List of Lists - First Aid and Medical

The first aid and medical portion of your list of lists is obviously an important one. The first thing I need to mention is that without knowledge, not only are the items in your medical bag basically useless, but they can sometimes become downright dangerous in untrained hands. I put some medical books on the book list I posted a while back. I advise you to also take some first aid classes. The American Heart Association is absolutely the number one place to go for CPR and first aid training. Their training is constantly being updated to the latest standards of medical care. This knowledge, coupled with the knowledge in the books I have listed in past postings, should get you through the large majority of medical problems that come up.

Needless to say, having professional medical personnel in your survival group (assuming you have a group) is a huge plus. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, military medics and corpsmen would be an extremely valuable asset to any group when the SHTF.

Below is a generalized listing of items to stock in a medical kit. Note that this is not a list for a small, quick use first aid kit that you toss in the trunk of your car containing a few band-aids and a CPR mask. This is a bit more in depth.


15 Adhesive bandages, 1"x 3"
10 Adhesive bandages, 3/4"x 3"
4 Adhesive pads, 2"x 3 1/2"
4 3M Tegaderm dressings, 2 3/8"x 2 3/4"
2 Eye pads
20 Gauze pads, 2"x 2"
20 Gauze pads, 4"x 4"
Adhedive tape
2 Gauze roll bandages
4 compress bandage
Moleskin
Betadine swabs
Cotton tip applicators
Alcohol swabs
Wound closure strips
Bandage scissors
Forceps
Scalpels
Hemostats
Thermometer
Tirple antibiotic ointment
Desitin
Tylenol
Aspirin
Benadryl
Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Pseudoephedrine
Imodium-AD
Maalox Plus tablets
Aloe Vera gel
Zithromax
Afrin nasal spray
Eye drops
Saline
Single edge razors
Syringes of various sizes
Hypodermic needles to fit syringes
Insulin needles
Stethoscope
Penlight
Peri bottle
CPR mask
AmbuBag
Chapstick


The above list should also allow you to do MINOR surgery, if it becomes absolutely necessary to save a life or prevent someone from living with an imbedded bullet or piece of shrapnel.

List of Lists - Bug Out Bag

I am going to go ahead and tackle the sometimes lengthy and complicated subject of the Bug Out Bag (BOB). The BOB, also known as the Get Out Of Dodge (G.O.O.D.) bag, is a backpack or rucksack meant to carry the necessary gear to enable you to move from wherever you are to wherever your Bug Out Location (BOL) is located. Generally, it should be able to sustain you for up to 72 hours. Having a good BOB is NOT a substitute for long term preparations and it is NOT a substitute for a good BOL. It is just meant to be your emergency "go bag" when you're faced with a "I have to get out of here NOW" type of situation and you only have time to grab one or a few items. The BOB should be the first thing you grab in such a situation.

The subject of the BOB can get lengthy and complicated, as I already stated. In fact, I have placed a book on the subject on my List of Lists in recent posts. I'll try to keep this post as basic and concise as possible.

Each person in your family or group needs to have their own BOB. In the case of infants, this isn't necessary, but even a small backpack can be thrown together for a toddler or small child. Each person will need to carry all of the things that will be used by them. There will be one "main" BOB that the strongest person in the group will need to carry. It will carry everything that person needs, plus some community items that the group as a whole will need. If there is time, grab every BOB before you "bug out". If there isn't time to grab all of them, at least make sure you grab the main BOB. It will be the most important one. Below is a list of items that should go in the main BOB. Keep in mind what kind of terrain you are likely to encounter in your home area and your BOL. Also keep your area and your BOL's weather patterns in mind. You can take this BOB list and tweak it so it fits your group needs and your weather and terrain needs. If you know you have no need of gloves tailored for cold weather or a fleece jacket or cap (during Summer months, for instance) then you'd leave those out of the bag. Also, remember to review your bags every Winter and Summer at least. The items you need will not be the same from season to season in most areas of the world.

