Covid was mischaracterized and misreported. It is not about science or medicine it is about control and politics.
Covid was and still is dangerous for the elderly, but the younger population, especially birth to 15 are statistically unaffected. Based on CDC/NIH etc data (summary graph below).
More proof of misreporting. The WIDELY reported deaths had EVERYONE (all ages) assuming they would die when in reality the impact was to elderly. (see the 220x to 570x death rate for elderly) from CDC data.
Straight from CDC website
Comparison to Spanish Flu
The media (not me) started using the Spanish Flu as an example of how bad COVID (SARS-COV2) is. By all measures the Spanish Flu was FAR WORSE. It was a real PANDEMIC. COVID is a 2s flu at best (except for elderly and people with multiple pre-existing conditions).
Details on Spanish Flu VS Covid
Spanish Flu caused a decrease in life expectancy from 12 to 16 years. The worst estimate for Covid right now is 4 years and most others have it from 2 to 3. And one even has it as low as 1 year.
Taking the best estimate from Spanish Flu of 12 years and worst estimate of COVID at 4 years, the spanish flu was 3x worse. But that is not completely accurate either.
How much life was actually lost?
Another way to compare is what percent of life expectancy was lost.
The average life expectancy in the USA in 2019 was 79.79 per GOOGLE facts.
The Spanish flu reduced life expectancy by 25% to 29% depending on when you decided the Spanish flu started. Seed Berkley link above
Covid reduces life expectancy by 1.4% to 4.4% depending on which numbers you use. Again comparing the most favorable Spanish Flu 25% to the WORST Covid number of 4.4%. It is obvious how there is not much of a comparison.
In todays terms if a virus was as lethal as Spanish flu the years of life lost would be 19.5 (nearly 20 years) at minimum and 22.62 years lost at worst. Remember the actual is probably around 2 to 4. The flu is higher than this because it kills babies unlike Covid.
The graphs below show Age Adjusted Death Rates for the USA and Globally. Again there is in increase but it is not HUGE (nothing like the 25% to 29% spike that was caused by the Spanish Flu).
US DataGLOBAL DATA
Treatment
The mass amount of media and government propaganda that the vaccine is the ONLY solution is patently a lie. It is NOT scientific and has 100s of studies and pretty much ALL of medical history proving it wrong.
We must have the emergency vaccine using gene therapy. WHY? Because there are no treatments. This IS and WAS a complete lie. Here were the KNOWN options (numerous studies can be found searching in scholar.google.com). Short Summary I could find as a layperson.
High dose intravenous vitamin C (old school for over 40 years used for sepsis and other resistant viral infections). Very cheap and safe.
Ivermectin. Well established with over a BILLION doses administered. Low risk and previously proven to be partly effective. Cheap and safe.
Hydroxychloroquine. Again well established. Known side effects. Billions of doses so well established. Cheap and safe.
Remdesivir (Veklury). Recent treatment.
Aspirin. Latest treatment
The vaccine is better than Natural Immunity?
This is hyperbole. Up until this was announced, the OPPOSITE was true for 100s of years of science. This is absolute lunacy. For comparison there are numerous studies indicating that natural immunity for chickenpox lasts longer and is more effective than the vaccine. In fact the chickpox vaccine requires a booster, while natural immunity DOES NOT.
Statements that are patently now proven lies
15 days to slow the spread
The Vaccine will STOP the spread
The Vaccine will protect you from Covid
The Vaccine is safe (now it has death as a possible side effect)
Another BIG reason is over 100k immigrants have entered the country and are being FULLY supported. And they are NOT required to get a vaccine, but healthcare workers in New York are now UNEMPLOYED because of an illegal mandate, and are not even eligible for unemployment benefits. The people who cared for COVID patients for 18+ months are now fired because they are “dangerous”. The people who paid taxes to fund giveaways for illegals are unemployed and have ZERO benefits. This is wrong on so many levels and further demonstrates this isnt about medicine or science. It is PURELY politics.
Share any others I missed in the comments.
Why No Live Attenuated Virus (LAV) Vaccine?
We turn around a LAV (Live Attenuated Virus) vaccine every year for the Flu. It has been over a year and the LAV is still not here. This is VERY clearly a decision by the CDC/NIH and it screams politics instead of science or medicine.
The Vaccine is safe.
A lie again. No one can guarentee that a gene therapy medication is safe. It is experimental. There are not YEARS of studies. Further there is NO active tracking of the vaccine side affects other than VAERS.
The easiest comparison is to say during covid, if you died of anything AND covid, you died because of covid. For the shot the assumption is in reverse. If you had the shot and died of heart attack – it is assumed NOT to be because of the shot.
Further there is ZERO risk for the manufacturers of the vaccine. They are protected from lawsuits. And as there is no clinical tracking, the odds of being able to connect the shot to a problem are low.
Where is the control group?
Why are we being forced now? The data indicates the shot does not decrease spread. People are still dying of COVID in areas with very high shot rates. People who die within 14 days of the shot are recorded as NOT being vaccinated, and it is claimed to be COVID. All this screams politics and profit over science and medicine.
I am concerned because the government declared DDT safe they declared thalidomide safe, they declared Asbestos safe.
Where is the control group? This is still experimental on multiple levels. It is not a LAV (live attenuated virus) vaccine. It modifies your genes to produce spike proteins.
I know personally that gene therapy is dangerous, a friend of the family died in a trial. She VOLUNTEERED. I have NOT volunteered. I can decide for myself which RISK i choose to accept. I accept the risk of driving, eating, exercising or not.
But you need to get vaccinated to protect others.
That makes ZERO sense. If the vaccine works ONLY I am at risk. If I have the natural immunity (antibodies) I am actually a lower risk than a vaccinated person. (relates to nasal transfer of viral load at 251x an unvaccinated person). Also even if there are variants, the vaccine likely does NOT protect from those (ie variation of flu strains).
Further, large countries such as Israel has very high vax rates but they are still seeing a spike and are talking about multiple extra jabs. There are numerous studies that indicate transmission, hospitalization and complications are NOT matching expectations.
Up till 2020 this was all accepted, now it is all considered to be wrong.
Why is this a RIGHTS ISSUE?
This is a seriously slippery slope. The government in the USA has no constitutional authority. If this stands the government could decide hwo much TV i can watch or what I eat or drink, all of those affect how long i live. This gives the government precedent. It gives them right over LIFE and ALL life decisions.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people
10th amendment
The constitution doesnt say ANYWHERE that the fed govt can mandate healthcare or force you to buy something or force you to get a SHOT. I am not familiar with all state’s constitutions, but the few i have reviewed all have similar limitations on the GOVT.
Further where is the LAW and how is it legal? The 14th Amendment limits the feds no state shall make or enforce any law abridging the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States or deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law
CONSTITUTION
We live in a REPUBLIC which protects the minority. We are in a situation where roughly 40% of the population is being FORCED to do something that is unconstitutional AND that they don’t want to do.
Why I am not getting the jab.
All the “benefits” are lies, and there is known significant risk (myocarditis and pericarditis). There is also some indication of significant increase in new cancers and other autoimmune complications related to the vaccine. Also some odd issues with menstruation. (ALL DOCUMENTED but not all peer reviewed YET)
Look at it a different way. If I am a 21 year old do I get to decide to keep the baby or get an abortion or does the GOVERNMENT decide based on “expert” data. Do they get you FORCE you to have the baby, or FORCE you to have an abortion?
Finally the vaccine is inversely risky by age. In other words the younger you are when taking it the higher you cardiac risk. While COVID gets more risky the older you are. This means that the RISK created from the vaccine is HIGHER than the disease itself.
A large portion of the black community is reluctant to take this vaccine. The “requirement” will adversely affect that community with no option for resolution other than FORCED vaccination.
Would I force you to NOT take it?
Absolutely NOT. I believe all other rights are reserved to the individual. This republic is supposed to protect individual rights, even against the majority.
A mob (democracy) that votes to “confiscate your house” if they have enough votes they can take it. In a republic the indivdual has involatile rights (rights that the government is NOT permitted to infringe on). My right to decide what to do with my life is the ULTIMATE freedom.
As one candle can light another, so too can greatness of mind be transferred amongst men. To remain in solitude is to deprive oneself of this kindling.
Understand that a storm can change its course without warning. Always be prepared to brave a storm.
No matter how cautiously you live there is no escaping the fatal clutches of old age. So then, better to join the fray and fight proudly for something worth obtaining.
Defeat your enemies in the fields before they reach your house.
A good friend speaks truly and from the heart, the one whose speech is always pleasant cannot be trusted.
What will be etched into history about your life? What legend will be left long after you are gone? How have you made the world better?
Do not be ashamed of having simple clothing, pay more attention to your hygiene and demeanor.
Don’t be fooled by money, it makes the most unreliable friend.
When the winds are harsh one should chop wood, in fair weather row out to sea, in the romantic glow of candlelight passionately talk with a woman. Use a ship for travel, a shield for defense, and a sword for striking. EVERYTHING HAS ITS TIME AND PLACE.
Common sense is you best friend.
American Indian
They are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind. – Tuscarora.
Wisdom comes only when you stop looking for it and start living the life the Creator intended for you. – Hopi
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave. – Dakota
Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect
Remain close to the Great Spirit
Show great respect for your fellow beings
Work together for the benefit of all Mankind
Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
Do what you know to be right
Look after the well-being of Mind and Body
Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good
Be truthful and honest at all times
Take full responsibility for your actions
It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand. – Apache.
Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I’ll understand.
Before eating, always take time to thank the food. – Arapaho.
Don’t be afraid to cry. It will free your mind of sorrowful thoughts. – Hopi
When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us. – Arapaho
If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come. – Arapaho
Most of us do not look as handsome to others as we do to ourselves. – Assiniboine
Those that lie down with dogs, get up with fleas. – Blackfoot
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. – Cherokee
Poverty is a noose that strangles humility and breeds disrespect for God and man. – Sioux
Do not judge your neighbor until you walk two moons in his moccasins. – Cheyenne
Force, no matter how concealed, begets resistance. – Lakota
Our first teacher is our own heart. – Cheyenne
Everyone who is successful must have dreamed of something. – Maricopa
You already possess everything necessary to become great. – Crow
There is no death, only a change of worlds. – Duwamish
Life is not separate from death. It only looks that way. – Blackfoot
You can’t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep. – Navajo
It is less of a problem to be poor than to be dishonest. – Anishinabe
One finger cannot lift a pebble. – Hopi
Beware of the man who does not talk, and the dog that does not bark. – Cheyenne
All dreams spin out from the same web. – Hopi
If a man is as wise as a serpent, he can afford to be as harmless as a dove. – Cheyenne
Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children. – Tribe Unknown
The rainbow is a sign from Him who is in all things. – Hopi
Walk lightly in the spring; Mother Earth is pregnant. – Kiowa
When a man moves away from nature his heart becomes hard. – Lakota
Everything the power does, it does in a circle. – Lakota
Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past, Wisdom is of the future. – Lumbee
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself. – Minquass
The quick answer is most of us are not, including me. My grandfather used to say, “Never tempt worse, worse is ALWAYS more creative”. So I know I am not prepared enough for everything, but I am prepared enough to make suggestions if you are just beginning.
