Breaking News
Land & Water Wars Will Dominate next 50 years
Posted on March 8, 2010 | Filed Under Breaking News | Leave a Comment
We turned off the main road to Awassa, talked our way past security guards and drove a mile across empty land before we found what will soon be Ethiopia’s largest greenhouse. Nestling below an escarpment of the Rift Valley, the development is far from finished, but the plastic and steel structure already stretches over 20 hectares – the size of 20 football pitches.
The farm manager shows us millions of tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables being grown in 500m rows in computer controlled conditions. Spanish engineers are building the steel structure, Dutch technology minimises water use from two bore-holes and 1,000 women pick and pack 50 tonnes of food a day. Within 24 hours, it has been driven 200 miles to Addis Ababa and flown 1,000 miles to the shops and restaurants of Dubai, Jeddah and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Ethiopia is one of the hungriest countries in the world with more than 13 million people needing food aid, but paradoxically the government is offering at least 3m hectares of its most fertile land to rich countries and some of the world’s most wealthy individuals to export food for their own populations.
The 1,000 hectares of land which contain the Awassa greenhouses are leased for 99 years to a Saudi billionaire businessman, Ethiopian-born Sheikh Mohammed al-Amoudi, one of the 50 richest men in the world. His Saudi Star company plans to spend up to $2bn acquiring and developing 500,000 hectares of land in Ethiopia in the next few years. So far, it has bought four farms and is already growing wheat, rice, vegetables and flowers for the Saudi market. It expects eventually to employ more than 10,000 people.
But Ethiopia is only one of 20 or more African countries where land is being bought or leased for intensive agriculture on an immense scale in what may be the greatest change of ownership since the colonial era.
An Observer investigation estimates that up to 50m hectares of land – an area more than double the size of the UK – has been acquired in the last few years or is in the process of being negotiated by governments and wealthy investors working with state subsidies. The data used was collected by Grain, the International Institute for Environment and Development, the International Land Coalition, ActionAid and other non-governmental groups.
The land rush, which is still accelerating, has been triggered by the worldwide food shortages which followed the sharp oil price rises in 2008, growing water shortages and the European Union’s insistence that 10% of all transport fuel must come from plant-based biofuels by 2015.
In many areas the deals have led to evictions, civil unrest and complaints of “land grabbing”.
Read Full Article Here: How food and water are driving a 21st-century African land grab | Environment | The Observer.
Iceland Voters Stand Up For Financial Freedom
Posted on March 6, 2010 | Filed Under Breaking News, Must Read | 1 Comment
Icelanders headed to the polls in drizzling rain Saturday in a referendum set to reject a bank repayment deal worth billions that many here consider a foreign diktat, but a “nei” vote is expected to plunge the country deeper into crisis.
“I will vote no simply because I disagree very strongly with us… having to shoulder this burden” from the 2008 collapse of the online Icesave bank, Ingimar Gudmundsson, a 57-year-old truck driver, told AFP.
The issue is whether Iceland should honour an agreement to repay Britain and the Netherlands 3.9 billion euros (5.3 billion dollars).
This would be to compensate them for money they paid to 340,000 of their citizens hit by the collapse of Icesave in 2008. Events leading to Iceland bank payout referendum
Observers say an Icelandic refusal to repay the money could block the remaining half of a 2.1-billion dollar International Monetary Fund rescue package, as well as its European Union and euro currency membership talks.
It could also push Iceland’s credit rating over the cliff and destabilise the leftwing government, which negotiated the agreement in the first place.
According to the latest opinion poll, three quarters of voters will reject the agreement, which was passed by parliament in late December.
It went to a referendum after President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson refused to sign it into law because of public opposition.
Hundreds of people came out to demonstrate in front of parliament Saturday, demanding the government do more to improve conditions in Iceland, which has seen a hike in unemployment and home repossessions since its once-booming economy crumbled in October 2008.
Banging on pots and pans, the protesters brandished banners exclaiming “Icesave, no, no, no!” and calling for an end to the Icelandic government’s “financial casino”.
According to Magnus Arni Skulason, a founder of the Indefence movement opposed to the deal, the agreement being voted on was “obtained through coercion, with threats from both the British and the Dutch against Iceland”.
