How "Crazy Survivalists" Make The World A Better Place

Brandon Smith, Contributor

I was recently interviewed by a journalist for a local newspaper who was developing a story on the exponential rise of the “prepper lifestyle” in America, most especially in Western Montana. Being an outsider to the Liberty Movement, she was naturally curious as to what motivated us to make what some in our culture would see as a drastic and bewildering leap away from the mainstream. She was equally fascinated with our willingness to travel great distances and make substantial sacrifices to live in regions like the American Redoubt. 

I will not deny, Montana has indeed become a “hotbed” of survivalism and Constitutionalism, or what the Southern Poverty Law Center would call “extremism and domestic terrorism”. I lived in Pittsburgh for years while writing for Neithercorp and Alt-Market and rarely ran into like minded individuals aware of the tenuous status of our society. Within days of moving to Montana, I was being recognized by complete strangers in supermarkets excited to discuss the inner workings of Keynesian monetary corruption, precious metals investment, and Alinsky disinformation tactics. Yeah…I know…it’s weird.

20 Tips For Surviving Economic Meltdown

Gaye Levy, Contributing Writer

Activist Post

As difficult as it may be to fathom, the current lousy economy may not be the worst case scenario. All I have to do is look around and be observant to see that there is a strong likelihood that another, more significant economic meltdown is imminent.

Why? Here are some of the reasons:

• Continued lack of employment opportunities for those that are currently unemployed of underemployed
• Freakish storms and other natural disasters affecting the viability of farmland resulting in increased food prices
• Out of sight fuel costs affecting transportation and heating costs
• Rising costs of healthcare
• Devaluation of homes and real property
• An increase is crimes against persons (knifings, murders, even road rage) indicate a barometer of frustration and malcontent among the populace

These are just a few indicators that an economic meltdown of horrific proportions could be on its way. (And since I am an economics knucklehead, I won’t get into the technical reasons having to do with the way monetary policies affect the economy. To me, the anecdotal and real-time experiences with real people are good enough).

Oh sure, there are pockets of economic growth here and there. But for the most part, I see and sense a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness when it comes to money and matters relating to the economy. As much as I hate to admit it, even I feel that the middle class life I have known most of my adult years will never be the same. Pretty depressing when you think about it.

What to do?

Collapse Preparation 101: A Newbie Introduction and Checklist

Max Edward Mogren
Collapse Net

CULVER CITY -- As oil and food prices skyrocket, civil unrest erupts around the globe, and international tensions approach the breaking point, more people are awakening to the inevitable reality of systemic failure.  As the nuclear situation in Japan worsens and a massive radiation leak looms on the horizon, our collective sense of urgency is heightened.

If modern industrial civilization were a computer, it would be running an outdated operating system, plagued by spam and spyware, struggling to run countless unnecessary programs, issuing antivirus attacks against its own crucial components, and plugged into a very unreliable power supply.

Without constant fossil fuel energy expenditure, Planet Earth cannot support 7 billion horny, hungry, home-building humans. Unfortunately, due to the fundamental flaws of infinite growth economics coupled with America's #1 export (our cancerous consumer culture), humanity is on an unstoppable crash course with reality.  Limited resources cannot meet infinite wants.  Greed is not good.  Fatal error: reboot required.

10 Tips to Simplify or Survive During Hard Times

Activist Post

Many of us are caught in the precarious position of being intellectually aware that we are heading into a worsening economy with signs of a looming global food crisis, and feel as though we must simplify or streamline our lifestyle to prepare for possible disruptions in our standard of living.  In a world where consumption has become a sport, you may actually find it more satisfying to shed some material weight.  Even if your financial situation is not too dire, it is still a sensible idea to keep preparedness in mind.

An increasing segment of the population is already feeling the pinch from losing a job, while the cost of living continues to increase.  This group has no choice but to get creative in the way they manage their limited resources for optimal survival.  The key to becoming a content minimalist/survivalist is to develop the most efficient ways to provide for basic necessities.  The goal is simple: reduce your daily, weekly, and monthly expenses without giving up items that keep you sane.

We can look at the extreme examples like The Moneyless Man, Mark Boyle, for inspiration.  His book is an essential guide into the techniques, as well as the lifestyle that has enabled him to live completely and happily off the grid, without money, for more than 2 years.  His radical path is not one that many people would choose, however he proves that you can survive with very little money if that is your goal.

Outlined below are some relatively painless and often rewarding tips to survive hard times on a shoestring, or to free up additional funds for discretionary spending.

Turn Off the TV: Why does anyone with an Internet connection still pay for TV service?  You can get your news and sports fix, and find all of your favorite movies and shows online.  The rest is just expensive noise. Join the growing trend and cut out your paid TV service.  You'll find the financial savings is just a minor part of the benefits to unplugging.  If you absolutely need to watch your favorite team's important games, you may have to get to know your neighbors or socialize at a friend's house. 