Drinking water (3 liters)
Collapsible water bottle (1 liter)
Nalgene water bottle (1 liter)
Military style canteen (1 liter)
Metal canteen cup for boiling
Water purification tablets (3 per person)
Purification filtration system
Energy bars (6)
MRE (2)
Spork
Can opener
Lightweight, long sleeve shirt
Sturdy pants
Underwear (2 pairs)
Socks (2 pairs)
Brimmed hat
Work gloves
Military style poncho
Fleece Jacket
Cold weather gloves
Balaclava
Small dome tent
Sleeping bag
550 cord (Minimum 225 feet)
Matches
Lighter
Magnesium block
Steel wool
Waterproof fire kit container
First-Aid Kit
Bug spray
Mylar survival blanket
Tampons (12)
Travel size bar of soap
Signal mirror
Small towel
Toothbrush
Toilet paper
Diapers (20)
Diaper wipes (40 wipes)
Desitin
Survival knife with sheath
Handgun
Ammunition (Minimum 20 rounds)
Multitool
Chemlights
Flashlight
Cell phone
Cell phone charger (Hand crank preferred)
Document folder (weatherproof preferred)
Emergency radio with batteries and handcrank
Cash ($100-$500 minimum, small denominations preferred)
Quarters ($5-$10)
Map of local area (Topographical map preferred)
Protractor
Compass
Small note pad and pencil
Emergency whistle
Two way radios
Duct tape (25 feet minimum)
55 gallon, container grade garbage bag
Reuseable bags (4, in various sizes)
Fishing kit (Line, hook, lure)
Sunglasses
Inspirational item


As you can see, whatever backpack or rucksack you choose, it'll need to be fairly sizable. The main BOB will need to carry more equipment than any of the other BOBs in your group.

The other BOBs in your group will fall into one of two categories. They will either be an additional adult BOB or they will be a child's BOB. Below is a list for an additional adult BOB.

3 liters of drinking water
Collapsible water bottle (1 liter)
Nalgene water bottle (1 liter)
Military style canteen (1 liter)
Metal canteen cup for boiling
Energy bars (6)
MRE (1)
Spork
Lightweight, longsleeve shirt
Sturdy pants
Underwear (2 pairs)
Socks (2 pairs)
Brimmed hat
Work gloves
Fleece jacket
Balaclava
Cold weather gloves
Military style poncho
Sleeping bag
Mylar survival blanket
Tampons (12)
Small towel
Toothbrush
Survival knife with sheath
Flashlight
Cell phone
Emergency Whistle
Sunglasses
Inspirational item


The pack used for the additional adult BOBs doesn't need to be as large as the main BOB. Each individual should tailor their BOB to their own needs without compromising their survivability. For instance, a male could look at this list and remove the tampons, while a female would be better off leaving them in the BOB. Also, whether you are carrying an additional adult BOB or the main BOB, if you need any special items, such as prescription medication, don't forget to keep at least 72 hours worth of it in the BOB you're carrying. Rotate the medication so you know you'll always have recently prescribed pills.

A child's BOB is not nearly as large or complex as the adult bags. If you have children in the group, it's a good idea to place some of the items they need in some of the adult BOBs. The child's list is below.

1 liter of drinking water
Collapsible water bottle (1 liter)
Lightweight, longsleeve shirt
Pants
Underwear (2 pairs)
Socks (2 pairs)
Brimmed hat
Simple rain poncho
Cold weather jacket
Wool/Fleece hat or balaclava
Cold weather gloves
Sunglasses
Comfort item


In the case of an infant, they will be able to share the water or food from the adult BOBs without compromising the survivability of the members of the group.

You'll notice that there isn't much of anything in the way of hygiene in any of these BOBs. Hygiene is important in a long term survival scenario, but in a 72 hour kit, there isn't much room for it. You'll notice there isn't a ton of food either. It's likely that your belly won't be full if you arrive at your BOL after a 72 hour trip, but you won't be left starving or thirsty when you get there either, thanks to the stuff that IS in your BOB.

Often, people will place much more focus on putting together a good BOB than they will on preparing a BOL or on stocking up on food or water. It's important to remember that a BOB is NOT what you create in order to run away and live in the woods for the next 20 years. That would be referred to as an I'm Never Coming Home (INCH) bag. The BOB is simply made to get you from point A to point B.