NOTE: This post is a work in progress
STATE OF MIND
Before long lists of things to buy or do. Your state of mind is critical. Remember we ALL have natural blind spots, normalcy bias and have a tendency to ignore, overvalue or undervalue things.
Also watch for cognitive dissonance, when you know things should be one way but your senses show you another.
Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum — “if you would have peace, prepare for war”
Cognitive dissonance can identify lies BUT it can also apply to situations where you want to believe one thing (you feel like it should one way), but you KNOW LOGICALLY that things are actually different. My senses tell me there is no risk, everything is normal, but logic tells me the radar indicates a huge storm is coming – the two don’t match. Alternately the govt might say DDT is safe, but you see it causing problems – both can result in cognitive dissonance.
Think about what I can control first. What is within my sphere of control. Think about what are absolute necessities. Focus on things you cant “make” or get easily (before its too late). I could use rags as toilet paper but I MUST have food, water and shelter to survive.
If it gets really bad, you wont be able to just run to the store if you need something. If you need jeans and boots get them NOW.
Fuel will run out, electricity will end. Grocery stores will be empty. Whatever you need you will have to trade for or have already.
Starting out prepping can be overwhelming. Make a list (writing things down helps). Prioritize what you CAN DO over the things you can possibly do and skip the CANT DO to start.
Action helps getting through being overwhelmed. You might feel like you should have started long ago. There is no value in focusing on that. Now is the best time to start prepping.
Prepping Terms and Sayings
There are a lot of terms and sayings that are used in the prepper community. Here are a FEW of those that might help get you in the right frame of mind.
SHTF, FUBAR, TEOTWAWKI and other Prepper Terminology
Preppers have their own terminology. Much is lifted from military, police and first responders. This is by NO means a complete list
BOB – Bug Out Bag. A supplies kit normally a backpack filled with what you need to leave your current location and survive while getting to an alternate location
FUBAR – Fucked Up Beyond all Recognition. Normally an adjective describing a messed up situation (after affects of some SHTF event) a lot of times these are manmade
GHB – Get Home Bag. A supply kit you keep in your car and/or office that has all the stuff you would need to WALK HOME. Clothing, water, shelter, food, map, compass etc.
SHTF – “Shit Hit The Fan”. SHTF is used to refer to “events”. They tend to be shorter and recoverable. Tornados, Fires, big snowstorms etc.
TEOTWAWKI – “The End Of The World As We Know It”. These are major global events, such as asteroid impact, large coronal mass ejection, nuclear war etc.
This is an important acronym. STYK is “Stuff That Kills You”, also known by as “Sh$t That Kills You”. This applies to prepping because you want to effectively increase your survival for known risks – and using STKY as a starting point is a good plan.
Start with the most likely risks first. Car accident, normal injuries, falls, accidents, likely storms (snowstorm, tornado, hurricane – depending on where you live). Other likely events are power outages from a few hours to a few days.
One is NONE and two is ONE.
This is a critical mentality. If you have one flashlight and it goes out you are in the dark- if you break one you might be able to use those parts in the remaining unit. Same for pistols, or medical gear.
Repairs, spares, batteries, ammo, filters etc etc… are all easier if you standardize. Having multiple of the same pistol allows you to interchange magazines. Same flashlight uses same batteries, same LED, and the same seals.
Cheap is Expensive
This concept is fairly straightforward. If you buy cheap tools you end up paying more in the end. As with any rule there are exceptions.
Example: I do not exclusively buy expensive flashlights. Cheap ones are all over the place but I do have multiple expensive ones in every car and around the house.
Preparing for 72 hours (3 days)
Most small events last up to 72 hour or about 3 days. These type of events probably require some or all of the following: first aid, medication, water, food, ability to cook, lighting, ability to make temporary repairs to shelter, clothing, heating/cooling, basic communications and minimal defense.
This is where to start. Could you stay in your house for 72 hours without power and water? If not get what you need to be prepared for 72 hours without water, fast food and electricity.
Plan for both good times and bad times AT THE SAME TIME.
This is the idea of “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst”. But take it more tangibly. For discussion let us assume your odds of bad things happing are roughly 30%. So plan for 70% good days and 30% bad days. Being prepared means being ready to succeed and improve things AND recover from natural disasters and setbacks.
Do BOTH at once wherever possible. Some preparations can prepare you for both the GOOD and BAD events.
If you can get extra clothing that you would wear anyway, and buy it on sale you have a “prep item” and something you will eventually use anyway. Those clothes might help out a friend or family member.
Focus on supplies, tools and other stuff of value during day to day life AND emergencies. Examples:
Big Berkey water filter, you can use it every day AND it helps a lot during an emergency (you can pretty much drink any crappy water using it).
Rainwater collection barrels. Water your garden, reduce water load AND have extra water if the faucet stops working.
Garden tools, seeds and a prepared garden can be a great passtime. Fresh veggies and fruit taste great. The tools and seeds (and skills) are also critical in an extended emergency.
Buy extra food when its on sale and store it. Save a few $ and have food you eat anyway in case you cant go to the store. It also protects you if there is a 3 day snowstorm. Stocking up on extra salt, sugar and other dry goods when they are on sale will actually save you money in good times AND protect you in bad times. Remember to eat the oldest food first.
Buy rechargeable batteries and a charger. Yes they are expensive up front. They save you in the long run. After only a few recharge cycles you are saving $. You also have a great emergency resource because you can recharge those AA / AAA using solar or crank.
If you hunt, having extra ammo, spare bolt carrier group, and extra ear and eye protection are all things that you use anyway AND they would serve you well in an extended emergency.
Wherever possible leverage the most obvious risks first.
Don’t forget Babies and Younger Children
Stock children’s and baby clothes, jackets, outerwear, shoes and underwear. Stock up at yard sales etc. Having them stored away gives you options. It is likely you will need to take care of a baby and then small children. Clothes, bottles, and all the stuff small kids need.
Worst case seal them up good in a suitcase and store in your attic. You need to make sure they are sealed, mice might move in.
Don’t forget Pets and Livestock
Remember that ALL your animals need clean drinking water and food. Again prepping for this can be as simple as extra bags of dog or cat food.
Are you BUGGING OUT?
Many people in prepper websites talk about a “bug out bag”. We don’t really consider those. We focus on the GET HOME BAG. The idea that you need to get to your safe place, not some how magically survive Long term in the wild. For us a “bug out bag” is more to evacuate due to a house fire, regional disaster, flooding etc.
For most people bugging in is far more realistic. The other name is “Shelter In Place”.
Skills
Learn now. Learn while its easy. Learn to Garden. Learn first aid, animal husbandry and hunting. Get books, watch videos and LEARN.
Skills are lightweight, travel with you and can be bartered in an emergency.
Are You Ready?
Critical STUFF You Need to be Prepared
The following is lists of things that you need. There are 100s if not 1000s of lists, many that are likely more comprehensive than this list. If you find that something is missing let me know in the comments. Remember this is a work in progress.
Note if you buy stuff through the links, we or our partners might get commissions (none will cost you more money).
Big Berkey Water Filter. Strongly recommended (must have). It is easy to use. The Berkey’s remove 99.999% of viruses, 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria, chlorine, volatile organic compounds including pesticides and herbicides, and 95% of most heavy metals. Lifespan for Black Berkey filters is 3,000 gallons per filter (different specs for the older ceramic filters). It will filter out Nitrates but NOT nitrites.
Big Berkey(4 filters max) 2.25 gal — we own this one
Extra Berkey Filters for either Crown or Big Berkey (get 6 for smaller unit or 14 if you get the Crown/Bigger one)
The main thing is how much drinkable water you would need total – remember the freeze dried food will need water to rehydrate so assume 2x water per person.
**Remember you can drain water heater for drinkable water.
** when using contaminated water filter first with a TShirt or towel to strain out larger particulates then put into Berkey to turn it into drinking water
FOOD
The average daily caloric intake for adult women is 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day and 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day for adult men.
Get 3 months of shelf stable food MINIMUM for each family member. Better to have one year.
Food types: such as your favorite canned goods, freeze dried food, and coast guard “SOS” bars. Mix it up the things you like. Eating the same thing every day is annoying. You can’t really get too much.
For food preps, make sure you taste test any freeze dried foods, some are quite unpleasant.
Premade, prepackaged freeze dried food is pricey but a freeze dryer is $2400 to $3400 and requires you to cook and then freeze the foods and change the filters and then mylar seal the food. https://harvestright.com/common55-1-1-15.html
If you are just want to BUY the food to avoid the work here are some options:
Buy beans, rice etc in bulk and seal them up with oxygen absorber. They will last up to 25 years. Salt, Sugar and Honey will last forever when stored properly. Learn how to store it NOW.
Storing rice, beans, salt and sugar – put in 1gal mylar bags, add oxygen absorbers, seal, then put in bucket and seal bucket.
Keep 2 to 10+ charcoal bags and/or propane tanks. Keep extra gas cans in garage (at least two 5gal per vehicle – use annually at least and refill). If you have a fireplace ensure you have a 1year stockpile of wood even if you don’t regularly use it (backup heating).
Other related cooking recommendations
*A couple of HAND CAN OPENERS*
A rocket stove, or grill are simple inexpensive options to ensure you can cook food.
Pressure canner
Water bath canner
Lots of canning jars and lots of lids
Multiple Crock pots
Large heavy duty pots/pans that can be used on OPEN FLAME
Copper still + distilling books
Grain mill
Apple press
Cast iron cookware
Beer making gear/supplies
Wine making gear/supplies
If you have the funds and a camp or outbuilding, consider a wood fired Amish cooking stove.
Daily LIFE
Think about life without modern conveniences. Do you have a hand pump to pressurize a car tire. Do you have anything to cook with open flame? Do you have a way to dispose of human waste? A bucket and garbage bags is a poor mans off grid toilet. Do you have an extra pair of glasses?