Make Your Own: With the TV now turned off, we'll have plenty of time to produce things we would normally purchase.  Our modern world of conveniences has stripped much of our knowledge of how to support ourselves. One of the costliest and least healthy areas of our daily lives are cleaning and personal care products. Using very basic ingredients you can minimize most toxic chemicals in your household, as well as save money for items that help optimize your simplicity.  Personal care products such as soap, shampoo, and deodorant are simple and cheap to make at home. Three ingredients to keep on hand; baking soda, distilled vinegar, and Dr. Bronners.

Minimize Transportation: Cars are one the most expensive items we think we need to be functional or happy. They've also become one of those staple luxury items that shows your status in society.  Let this illusion go; it's far more important to have your simplicity and the extra savings. Understandably, personal vehicles are necessary in many areas that have inadequate or no public transportation, and cars also represent a tool of trade, as well as personal freedom.  But if your family has multiple cars, consider if it is feasible to eliminate one of them. If not, budget and plan wisely for limiting all costs related to the car; fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc. 

Reduce Household Energy Use:  Conserving energy is one of the most obvious ways to reduce monthly bills.  The topic has been written about and promoted for years.  You already know the easy stuff like turning off lights, turning the hot-water heater down or off when not in use. But now it's finally time to get conscious of your precise energy use and begin to turn the meter back using all tactics.  Look into supplementing with solar power or other alternative sources to become as self-sufficient as possible. 

Produce Your Own Food: The most important step that anyone can take, immediately, is to design a simple garden.  With 15% to 20% of the average household budget spent on food, and prices skyrocketing everyday, discovering ways to prepare for food inflation is vital to survival. A low-cost way of producing food off-the-grid is always a great investment no matter the economic conditions. Nearly everyone can engage in some level of food production to save money and increase independence.

Boycott Big Box Stores:  There's a belief that big box stores like Wal-Mart provide the only option available to those on a tight budget who need to get cheap items.  Although Wal-Mart does indeed sell many items at low prices, a recent study shows that Wal-Mart stores have repeatedly destabilized the economy of local communities where they are located.  Therefore, we should consider the larger picture and support small, local businesses in our quest for simplicity.  We also should do our best to avoid frivolous boredom shopping altogether, which big box stores encourage, and resist our culture's tendency to to make unnecessary impulse purchases based solely on an item's "special" price. 

Buy Local: If we hope to restore prosperity to our communities, and ourselves, we can start by supporting truly local producers instead of mega-corporations.  In many cases you'll find that essential items like food, used tools, and other items can be found far cheaper than at big box stores -- if not free.  You can begin giving true support to your local community, while obtaining healthier food, by searching for farmers markets and family farms close to where you live.  Local Harvest has a database that can be searched by zip code.  By connecting with a local farmer, you can obtain healthier produce, often at a much lower cost, while strengthening your local economy.

Foraging: We should re-learn the ability to forage.  There is no shame in foraging and many items can be found in our throw-away culture. Even if you can afford to buy something new, discovering a vintage used item for less, or perhaps free, is something to be extremely proud of.  This isn't middle school anymore where you must have shiny new brand name items to be accepted.  Your current friends won't disown you for being more frugal.  In fact, when they see your pride of accomplishment on an amazing deal or find, they will likely be envious.  As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure.  Happy hunting! 

Freecycle Bartering:  Beyond the "green" trappings of the Freecycle Movement lies the heart of the best survival technique of all: cooperation.  According to Recycling Group Finder, there are nearly 5,000 groups with over 8 million members in 85 countries looking to trade or give away items that are otherwise may be destined for the landfill.  On Mark Boyle's website, Just For The Love of It, he has a wealth of resources to live within what he has termed the Freeconomy.  Here you can meet people, learn skills, trade tools and survival items, and even write about your own experiences to help educate others.

Do it Yourself: If you absolutely must have your nails manicured or get frequent haircuts, why not do them yourself? Is it that important to have a "professionally" groomed hairdo?  Determine what services that you pay for that can be done yourself.  Mow your own lawn, wash your own car and change your own oil; hand wash your dishes instead of piling them into the dishwasher; and learn other new skills for increased self-sufficiency.

We are eager to hear your ideas about what has worked in your own life.  Please leave a comment, or submit your own article that can help others to gain independence. 

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14 Lessons I’ve Learned About Survival

M.D. Creekmore

The Survivalist Blog

In early 1988 I first heard the word survivalist from my then girlfriends father when he gave me several books related to survival including back issues of Kurt Saxons now defunct “The Survivor” newsletter.