Echoing the frustration felt by many Icelanders, he told AFP that the demanded 5.5-percent interest rate was particularly unacceptable.
“You’re basically sending the bill to tax payers for the failure of a private bank,” he said.
Spessi, a 54-year-old photographer, said he was infuriated that he and other tax payers were being asked to foot the Icesave bill.
“I’ve lost my house and it’s still up to me to pay for this!” he told AFP as he left a voting booth in the Reykjavik city hall.
And for many Icelanders, handing what they consider an exorbitant price to London is especially infuriating.
Many here are still fuming over the so-called “cod wars” with London in the 1970s over fishing rights, and over Britain’s decision in 2008 to use an anti-terrorism law to freeze British savers’ assets in the stricken Icelandic bank Landsbanki.
“I’m not against paying people their money back, but I’m against (British Prime Minister) Gordon Brown getting his money back,” Thorstenn Pall Leifsson, a 43-year-old unemployed construction worker, told AFP.
“This (Icesave deal) is so excessive. I don’t want us to pay more than what we’re legally obliged to pay,” he added.
Despite the strong emotions surrounding the issue, the all-but guaranteed outcome of Saturday’s referendum meant voter turnout would likely be lower than in last year’s general election, when some 85 percent of the country’s 230,000 eligible voters cast a ballot.
At 1500 GMT, only 26 percent of voters had turned out in Reykjavik, compared to 36 percent at the same time in the general elections, according to the electoral commission.
Turnout elsewhere stood at about 30 percent, which was also some 10 percentage points lower than in last year’s election.
Reykjavik had been negotiating with London and The Hague for weeks to avert the vote, but the talks ended Friday without a new agreement on the table.
Iceland’s leaders said they would resume talks after Saturday’s referendum.
Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir insisted Friday that since a better deal was likely the referendum was “meaningless”, saying she saw no reason to go to the ballot box.
President Grimsson however defended his decision to put the issue to a referendum, telling AFP he felt “the referendum already has had a very positive effect. It has moved the British and the Dutch towards a fairer deal”.
The first referendum results were expected to start coming in shortly after polls close at 2200 GMT, with final results later in the night.
Read Full Article Here: Bank payback plan faces failure as Iceland votes – Yahoo! News.
The IMF won’t give the people of Iceland 1 billion dollars in aid unless they repay a PRIVATE banks failure costing 5.3 billion dollars at 5.5 percent interest. Boy that sure seems like a no brainer to me. I think U.S. bank bailouts need to be approved by the American voters!
Featured Articles
Wall Street Journal Encourages Underwater Mortgage Holders To Walk Away
Posted on March 3, 2010 | Filed Under Featured Site | Leave a Comment
Millions of Americans are now deeply underwater on their mortgage. If you’re among them, you need to stop living in a dream world and give serious thought to walking away from the debt.
No, you shouldn’t feel bad about it, and you shouldn’t feel guilty. The lenders would do the same to you—in a heartbeat. You need to put yourself and your family’s finances first.
How widespread is this? More than 11 million families are in “negative equity”—that is, they owe more on their home than it is worth—according to a report out this week by FirstAmerican Core Logic, a real-estate data firm. That’s a quarter of all families with mortgages. And for more than five million of those borrowers, the crisis is extreme: They are more than 25% underwater—the equivalent of having a $100,000 loan on a property now worth just $75,000 or less. That’s true for a fifth of mortgage holders in California, nearly a third in Florida and an incredible 50% in Nevada.
Are you in this situation? Are you still battling to pay the bills each month, even when it may make little financial sense to do so?
It’s time for some tough talk.
Stop trying to chase your lost equity. That money is gone. Don’t think like the gambler who blows more and more cash trying to win back his losses. That’s how a lot of people turn a small loss into a big one.
And do the math. Even if you hope the real estate market is near the bottom—it’s possible, but by no means certain—it may still take years to see any meaningful recovery. If you are 25% underwater, your home will have to rise by 33% just to get you back to even.
Is that likely? And over what time period? Even if home prices rose by 5% a year from here, that would still take six years. And during that time you could instead be building fresh savings elsewhere.