Physical paper books are your friend. You can read them even if there is no computer, or internet. Get books on every important thing you can. Books on practical chemistry, medical, industrial, historical, constitution, federalist papers – a BIG library and duplicate books for trading.
Rechargeable Batteries Battery & USB Charger
Get a couple of each of these that you actually use (I suggest double what you think you need):
Solar USB Charger (lighting) It can charge your cellphone and charge rechargeable AA, AAA and 18650 batteries using the USB charger. I have tested the combo with AA, 18650 and AAA rechargeable batteries and it actually works.
Flashlights
I suggest 3 per vehicle (of whatever type) and multiple around the house + a number stored with the battery not in them with the freeze dried foods & water. I own all of these.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED Emergency radio (receive only) Kaito 500 This can receive AM/FM, HAM and NOAA emergency broadcasts. It is a crank, solar, USB and internal battery and can charge other USB devices.
A gasoline, diesel or propane generator will keep your freezer going in the short term. The long term problem is fuel, you can not store enough. So heating with wood is likely your TEOTWAWKI fuel source.
As an example a propane generator will use 2 to 3 gallons per hour. That means a 1000gallon propane (which is about 800 gallons) will last about 400 hours at best (or 16 days). We use a lot of energy in modern life.
A modern gas station has 10,000 to 24,000 gallons of gasoline. A gasoline generator only uses about .75 gallons per hour. But that still means the big 10,000 will last 555 days and the huge 24,000 gallon tank will last 1300 days. In a major event you will want to turn the generator OFF whenever it isn’t absolutely necessary. Plus remember gasoline breaks down in few months to at most 2years.
Solar Electricity
Solar is an option. Remember its limitation – you only get it when it is sunny. It will slowly degrade over 10 to 20 years. It is fairly expensive at $1k to $2k per KW of generation. If you add batteries the price can be 2x to 8x.
Wind Electricity
If you are mechanically inclined and don’t mind heights this can be a good supplement to solar.
Storing Fuel
Even though you cant store enough for long term you CAN store enough in the short term. Storing fuel can be done.
Gasoline can be stored. It will last for a few months to a year before it should NOT be used in an engine. Unleaded that has ethanol also needs an additive or it will break down in a few months. If you add stabilizer and mix the gas, you can roughly double the storage life. More info: https://theprepared.com/homestead/guides/how-store-gasoline/
Can I make my own fuel? Technically yes. You can make biodiesel and woodgas but neither are straightforward and require expertise, tools and ongoing access to raw materials to create the fuel.
Propane in a properly sealed container can be stored indefinitely. A 500 gallon propane tank actually stores about 400 gallons, and the 1000 actually stores about 800 gallons.
Propane is probably the best prepper fuel for running a generator. But propane tanks are expensive. The current cost is $3500 to $5000 per 1000 gallon tank WITHOUT FUEL, plus transport and labor to hook it up.
Which Generator? We recommend dual fuel generators or fully automated ones like those from Generac. We have a Champion dual fuel generator
Heating and Hot Water
you can get hot water in multiple ways, a gas or electric water hear, wood, gas or electric boiler, or geothermal. In a shorter term emergency you want to make you keep your electricity and fuel.
A longer term event is a challenge. A solar domestic hot water system or geothermal powered by solar, generator and/or wind is probably your best options. The sun will heat water even in the coldest of weather.
You can box frame a corner in a basement as a “wine cellar” (insulated from the house so it remains cool). Add shelves all the way around. Leave one corner for the water barrel to be on the floor so it can roll in and out of the room. The room can be used to store wine, and your freeze dried goods and other items like simple off the shelf canned goods your family likes. Freeze dried goods and canned goods last much longer at cooler “ground” temperatures. Also in a really bad situation ground temp is much warmer than -30F so it would be a spot to go to even without heat.
Root Cellar or Safe Room?
If you remodel consider putting in a root cellar/wine cellar/panic/tornado room/area (poured concrete with air feeds). Also consider putting sandbags in walls separating to exterior interior areas – it is a bit of a pain to do but gives you an area to retreat to in a home invasion. Drywall provides little to no protection from gunfire. If i remodel i will add it to master bedroom wall and other walls. This MIGHT get partially funded by FEMA
Alternately you can store under beds, on open shelves in a basement with old sheets over the items.
Barter & Misc items
Alcohol (also useful for medical and social uses)
Vitamins
Aspirin Ibuprofen The DOD & FDA found that 90% of over 100 OTC and prescription drugs were perfectly fine 15 YEARS after the expiration date.
Toilet paper, toothpaste, soap. A family friend who served in WW2 said the first time they went in they took all the ammo they could carry. The 2nd time they went in, the took all the toilet paper they could carry.
Regional paper maps. These get critical if electronic devices lose power or are destroyed. ie GPS is down or cellphones don’t work
You probably already have this covered… but if you haven’t. You want to get one or more of these. Maybe 2 of of the big kits and N+2 number of the smaller kits (at least one per vehicle and one to train with in a group).
Note: for the vehicle kits I also suggest you purchase a backpack and have full change of clothes, a map and appropriate rain/snow gear to make it walking home in that kit, including a lifestraw (GET HOME BAG)
If you have a nurse/doctor have them spec instead of the items above, and add more advanced items such as: BP Cuff, O2 Sat Monitor, lots more gauze, skin stapler etc etc.
You might consider a vacuum sealer as it can increase the life of stored products like food, rubber gloves, band aids and other items that degrade when exposed to oxygen. Another thing to consider are oxygen absorbers thrown in with a sealed item – whether in a vacuum storage bag or mylar bag.
Think Zombie Apocalypse… ANY WEAPON REQUIRES THAT YOU TRAIN WITH IT. Don’t buy any weapon unless you are serious. If it’s a “just in case” put them in a gun safe so they don’t get used against you. If you do want a firearm, train, keep it near you all the time at home. And practice at least couple times a year. Get extra magazines for every pistol/rifle type.
No single weapon meets every need.
Some pistol are small and concealable some are so big and heavy you wouldn’t carry it all the time. The AR gives lots of rounds but is large, long and weighs more than a pistol. The shotgun is versatile, filling multiple roles because of the diversity of ammo but fails to handle a zombie horde situation.
The 22 is lightweight and easy to train on, but has limited stopping power hunting deer with a 22 is not legal or recommended but it could still be a high capacity defense weapon. Each tool has its purpose and range of use. A hammer is not a wrench a wrench is not a screwdriver – the same goes for pistols, knives, shotguns, scoped bolt action rifles and AR/AK rifles.
Consider 9mm first (it is the most common). In a perfect world every family member uses the same type of pistol to share parts and magazines (at least try to buy in sets of 2).
Consider smaller (single stack) semi auto pistols, so they can be conceal carried EVERY DAY if needed. You are more likely to carry a light small one than a huge heavy one. If the zombies attack and you dont have it, its not doing you any good.
Regardless get one you are likely to put in your pocket and one that you can accurate fire even if it’s only a 22LR. If you can deal with a smaller double stack consider it as it gives you significantly more rounds – at the cost of weight.
Best Pistol
Research First. Then handle the pistols in a gun shop. Then find a shooting range that does rentals. Go to the rental range and fire each pistol before purchasing
Compact 9mm (all of these are great guns) pick the one you shoot best)
9mm most common – recommended (90% of military and police carry 9mm)
Full Size Options. If it is complete chaos and the zombies are loose, the full size 9mm is a good option for side arm, open carry (a larger pistol on your hip). It has more rounds up to 19 and is generally easier to fire (and therefore more accurate for most people) due to the extra weight. Alternately a full size 40 or 45 are also options. I purchased a 45 and now wish i had purchased the 9mm full size and smaller single stack 9mm for ammo compatibility, accessibility, and simplicity. Larger magazines up to 30+ exist for pistols, but those are better in the AR/AK rifles.
The revolver as an alternative. It is much simpler. Less to go wrong, just pull the trigger). Less to learn, but slower to reload and lower ammo count. A full size 9mm can have 12 to 19 rounds whereas many revolvers are 5 or 6 rounds. Again depends if you think it will be one zombie or a whole horde.
The value of the revolver is the true simplicity – it is easer it operate, and works even in inexperienced hands – if you get a dud (fail to fire) you just pull the trigger again for the next round. The revolver is a good weapon but slightly wider and harder to conceal plus is more weight for less ammo, which is why most people are opting for the single stack 6 to 8 round semiauto 9mm pistol.
NOTE: If you buy online – you need to find a local FFL (local dealer to do the purchase paperwork and it will cost you $20 to $100 for local handling) or just buy them locally.
Consider conceal carry (CCW) permit even if you don’t carry every day
Stockpile at least 200 rounds per person and train at least 100 rounds per person per year. I recommend that you have WAY more than that.
Get spare magazines at least 7 for your primary weapon, preferably 7+ for all.
Magazine reload is fairly fast but is intended as backup or enough to retreat only or for 1:1 events – groups of zombies require AR / AK or shotgun to finish them
A pistol is reliable for home defense against 1 or 2 zombies not groups of zombies – if it is PURELY home defense consider the shotgun.
Two Shotguns
Shotguns are normally for hunting and home defense, not normally considered for heavy zombie combat as there are only 5 to 10 rounds. However with slap loading it can be fired fairly quickly. And there are now magazine fed auto-loading shotguns. Regardless. ammo weight and size reduces this to primarily defense / hunting – not large skirmish situations or long range snipe/hunt
Slower fire rate due to reload time but will drop a zombie cuz the shell is large or has multiple projectiles
Handle the Mossberg or Remington before you purchase it. I recommend either the Mossberg 590 or 500 – both are GREAT. Both have ghost ring sights which i prefer.
Nearly any Remington 12gauge – i prefer the adjustable stocks and am not into fiddling with taking the entire rifle apart and adding a new stock which is why I bought a mossberg 535 (which is almost the same as the 500 noted above) – i would seriously consider the 590 for the extra 4 rounds.
AMMO: Get bird hunting and slugs mixed 500+ rounds – consider some beanbag and/or rubber ammo if you aren’t sure they are zombies. Shoot at least 100 rounds for training
Downsides Expensive ammo; Heavy recoil – moderate to short range, hard to carry a lot of ammo
Upsides: stops zombies well, can mix slugs and shot for ammo flexibility; Good for bird / deer hunting; easy to use with limited training
Accurate at short to moderate range 30ft to 150ft possibly as far as 300ft with a slug.
The 12g Slug is good for large problems (through vehicle or armor) – there are a lot of different “custom” types of 12g ammo
If the 12 gauge is too much, consider the 20gauge or small 410. I dont recommend the 410 though, as it is not the multifunction weapon you get with the 12g or 20g. The 410 is still powerful in short distance, has lower kick but fewer projectiles (balls/shots) per shot, and the power is lower also.