For a great guide to putting together a BOB, check out the book ""How to Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag" by Creek Stewart. It's a great read, very informative and even has checklists in the back. I used it to compile what I feel is a good beginner's list for putting together your group's BOBs.

On "Duck Dynasty", Phil Robertson and the Progressive movement in America.

With freedom of speech comes consequences for what you say, I understand that. However, I'm tired of  seeing conservatives, gun owners, white people and Christians being the only ones who have to pay those consequences. Did President Obama pay any consequences when he made a derogatory statement about "small town" people and how we apparently "cling to their guns and religion" because we don't like people who are different from us? Did Oprah pay any consequences when she said that racism would never end until all racists had died?

This issue with Phil Robertson isn't about the 1st Amendment. He didn't get thrown in jail for saying what he said. It's about the fact that a public figure will be labeled and punished if they dare to insult one of the three liberal-progressive pillars of homosexuality, abortion or racism. Phil Roberts made his personal opinion based on his religious belief and because it hit on one of the big three issues of progressivism, he is being punished. They will not stop until he is totally destroyed. If A&E reverses any part of their decision, the minority groups like GLAAD will harass, threaten and bully the network into doing exactly what they tell them to. 

The ultimate goal of the progressive movement all along was to wait for an opportunity to attack the Robertson family and have them removed from mainstream TV. Such a conservative, Christian show with good old Southern values, hunting, guns, patriotism, a Vietnam vet, regular prayer and a traditional family unit is viewed as a dangerous affront to a progressive movement that aims to erode the authority of God and the bonds of the family unit so that it can replaced with "enlightened" communist professors, socialist politicians and a caring nanny state that will ultimately tell you what is best for you in every aspect of your life.

The Robertson family are duck call makers and reality TV actors. I understand this. However, they have become a symbol of exactly what the progressive movement is trying to snuff out for good. If this family is eventually removed from mainstream media by the progressives then the message they are carrying about living for God and having strong family values will be silenced.

Welcome to progressive America.

List of Lists - Firefighting

This is going to be a pretty short section of the list of lists. A fire is something that can completely bring down everything you've worked for. One day, you and your family of five could be living in a nice cabin in the woods, away from the destruction in the cities and along the highways and interstates. You could have all the preps you need and food and clean water for the next five or ten years. Then a fire starts one night, and you lose everything in hours. You're all no longer survivors. You're refugees at best, if you can find a place to go.

Prevention is key. Keep all fires outdoors with the exception of well protected candles. If you have something like cigarettes, smoke outdoors. Campfires should be guarded at all times. Any fires you start outside, try to start them on dirt rather than grassy areas. Beware of embers that burn after the fires are "out". Beware of flying ash that could travel and catch fire somewhere else. The list is short, because there is a saying about an "ounce of prevention"...

- Type ABC fire extinguisher
- Fire resistant blankets

Baking soda is something many people will point out, but I've already got that on a food storage list for later discussion.

List of Lists - Books

The book list is an area that I had previously skipped because frankly, it wasn't completed when it came time to discuss it. The book list is meant to be your resource for all the knowledge you could need in a SHTF scenario. Of course, there is an infinite amount of knowledge that one would benefit by having, but I've attempted to make a list of books that contain potentially vital knowledge.

Some of these books are focused on medical skills for obvious reasons. Others, for similarly obvious reasons, are focused on survival skills, such as gardening. Others are focused on combat type skills. Some people may be tempted to omit the military manuals and combat skills books, but that may not be wise. It's important to be ready for all scenarios, including the ones where you may be required to defend what's yours in a combat type of situation.

The titles of the books and the contents within speak for themselves. Needless to say, with all the information one could potentially need, this list could turn out to be one of the longest parts of the list of lists.

