunting arrowheads
Fishing poles & tackle
Cast net
Gill nets
Fish spear
Snare wire
Fishing yoyo
Trot lines
Body grip traps
Crab baskets
Commercial traps and snares up to deer size


One good tip is to try to make the work on your part as easy as possible. If you can set some snares or yoyos and come back a few hours or even a day later, that's minimal work. Less energy used means more energy for other critical tasks.

One excellent technique for fishing in a small stream or creek is to get a net and set it across the body of water. It will start to collect any fish that come through and as long as you're careful, you could end up with a nice haul of fish. Fish are easy to clean and cook, just watch out for the bones.

If you live near an area where you can crab fish, use a bit of meat (raw chicken works well) in a crab basket to attract them.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Major changes.

Some major life changes have taken place (still are taking place) and I have relocated myself and my family to the Southeastern US. Adjusting to the new life will take a bit of time but I'm excited to finally get into a more permanent setting. This isn't the homestead we plan to have in the future, but it's a good base from which to plan and work toward that goal. We hope to get started on obtaining acreage and building a house on it within the next 3-5 years.

Until then, it's time to really get the prepping into high gear. The world is on fire and it doesn't seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Russia has officially moved Russian troops (instead of just funding and arming "separatists") and equipment in Eastern Ukraine and Ukrainian leaders have sought assistance from NATO, claiming that they are unable to fend off the Russian military.

A new threat calling itself the "Islamic State" (IS) claims to have set up a "caliphate" in Syria and most of Iraq. This terrorist army has been killing and destroying everything in it's path. IS is the most destructive terrorist force on earth today and probably of modern times as well. Al Qaeda is a picnic compared to this army. Experts estimate it's numbers to be anywhere from 10,000 fighters to 80,000 fighters. The army has income flowing in daily from the sale of oil on the black market to the tune of $3M per day. The group has threatened the US, Great Britian and now Russia directly. The intelligence community believes IS members are operating in or around Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and are looking to infiltrate the US at the porous Southern border.

President 0bama seems to be asleep at the wheel. He has recently publicly stated that his administration does not have a strategy for dealing with the imminent threat from IS.

Recently, an 18 year old, unarmed black man was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. The small town near St. Louis erupted in riots despite the fact that the details of what really happened had not come out. Those details are still not fully known. The New Black Panther Party (NBBP), Malik Zulu Shabazz, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton went to Ferguson and stirred emotions in the crowds. Attorney General Eric Holder and President 0bama both made statements that did nothing to calm the situation. Stores were looted and burned to the ground and riot police were brought in. The National Guard was called in as well, but they didn't stand on the line nor did they participate in crowd control. Events like this can happen in any town in America.

I look forward to making more frequent posts as things around here start to settle down.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Major developments in Ukraine and Israel.

As most of you will already know, a civilian airliner was shot down several days ago over Ukraine by Russian supported Ukrainian separatists using a Russian made "Buk" anti-aircraft system firing the powerful SA-11 missile. All 298 people on board were killed, including at least one American citizen. It's my professional opinion that the separatists using this system were trained by Russian GRU agents. Vladimir Putin is fighting a proxy war, very similar to the small proxy wars fought during the Cold War. The difference between what's happening now and what happened during the Cold War is that the US now has a President that has no idea what he is doing when it comes to foreign policy.

The conflict in Ukraine continues to deepen while the US and the UN sit back and ask for a cease-fire. Former SECSTATE Clinton says it's time for "tough rhetoric". Current SECSTATE Kerry says he is "warning" Putin for the last time. President Obama is saying very little. He is obviously reluctant to place the blame for what's happening squarely on Vladimir Putin.

The destruction of a civilian airliner is probably one of the worst things that could happen to Putin's cause, but only if the leaders of the US can be aggressive in their actions against Putin. As of right now, nothing significant has been done by anyone against Russia, and the conflict rages on.