You can get automatic shotguns from Remington, Mossberg, Bernoulli, and many others – but that adds complexity. There are even AR variants in 12 gauge. We recommend sticking with the pump shotgun is very reliable and well kept will last probably more than a lifetime.
Regardless – It is important to get a shotgun you can actually use accurately.
Long Rifles (Black Guns) Two AR15, AR10 or AK rifles
Out of these the “smart buy” is the AR556/223 (they are veru common)
All below are combat (multiple zombies with sustained action and can also be used for hunting)
Normally 20 to 40 rounds of ammo per magazine. Normally carry 2 to 6+ extra mags.
Very fast fire rate (not fully automatic but still fast) – fast reload with magazines with practice – accurate – lots of ammo options
Can carry rifle plus 2 to 4 magazines so 80 to 100 rounds is feasible for AR556/223 or 70 to 90 rounds for AK and 50 to 70 rounds for 308/7.62 – more mags = more rounds but more weight
The AR15, AR10 or AK format are incorrectly referred to as assault rifles (this is incorrect because none we can easily purchase are fully automatic)
In most cases a standard 16 or 18 inch AR/AK is a good balance as it can be used for hunting and defense from zombie hordes. Longer barrel lengths correlate to longer shots – generally the 308, 30-06, 6.5 and 50cal will come in 22 to 29+ inch barrels.
AR15 Rifle – using 556/223 ammo
Most common rifle (very frequently purchased) available in hundreds of configurations.
Standard 556/223 ammo is readily available (556 is a US Military standard Ammo at least today).
370 rounds of AR15 556/223 weighs about 10 pounds
The AR tends to be a bit more finicky about being cleaned. Unless you get a Bravo Company one which is very expensive but they are amazing. One shot over 10,000 rounds without cleaning.
Fairly long range less penetration – lightweight . Most common ammo and rifle in USA. Can be modified,
Moderate recoil, Decent long range
Poor to adequate vehicle stopping
Can carry 30+ per mag (weight),
With decent aim and correct ammo, can kill deer at a range of 500f tor more
All the AK magazines should be interchangeable so any AK 20, 30 or 40 round mag will work
Not as common as AR556/223
AR10 Rifle- fires a 308 or Mil7.62×54 US Caliber
Less common than the AR15 / AR556, slightly more common than the AK47 in the US.
Referred to as AR10. There are also bolt action rifles in 308. The range is much higher. There were confirmed successful shots using a 308 over a mile. This was with a high power scope and trained marksman.
AR10 Can be modified at least some as parts generally are compatible between AR15 and AR10.
About 190 rounds of 308/7.62×51 weighs 10 pounds
The 20round magazine weighs equal to or more than the 30 round AR magazine.
Ammo is reasonably available but is measurably more expensive than AR or AK.
Noticeable kick similar to shotgun.
Suggestions
Hunting rifle (any 30-06 or 308) again buy in pairs. GET A GOOD SCOPE, do not skimp.
Good vehicle stopping with careful aim and correct ammo
NOTE: Most AR10s use the same magazine (but do your research to be sure)
Easily can kill deer within line of sight (if you can aim at it and see it you can kill it)
You will STOP the zombie if you can aim
Alternate rifles – ammo include the 30-06 (popular in the midwest) or creedmoor. Both the creedmoor and 30-06 are more hunting /long range / sniper and are not readily found in 20+ round magazine (mostly bolt rifle or 4 to 10 round flush magazines). 50cal is crazy expensive (cost of a car) but makes zombies go away before they even see you.
The AR has interchangeable parts so you can remake it to about any layout you want. Which is why i recommend the AR556 (which can also shoot the less powerful 223 round). Note you cannot shoot a 556 in 223 but you can shoot a 223 in a 556. So get a 556.
Even with zombies in the house you can clear rooms with a shorter AR but be warned it is amazingly loud, having ear protection is a MUST.
22LR Pistol and Rifle (get 2 of each)
22LR is a must have. Very low cost ammo, can kill, but ammo is rimfire so is unreliable. Far an away most likely ammo to be found in any home – easy to carry a 400+ rounds of ammo as its lightweight – a 25round mag will suppress bad guys the same as an AR but has much lower stopping power
1330 rounds = 10 pounds
Fast fire rate – fast reload
Two Ruger 10/22 rifles – most common rifle in USA
Very versatile – young people could use to hunt small game or even for self defense in a pinch. Poachers hunt deer with this 22LR rifle. Great for rabbits and other SMALL game. You need to be great shot for DEER so you don’t just wound it.
Not as reliable for self defense – jams because its rimfire (shotgun, AR/AK, 9mm, 380acp and so on centerfire and therefore more reliable)
Rifle is accurate to 200ft – much farther with practice
Can be used for suppressive fire even by gun averse people for groups of zombie attackers, but requires AR-AK and/or Shotgun to finish the job
There are 22LR conversions kits for AR rifles and purpose built ARtype 22LR – these are generally for plinking (target shooting) or small game only – and still suffer from fail to fire or jamms because they are rimfire
There are MANY LR22 ammo options. I suggest 1000 rounds of cci stinger 22lr ammo and round nose high velocity from CCI or Federal. Others like federal are also good.
I personally like copper coated or copper wash 22LR, however, they provide no discernible effect on the ammo. A lead round nose round is the same as a copper coated lead round nose, just slightly more expensive. If you handle a lot you can get the lead on your hands, which is why i prefer the copper coating.
Many consider the 22LR too small and too UN-reliable for zombies, but you can carry 100s of rounds easily, fire fast, clear the jams fairly fast and throw a lot of lead down range at a distance with a 10/22 rifle. It is a great all round small caliber varmint rifle.
Having an extra bolt action rifle that matches your largest center fire – gives you an option for long range deer hunting with a decent mechanical scope.
Other Weapons related Items
Electronic ear muffs. http://amzn.to/2wzasXI They magnify sound (like hearing aids) and still protect you from the rifle/pistol/shotgun blast. These can pick up audio better than straight hearing by 2x or more. (uses AA Batteries) I have 4 of these
Holsters appropriate for the people carrying “in waistband” IWB for concealed carry or holsters for open carry, or shoulder holster for traditional chest carry
Holsters for LCP II or LC9S (select Ruger and then LCP or LC9S)
For anyone walking as a guard, or responding in defense. WEIGHT of Ammo matters. A lighter round allows you to carry more but also means it doesn’t hit as hard.
The pistol calibers are lighter than the AR15/10 and AK rifles and the rifle are lighter than the Shotgun. The really heavy ammo is 50cal etc which we are not reviewing.
10 pounds of ammo. Rough estimates varies by grain and manufacture.
1330 rounds of 22LR
470 rounds of 380acp
380 rounds of 9mm
320 rounds of AR15 556/223
270 rounds of AK 7.62×39
190 rounds of 308/7.62×51
100 to 115 buckshot 00 shotgun shells
90 to 105 slug shells for 12 gauge
Bullet Proof Vest
Consider ceramic (flexible) armor, it reduces spalling (fragments flying around) and FRAS can protect even if a 2nd shot hits in roughly the same spot in most cases.
1st it’s VERY loud, so be prepared. Plan to protect windows and doors. Plywood with sandbags in-between and along window openings creates a secure shield – note the regular walls and plywood alone will not stop 308 or shotgun slug and might not stop 223/556 or even some 9mm.
Other wall alternatives are brick and/or ICF (Insulated concrete form) where walls are entirely concrete. When you are being “shot at” OR “shooting at” someone, remember in most cases, walls will slow but not stop rounds.
People argue endlessly about what caliber is best. The fundamental fact is that all pistols, rifles and revolvers are lethal. The 380acp, 45acp, 12 gauge, 357, 7.62×39, 308 (7.62×54) and even the lowly 22LR are all lethal.
Is one better than the other? The simple answer is the best caliber is the one you can hit your target with.
What is caliber?
Caliber refers to the shape/size/weight of a bullet (ammunition) for a firearm. Ammunition is also referred to as “ammo”. The individual type of bullet can vary with the amount of lead, steel or other projectile and the amount of gunpowder. Ammo has variables like hollow point, full metal jacket (solid or round nose). We are focusing on which “type/caliber” of bullet might be the best.
Just the Facts.
Greg Ellifritz reviewed 1800 shootings and determined that there are some differences between the calibers. The facts prove that accuracy is far more importantthan caliber. The graph below shows a comparison of various types of ammunition.
The numbers prove that ALL these calibers can kill. Comparing the best to worst, shows there is not much difference between a 22LR and a 308 round. The lowly 22LR does kill people.
The numbers prove that rifles and shotguns are more likely to stop a bad guy but the numbers are not significantly different.
The pistol caliber with the best statistics is not much different than the worst pistol caliber. The exception is the 22 being roughly 2x as likely to NOT incapacitate the bad guy. But even the 22 isn’t a horrible choice, 154 people were shot 213 times in the data Elfritz found, and 31% were one shot stops.
Stopping Power Conclusions
The best one shot stop, are the shotgun at 1.22 shots and the rifle at 1.4 shots. All the the pistols vary from 1.3 to 2.45 rounds (bullets) to incapacitate. That means on average 2 to 3 rounds from ANY handgun.
The number of shots required to incapacitate is shown below this is the same information from Elfritz, but note it takes multiple shots for EVERY ammo type.
Round (Bullet) Ammo Type
Average Rounds to Incapacitate
22LR
1.38
9mm
2.45
45ACP
2.08
38 Special
1.87
380 ACP
1.76
.40 S&W
2.36
Rifle (556, 7.62 etc)
1.4
Shotgun (90% 12gauge)
1.22
Conclusion
For many people it feels like 9mm or 45ACP or .40 is “better”. But the facts do not generally match our assumptions. Any firearm from a 22LR to a 7.62 (308) and up will kill.
Make your decision about the caliber of your weapon based on:
weight (how much can you comfortably carry and store)
standardization (do you want a rifle and pistol to use the same caliber ammo)
range (how far you need to shoot)
under or over penetration (going through walls in an apartment building is not good)
accuracy
cost
ammo availability
If you hit your target measurably better with a 22 pistol than a 9mm pistol or 380acp – you should probably pick the 22 (everything else being equal).
The arguments against 22LR
The lethality of a 22LR revolver is similar to a 357 revolver. So why wouldn’t we standardize on just 22LR? T
he arguments against 22LR are:
Lower reliability
Rimfire: The 22LR (and 22short) ammunition is rimfire, meaning you clip the edge to fire the bullet. This process makes the bullet slightly less reliable.