If you are reluctant to give up on “your” home, realize that it isn’t “yours.” If you are in negative equity, it’s the bank’s home. You’re just renting it. And right now you may be paying way above market rates. You need to be ruthless about your cash flow.
Are you worried about the legal consequences of walking away? Certainly, you should check with a lawyer before doing anything, but the consequences will probably be more limited than you think.
In “non-recourse” states, the mortgage lender may have no right to come after you for any shortfall. They may have no option but to take the home, sell it and eat the loss. According to a survey last year by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, such states include negative-equity hot spots California and Arizona. Even in “recourse” states, lenders may have limited ability to come after you. Often they’d have to jump a lot of legal hurdles, and it’s just not worth it for them. They’re swamped with cases anyway.
“In my experience, right now they’re not really going after anyone,” says Richard Nemeth, a bankruptcy attorney in Cleveland. “They just don’t have the resources.”
If you’ve taken smart steps to protect your money, you may be safer still. For example, money held in a 401(k), Individual Retirement Account or pension plan is sheltered from creditors.
Sure, a strategic foreclosure may hurt your credit score. But if you’re in financial difficulties, it’s probably already suffered. And your credit score is not the only thing in life that matters.
Still, when it comes to the idea of walking away from debts, many people are held back by a sense of morality. They feel it’s wrong to abandon their obligations. They don’t want to be a deadbeat.
Your instincts, while honorable, are leading you astray.
Read Full Article Here: ROI: When It’s OK to Walk Away From Your Home – WSJ.com.
Backpack Hydroelectric Plant Gives You 500 Watts on the Move
Posted on March 2, 2010 | Filed Under Featured Site | Leave a Comment
A human-portable hydroelectric generator that weighs about 30 pounds and generates 500 watts of power may soon be a new option for off-grid power.
Developed by Bourne Energy of Mailbu, California, the Backpack Power Plant can create clean, quiet power from any stream deeper than 4 feet.
The company showed off its more-rugged, militarized version of the Backpack Power Plant at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco last week. Bourne Energy CEO Chris Catlin estimates the system will cost $3,000 after it goes into production.
“The BPP-2, which operates silently with no heat or exhaust emissions, is 40 percent less visible during operation and can also be bottom mounted to be totally invisible,” the company maintains.
Off-grid solar cells are also quiet, but they don’t make much power relative to the mini-turbine. For example, one commercially available foldable solar panel measures about 12 square feet and produces 62 watts of peak power. You’d need 60 square feet of panels to get the same peak power as the BPP-2, and the panels would only generate electricity while the sun was shining.
To install the civilian BPP, you would dig two trenches on opposite sides of a river and insert a lightweight anchor into each. Then, you’d run a synthetic rope between the anchors and the BPP. Catlin said his company designed the system to work like the high-tension mooring systems that hold up floating oil rigs.
The military version of the BPP has been designed to work with a variety of flow rates. The civilian version was designed to function best in streams moving at 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) per second.
The civilian market for a $3,000 mini hydro system might not be huge in the industrialized world, but Catlin hopes the plant will find willing customers in developing nations and the military.
“This can bring a cheap, highly portable energy technology to remote areas and remote villages,” Catlin told Wired.com.
Bourne is currently looking for $4 million in venture capital to take the BPP from prototype to production.
Read Full Article Here: Backpack Hydroelectric Plant Gives You 500 Watts on the Move | Wired Science | Wired.com.
Critical Issues
The Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010
Posted on March 9, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | Leave a Comment
Why is the national security community treating the “Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010,” introduced by Sens. John McCain and Joseph Lieberman on Thursday as a standard proposal, as a simple response to the administration’s choices in the aftermath of the Christmas Day bombing attempt? A close reading of the bill suggests it would allow the U.S. military to detain U.S. citizens without trial indefinitely in the U.S. based on suspected activity. Read the bill here, and then read the summarized points after the jump.
According to the summary, the bill sets out a comprehensive policy for the detention, interrogation and trial of suspected enemy belligerents who are believed to have engaged in hostilities against the United States by requiring these individuals to be held in military custody, interrogated for their intelligence value and not provided with a Miranda warning.
(There is no distinction between U.S. persons–visa holders or citizens–and non-U.S. persons.)