In the Middle East, the conflict between Hamas and Israel has kicked off again. Several weeks ago, Hamas began firing Iranian made rockets into Israel from Gaza. These rockets have become more advanced and are now capable of reaching Tel Aviv. Israel responded with artillery and airstrikes on Hamas targets, resulting in some Palestinian "civilians" being killed. This is not surprising, since Hamas stores it's weapons and houses it's fighters in civilian homes and neighborhoods. Israel has been broadcasting in advance the locations they plan to strike in order to allow civilians time to evacuate. Strategically speaking, that is insane, but Israel is attempting to minimize the success of Hamas efforts to make Israelis appear to be targeting civilians. Unfortunately, many in the mainstream media are all too happy to fall for the tricks of Hamas.

A few days ago, Israel launched a large ground invasion of Gaza. After at least one cease-fire attempt by Israel was ignored by Hamas, and after many attempts at invasion of Israel by Hamas via amphibious landings and underground tunnels, Israeli infantry, armored personnel carriers and tanks rolled into Gaza. Dozens of Israeli soldiers and dozens more Hamas terrorists have been killed in the fighting.

What is the response of the White House? Ambivalence. They continue to make statements calling for a cease-fire and restraint by Israel. Every statement condemning Hamas attacks is tempered by an immediately caveat implying that Israel should exercise restraint. What they should be doing is throwing their full support behind Israel in destroying the Hamas terrorist organization. Unfortunately, firm foreign policy stances are not something that the administration is capable of.

For now, the conflict moves forward with Israel seeking out and destroying Hamas strongpoints. Meanwhile, Obama continues with his fundraising parties.

List of Lists - Home

It's been a month or so since I last posted, so I think I'm long overdue for another addition to the list of lists postings. Today I'll go over the general home based items. These items can easily get overlooked because they're often taken for granted in our everyday lives. Either that, or they can be forgotten when they're not commonly used. Since I;ve delayed enough as it is with my posting, I'll get right to it.


Gasoline powered generator
Duct tape
Rubber bands
Clothespins
Safety pins
Matches
Lighters
Magnesium fire starter
Black garbage bags
Plastic bags
Blankets & space blankets
Towels
Twine
Wire in various gauges
Scissors
Mirrors
Steel wool
Hand sewing supplies
Crochet & knitting supplies
Yarns & threads
Galvanized steel washtub
Washboard
Clean rags
Zip ties
Oil lamps
Bleach
Ammonia
Lye
Clean bathroom plunger
Paraffin
Lamp wicks
Ziploc bags
Propane or white gas lanterns w/ canisters
Flashlights
Petroleum jelly
Candles
Super glue
Batteries & extras for each item
5 gallon buckets & lids
Solar yard lights
Halogen spotlight
Bees wax
Wrist watches
Playing cards, books, toys & games


Obviously there are many items associated with cleanliness on this list. Keeping clothing, items and areas clean is key to improving morale in a post-SHTF situation and can increase the functionality and life of equipment. The hygiene list will go more in depth with, well, hygiene items.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Wisdom from the Founders.

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

James Madison

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Photos of my current bug out bag setup.


These are photos of my 85% completed bug out bag. It's been another long pause in my posting. For anyone who does read this new work-in-progress of mine, my family and I have been continuing our major life transitions that will eventually lead to self-sufficiency and more of a survival-oriented mindset. I will try to make more regular postings. There certainly isn't any lack of material! Please continue to bear with me while we make our transitions. Thank you to those who are reading!


Top: Sandpiper of California "Bug Out Bag" model. Benchmade seat belt cutter with case. Leatherman multi-tool with case. One small carabiner and on larger carabiner with screw lock.

Second from Top: Ziplock bags inside a ziplock bag. Coast TX10 4-color LED flashlight. Protractor. Buck folding knife. Bug spray. Wire saw (plastic "D" ring holding ends together). Kashi trail mix bars. Toothbrushes. Coleman water purification and neutralization tablets. Weatherproof notepad. Pencil.