- "Holy Bible" by God
- "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" by James Wesley, Rawles
- "How to Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag" by Creek Stewart
- "Wilderness Medicine, Beyond First Aid" by William Forgey, MD
- "Where There Is No Doctor: A Village Health Care Handbook" by David Werner
- "Mosby's Outdoor Emergency Medical Guide" by David Manhoff
- "Emergency War Surgery (NATO Handbook:-Third United States Revision, 2004) by Dr. Martin Fackler, et al.
- "Where There Is No Dentist" by Marray Dickson
- "Where There Is No Vet" by Bill Forse
- "The Encyclopedia of Country Living (Tenth Edition)" by Carla Emery
- "Making the Best of Basics - Family Preparedness Handbook" by James Talmage Stevens
- "Survival Guns" by Mel Tappan
- "Tappan on Survival" by Mel Tappan
- "A Failure of Civility" by Mike Garand and Jack Lawson
- "Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition" Abigail R. Gehring
- "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Smith
- "Ranger Handbook" by Ranger Training Brigade, US Army Infantry School
- FM 2-22.3 HUMINT Collector Operations
- FM 3-3 Chemical and Biological Contamination Avoidance
- FM 3-3-1 Nuclear Contamination Avoidance
- FM 3-4 NBC Protection
- FM 5-31 Boobytraps
- FM 7-8 Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad
- FM 7-93 Long-Range surveillance Unit Operations
- FM 19-15 Civil Disturbances
- FM 19-30 Physical Security
- FM 20-3 Camouflage
- FM 21-11 First Aid for Soldiers
- FM 21-26 Map Reading and Land Navigation
- FM 21-75 Combat Skills of the Soldier
- FM 21-76 Survival
- FM 21-150 Combatives
- FM 23-10 Sniper Training
- FM 31-21 Guerilla Warfare and Special Forces Operations
- FM 31-20-5 Special Recon Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Special Forces
- FM 31-70 Basic Cold Weather Manual
- FM 31-71 Northern Operations
- FM 34-60 Counterintelligence
- FM 90-3 Desert Operations
- FM 90-5 Jungle Operations
- Local phone book

Keep in mind that your situation may vary enough that it's feasible to remove some of these items from your list. Someone attempting to survive in Alaska will likely have no use of FM 90-5, while someone with no pets or animals at all may not need "Where There is No Vet". Make you own evaluations, but try not to omit too much of the material. For instance, FM 19-15 is on this list to clue you in on what sort of things to expect from "authorities" in the instance that a civil disturbance takes place near your location. Another example is FM 31-70 on cold weather training. Even in the Deep South of the US, the weather can become very cold in the Winter.

List of Lists - Firearms

Here is the list I think people have the most fun with. Firearms is obviously an important part of any preparation list. Their uses are numerous, with hunting and personal defense being the obvious two. Since the list I am putting together is made primarily for a beginning prepper with a modest budget, this list is probably going to be surprisingly short to a lot of people. The truth is, to cover all your bases on the firearms list, you actually don't have to have an arsenal that rivals Bert Gummer from the movie "Tremors".

When choosing which firearms to include on your list, there are some variables to think about. You want to make firearms choices that include weapons that are reliable and easy to maintain and use. Just because you are a war veteran who carried an AR-15 and can break it down and put it back together in 30 seconds, doesn't mean your wife or parents who are bugging out with you can do the same thing. You have to understand that everyone's life might depend on someone who isn't an expert using that weapon. You might say something like "then I'll train them to be!" Well, good. Train them. But that doesn't mean you go out and buy the most complicated weapon platform available and then train your family on it. You still need to choose something that has simplicity and reliability.

Each firearm out there is specialized for a certain set of tasks. Sure, there are some that are very versatile and can handle a wider range of jobs than other firearms, but most have a particular job that they handle better than most. For right now, let's look at this list and then discuss each entry. I'm not going to put any specific brands or models on the list, because each person has their own abilities and budget and preferences. I'll talk about a few brands later. For now, I'll be very general.

- .22LR caliber rifle (2,000 rounds)
- 12 gauge shotgun (500 shells)
- Handgun, 9mm or larger in caliber (1,000 rounds)
- Weapon cleaning kit and gun oil
- Magazines for each firearm

See? Short and simple. This list is not designed to break anyone's bank or turn someone into an arsenal-toting Mad Max character. If you have the spare funds and desire, there are plenty of other options to add to this list, and I encourage you to do that. But for right now, I'm trying to get someone started with the minimum they need to make it.