There is a higher chance of a 22LR firearm fail to fire (FTF), Failure to Eject (FTE) or other malfunction.
The higher failure for “one shot stop”
Range: The ammo does not have a lot of powder and mass so it loses power over distance quickly.
The alternative is any centerfire ammo (380acp, 38special, 357, 9mm or 45acp). Centerfire ammo is more reliable, has longer range but weighs more.
You can “load your own” centerfire ammo – you cannot load your own 22LR.
Recommendation
For pistols, if you can hit consistently with 9mm use that. If not drop down to 380acp or 38special. If you are inconsistent with those try the 22lr. Use the one that you can HIT THE TARGET THE BEST WITH.
For a rifle and shotgun, try out the various calibers to find what you can fire accurately and go with that. If you get blown over by the 12gauge try a 20gauge or even the 410gauge.
If the 30-06 or 308 is too much, and even the 556 is trouble, consider a 9mm carbine.
Supply chain is royally messed up right now. It isn’t a disaster…. YET. The one two punch of inflation and supply chain problems are feeding off each other. It is going to get worse before it gets better. And a people aren’t really recognizing the problems yet.
Latest News
Although most of the news is bad…. here is a bit of good news. Capitalism doing its thing 🙂
It is the infrastructure, ships, ports, railroads, trucks and delivery vehicles across the world. No one person completely controls it, and it is highly independent yet INTERDEPENDENT. Power, fuel, weather, politics and health (ie covid) all impact the supply chain.
Why should I care about about the supply chain?
Because nearly all your food, your electricity, power, all the stuff you buy locally or through Amazon or other websites uses the supply chain.
What Can I do to Prepare?
Stock up on food, paper products, feminine products and other common goods you would buy anyway. I know this action will result in higher demand, but there is no guarantee that the supply chain will recover quickly.
Even if I am wrong you will have supplies of food and paper products that you would have anyway.
Take responsibility for your own well being.
Skip fast food and going out to dinner – and invest that in a few more items in your pantry (build long term food storage).
Learn to cook foods you like. Learn to bake bread, learn to cook at least seven favorite dinners. Try out things while they are available.
Stock up on foods you eat. Buy your favorite canned goods, frozen meat etc. preferably when they are on sale. If you eat rice, dried beans or bake bread, buy a 25lb bag and separate it into 1 or 5 pound mylar bags with oxygen absorbers and put in a food grade bucket. Remember, ONLY buy foodstuff you do know how to use. https://commonsensehome.com/prepping-food-storage/
Plant a garden. Its late in the year, but you could figure out where the garden should go, and read up on gardening. Order seeds EARLY. https://commonsensehome.com/start-a-garden/
International ports in Taiwan Mundra Port (India), Port of Shanghai (China), Port of Singapore, Port of Tianjin (China), Port of Guangzhou (China), Port of Ningbo (China), Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands), Port of Suzhou (China), Port of Qingdao (China), Port of Dalian (China), Port of Busan (South Korea) – and nearly all the others are backlogged.
The Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Newark/New York, Savannah, Houston, Seattle, Norfolk, Tacoma, Charleston, Oakland and the other 20 ports are pretty much entirely backlogged. Click the marinetraffic website link above for details on any specific port.
Even when the ships can unload the trucks cant get it out of the way fast enough (or there are none).
Other Supply Chain is getting Backlogged also
Whether it is trains/rail yards, Fedex, UPS, USPS or just semi trucks. The supply chain in the USA is maxed out.
To understand why we are in trouble you need to understand the supply chain when it was working. The supply chain is built out of 1000s of private businesses. Who ships where is mostly based on COST. If one route is cheaper it is used. If you can shorter the supply chain and get closer to just in time you save more money. This has been occurring since the 1950s. We squeezed out a LOT of floating inventory over the years.
Almost the entire supply chain is designed “just in time”. It is designed for nearly 100% use at all times. This means there aren’t huge stockpiles sitting in warehouses. Stockpiles cost money to buy, store, protect and then move again. It is better to move it directly to the consumer so the system is the storage.
Warehouses and stockpiles are extremely expensive. The warehouses that do exist are designed to distribute supplies, goods and such immediately not hold for long periods
Supply Chain Disaster?
Why is the supply chain failing now?
The supply chain is failing because of
COVID backlog (pent up demand)
Economic Growth (new demand)
Normal seasonal demand changes
Fewer people wanting to work for whatever reason.
Interdependence
Supply and Demand
COVID Backlog
During COVID the planet slowed down manufacturing, mining, construction etc. COVID created a backlog of demand. When COVID let up and that pent up demand hit the market. This “backlog” was between 5% and 15% for the entire period (delayed delivery)
Economic Growth
The economy started to pick up (creating a modest increase in demand) in late 2020 and early 2021 as we got out of the 1st parts of COVID. The numbers vary but on the low end its 1% and on the high side its 5%
Normal Seasonal Demand
Shipping “peaks” normally August thru November of each year (so that is the peak capacity). The system runs at lower than 100% from late December through July/Aug of each year.
This means ships, container counts, trucks, ports, trains etc were set up for a certain peak season (and no more). If they had to much capacity they paid for functionality they wouldnt need (lost money).
Fewer People Working
For whatever reason, even though there is demand for workers, people aren’t applying for jobs. This is creating shortages in the supply chain because extra shifts cant be staffed, or more truckers can’t be put on the road.
Interdependence
Delays also pile on top of each other. If you are a chip maker waiting on silicon and the mining company and processors are waiting too you get this cascading effect.
If a ship is waiting (doing nothing) another person is waiting for it so their shipping is delayed also. On top of it, if someone pays a LOT more they get their shipping in over other people (jump in line) and that creates longer delays again.
Supply and Demand
Even though governments control some markets and control some means of production, overall supply and demand rule. So a change in supply like a shrunk supply because a supplier cant get parts impacts that market, and those can overlap into other markets. Paper/Cloth for masks ate up a lot of supply for other paper products such as napkins, toilet paper, etc etc.
Consumer demand adds onto the mess. We want X so the market tries to supply X at a profit.
Also even when there is supply there could be contractual or equipment challenges. If I grow potatoes for french fries and have all the equipment for that all set up just in time, and now the demand for fries drops but the demand for freeze dried potatoes jumps, it isnt easy to switch mid stream. Plus i might not want to switch in case my vendor (the person I supply) might start asking for my product again.
How those 6 factors cause more backlog
We have a system that is designed to run close to 100% from August through November of each year. We saw COVID increase demand by at least 5% to as much as 25% due to backlogs. We saw a 1% to 5% growth.
We are still seeing reduced staffing (compared to demand). So the supply of ships, trucks, dock workers is all lower than the demand.
If we add that all up, the “slow” season ends up slightly over 100% utilization and now we enter the heavy shipping season. We end up 110% to 130% utilization. With no end in sight.
Other signs things are getting worse
There are supply chain special forces teams hired now. They track down supplies that are “lost” (delayed) and manually getting them expedited via other means. These existed in rare cases historically, now they are critical for some business to remain in business, because they cannot get parts.
Unrelated items pile on. Lower wheat supplies, oil and gas issues in Europe and spreading. There are a lot of indicators of bigger problems.
Yes. The market can recover from this. Assuming there are no more hits. Recovery estimates vary from 12 to 36 months. People will build more ships, more port processing, alternative shipping, offer more money for workers.
If there is money to be made it will happen, but not quickly given the SIZE of the problem. The problem is we are seeing secondary impacts that are hard to follow. Natural Disaster disruption, further COVID challenges, inflation, and/or new cascading supply chain problems.
Unfortunately, I believe the odds are that the problems will be with us for years. My opinion is 1-2 years is about a 20% chance 3-5 years is a 60% chance and 6-9 years is a 90% chance of full recovery. I believe it will take longer because demand is sporadic to begin with, and governments generally make changes without measuring, so they will muck-about in the private sector hindering recovery while hoping to “fix” the problem.
The only things that would speed things up when governments get involved, are tax breaks and simplified regulation for supply chain investment (tech, people and capital).
Do the Supply Chain Problems Increase Inflation?
YES. The supply chain problems are causing inflation. In some cases HUGE price spikes. A specific brand of cooking oil went from $22 to $31 to $44 in a 18 month cycle. That is much higher than the reported 6% inflation.
Car and truck prices are way up. Some electronics are in very short supply or not available at all. The disruption in availability of goods results in increased prices. Lower supply with same demand results in HIGHER cost.
Inflation is an entirely different discussion but at a high level the inflation is fed by and feeds into the supply chain problems. The two are tied together. A robust stable supply chain means lower costs overall. But today 3 full round trips of a large container ship can nearly pay for a new one (without inflation). Something is going to have to shift at some point.
“The one you can hit a target with and one you can and will carry ALL THE TIME.”
Before you buy a pistol
Visit a local range, or a friend and try firing different pistols. Try out a Glock, Sig Sauer, Ruger and any others you can get your hands on. Start with a 9mm Glock, Sig or other pistol. Focus on small size and light weight so you can carry it ALL THE TIME. If you can not hit your target with a 9mm, try 380acp, then if 380acp is too much drop to a 22LR.
Do not buy any pistol or rifle unless you plan to practice using it!
Using a pistol requires knowledge. It requires that you learn to use and maintain it properly. You MUST practice. A lack of knowledge and practice is extremely dangerous. It can result in killing yourself or someone else unintentionally. Having a pistol without knowledge is more likely to get YOU killed than protect you.
Only buy a handgun you can accurately shoot
You need to be comfortable firing the weapon and must be able to consistently use it in a stressful situation, whether its a knife, pistol or rifle. A weapon you can’t or won’t use is a liability. The rifle or pistol is a tool for hunting or defense. A larger caliber (that you can control) is better than a smaller caliber.
Plan to pay at least 3 times the cost of the pistol
The pistol plus locks, cases, holsters, sights, magazines, ammo and cleaning gear is going to cost a lot. And training with a pistol can be expensive, especially for range time and even more ammo. The real cost is more like $2000 plus the cost of the pistol.
What matters when buying a pistol?
Size. The physical size of the pistol is CRITICAL. A pistol needs to be small enough to go in a pocket or belly/belt holster. The size of the ammo impacts the conceal-ability also. The 45acp, 357 and other larger rounds, will limit the number of rounds you can carry every day. Smaller is generally better.
Weight. If you want to conceal carry every day, the weight of the pistol AND the weight of the ammo will impact your ability to carry it every single day. Ounces are pounds when you carry all day. Lighter is better.