It would require these “belligerents” to be coded as “high-value detainee[s]” to be held in military custody and interrogated for their intelligence value by a High-Value Detainee Interrogation Team established by the president. (The H.I.G., of course, was established to bring a sophisticated interrogation capacity to the federal justice system.)
Any suspected unprivileged enemy belligerents considered a “high-value detainee” shall not be provided with a Miranda warning.
The bill asks the President to determine criteria for designating an individual as a “high-value detainee” if he/she: (1) poses a threat of an attack on civilians or civilian facilities within the U.S. or U.S. facilities abroad; (2) poses a threat to U.S. military personnel or U.S. military facilities; (3) potential intelligence value; (4) is a member of al Qaeda or a terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda or (5) such other matters as the President considers appropriate. The President must submit the regulations and guidance to the appropriate committees of Congress no later than 60 days after enactment.
To the extent possible, the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Team must make a preliminary determination whether the detainee is an unprivileged enemy belligerent within 48 hours of taking detainee into custody.
The High-Value Detainee Interrogation Team must submit its determination to the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General after consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General make a final determination and report the determination to the President and the appropriate committees of Congress. In the case of any disagreement between the Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General, the President will make the determination.
Note that the president himself doesn’t get to make the call.
Read Full Article Here: cryptogon.com » The Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010.
‘Operation Exodus’: Louisiana Sheriff Taps Locals For Emergency Security Plan
Posted on March 4, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | 1 Comment
A Louisiana sheriff plans to arm volunteers with shotguns, riot shields, batons, and a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on a “war wagon,” as part of “Operation Exodus,” a program to provide security in the event of a terrorist attack or civic unrest. “It’s a calling,” he says.
The office of Sheriff Larry Deen of Bossier Parish, near Shreveport in the northwest part of the state, last month selected for the program 200 local residents — mostly ex-law-enforcement personnel — and began training them in “defensive techniques in the event of a struggle,” reports the Shreveport Times. The plan calls for the new recruits to be sent to protect food from grocery stores, gas from gas stations, and other crucial local resources, should the situation demand it.
A press release from Deen’s office announcing the program declared that “recent terror threats” had made clear that “homegrown terrorists are in our midst.” It continued: “With the easy accessibility of the internet, it is quite possible that these local and international terrorists can form a national or multiple location attack on our nation at any given moment.”
“The buck stops with Larry Deen,” the sheriff, who didn’t immediately respond to our interview request, told the Times. “I am the chief law enforcement officer in this parish, and it is incumbent upon me protect all of the people in it.”
Read Full Article Here: ‘Operation Exodus’: Louisiana Sheriff Taps Locals For Emergency Security Plan | TPMMuckraker.
Golden Horde?
Chileans arm selves against looters
Posted on March 3, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | Leave a Comment
One man swings a thick metal chain. Another grips an ax. An older gentleman favors a wooden pole. And a 20-year-old spoiling for a fight has prepared a garrote — a menacing wire tied between two handles — to confront any intruders.
These and hundreds of other survivors of Chiles’ devastating earthquake have organized neighborhood watch groups, arming themselves and barricading streets to protect their damaged homes from looters. The groups have stepped in as police were overwhelmed by looting and soldiers were slow to restore order after an earthquake and tsunami.
“We take care of ourselves here,” said 51-year-old Maria Cortes. She stood watch in Poblacion Libertad — “Freedom Community” — a gritty collection of small duplexes along an industrial road in the port town of Talcahuano. About 2,000 people live here around a common area three football fields long.
Read Full Article Here: Chileans arm selves against looters – Chile earthquake- msnbc.com.
WWIII By Midsummer
Posted on March 3, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | Leave a Comment
The three-party meeting that took place in Damascus on Friday gathering the Syrian president Bashar al Assad, the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was a war council to devise counterattack plans and assign tasks in the event of an Israeli offensive on one or all parties, wrote Abdelbari Atwan, the editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds al Arabi.
“The timing of the meeting, the way it was undertaken and the ensuing press conference that was held at its conclusion, all point to a strategic coalition being reinforced. This is the build-up of a new front that will spearhead the confrontation with the US-Israeli alliance and whichever Arab countries that may, expressly or implicitly, be affiliated with it.”