A rifle chambered in .22LR is probably the most important firearm to have in a survival situation. The ammo is light. It's not hard on the ears (you might not have hearing protection at all times in an emergency, so this is a plus at least). It's highly effective for hunting small game, which is the most likely type of game you're going to run across when you're out and need food. I know, the TV likes to show survivalists hunting and gutting and cooking a big moose or a ten-point buck after an eight hour trek through the woods. But they don't show the 500 birds and squirrels and rabbits that person walked past that would have been easier to find and kill and clean and cook! It's entirely possible to take down a deer with a small caliber rifle, but why expend the energy hunting for a deer with a small caliber rifle when you can bag ten squirrels in an hour without moving far from camp? Plus, a few dead squirrels is less likely to attract a hungry predator than a dead deer.

Small caliber rifles are light and very simple to use. Light recoil makes them easy to fire. Often they are easy to maintain. Their simple mechanisms make them reliable in poor weather. When they do malfunction, it's often a simple fix. A couple of top quality choices here are the Ruger 10/22 carbine and the Savage .22 bolt action rifle. Both are lightweight and reliable. I prefer the Ruger because it's semi-automatic, but the bolt-action Savage is a high quality and accurate weapon. To have either one in an emergency is a big force-multiplier for you. They'll both cost you about $200.

In a pinch, a small caliber rifle can serve as a decent defense weapon. It might not be ideal, but when threatened, it's small size and ease of operation will allow you to quickly and effectively put some well-aimed lead downrange at a high velocity, even if that lead isn't very big around.


The 12 gauge shotgun is a big plus on anyone's list. Great for home defense, great for hunting, great for scaring your daughter's boyfriends. I'm just kidding! Not every 12 gauge is great for hunting and home defense. We'll talk about that.

A long barreled shotgun will be very suited for hunting large fowl and mid-sized game. Turkeys, ducks and wild pigs would be some good targets here. I wouldn't want to have to shoot a squirrel with a 12 gauge and then try to eat that torn up mess, but I suppose you could salvage rabbits easily. Overall, a long barreled 12 gauge will open up a lot of hunting opportunities. It can also be an effective defensive weapon. One great choice would be the Mossberg 500 pump action 12 gauge shotgun. This one will cost you around $500. Just be aware that a long barreled shotgun like that one will be more difficult to maneuver around tight corners and walls inside buildings.

That is where the short barrel comes in. A shorter barreled shotgun may not be quite as accurate, so that might make hunting a little trickier. If you can overcome that disadvantage, then you should be all good. The short barreled shotgun may very well be king in close range self protection. The short barrel is easier to maneuver around corners inside buildings and it's lighter weight makes aiming and hitting a target with the first shot easier. A good option for a short barreled shotgun is the Mossberg 88 pump action 12 gauge shotgun. The normal cost is around $200.

When choosing a shotgun, you have to take into consideration what you'll be doing with it. If you know you're going to be using it for hunting, you may want to choose a longer barrel. If you think defense is more of a concern for you, the short barrel might be for you. Personally, I prefer the Remington 870 tactical 12 gauge shotgun. If I need to hunt with it, I can. But if it comes time to protect myself or my family, the Remington will do well for that too. That model will cost approximately $650, but the additions and options available for it may cause the price to move up or down..


A handgun is a big choice. There are so many options out there and one size certainly does not fit all. Let's try to establish some foundations. The handgun on this list is mainly there for personal protection and carrying on your person at all times if practical to defend yourself from a two-legged predator (that would be humans). Therefore I am not going to suggest a small caliber such as a .22LR for your handgun. The smallest caliber I would consider would be the 9mm, .38 or .380. Anything smaller might leave you needing to fire an entire magazine for an effect, and that is not the goal. Let's talk a little about semi-automatics and revolvers.