Accuracy. I might fire a Glock 43 well and you might not. You might fire a Sig P365 or a Ruger LCP well and I might not. Personal preference, hand size, grip, posture and style are all things to consider when buying. Accuracy is what stops bad guys.
Caliber. The type of ammo, 380acp, 38 special, 9mm, 357, .40 S&W, 45acp or even the lowly 22LR. The larger the round the bigger the kick and the fewer you can carry in a concealable handgun.
Ok, so I listed a bunch of pistols. The bad news, is, it does not matter what pistols I like. It ONLY matters if you fire it well.
Example: As a family we tried firing a dozen pistols. We were very accurate with the Glock 26 Gen2, but every single one of us got pinched by it. No one wanted to fire it because of the pinch – even though we fired it well. I could not buy a pistol that our entire family was unsure of firing.
Selecting a Pistol
How does the pistol fit in your hand? Do the sights line up naturally? Some people like the angle of the Glock others like the Sig or Springfield. If there was a one size fits all there would not be so many pistols in the market.
Some guys in WWII were horrible with the Springfield rifle but great with TommyGun. You need to try out weapons to know what will fit you personally.
What about the 22LR?
Many people don’t recommend the 22LR. However, a 22 is still better than no defense at all. It is lethal but has a 31% one stop shot failurerate compared to 13% to 17% with all other centerfire ammo types. This means you are 2x as likely to NOT stop someone with a single shot with a 22LR.
There are multiple downsides to the 22LR. It is it is a small round. It does not penetrate through glass or barriers well. It is limited in stopping range. It is rim fire not center fire which leads to miss fires and fail to fire. On the positive side it is very small and inexpensive.
The Ruger SR22 22LR pistol is a great little semi-auto pistol. It is a 10 round, 17.5oz 3.5” Barrel with overall length of 6.5”. In a TEOTWAWKI situation the SR22 might be a real alternative because 10/22 is so cheap and lightweight. 22LR is the most plentiful ammo in made in the USA followed by 9mm then shotgun then 556.
The Walther P22 QD, Smith & Wesson M&P22C and Ruger LCP 22lr are decent small to mid-sized semi auto pistols. Some other 22lr pistols include the: Heritage Rough Rider revolver, a number of NAA 22LR revolvers, and Glock 44.
Ammo Standardization
Ammo standardization means you try to get all your pistols and possibly even rifles in the same ammo. The two most common pistol options are 9mm and 22LR. There are carbine rifles that fire 9mm and even the popular KelTec Sub 2000 9mm with a magazine matching Glock, Beretta or Sig.
Remember – Buy the pistol, ammo and rifles that fit your need or “mission”, that you can hit the target with.
More About Ammo: Try out ammo on targets before you buy a lot. You might be way more accurate with a particular type of ammo in a particular rifle or pistol. Stockpile ammo when it is on sale. Store it in a cool DRY space. Old military ammo cans are cheap to store bulk ammo and have seals.
How many?
So how many pistols should you own? If you ask most preppers the answer is “YES” or “LOTS” or “ALL OF THEM” or “As many as you can afford”. I recommend a pocket pistol for every family member, preferably two. And even more if you are worried about TEOTWAWKI.
I strongly recommend buying the pistols in sets of two or more. Buying the same pistols at the same time ensures parts can be shared between them. Almost any prepper will tell you, two is one and one is none.
Consider a couple of backup revolvers chambered in your primary pistol ammo. A revolver has much fewer moving parts so less to break in SHTF and TEOTWAWKI. Be warned they are not as fast to reload even with moon clips.
Why Pick a 9mm Pistol?
I recommend a 9mm because it is widely available and is a good balance of power and size. Choose a compact 6 to 11 round semi-auto pistol -Sig P365, Sig P932, Ruger LC9S, Glock43, Glock26, S&W Shield and numerous others. (see list Best Pistol Recommendations above)
You might also consider the: 380acp, 38 special, 357 or 45acp. I know i am a broken records but ONLY purchase a pistol you can consistently hit the target with. Find a friend who has guns or go to a range and try each type of weapon. The largest caliber you can consistently hit the bullseye with is the one you should get (possibly downsizing to the 9mm or at least 45acp if you can handle a Desert Eagle).
Why Consider a Revolver?
It is a good choice depending on the situation. It is somewhat harder to conceal and for most people a magazine is easier to reload quickly than a moon clip/speed loader.
If I had to pick just one revolver… I am not sure what I would pick. Maybe would go with Ruger LCR22 or LCR9 because of the widely available ammo or the Ruger LCR357 because it gives you the option of 357 and 38 special ammo.
If I wanted a 22LR revolver, I would consider the Ruger LCR22, Ruger Single Six or Ruger Single 10. The larger ones will likely last multiple lifetimes. The big advantage is even if the round doesn’t fire, just pull the trigger again. Note: the trigger pull on most revolvers is harder than a semi-auto pistol.
Conclusion
Before you chose a pistol, consider its use.
Best open carry pistol? An open carry pistol is one that is in a belt holster or shoulder holster. Consider the Glock 19 – 17round 9mm pistol. 9mm is available everywhere and it is 2 to 3 shots to stop someone. Others to consider include: Sig Sauer, S&W, Springfield, FN, and Ruger. Remember if you fire a pistol better BUY THAT ONE.
Primary Conceal Carry / Every Day Carry (EDC): The 10rnd Sig Sauer P365 and 11rnd Springfield Hellcat are good for a primary Conceal Carry Weapon (CCW). Popular alternatives are the Ruger LCP, Glock 43 and the S&W Bodyguard. If you are ok with a physically larger pistol consider other pistols such as the FN, Beretta, Ruger, Walther, H&K and 120 other manufacturers.
Backup gun? We recommend the Ruger LCP II for deep conceal or backup gun or “BUG”. Note the LCP II doesn’t support +P ammo. I prefer +P but will take the LCP II anyway (a gun is better than NO gun). Others include the tiny NAA revolvers.
Why Smaller Pistols? I recommend the Bug or EDC small to mid sized pistols. A smaller pistol can go in a pocket and weighs less. You are more likely to carry something that is not huge. A military phrase is “Ounces are Pounds” meaning carrying something all the time makes it seem MUCH heavier than it is. So smaller is good (assuming you shoot it well).
Ammo standardization? I said it already but I am saying it again, consider picking a primary pistol, shotgun and rifle ammo.
If you are getting a single type of pistol for the entire family, you can share parts and expertise. The LCP 380, Glock 43 or 9mm Sig P365 is good for deeper conceal. For a larger pistol, the 9mm Glock 17 or 19 is a good pick because there are a LOT of those around.
Plant a garden, then try perennials (apples/berries), then chickens, then the four footed critters. Know where your food comes from and how to get it yourself if necessary.
Team up and attend EVERY public govt meeting. Stick your nose into everything. School boards, election commissions, town, village, city, county, state or federal. Show up. The soldiers who died on Normandy beaches showed up, the fireman and police who died in the line of duty showed up. The least we can do is sit through some crappy meetings and speak up.
Run for office. Get out there or at least help someone on your team get out there and represent us. We won’t agree 100% of the time, we might even fight but we will support the rule of law, the US Constitution and freedom without question.
Work to eliminate any rules, laws, policies or standards that do NOT comply with the US Constitution and State Constitution.
Vote with your $. Buy local. Buy products and services that build up the Country.
Team up, build up your community, work together, work with your church and community centers. Look out for your neighbors, take personal responsibility.
Get your family and friends (your team) to do take action, and review this list.
“If you are going through hell, keep going.” ― Winston S. Churchill
Ensure Communications
Assume EVERYTHING you do electronically or near electronic devices is watched. But don’t stop speaking. Speak like you are telling a million people something. Speak honorably, openly and freely. If you are getting shut down- find a way to speak. Choose your words.
Get Signal (smartphone app) and/or Viber on your Smartphone, and make sure your friends and family have it. It is also FULLY encrypted but Signal and Viber use data (internet) for texting and voice, so it will increase your data plan if you pay per GB for data. I do not recommend Telegram because not all communications are encrypted (its ok just not my fav).
Use freedom loving Social Media Gab & Parler (if it ever recovers). If you get locked out of Facebook or Twitter – consider leaving those services permanently. Even if the app is blocked, you can go to the websites. I no longer recommend MeWe because they are banning specific political groups.
Create 3 or more unique emails. 1st for junkmail/registrations. 2nd for friends and family and 3rd for banking/payments etc.
Use Hotmail, Yahoo or such for your 1st junkmail (when vendors force you to register using an email).
Turn on two-factor (two step) authentication for your phone, email, social media, banking etc. Two-factor is absolutely necessary. Turn it on ANYWHERE you can. If you don’t know how, ask your friends and family. Get everyone to use it.
Use LastPass Family (cheap) or Keepass (free) to manage your passwords. Set different passwords everywhere don’t reuse them. Longer passwords (pass phrases) like “I want 2 drink beer!” are harder to crack and easier for you to remember – customize them to something specific to you.
Remember to cancel every account you are not using (credit cards, social media, services, email, etc)
Ensure you have a minimum of 6 months of Food, water, meds – rotate it for use. Even if nothing bad happens you will have food if there is a power outage or you get laid off.
Get Multiple first aid kits and learn how to use them (one in each vehicle)
Try to get at least 2 people in your group to do the following
Get a HAM radio license – a cheap good handheld is the BaoFeng BF-F8HP. If you can afford it and have the space purchase a base station with a large antenna and base station.
Get your conceal carry license. Focus on small lightweight pistols you can carry every day, and practice, or don’t get a pistol.
Start Beekeeping – or at least support local beekeepers. Honey lasts forever.
Learn trades: welding, forging, plumbing, electrical, etc.
If you have skills, TEACH SOMEONE.
Why?
Many of us are military veterans, or served in another way: police, fire, teachers, healthcare or just volunteered in the Cajun Navy. We may or may not have sworn the oath. If you haven’t said it, say it to your family – say it out loud to each other – and keep it.
“I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
I will act in good faith working to improve the lives of everyone in all situations, respecting the sacrifices of those who died before me; So help me God.“
If you feel alone or outnumbered, remember
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ — Margaret Mead
In dark days, remember these words
“Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.” ― George Washington
God Bless – and even if you don’t believe in God, take action that will leave a positive legacy.
Signed, James Franklin, Great, Great, Great Grandson of Silence Dogood
“If you can keep your head, when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!” ― Rudyard Kipling
Yahoo – https://www.yahoo.com/ Microsoft Owned (but different than Bing) Changes results based on your search
DuckDuckGo – https://duckduckgo.com/ Has it’s own independent search services including its own crawlers.