Third from Top: Chem-lights in varying colors. Weatherproof document folder. Ink pen. Small plastic case containing fishing lures, firesteel, P-38 can openers, weather-resistant matches, nail clippers and an eyeglass repair kit. 10 pound test fishing line. Duct tape. Walther P22 pistol with two 10 round magazines filled with .22LR HP ammo. Whistle. 550 paracord. Compass. Combat tourniquet. Becker BK-2 survival knife and sheath made by Ka-Bar.

Bottom: Nalgene one liter water bottle with one liter of water. Toilet paper in ziplock bag. Socks and underwear in ziplock bag. Leather gloves. Soft inserts for leather gloves. Survival blanket. First-Aid kit. SAM splint. NOAA AM/FM weather radio with power cord. Towel. Two MREs.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

On the continued events in Ukraine.

They say that weakness invites aggression. If you'd like a recent example, please observe the recent situation taking place in Ukraine. I posted about this once before, shortly after the start of the invasion. I firmly believe that the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine is a result of the weakness that has been shown by the Obama Administration since 2008.

The Obama Administration stated years ago that their goal was to "reset" relations with Russia. As a sign of goodwill, the US shutdown the strategic missile defense sites positioned throughout Eastern Europe. The purpose of those sites was to deter the use of strategic missiles by Russia. The act of goodwill by the Americans went completely unreturned.

Vladimir Putin had been fighting against the deployment of the missile defense sites for years. I believe he saw this first act as a sign of things to come. Since then, there have been repeated signs of weakness out of the White House.

Obama first went head to head with the Russians over Syria. Obama made his now infamous "red line" statement against the Syrian regime that was supported by the Russians. Obama stated that Assad must turn over his chemical weapons, end the civil war and step down. After he failed to follow through on that statement, the door was left open for Putin to step in and "save the day". He "convinced" Syrian president Assad to turn over his chemical weapons stockpile. To anyone who knows anything about Russia, this basically guaranteed that Assad would keep most of his stockpile, the war in Syria would continue and Assad would remain firmly in power.

The Olympic Games in Sochi were a major victory for Russia and Vladimir Putin on the world's stage. Despite discrimination against gays, mass signal intelligence collection against anyone near the Olympic's location, footage of whip wielding Cossacks beating "troublemakers" and myriad problems with the hotels and other accommodations, the games went off without any majorly visible problems to the rest of the world. Putin's image was greatly enhance by this.

All of this now brings us to where we are. Putin has effectively used intelligence agents in Ukraine to sow instability, giving him the opportunity to swoop in and protect Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens. After using paramilitary units in unmarked uniforms (a violation of the Geneva Conventions) to invade Crimea, Putin's security services continued to operate in the area, leading to a 97% vote in Crimea to secede and join the Russian Federation. While many, if not most, Crimeans wished to join Russia, the armed Russian soldiers and more whip wielding Cossacks standing at every street corner and polling station likely had an effect on those numbers.

The only reaction from the Obama Administraition has been lukewarm rhetoric citing the violation of "international norms" and displays of "19th century" behavior on the part of Russia. Sanctions against certain Russian officials have been put in place, but it's believed that as few as a dozen individuals are actually being affected.

Russia has since expanded the operations of intelligence officers and paramilitary units in Eastern Ukraine. Over 40,000 Russian troops are stationed along the Russia-Ukraine border and stand prepared to invade in order to "protect" more Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens. Intelligence agents have continued to encourage a rising insurgency and Russian paramilitary units have steadily been seizing, by force, Ukrainian government buildings. The events are playing out the same as they did in Crimea.

NATO and the US have done little besides make statements condemning Russian actions, but Vladimir Putin has been unaffected by them. Europe must tread lightly or risk losing their source of the natural gas they are now so dependent on Russia for.

Weak actions and words from the Obama Administration have Putin the green light he has been waiting years for. The events we see unfolding are what happens when a Chicago community organizer goes head-to-head with a former Cold War KGB agent. The only thing that Putin respects is the threat of brute force. One of the first things Obama did in regards to the Russian actions in Ukraine was to take US military action off the table. That is all Putin needed to hear.