A semi-automatic is going to allow you to fire rapidly if necessary. No cocking needed after each shot and typically you will have more available ammo than in a revolver. There is a slight danger of a "jam", so you're going to need to be proficient with your chosen semi-auto in order to maintain the ability to clear the problem and get back in the fight. With a revolver, you have significantly less chance of any type of malfunction ever occurring. However, you probably will have more limited ammo in your firearm and reload time is a good bit longer than in a semi-auto. Also, if you choose a single-action (SA) revolver, you'll have to cock the hammer on every shot. I don't recommend choosing a SA. A double-action (DA) revolver does not require this cocking. The trigger pull will do that itself, though the trigger pull may be a bit harder than you'd like it to be in a fight.

Choosing a handgun is all on you. You have to ensure the weapon fits your hand and you can fire it comfortably. I feel comfortable carrying a Beretta 92FS 9mm semi-auto. My hand fits it decently and the recoil is easy on me. But my wife's hand is not made for that weapon. The recoil may not be hard, but if the weapon is a little too big, the recoil effect is going to be even worse than normal. My ideal carry weapon might be a Glock 19 9mm or a Colt Government 1911 .45ACP. For my wife, a Ruger LC380 (.380 caliber) would be a better fit and the recoil is manageable for her. The 1911 feels comfortable in her hand, but the recoil is a bit much. So, my point is that you need to ensure that the weapon fits well in your hand and that the recoil is manageable for you when firing. You also need to make sure you understand how to operate the weapon like an expert and maintain it properly.

My recommendation for a handgun won't go any further than me saying that I prefer a semi-automatic over a revolver. Revolvers are excellent weapons, but in a fight, I want to be able to fire quickly and reload quickly. I do understand that with a semi-auto I will need to be able to clear a possible malfunction (however unlikely) quickly. As far as recommending a model, I can't do that. It all depends on you. Some good brands (there are many others) to check out are Colt, Beretta, FN, Walther, Smith and Wesson, Glock and Ruger.

It's obvious that you will need magazines for any weapons you have. It's advisable to have several for each weapon in case you lose one or one is damaged. Cleaning kits are also obvious needs. It's important to have a good oil for cleaning and lubricating your guns. CLP (Cleaner, lubricant and protectant) is what the US military generally uses. RemOil by Remington is an excellent choice.

Ammunition for each firearm needs to be collected in abundance. 1,000 rounds per firearm is an excellent start. Notice that I say "per firearm". That means if you have two 9mm handguns, you should acquire 2,000 rounds of 9mm ammo. Being short on ammo means your weapons will do you no good. Shotgun shells take up a lot of room and aren't made to go around "spraying and praying", so 500 shells should be good to start.


During times of gun control pushes ammunition, magazine and firearms themselves can be difficult to find. When the Sandy Hook school shooting occurred in 2012, left-leaning politicians like President Obama and Kalifornia Senator Diane Feinstein (who had been telling everyone that this was "no time for politics") started their push against everything gun related. They pushed for bans on common sporting rifles, on ammunition, on magazines, on firearm features like pistol grips and collapsible stocks. What ensued was a run on ammo, magazines and firearms. In the late part of 2012, all kinds of common ammo disappeared from the shelves and common sporting rifles like the AR-15 vanished. Even 30 rounds magazines were all bought out. Things have returned back to normal somewhat, but it only takes one event and a bunch of gun grabbing politicians to start the panic again. Luckily, freedom loving Americans defeated almost every single anti-gun bill presented throughout the land. Only in the most liberal areas did the anti-gun crowd make any progress. In most areas in the US, the anti-gun crowd has been soundly defeated and our 2nd Amendment freedoms have been strengthened. We have to continue to the fight to maintain our God given rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights, or our children and grandchildren will live under the boots of tyrants.

List of Lists - Finance

Today I'm going to be talking about money and finances post-SHTF. It's very important to maintain some sort of ability to operate in an environment in which there is an economy based on money. While the economy in a post-SHTF world might not be solely based on money, such as a barter economy, it is likely that many people will still hold some value for "old world" money and be willing to accept it in trade for goods or services. While this is a short list, it may very well end up being the most expensive part of you list of lists.