Metagerhttps://metager.org/– is a decent German based independent search engine. Warning DO NOT GO TO METAGER DOT COM it appears to be malware or at least adware.
Ask.com https://www.ask.com/ (was AskJeeves) – is an independent search engine, but appears to have the same prioritization of big pharma, politics etc. as Google.
All Search Services
Some of the following are just repackaged versions of the search engines noted above. One standout is SearX.info which allows you to pick which search engines to use.
AOL.Com uses BING
Ask.com (was AskJeeves). It is an independent search engine. It’s results prioritization are similar to google for big pharma, politics etc.
Bing is a Microsoft Search engine that is used by many other sites and search engines
Dogpile – AGGREGATOR – It provides results from other engine results
DuckDuckGo – Has it’s own independent search services including its own crawlers. *Recommended
Ecosia – Based on Bing (supports planting trees)
Gibiru – appears to be google without tracking
Google – The defacto champion. Tracks EVERYTHING and changes search results based on your search and location. They know everything about everyone.
Infospace – AGGREGATOR- uses results from other search engines
Metager – is a decent German based independent search engine
OneSearch – Associated with Yahoo
Peekeir – secure alternate search of Bing *Interesting
Qwant – secure alternate search of Bing *Interesting
Search Encrypt – appears to be google without tracking
search.disconnect.me – uses duckduckgo engine
SearX.info – AGGREGATOR – A very interesting search tool that lets you PICK which search engine results you want to show from multiple engines. Also the source code is PUBLIC, so you can make your own version. Not an engine but more of a aggregator *Interesting
StartPage – uses google
Swisscows – (was Hulbee) is Bing driven
Teoma – Uses Ask.com – has had issues with hacking tools named the same
Yahoo – Microsoft Owned (but different than Bing) Changes results based on your search
Yandex – Russian * use at your own risk *NOT RECOMMENDED*
Stay safe on the internet. Turn on two-factor (two-step) login wherever you can. Use passphrases. Use a password management tool like Lastpass Family or KeePass. Put a PIN/Password on your smartphone. Consider $1mil in identity protection. Don’t install software unless you are 100% sure you need it.
Brothers and sisters, patriots all. I write to you in a moment of turmoil. We are at a moment of change. We feel the storm but can’t see it clearly. We see the edges. I am not a leader, prophet or guide, but I am going to voice what I think you all know.
We are at a crossroads. I don’t know know what strength is left in me, but I swore an oath, as many of you have; either directly or in spirit.
I swore to protect and defend this great nation, but more than that to protect its ideals. As our forefathers said, we pledge to each other our lives, fortunes and sacred honor. There is nothing more. We all are dust in the end, so our only mark is doing what is right and just so we can be judged well by time and God.
We need to do what each of us knows in our hearts and souls must be done. Prepare, be vigilant. Those before us died to create this nation and then protect us all, during the civil war over 600,000 of us died to ensure equality was enshrined in law. We grew to the greatest power in the world through trade, not conquest. We saved the world from a great evil in WWI and again in WWII.
We are at a crossroads again. We all need to prepare in the way that we KNOW we should. We ARE the backup plan. There is no one else.
I have had an epiphany. It has struck me that we are in a fight, a war even. We have a history of responding during hurricanes and flooding. But we need to do something even harder. We have to engage in self governance.
For me it would be easier to return to being a soldier, but that is not what is needed now. The better and more permanent solution is to engage in politics. The thing I don’t want to do, the activity I despise, is likely the most important thing for EACH of us to do.
So I challenge myself and everyone else. Volunteer, go to school board meetings, town boards, city boards, state and federal public meetings. I suspect you would rather take a bullet than deal with politicians, but that is the lot we are left, and duty laid at our feet. We must accept that discomfort and embrace to respect the soldiers, nurses, firemen, miners and farmers who came before us.
Prepare in the way that makes sense to you. BUILD the bright future you know was in the mind of that soldier or cop when they died. We have debts to pay.
Get a HAM license, coordinate tracking of public meetings and make sure at least two reps are at every single public government meeting. If you are locked out, let a group know and get 10x more people to the next meeting. Set up public meetings for like-minded people.
Respect the men and women in the military, the people who broke the ground and built the roads. The people who gave sweat, blood and tears to create and protect this nation. Respect them by invoking yourself in public discourse. Attend government meetings – as many as you can.
Run for local office. We all do not need to agree on everything OTHER than the constitution, the rule of law, and freedom. Limit yourself to 2 terms in each area. Target EVERYTHING – school boards, zoning commissions, towns, cities, counties, state and even federal. Read the constitution. Read the Federalist Papers and the Constitution. Understand the greatness of America.
We are overcome by evil OR we overcome evil. We must take the LONG challenge of rebuilding what we know must be, brick by brick.
That means working at every single level of government. We MUST take the stand and be relentless in our commitment because EVIL is relentless. We have seen it in Nazi Germany, Cambodia under Pol Pot, China, Russia, Venezuela, Cuba and 100 other times throughout history.
The only thing that stops evil is good standing up every single time. We have worked hard, we have built prosperity, we have worked to permit all perspectives. We did make a mistake we allowed equality between good and evil. That must stop NOW and must be corrected for the next 100 generations.
Re-Constitution
The authority of state and federal government comes from we the people, and in that role we demand change. The US state and federal governments have no innate authority or rights.
We recognize that above ALL law, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
We are at a tipping point, where our current form of government denying freedoms and our inalienable;’ rights of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The current government is partly or wholly incapable, or intentionally complicit in taking actions against the Constitution of the United States of America, against the Laws of Nature and of ultimately against the laws of God.
This must change and to make this change, we declare the following.
The federal government has no constitutional authority to perform following actions and must immediately eliminate such activity. The government will affirm the citizens inalienable right to:
Freedom of Travel, specifically cease all unconstitutional lockdowns, specifically illegal bans on travel
Self employment or the employment of others
to perform services that have no life safety risk (permits contrary to this requirement must be abolished)
*Eliminate restrictions on freedoms of speech and freedoms of assembly
*Eliminate ANY and ALL rules, laws, decrees or other administrative rules that interfere with freedom of religion and religious gatherings. Restrictions of said are wholly unconstitutional
All laws will be applied equally and executed as written. Those failing to fulfill their oaths of office will be removed. No more rioting and destruction without consequences. No more looting and theft.
All administrative “law” is hereby relegated to recommendations only. No action may be taken against any US citizen without a clearly written law.
Eliminate Covid lockdowns that are effectively house arrest where there has been no broken law, illegal activity or theft. Locking up healthy people is tyranny.
We will defend the shining city on the hill. We will protect and defend the Constitution as it is written, not with a 1000 page interpretation.
In support of this we the people add the following items to the BILL OF RIGHTS
Modified 2nd Amendment – The right of a law abiding citizen to bear arms and all other forms of self-defense shall not be infringed.
Modified 10th Amendment – The powers not explicitly delegated to the United States Federal Government by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
New Amendment – The federal government shall not spend money on any topic within the jurisdiction of the states, including the broad interpretation of “general welfare”
New Amendment – Congress is granted a narrow and exclusive power to regulate shipments across state lines–not all the economic activity of the nation. Further, only commerce that involves 2/3rds of states may be regulated.
New Amendment – All federally elected officials are limited to a total of two terms in any individual office.
New Amendment – Neither administrative, policy, admin “law”, regulations or Executive Orders may be treated as law. Congress is the sole exclusive agency to enact laws.
All administrative “law” is hereby relegated to recommendations only. No action may be taken against any US citizen, entity or business without a clearly written law. All federal law may ONLY be adjudicated by the federal courts.
New Amendment – All laws apply equal to all citizens within the US. Congress shall make no law applicable to a citizen of the United States that is not equally applicable to Congress. Laws may be more restrictive, penalties more extreme for elected officials.
New Amendment – No laws may provide additional benefit, or create adversity for an individual based on: office, gender or race.
New Tax Amendment – The federal government must balance its budget for each fiscal starting in 2022. Deficit spending must be approved by a 2/3 majority of all state houses of representation.
While there is no budget congress shall not be paid.
Rescind the 17th amendment – states APPOINT the senate. They are NOT publicly elected.
New Tax Amendment – Taxation is ONLY permitted for activities clearly enumerated in the constitution. All other taxes shall be terminated. The IRS Courts are rescinded. Federal taxes are limited to a flat sales tax of 12%
New Amendment – ONLY the judicial branch may adjudicate law, administrative law or regulation. The only federal courts in the USA are the judicial branch.
New Amendment – Convicted criminals shall have no extra rights above and beyond those of their victims and the citizenry as a whole
New amendment – all branches of the govt must report metrics and measures indicating expected vs actual outcomes. Measures of cases, public served, cost compared to private agencies etc.
New amendment – No govt agency can provide services that directly overlap or duplicate services provided by another agency within the government. A single agency can for short periods provide duplicate services to compare processes and improve operations for 6 to 18 months. At the end of the test period the agency must eliminate the least performing process. Where possible agencies will compare outcomes to private entities.
New Amendment – Only the most qualified may be hired, creating discrimination based on race or gender or political is counter to the very founding of this Country. In all ways the government must be a meritocracy.
New Amendment – Social media shall be treated as MEDIA. Social Media entities, virtual assistants and AI tools, retain no legal protections if they deny the freedom of speech. Further, major provides who deny freedom of speech deny the very foundation of the United States. Social media is either liable for everything published as if they published it, or they must allow complete and unfettered free speech. To retain protections under the first amendement they must not edit, censor or modify content. If they do they are fully liable and subject to legal action.
New Amendment – US Law and State law overrides anytreaty or international law. Foreign entities, groups or governments may not govern the domestic law of the United States.
New Amendment – The Supreme Court shall consist of 9 Justices members. The supreme court may ONLY use the laws of the land to determine compliance, and shall forthwith decline the use of case law. Justices shall have terms of 9 years and may be reappointed up to 3 times in total. Any case brought by 10 or more states must be heard by the Supreme Court.
New Amendment – The federal government cannot indemnify a private entity, group or organization for liability or create immunity for actions.
New Amendment – Congress may not use public or federal funds to provide law suit coverage for personal actions of members of the government, judicial, legislative or executive – except as noted elsewhere in the constitution and these amendments.
New Voting Amendment – Voting for all offices shall be on paper and shall in person OR in special circumstances, shall have biometric confirmation to ensure a single vote. Special circumstances shall be limited to:
military or govt service requiring travel that would preclude in person voting
medical conditions or status that would deny the option of voting in person, as considered reasonable by a jury of peers.