The Iranian president said he expects war to break out somewhere between spring and summer of this year. Meanwhile, the Hizbollah chief vowed to strike the Israeli capital, its airports and power stations if Israel dared to attack Beirut’s critical infrastructure.
“Indeed, we are being exposed to a new discourse here, an unprecedented sense of self-confidence and an unheard-of preparedness for retaliation.”
For its part, the Syrian leadership appears to have made up its mind to close off the US administration’s “trite and cheap” flirtation with Damascus and opted for bolstering its tactical partnership with Tehran.
Read Full Article Here: That was a war council in Damascus – The National Newspaper.
Number of US extremist groups ‘exploded’ in 2009
Posted on March 3, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | Leave a Comment
Extremist groups surged in the United States in 2009, with anti-government “Patriot” militias leading the way, says a new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“The radical right caught fire last year, as broad-based populist anger at political, demographic and economic changes in America ignited an explosion of new extremist groups and activism across the nation,” says the report written by Mark Potok.
The number of active Patriot groups grew from 149 to 512 during the course of the year, a 244-percent increase, the report states. Militias — which the SPLC describes as “the paramilitary arm of the Patriot movement” — grew from 42 to 127 over the same period, a three-fold increase.
“We are in the midst of one of the most significant right-wing populist rebellions in United States history,” the report quotes Chip Berlet, “a veteran analyst of the American radical right.”
“We see around us a series of overlapping social and political movements populated by people [who are] angry, resentful, and full of anxiety. They are raging against the machinery of the federal bureaucracy and liberal government programs and policies including health care, reform of immigration and labor laws, abortion, and gay marriage.”
Read Full Article Here: Number of US extremist groups ‘exploded’ in 2009: report | Raw Story.
Mexican drug gangs increasingly target US public lands
Posted on March 2, 2010 | Filed Under Critical Issues | Leave a Comment
Not far from Yosemite’s waterfalls and in the middle of California’s redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.
Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.
“Just like the Mexicans took over the methamphetamine trade, they’ve gone to mega, monster gardens,” said Brent Wood, a supervisor for the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement. He said Mexican traffickers have “supersized” the marijuana trade.
Read Full Article Here: Mexican drug gangs increasingly target US public lands | Raw Story.
Something to think about if your bug out location is close to public lands
Survival Sites
bison survival blog: sleeping with whores
Posted on March 3, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Now, to the post-apocalyptic whores. In today’s lawyer infested, castrated society, we screw each other over financially. In the future, we are just going to kill our enemies and take their crap. This is where having a whore for a partner gets really dangerous. She will size you up. Calculate. Then, either stay with you as long as you keep bringing in wealth, or betray you to a richer partner. She is going to open the door one night and let in a bad guy with cronies or if she stole your balls long ago she is going to knife you in your sleep. Because she doesn’t care who is screwing her. She only cares how much money they have. And by money, I don’t mean necessarily paper currency. It could be cattle, gold, ammunition, a better defended and stocked retreat, whatever. When greed is at stake, no one can be trusted. Especially not the one you are naked and vulnerable around.
Read Full Article Here: bison survival blog: sleeping with whores.
My Road to Freedom: Tires, Guns, Time, and Work
Posted on March 1, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | 1 Comment
As usual when the shtf it all comes at once. As any vehicle owner knows tires do wear out. But they wear differently on different vehicles. Also time comes into play. For example my 2002 Silverado has 78,000 miles on the factory tires. The truck is driven almost every day during the week. My 2004 “Little One” only has 18,ooo miles and needs new tires. Why? First of all the tires was manufactured in 2003 which now makes them 7 years old. Also most of those years was setting somewhere. Not good for tires to set. Sun does bad things to tires setting. There are covers to protect, and also uv treatments for tires. The normal life for MH tires is 5 years. So zi’m pushing it. The tread looks great, but further inspection shows the side walls getting soft. So Saturday was tire day. Four nice new top rated tires took $686.00 from my wallet. Now that buys a very decent 1911, and or a lot of ammo. But my life style needs good tires. So win some lose some. Of course nothing goes according to plan. I had an appointment for 8am when they opened so I did not have to spend all day there. My house does not like to be alone. The special tire guy does not show up until 9AM. This does not look good already. Upon arrival he says we have a problem. When does WE and MY $$’s have a problem. Well the problem is non of the lifts can lift my van. Say What? They have the solution- 10 ton floor jack. Fine-so whats the problem? It will take about 5-6 hours to take off the tires, mount and balance, and install. Ok fine I’ll wait. They did push the 6 hours.