Anyone who believes this situation is none of our business possesses a dangerous lack of understanding and foresight. Vladimir Putin's behavior is similar to Adolf Hitler's and Obama's weakness is similar to that of Neville Chamberlain. Pray that these events do not continue to mimic the past.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Wisdom from the Founders.

"Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another. It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man."

Thomas Paine

Busy life.

It has been way too long since I've made a post, and I do regret that. Life for me, as it happens to us all sometimes, has gotten busy as of late. Preparing to make a positive major life transition geared toward increasing the independence of me and my family is the cause. The eventual goal is near total self-sufficiency and we are preparing to take a significant step toward that goal. Once we move close enough to that goal that it will be of interest to readers, I'll post a lot about it on here.

Thanks for reading and I'm looking forward to getting back on it!

Friday, February 28, 2014

Russian invasion of Ukraine after unrest.

Victor Yanukovich, the former president of the Ukraine, is in exile in Moscow after being ousted by the Ukrainian citizenry. In one of the bloodier revolts we have seen in recent years, the Ukrainian people rose up in rage after Yanukovich turned down an economic deal with the European Union in favor of a large financial bailout by Russia. The Ukrainian people never supported siding with Moscow, instead favoring closer ties with the European Union. The people revolted when faced with the possibility of coming under the sphere of Russian influence.


Thus far, President Obama has done nothing and said little, reluctant to use tough rhetoric against an opponent that has already made him look like an incompetent fool in the last couple of years.


Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking this opportunity to flex his muscle in the Ukrainian unrest while he knows the US government is too weak and timid to stand up to him. He is using this as an example to the world that the American super-power status is no more. He is attempting to rebuild a semblance of the Soviet Union in the absence of strong American leadership.


Obama's statements on this development remind me of his "red line" he drew against the Syrian government's attacks on the Syrian people. We all saw as Putin took control of the Syrian conflict away from Obama and managed it to his own satisfaction while the US President was unable to achieve a single objective of his own. The conflict in Syria rages on, Assad is still firmly in power and he still possesses most of his chemical weapons stockpile despite the passing of early disposal deadlines.


We now see an obvious military provocation by Putin. Russian military transport aircraft have begun bringing troops and equipment into the Ukrainian region of Crimea. Russian Mi-24 "Hind" attack helicopters have been conducting flights over Crimea. The troops have seized several airports in the region and have waved off customs officials, stating they have no need of their services. A day prior to this larger invasion, a dozen or so armed men seized control of local government offices in Crimea and raised the Russian flag over them. The men wore no uniforms, but it is my professional opinion that these men are either Spetznaz or GRU operatives. There are also approximately 150,000 Russian soldiers that have been quickly mobilized near the Ukrainian border for what Russia has referred to as "military exercises". These so called "exercises" also involved hundreds of tanks and aircraft and at least 80 naval vessels.


As Russia invades sovereign, industrialized nations the US leadership has announced that we are cutting the size of our military to it's smallest numbers since WWII. Recently, US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that "climate change" is one of the largest threats to global stability. President Obama has shifted his focus this year to climate change, minimum wage changes and "equality".


This invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces may very well lead to a major rearmament by major European Union powers who believe that they can no longer depend on the ability of the US to stand up to aggression from Russia. We have already observed a major military buildup in the most influential of the EU nations, Germany.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Great website for learning bushcraft skills.

There is a great site that I will be frequenting myself in order to learn more about the arts of bushcraft. The discussion forums are full of members who are willing to share their knowledge with anyone who will listen.

There is a part of the forum titled "BushClass". The authors have created instructional threads and practice threads. Once you've watched the videos and read through the instructional threads, you'll go out and practice the skill yourself. Take photos of your results post them into the "practice" thread and that's where the instructors will let you know if you did it well enough to receive "credit". Use the instructional threads to ask questions before, during and after your practice. They have beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert classes.

It's a great way to start learning bushcraft skills that could one day save your life.

www.BushcraftUSA.com

To support gun control.

To be a supporter of gun control requires one to ignore history. It requires supporters to purposely forget the history of disarmed citizens being turned on by their own governments and slaughtered in massive numbers (262 million people in the 20th century, alone).