- Cash ($1, $5, $10 and $20 bills)
- Coins (May still retain full value if currency has a full crash)
- Gold
- Silver

It is important to remember that all dimes, quarters and half-dollars made in 1964 or prior are 90% silver. $1 face value of these coins equals approximately .715 ounces of silver. These coins are often referred to as "junk silver", though the term is not meant in a negative way. I recommend focusing on silver if you are thinking of entering the precious metal market, unless you have an unlimited budget. The current price of one ounce of silver is approximately $22. The price of one ounce of gold, however, is approximately $1,400. Some other precious metals to consider are platinum and palladium, though these are similar in price to gold.

In a post-SHTF world, junk silver may be an excellent way to acquire needed supplies. These are much easier to sell and trade than a full one ounce silver coin, or any amount of gold for that matter. When you have silver that can be broken down into small amounts like a dime or quarter size, you have a much higher chance of actually getting your money's worth.

Considering that every single economy on earth that has ever been based on "fiat" currency has failed throughout history, and considering the fact that our economy and the economy of every developed nation on earth is based on fiat currency, it stands to reason that we should all be prepared for the day when the economic collapse arrives. Basing an entire economy on IOU bills is obviously not sustainable. Additionally, every time a problem arises, our leaders simply implement a fix that is only temporary and unsustainable itself. Once that temporary fix is no longer working, they simply put another temporary fix on that!

I am certainly not an expert on economics, but it doesn't take an expert on economics to see that this system will eventually fail. Once the large system fails, small, local economies will begin to pop up in towns and cities and counties. This short finance list will help you begin participating in these new economies.

More from Afghanistan.

So, I'm still here in Afghanistan, having worked at tiny COP and now working at a mid-sized FOB. It's interesting to say the least.

Going "outside the wire" on missions is the most fun and the biggest adrenaline rush I've ever had. I've learned a lot and worked with some good people. I've been in some dangerous situations. 

Overall this has been a great experience, and I look forward to doing it again in the future. Maybe in a different country next time. The experience you gain being in a combat zone can't be found anywhere else.

From the other side.

I do apologize for the long time since my last post. As this is still a very young blog of mine, I know that frequent posting will be one of the best ways to gain new readers. The reason it's been such a long time since I last posted here is that the US government has deployed me to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Without going into the details of what I'm doing or where I am, I'll just say that it's been interesting already. I'd just like to go over a few basic points and then I'll end this post and start putting together my next one.

- Despite what the media is telling the American people, this war, conflict, whatever you want to call it, can be chalked up in the US military's win column. Yes, I fully understand that the Taliban still exists. Yes, I fully understand that ISAF still receives occasional attacks from insurgents in the country. Yes, I am fully aware that we are still losing personnel in this theater. But if your standard for "winning" a conflict is killing or capturing 100% of the enemy fighters, stopping 100% of enemy attacks before they happen and eliminating 100% occurrence of our own casualties, then I see that your standards are unreasonable and impossible from the start. Al Qaeda (AQ) has little to no presence inside Afghanistan today, and the general population, even the ones who still support the Taliban, have no love for foreign AQ operatives. Even in 2001, Afghans viewed AQ foreign fighters with suspicion and mistrust. The Taliban fighters who are left are almost all part-time fighters with minimal training and are some of the poorest equipped fighters in the world. Yes, I know they still launch attacks and I know they still occasionally have some effect. But the saying about a blind squirrel comes to mind. I'm not trying to be nonchalant and uncaring about losses we are currently taking, but in a war this long, the low number of casualties we've taken is both a testament to US military skills and to just how weak our enemy really is over here.

- Despite what happens after the US military leaves Afghanistan, our guys have done EVERYTHING humanly possible to give the people of Afghanistan whatever level of freedom they wish to have on a silver platter. Another saying comes to mind however, about leading a horse to water. If Afghanistan collapses into chaos then that will be no fault of the US military. We came in, we pushed the core of the Taliban out, we killed the core of AQ in Afghanistan, we installed a stable government and have propped it up throughout the war. We have trained their military and police. We have fed their people. Built roads and power lines and wells. We have set up Afghanistan for success. If they fail, then it is on them. If they fail, that does not mean we "lost" the war. The above also applies to Iraq.