Read Full Article Here: My Road to Freedom: Tires, Guns, Time, and Work.
Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest: How To Not Get Killed In a Riot
Posted on March 1, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
I have posted a bunch of videos of the LA Riots and talked a bit about how to be safe in a vehicle. Here are some thoughts on how to survive a riot. Check out this article and this for background. To be blunt riots tend to occur in urban areas with high percentages of lower income people. Riots happen in or near the Ghetto. Think I am being judgmental? When there is a riot in Beverly Hills I will formally apologize to everyone. Of course someone will invariably mention that there are no riots in Wyoming or something like that. While that is true lots of folks are in places with higher then desired riot potential because of work, family, a home they can't sell, etc. I am mainly speaking about dealing with a riot in the area where you live.
The biggest thing is to be aware of what is going on. Watch the local news or listen to local radio shows that have some news, reading a local paper is another alternative. We don’t get networks ( dish network) so I listen to local radio show in the morning on my way to and from work. If nothing else just having the radio on a local station is a good idea. If things go completely nuts most stations will give out warning and such. Reginald Denny definitely would not have taken that route if he knew what was going on. Hindsight being 20/20 taking a sick day (even without pay) would have been a good idea.
Read Full Article Here: Total Survivalist Libertarian Rantfest: How To Not Get Killed In a Riot.
bison survival blog: prep addition
Posted on March 1, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Did you ever read the book, “Cheaper By The Dozen”? I read it as a kid and once in a great while I’ll read it again. It was a cute story. The movie was alright but shared nothing with the book except the title. Prepping is also cheaper by the dozen, but we are not here today to talk about Costco ( not good for much else past the bags of rice of flour since everything is name brand ) or bulk buying. In prepping, two is a heck of a lot cheaper than one, at least on a per capita basis. For the family, it is not always necessary to do anything other than buy more food for extra people. For the most part. You already have the shelter. And the transportation. You only need one grain grinder. You already have the storage space. More than likely, you only need the one battle rifle ( Yuppie Survivalist Scum might equip the wife with another AR-15, but at the trailer park compound, the old lady can make due with the .22 or the pistol, being concerned with little more than dwelling defense and emergency back-up ). So you already have the extra firearms. You only need so many barter items. Some small investment in silver might be in the budget, but one ounce just as good for one as two ( you aren’t trying to stockpile enough for decades of retirement, just for short term emergencies ). You only need one piece of junk land, or generator, or whatever.
Read Full Article Here: bison survival blog: prep addition.
Down in the Ozark Hills: Wake up call
Posted on February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Many people are getting their wake up call. They never thought it could happen to them. They get fired. Their unemployment runs out. Their savings gets used up. They cut their cable off. Then the mortgage get’s behind. Their electric bill and other utilities get further and further behind. Then the sheriff shows up and they get thrown to the curb. Their credit is shot and they can't find a job or a find a place to rent because their credit is shot and they have no money. This is playing out everyday in cities all across the country.
I know about this because it’s happened to me on more than one occasion. So I understand the process. Most people have no skill sets to deal with this type of thing. They simply don’t know what to do. Some move in with family or friends. Some move into tent cities. Some become completely homeless. So if your in such a boat, what do you do ? Well, to begin with you should have seen it coming. You should have at least made some plans to make sure you didn’t end up where you are.
Read Full Article Here: Down in the Ozark Hills: Wake up call.
My Road to Freedom: Land Search Continues
Posted on February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
They say never give up. They say never quit. The say when the time is right it will happen. Who the hell are they? I have not found who they are, but I will not give up, and I will not quit! I’ll stick with when it is right it will happen. My little MH has had fun running around Florida in the mean time. I have found a few small plots that I could park on, and be in the woods. The problem….they are SMALL plots. Five to ten acres is what I seek, and I will not lower my standards.