Within two days I’d started my food storage program (25 lbs of dried beans) since that time I’ve managed to build my preps up to an acceptable level (despite having to start over more than once) but along the way there have been many challenges and I’ve learned from each, so today I thought I’d create a list of 14 things, I wish someone had told me in when I started.

1. You Can’t Do It All At Once

This is a mistake that I, and I’m sure many others have made when starting out, we want to get it all done – yesterday. You run around all frantic, shaking and scatter brained determined to become prepared for a major disaster within a week of starting. But all you end up doing is wasting money and time. Relax, make a plan and work toward your goals and you’ll get there sooner than you think.

2. You Don’t Have To Be Rich

By reading some survival blogs (know who you are) and books you get the expression that you need to spend $100,000 to reach a suitable level of preparedness. Unfortunately, this causes many to give up before they start. You don’t have to prep like the rich – you just need to prep smart.

3. Make Your Own Plan

No two survival plans will be exactly the same - granted there will be some semblance but each will have to be different to meet the needs of the individual. For example, I often suggest wheat as the backbone of the survival food storage plan but a small percent of the population are allergic to wheat and will need to store other foods in equal or greater value. You need to take a long look at your location, skills and needs and plan accordingly. Make your own plan.

4. Preparedness Isn’t Measured By How Many Guns You Have

I’m sure many of you have made this mistake. When I started prepping I worried more about finding the perfect survival gun and building a battery than building my other survival preps. Guns are fun and it is easy to get lost in the appeal just don’t let other areas of you preps suffer while you try to build your dream arsenal.

5. Skills Are More Important Than Gear

We’ve all heard the expression “he who dies with the most toys wins”, I’m still trying to figure out what the winning prize is. I have nothing against using the latest technology and gear – just don’t depend on it. Things break, get lost, stolen or don’t work as intended. Your most important piece of survival gear is your brain – learning survival skills should be your number one priority.

6. You’re Not Rambo

Most of the Rambo  want to be’s won’t last long. Many new survivors fall into what I call the Rambo mind-set, they can’t wait for the collapse and breakdown of law and order, then they will take to the woods and engage in one firefight after another. They see themselves as the ultimate killing machine taking down the bad guys in a burst of gunfire.

7. Get A Life

Preparedness is a serious business and it is easy to become obsessed – don’t do it. I love learning new skills, reading survival books and planning for different possibilities and all this takes a lot of time, but I’ve learned that unless I take time off the rest of my life tends to fall apart. Go see a movie, spend time with family and relax. Then when you come back to all this you will do so with a fresh and rested mind which will allow you to get more done and make fewer mistakes. The key is balance. 

Read Full Article 

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Dare to Prepare: Collapse of Civilization Now Guaranteed

Eric Blair

Activist Post

"It has been written" as the saying goes.  For many generations there have been small groups of people who have researched and protested the criminal nature of our rulers who cast their disease on civilization.  These activists screamed truth to the masses about humanity's hidden slavery, yet few listened.  

However, the injustices have now become too extreme, too obvious, that the truth has risen to near critical mass with the independent-minded population.  And indeed many more sheep, who unknowingly fund their own prison, are waking up by the minute.  

But can this mass awakening prevent our civilization from collapsing during this detonation period? Sorry folks, the answer is no.  Because even if "The Resistance" is successful in swiftly overtaking the controls of government and overturns the Federal Reserve, the dominoes set in motion by the corporate rulers are still likely to fall as they still control the food, the oil, and the heavy weapons. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve will fight it out to the death, and they have the power to simply shut everything down with a flick of the switch.

The excellent story last week by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of Treasury under Reagan, called "The Year America Dissolved" dramatically describes the breakdown of civilization playing out in America:

It was 2017. Clans were governing America.

The first clans organized around local police forces. The conservatives’ war on crime during the late 20th century and the Bush/Obama war on terror during the first decade of the 21st century had resulted in the police becoming militarized and unaccountable.

As society broke down, the police became warlords. The state police broke apart, and the officers were subsumed into the local forces of their communities. The newly formed tribes expanded to encompass the relatives and friends of the police.

With the dollar’s demise, import prices skyrocketed. As Americans were unable to afford foreign-made goods, the transnational corporations that were producing offshore for US markets were bankrupted, further eroding the government’s revenue base.

The government was forced to print money in order to pay its bills, causing domestic prices to rise rapidly.  Faced with hyperinflation, Washington took recourse in terminating Social Security and Medicare and followed up by confiscating the remnants of private pensions. This provided a one-year respite, but with no more resources to confiscate, money creation and hyperinflation resumed.

Organized food deliveries broke down when the government fought hyperinflation with fixed prices and the mandate that all purchases and sales had to be in US paper currency. Unwilling to trade appreciating goods for depreciating paper, goods disappeared from stores.