All votes will be paper votes and some mechanism such as ink will be used to ensure that each individual will vote only once. All paper ballots will be kept for a minimum of 121 days. ANY changes to voting must be made equally and may must be in place and publicly posted more that 121 days BEFORE any vote.
To vote in federal elections and individual must meet the following criteria:
Own ½ acre or more, a home or a small business employing others. AND/OR
Have prior military service, served in police/fire/paramedic, or nurse
Any person who receives a bulk of their income, wages or salary from the federal govt or due to to their federal status or employment, during the prior election period, is denied the ability to vote until such time as they are no longer employed by the federal govt.
Tampering with votes is TREASON. Vote counting will be public and vote counting without equal representation of oversight at all times shall be considered TREASON.
New Amendment. The constitution, amendments and laws shall be considered ONLY as they are written. Interpretation or intent cannot be the basis for rulings. Greives against law shall be resolved through changes to law or the constitution ONLY.
New Amendment. ONE SUBJECT Bills, no bill longer than the constitution.
We the citizens of the United States are providing clear expectations. The collective behavior of the federal government is unacceptable.
We have been quiet patriots, no more. We represent each of the Free and Independent States of this Union. In support of this Declaration, we the people, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, mutually reaffirm to each other, our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
A Call to Action
Get out there and interact. Many of us are focused on prepping – but are facing in, waiting, watching. We need to get out – maybe consider it recon, or patriot news gathering, or citizen engagement. Get out there and be positive.
Get educated about American history – read the constitution and federalist papers. Read the Bible (even if you don’t believe in religion), EVERY founding father knew it inside and out. Read about Greek and Roman history. Educate YOURSELF don’t let others decide for you.
Be prepared. Get skills like: first aid, HAM radio, welding, forging, beekeeping, gardening, animal husbandry, gun smithing, self defense, hunting, fishing, sewing, beer/wine making, engineering, get pluming, electrical, nursing, skills to support yourself, your family and this great country. Practice bartering, we did it for 100+ years.
Stock up. Get food you eat anyway and have a YEAR of food and water on hand. Preferably canned, dried, or even freeze dried foods. That food can help you if you lose a job, or if your family or friends lose a job – or if you choose your neighbors. If you choose to arm yourself, be responsible. Pick a small conceal carry handgun and a long gun or two, and buy in twos. Buy weapons you can control and use. But ONLY arm yourself if you plan to learn proper handling, and practice. Consider a conceal carry license.
Get heavy duty decent clothes, shoes and boots. Use Parler, Facebook, Signal, Twitter, Proton Mail to talk with others.
Plan to live without power, but work to improve our power grid. Plan to live without healthcare but work to expand hospitals and medical services.
James Franklin Great, Great, Great Grandson of Silence Dogood
Mask up if you want to. If you are sick with Covid or Influenza (or aren’t sure if you are sick) stay home. If you must travel when sick if you suspect you are sick, definitely mask up. There is evidence that it reduces transfer for a sick person.
With the demonstrated risk of face masks; mask wearing should be a choice, not a legal mandate that includes fines and jail time.
But legally mandating masks is simply wrong. There is no widespread scientific support for forced mask use. If you are support or are a government official thinking about mandating masks because of increasing infections you are looking at the wrong measure. Instead focus on deaths and hospitalization rates, those are the only two that count. If your hospital ICU load is over 50% regionally, or your death rates spike focus on that. Focus on protecting nursing homes, over 40% of deaths have been from people in nursing homes.
In a pandemic all masks do is slow the spread, which was meant to flatten the curve. That means keeping hospitalizations below 100% ICU load. The highest load in the USA as of 7/11 is 22% (in new york) Source: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 So you don’t need to worry about flattening the curve. So maybe you are trying to stop deaths?
What about the petri-dish video? It is true it reduces particulates directly in front of the individual. That video doesn’t show real world data as noted below. It doesn’t show numerous other videos show the plume and particles around the individual and trailing the walking individual. If masks worked so well how did it get out of China?
The following are 34 references with links to studies indicating little, or no positive results from wearing a mask to stop the transfer of viruses.
(1) Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection. Further research is needed to inform the widespread use of cloth masks globally. However, as a precautionary measure, cloth masks should not be recommended for HCWs, particularly in high-risk situations, and guidelines need to be updated.
(3) “…evidence from 14 randomized controlled trials of these measures did not support a substantial effect on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza. We similarly found limited evidence on the effectiveness of improved hygiene and environmental cleaning. We identified several major knowledge gaps requiring further research, most fundamentally an improved characterization of the modes of person-to-person transmission.”
(4) We know that wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection…. In many cases, the desire for widespread masking is a reflexive reaction to anxiety over the pandemic.
(5) — There is limited evidence that wearing a medical mask by healthy individuals in households, in particular those who share a house with a sick person, or among attendees of mass gatherings may be beneficial as a measure preventing transmission.(41, 56-61)
(6) Results from cluster randomized controlled trials on the use of masks among young adults living in university residences in the United States of America indicate that face masks may reduce the rate of influenza-like illness, but showed no impact on risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza.(62, 63) …. At present, there is no direct evidence (from studies on COVID19 and in healthy people in the community) on the effectiveness of universal masking of healthy people in the community to prevent infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1279750/retrieve
(7) Our study revealed a decrease in the oxygen saturation of arterial pulsations (SpO2) and a slight increase in pulse rates compared to preoperative values in all surgeon groups. The decrease was more prominent in the surgeons aged over 35.
(9) Wearing N95 masks results in hypooxygenemia and hypercapnia which reduce working efficiency and the ability to make correct decision. Medical staff are at increased risk of getting ‘Severe acute respiratory syndrome'(SARS), and wearing N95 masks is highly recommended by experts worldwide. However, dizziness, headache, and short of breath are commonly experienced by the medical staff wearing N95 masks. The ability to make correct decision may be hampered, too. The purpose of the study was therefore to evaluate the physiological impact of N95 mask on medical staff.
(10) “Chronic hypoxia-hypercapnia influences cognitive function” (proper mask wearing is linked to hypoxia)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18331781
(11) N95-masked health-care workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Face mask use was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
Jacobs, J. L. et al. (2009) “Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial,” American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 37, Issue 5, 417 – 419. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19216002
(12) A post hoc comparison between the mask versus no-mask groups showed a protective effect against clinical respiratory illness, but not against ILI and laboratory-confirmed viral respiratory infections. (so masks reduced clinical respiratory illness but didn’t stop influenza like illness (covid19 falls in the ILI category).
(13) The rates of CRI, ILI and laboratory-confirmed virus infections were lowest in the medical mask arm, followed by the control arm, and highest in the cloth mask arm. (In a nushell cloth masks were WORSE)
(14) The primary finding was that regular hand hygiene was significantly protective in protecting from pandemic influenza infection, while facemask use was not significantly protective.
(16) None of the studies reviewed showed a benefit from wearing a mask, in either HCW or community members in households (H). See summary Tables 1 and 2 therein.
Cowling, B. et al. (2010) “Face masks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review,” Epidemiology and Infection, 138(4), 449-456. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/epidemiology-and-infection/article/face-masks-to-prevent-transmission-of-influenza-virus-a-systematic- review/64D368496EBDE0AFCC6639CCC9D8BC05
(17) Reported that cloth masks are only marginally beneficial in protecting individuals from particles less than 2.5 micrometers. As referenced in the New England Journal of Medicine, the size of Coronavirus particles varied between 0.06 micrometers and 0.14 micrometers.
https://www.nature.com/articles/jes201642
(18) Wearing a mask for seven hours straight may not be safe. Carbon dioxide (CO2) rebreathing has been recognized as a concern in the Ergonomics Journal. The CDC has also admitted that the CO2 slowly builds up in the mask over time. This build-up can cause a condition called Hypercapnia. Essentially, CO2 poisoning – can cause mild symptoms of drowsiness or a headache. More severe symptoms can cause shortness of breath and even death.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23514282/
(19) On May 6th, 2020, the New York Post reported the death of two boys dying within a week of each other while wearing a face mask during gym class.
(20) “There were 17 eligible studies. … None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”
bin-Reza et al. (2012) “The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence,” Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(4), 257–267. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1750-2659.2011.00307.x
(21) “Breathing through N95 mask materials have been shown to impede gaseous exchange and impose an additional workload on the metabolic system of pregnant healthcare workers. The benefits of using an N95 mask to prevent serious emerging infectious diseases should be weighed against potential respiratory consequences associated with extended N95 respirator usage.
(22) “We identified six clinical studies … . In the meta-analysis of the clinical studies, we found no significant difference between N95 respirators and surgical masks in associated risk of (a) laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, (b) influenza-like illness, or (c) reported work-place absenteeism.”
Smith, J.D. et al. (2016) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” CMAJ Mar 2016 https://www.cmaj.ca/content/188/8/567
(23) “Self-reported assessment of clinical outcomes was prone to bias. Evidence of a protective effect of masks or respirators against verified respiratory infection (VRI) was not statistically significant”
Radonovich, L.J. et al. (2019) “N95 Respirators vs Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” JAMA. 2019; 322(9): 824–833. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214
(24) “Among 2862 randomized participants, 2371 completed the study and accounted for 5180 HCW-seasons. … Among outpatient health care personnel, N95 respirators vs medical masks as worn by participants in this trial resulted in no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
Radonovich, L.J. et al. (2019) “N95 Respirators vs Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” JAMA. 2019; 322(9): 824–833. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214
(25) “A total of six RCTs involving 9,171 participants were included. There were no statistically significant differences in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza, laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections, laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, and influenza-like illness using N95 respirators and surgical masks. Meta-analysis indicated a protective effect of N95 respirators against laboratory-confirmed bacterial colonization (RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.43-0.78). The use of N95 respirators compared with surgical masks is not associated with a lower risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
(26) “Medical staff are at increased risk of getting ‘Severe acute respiratory syndrome’ (SARS), and wearing N95 masks is highly recommended by experts worldwide. However, dizziness, headache, and short of breath are commonly experienced by the medical staff wearing N95 masks. The ability to make correct decision may be hampered, too.“
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00173017
(27) Per OSHA masks dont work – “Surgical masks are not designed or certified to prevent the inhalation of small airborne contaminants.”
(28) After 1,537 operations performed with face masks, 73 (4.7%) wound infections were recorded and, after 1,551 operations performed without face masks, 55 (3.5%) infections occurred. This difference was not statistically significant (p> 0.05) and the bacterial species cultured from the wound infections did not differ in any way… These results indicate that the use of face masks might be reconsidered.
(29) The wearing of a surgical face mask had no effect upon the overall operating room environmental contamination and probably work only to redirect the projectile effect of talking and breathing.