On a brighter note. Everybody I know knows my favorite fire arms are made by Colt. Well I have found out that they have produced a limited run of 400 1911’s. Now I have a good collection of 1911’s. But it’s new, and a limited run, and it’s made by Colt. Only 400 produced. Remember I said only 400 produced. What makes it so special? Only 400 produced. So what. It’s still just a 1911. But only one of 400 produced. Think of the number of collectors that would want one for their collection. Think of them putting on the white gloves to handle this jewel. Admiringly the engraving, and the workmanship. Think of me getting one, and going out to the range and blasting off 500 rounds to make sure it works right. I want one. Just the thought of doing that makes me happy. The new hunt starts now.
Read Full Article Here: My Road to Freedom: Land Search Continues.
TheSurvivalistBlog.net: Creekmore on Retreats and Relocation
Posted on February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
For years preppers have been asking the question; where is the “perfect” survival retreat area? Many words have been written about this subject by survival authors such as Mel TappanThe survival retreat and Ragnar Bensonsurvival retreat.
But the truth is there isn’t any “perfect” location, some places are better than others, with some being much better. But; finding the “ideal location” that is free of any possible danger, is a futile effort.
You’re probably better off staying where you are now. Packing up, quitting your job, yanking the children out of school, leaving relatives and everything you know behind to move to a “safer location”, may not be the best answer.
Getting settled and becoming one with the community takes time, a luxury I don’t think we have at this point. You will be an outsider in a strange place, which is not a good position to be in now or after tshtf.
Read Full Article Here: Creekmore on Retreats and Relocation.
bison survival blog: the huns have arrived
Posted on February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Empire ends, always. The American empire is already collapsing but doesn’t know it yet. And our legions of enemies might hate and fear us, but at the center of it all, they simply want us to lose control of the remaining oil so that we will starve rather than them. Fortunately for them we have made ourselves vulnerable from overexpansion and they don’t even have to fight us for the oil. Not until we are much weaker. And then it will most likely be by proxy. As soon as the country starts breaking up, other powers will prop up sides to keep us divided and they will gain the resources. If there are enough left to bother over. Perhaps there aren’t other than in isolated cases. The east Texas/Louisiana/Californian petrocarbons ( being close to the coast is critical ). Nevadan gold, if they have a secure corridor. Although I imagine they only need to secure transportation to a coal area and transport that in to process the gold. It won’t take many air flights to take the metal out ( troop and/or proxy fighters resupply being another matter ). But, I digress. The main thing is we lose control of global oil so that the diminishing supply can be used much more efficiently by others ( in their estimation ).
Read Full Article Here: bison survival blog: the huns have arrived.
Keep It Simple Survival: I’m Sure I Just Got Bumped Up On “The List”, Austin Plane Crash
Posted on February 18, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Joe Stack decided he’d had enough, and made the ultimate statement one could make by crashing his airplane into a building housing IRS offices in Austin today. Joe just moved me, and anyone else who thinks like me, up a little higher on “The List”. That list of so-called “domestic terrorists”, who believe in Liberty….
I read Mr. Stack’s letter, and there ain’t too much I disagree with. What I do disagree with is the manner in which he decided to express his anger and frustration. Maybe Joe shoulda started a blog… Because what I can forsee coming from all this is heightened scrutiny from nanny.gov. The sheeple will call for it, no doubt. Mr. Stack will be compared to Timothy McVeigh, he will be smeared and demonized throughout the media, and he will have died in vain. Don’t mistake that statement for any sort of admiration: I do not admire a man who would throw his life away. Mr. Stack is the loser in this whole thing, and he has just made life a little worse for all of us who value Freedom above all. Maybe a lot worse…
Read Full Article Here: Keep It Simple Survival: I’m Sure I Just Got Bumped Up On “The List”, Austin Plane Crash.
TheSurvivalistBlog.netReview: Tactedge 4X32 Mini CQB TS Mil-Dot Scope
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
A few months ago I decided to add a rifle scope atop my Bulgarian AK-74. After extensive shooting and accuracy testing the rifle and the it’s 5.56×45mm cartridge, have proven to be significantly more accurate and flat shooting than my other AK’s chambered in 7.62X39.