Additionally, to be a gun control supporter, you must have an “it can’t happen here” mentality. You must believe that somehow the nature of our own government and the nature of humans that led to such a massive destruction of life in the past century have both changed very recently and very tremendously, without evidence.

You must ignore these things, even as our government seeks more power and more control over the citizenry across ever facet of society.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

List of Lists - Fuels

The ability to light and heat a living area and cook is imperative in a survival scenario. The key to doing this is fuel. Gasoline will go bad if stored for too long, so this is why you should create a rotation system that has you using your oldest useable gasoline when you acquire more new gasoline. If you treat your stored gasoline with Stabil, it will stay useful for up to two years.


- Gasoline stabilized with Stabil in gas cans or non-corrosive metal drums
- Propane
- Kerosene
- Charcoal
- Lighter fluid


As mentioned above, it's advisable to rotate your gasoline storage. If you have many gas cans filled in your shed or garage, put it in your car's gas tank occasionally. Then fill that can again and put it at the back of the rotation line. Try to ensure that moisture doesn't infiltrate the fuel you have stored.

Wisdom from the Founders.

"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them."

Patrick Henry

Thursday, January 30, 2014

List of Lists - Food Storage.

This part of the list goes hand in hand with the previous part I detailed, "food preparation", for obvious reasons. Having what is called a "deep larder" will allow you to sustain your group until a more permanent source of food (hunting, fishing gardening, foraging) can be established.

- MREs
- Peanut butter
- Roasted coffee beans
- Complete set of canning supplies
- Aluminum foil
- Iodized salt
- Non-iodized salt
- Pepper
- Hot sauce
- Various spices
- Rice
- Wheat
- Corn
- Oats
- Beans
- Potatos
- Powdered eggs
- Powdered milk
- Powdered butter
- Canned beans, fruits, vegetables, meats & soups
- Honey
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Syrup
- Jams, jellies & preserves
- Salad dressings
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Barbecue sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Syrup
- Soy sauce
- Coffee
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Cooking oils
- Ramen noodles

Obviously, certain items on this list can't be stored in large amounts for long periods of time. For instance, potatoes will go bad. However, always having a bag of potatoes on hand will allow you to easily begin growing them yourself, so long as the potatoes have "eyes" on them. Some of the items on the list aren't necessarily there for nutrition, but can store for a long time and are extremely quick and easy to prepare when you simply need to get something in your stomach. One example is the Ramen noodles.

It's important to learn about gardening, as the food in your storage supply is finite.

Wisdom from the Founders.

"The worst tyrants are those which establish themselves in our own breasts."

William Ellery

List of Lists - Food Preparation

Today I'll detail the part of the list that deals with food preparation. When the SHTF, there is going to be some limited food options compared to what we have today. It's imperative that we be able to cook and prepare food in a safe way. Cooking food, getting into cans, grinding coffee and grain and serving food are made a lot harder without some of the items on this list.

- Food dehydrator
- Cast iron skillet
- Pressure cooker
- Cast iron Dutch oven
- Big stew pot
- Large & small kettles
- Manual can openers
- Large spoons & ladels
- Knives (large & small, butcher)
- Bacon press
- Propane camping cook stove
- Small charcoal grill
- Camp coffee percolator
- Coffee grinder
- Grain grinder
- Oat roller

Being able to prepare food in a way that tastes great will go a long way toward improving the morale of your group during hard times. Preparing food in a way the resembles the way you did it before the SHTF brings about a sense of normalcy that few other things can. A propane cooking stove allows you to cook with no problem when the power grid goes down. Cast iron holds heat extremely well and doesn't need to be thoroughly washed every time you use it. A big stew pot will allow you to make any kind of stew or soup in large quantities.

The items on the list are often overlooked but they will make life a lot easier in a survival scenario. It's good to practice using these items during camping trips.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Wisdom from the Founders.

"It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf."


Thomas Paine in "The American Crisis, No. 1", December 19, 1776