In an interview about the article, Roberts said he tried for years to reach people with facts and figures and hoped some fictional reality would work better.  When asked if anything could be done to stop it, he responded "not at this rate."  In addition to Roberts' piece comes the elite Rockefeller Foundation's analysis of the future of America.  They are strikingly similar in their tone and outcomes:

The years 2010 to 2020 were dubbed the 'doom decade' for good reason: the 2012 Olympic bombing, which killed 13,000, was followed closely by an earthquake in Indonesia killing 40,000, a tsunami that almost wiped out Nicaragua, and the onset of the West China Famine, caused by a once-in a-millennium drought linked to climate change...

Not surprisingly, this opening series of deadly asynchronous catastrophes (there were more) put enormous pressure on an already overstressed global economy that had entered the decade still in recession...prompting the Economist headline: 'Is the Planet Finally Bankrupt?'

These dire circumstances forced tough tradeoffs. In 2015, the U.S. reallocated a large share of its defense spending to domestic concerns, pulling out of Afghanistan... Resource scarcities and trade disputes, together with severe economic and climate stresses, pushed many alliances and partnerships to the breaking point; they also sparked proxy wars and low-level conflict in resource-rich parts of the developing world. Nations raised trade barriers in order to protect their domestic sectors against imports and — in the face of global food and resource shortages — to reduce exports of agricultural produce and other commodities. 

With government power weakened, order rapidly disintegrating, and safety nets evaporating, violence and crime grew more rampant. Countries with ethnic, religious, or class divisions saw especially sharp spikes in hostility.

So, the future "has been written" by the masters of the universe, reported on by Dr. Roberts, and has now entered the collective consciousness of a huge number of people. Whether the motivator is religion, science, economics, philosophy, government, or all of the above; the experts and the commoners alike see it coming, therefore it shall be. And most importantly, the powers-that-berequire this rough road in America to pave their global agenda through.

The collapse has even entered into the mainstream debate by default or by popular demand. Given the rapid growth of the the resistance movement on the Internet, the mainstream news outlets know exactly which articles are driving traffic to their respective websites, and it isn't fluff pieces anymore. Sure we may look at a picture of Lindsay Lohan half-naked and wasted in some club while were on the Huffington Post, but that's not what drove us there. The stories with the sharp fangs of truth and outrage are primarily running the show now and they are fully aware of it.

The Roberts and Rockefeller warnings of complete collapse are a few years out, although we are certainly experiencing the first dominoes falling.  It seems futile to try to stop the collapse, therefore the immediate focus should be on preparation.  Does that mean we should stop waking people up?  No, but we should encourage them to prepare now for a societal breakdown.  

To the sheep who happened to stumble upon this radical little article and don't think it can happen in America -- picture your city as Detroit, but without Federal aid, food or fuel . . . and welcome to the new world order!

Get Prepared:
SOLAR POWER GENERATOR
NON-GMO HEIRLOOM SEED BANK

Related Article:
USDA Reports Food Shortages: Wall Street 'Caught Off Guard' by Severity
The Government Has a Seed Bank Savings Account, Why Shouldn't You?
Ten Reasons to Become Self-Sufficient, and Ten Ways to Get There

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Survival, evasion…vacation?

By Jim Brasher
Dare to Prepare!

My grandfather was a Naval Aviator during World War II. As a child I listened to his stories with amazement; I look back today with an even greater appreciation of his bravery. The news today is full of survival stories, most recently the saga of the Chilean miners, rescued after being trapped underground for more than three months. Movies like "Into the Wild" and the recently released "127 Hours" tell harrowing tales of people trapped alone in the wilderness.

It all makes me wonder: Do I have what it takes to survive the unthinkable? I decided to find out.

There are hundreds of survival schools in the United States and around the world. Regular people can spend a weekend, a vacation, or even up to a year learning how to survive in the Arctic or the South American jungle; or you can focus on practical skills a little closer to home.

Many schools now offer students a chance to experience a simulated emergency, like what to do if you survive a plane crash, or run into trouble in a foreign country. At Mountain Shepherd Wilderness Survival School in Virginia, one of their most popular courses is called Hidden Pursuit.

Owner Reggie Bennett teaches survival skills based on his experience as a S.E.R.E instructor in the United States Air Force. S.E.R.E. stands for "Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape." Reggie doesn't teach resistance (that's classified), but for three days my fellow students and I learned about the basic priorities of survival ... and what I learned really surprised me!

On the final day, we were put to the test. As masked men roared by us on ATV's, we tried to make it quickly and quietly to a safe zone several miles from our campground. Even though I knew it wasn't real, I could feel the adrenaline surging as I tried to move quietly through the woods. I found out the hard way that it's a lot harder than it
looks!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO!
Dare to Prepare!

RELATED ARTICLES:
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