By adding an optical site, I could extort all the accuracy available from this platform. I wanted something compact and preferably with mil-dot illuminated reticle – for under $75.
After some research, I selected the Tactedge 4X32 Mini CQB TS Mil-Dot Scope. According to the description it was exactly what I was looking for, and at $45.70 within my budget.
I placed my order through Amazon and after a four-day wait, the Tactedge 4X32 Mini CQB TS Mil-Dot Scope arrived in the mail. When I opened the package the first thing, I noticed was the weight and quality workmanship.
Read Full Article Here: Review: Tactedge 4X32 Mini CQB TS Mil-Dot Scope.
Accept The Challenge: Sourcing Bulk Foods Locally
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Tracking down sources of wheat, corn, beans, rice and other long-term storage foods can sometimes be difficult. Even though California produces massive amounts of these foods, finding them in bulk can be problematic.
Most stores now have bulk food aisles. You can buy a few pounds of these items, generally at a significant discount to the pre-packaged 1- to 5-pound bags in the “regular” aisles. At least with one western states supermarket chain, you can do better still.
Winco Foods has an excellent bulk foods section. What I have recently learned is that you can buy the bulk foods in their larger 25- or 50-pound sacks. If you can wait a couple of days, that is.
Read Full Article Here: Accept The Challenge: Sourcing Bulk Foods Locally.
Record Information for Loved Ones | 1-800-PREPARE Blog
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
I remember how stressful it was when my father passed away suddenly at the age of 51. He hadn’t planned for it and it was a huge burden for us to find a cemetery lot and provide the documents needed just to get through the funeral. We were all in shock and needing to grieve, but there were things we had to do to make preparations for his burial.
It was several years later before his parents passed away. Because my father was their only child, I stepped in and helped them in their later years. I was so impressed with my grandfather because he had everything in order. They had purchased their cemetery lots years before and had even done the pre-planning. We went to the funeral home, gave them the necessary information that my grandfather had already written down for us, and paid the $500 to open the grave. Because he had simplified the process for us, we were able to grieve and still celebrate their lives.
Read Full Article Here: Record Information for Loved Ones | 1-800-PREPARE Blog.
TheSurvivalistBlog.net: What Did You Do To Prep This Week?
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
I don't know about you, but I for one am sick of cold weather. Cold, ice, snow – repeat. Even with heat inside the trailer there is ice frozen inside the windows. This morning, I had to kick the door open so I could go outside because ice had frozen the door to the frame.
Usually winters in this area are mild with daytime highs in the 40’s to low 50’s but for the past month and a half we haven’t gotten much above freezing and that on a good day. Nighttime temps have been dropping into the teens to low 20’s – not as cold as some areas in the north, but still too cold for my liking.
Getting back to the subject of prepping this week, I'll admit this week has been slow – at least for me. I strive to do as much as possible every week to further my preparedness level.
Read Full Article Here: What Did You Do To Prep This Week?.
Down in the Ozark Hills: Rabbits and chickens
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Raising rabbits and chickens is less labor intensive than larger farm animals. Both are easy to raise. Rabbit manure is great fertilizer. Chickens will help keep ticks under control. Rabbit fur is easy to cure and of course they make a great meal. Chickens of course lay eggs and also make a great meal. I know, sounds simplistic, but it's true.
Both are easy to raise and you don’t have to be an expert to raise them. A few rabbit hutches and a chicken coup and you are in business. Rabbit manure can be added directly to your garden. It doesn’t “burn” your plants. Many consider rabbit manure to be the best natural fertilizer there is.
So if you’re looking to become more self sufficient, then rabbits and chickens are a great place to start.
Read Full Article Here: Down in the Ozark Hills: Rabbits and chickens.
Survive the Worst: DIY Paper Pots for Seedlings
Posted on February 15, 2010 | Filed Under Survival Sites | Leave a Comment
Do not waste your money buying commercial pots. Here is an easy, cheap method. All you need is Newspaper, and empty can. Watch the video.
Read Full Article Here: Survive the Worst: DIY Paper Pots for Seedlings.