- Don't let anyone tell you Afghanistan deployments in 2013 are cakewalks. Yes, Kandahar Airfield has a boardwalk with food and shopping and recreation. That's because when the US goes to war, we bring America with us. But outside of the "super-FOBs", it's a different world. We still have a lot of our people eating MREs (I have at least one per day, sometimes two). We still have people staying "outside the wire" on missions for three or more days at a time in dangerous locations. We do still have people getting hurt and dying. So don't get complacent thinking that it's just "garbage time" here. It's not. This might not be the same place it was in 2001 or 2003 or 2005, but it's still the wild West, and we are still here. Don't forget that.

Words on Syria.

The Syrian civil war has become increasingly complicated since it began more than 30 months ago. The Syrian people saw the "Arab Spring" sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa and finally decided that they were tired of the decades long, oppressive rule of the Assad family. The people began to demonstrate and Assad responded with gunfire from attack helicopters he had received from Russia. This threw Syria into a revolt, a full scale civil war.

At first glance, this matter seems simple. However, today there are more than 1,200 rebel groups fighting against the Syrian regime, totaling between 70,000 and 100,000 fighters. By US federal government estimates, between 15% and 25% of those groups are considered to be militant jihadist organizations. Other estimates go as high as 80%, with some so called "experts" stating that the non-extremist fighter groups have been completely annihilated. Some of these extremist groups have aligned themselves with Al Qaeda, a major Syrian rebel group called "Al Nusra" being just one example.

Russia has been involved in this conflict on the side of the Assad regime since day one. They've been supplying weapons, equipment, training and advice from the start. The US government has only recently decided to get involved in this conflict on the side of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), whoever that is. The FSA is fragmented and the fighters fall under many different flags. Once again, one of those flags is the flag of Al Qaeda. The US government has reluctantly agreed to get involved by sending weapons to the rebels, though no one is really sure if those weapons have been sent yet.

Months ago, President Obama made a statement during which he stated that he was drawing a "red line" for Assad, saying that the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people would bring "consequences". He has since claimed that he did not draw any line, but that "the world" drew the red line instead. The first time Assad used chemical weapons, Obama seemed to deny, or perhaps ignore, this crossing of his "red line". When Assad crossed this line again on a larger scale, Obama was forced to take action to save his ego.

Now we see members of Congress debating each other on what action to take against Syria. Obama first stated that he didn't need Congress for him to take action, but he has now asked Congress for approval. It's my opinion that Obama has basically painted himself into a corner with his "red line" comment, and asking Congressional approval is his last resort for getting himself out of that corner. If Congress disapproves, Obama will certainly blame Congress for inaction and will certainly lay most of that blame on the Republican Party, as he has done every time one of his actions yields poor results. If Congress approves military action, Obama will not have to go down alone with his ship, and he can displace blame for any negative effects.

I don't see what military action is supposed to achieve. It has already been decided that regime change is not the goal, nor will strikes against chemical weapon storage sites be the goal.

One option, firing Tomahawk cruise missiles against select targets in Syria for a short, predetermined time period, will have little to no effect on the ground situation in Syria. Another option is "boots on the ground". This option has been ruled out, however. Air strikes are another option on the table, but unless these air strikes are conducted on a large scale, this option won't yield results any different than Tomahawk missile strikes.

I simply don't understand the goal of military action against Syria. We simply have not been given a goal. The only thing we are told is that it will be "limited" and "narrow" and that it will take place for only a short period of time and target only a few specific locations, not include locations where Assad or major regime members will be and not to target places where chemical weapons may be located. Given this information, it is obvious that an attack of this nature will have no effect whatsoever on the situation in Syria.

While I do not support the Assad regime, I also do not support the militant jihadist rebel groups either. We fought against many of these Syrian rebels in Iraq in recent years.

It's clear to me that the goal of the White House is to protect Obama from criticism. Every move they make on the Syria situation shows that everything they do is a show to gain support for Obama in order for the Democratic Party to do well in the next round of elections.