Equipment and Material Questions from Survivalists

I routinely receive singular questions from readers so it has been my practice to save them up, the ones I don't answer via e-mail, and post them with my comments.

1. "Have you seen or tasted Survival Tabs? Are you stocking Survival Tabs as part of your food supply or Bug Out bag?"

UrbanMan's reply: Short answer is no. I haven't seen Survival Tabs since we tested them circa 1984. Great idea, to carry 15 days of survival food in a plastic tub that will fit into a one quart canteen carrier - they even come with a plastic bag so you can transfer the survival tabs into the bag and use the plastic tub as a water canteen, BUT the key point here is that they taste like crap. Again, no, I do not have any Survival Tabs, nor will I be buying any. I have soup mixes, granola bars, nuts, and small food packets for my Bug Out bags.

2. "I did not see you list bandage scissors in your medical kit recommendations. The primary use for bandage scissors is to cut the clothes, such as pants, off of patients to address the wounds and injuries. Do you advocate using a seat belt cutter instead of scissors?"

UrbanMan's reply: I'm not going to go back and check, but every kit I have has either the common bandage scissor, surgical scissors and/or a multi-tool with scissors. Scissors of many types belong in the preppers stocks. From first aids needs, to harvesting vegetables to dressing game - scissors are valuable. The latest and greatest medical scissors will be shortly offered from Leatherman, the creator of the original Multi-tool. Their new product is called the Leatherman Raptor. I got my hands on one a few months ago and this is gem with the standard shears and includes a glass breaker, strap and ring cutter and even a wrench for oxygen tanks. I will be buying at least two of these when they are offered hopefully in May 2013.


3. "I do not have a flint and steel fire starter. I don't see the need if one has boxes of lighters, regular and storm matches."

UrbanMan's reply: Fair enough. I will continue to keep my several magnesium flint and steel fire starters. I also have boxes of matches, cases of MRE's with matvches in the accessory pack, bags of Bic lighters and even a couple fancy storm lighters with can be replaced with fuel. Magnesium starts last a long, long time. My way is to use them wherever I can, saving the lighters and matches. My boxes of regular and stick matches are mainly for barter, but I have enough Bic lighters to trade one where and there if/when the collapse hits and commodities barter replace precious metals to a large extent as we transition to a straight barter soceity. Consider PACE planning, that is Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency measures in all aspects of your collapse survival plan, from material and food supplies, to firearms, to route planning and Bug Out plans and yes even to fire starting. So come on get yourself a megnesium fire starter - you'll enjoy starting fires feeling like Grizzly Adams!

Solar Desalinator - Purifies Contaminated Water

Gary sent a link to UrbanSurvivalSkills.com and I was wondering if anyone out there had any experience with this solar desalinator?  Same principle as a survival solar still.  Heat from the Sun vaporizes the contaminated water, leaving contaminants at the bottom while the purified condensation collects on the underside of the clear plastic top and runs down to be collected. 

While anyone handy can build much the same device, a couple of kits, one always bagged up for immediate Bug Out or cached someplace, may be a handy and effective way to ensure you have this capability.

Four to six liters of pure water per day would require one or more kits per person in order to produce enough water for daily needs.  Anyway the ad:

Our University of Alabama patented solar desalination product uses no electricity, can be taken anywhere and extracts pure water from any contaminated water source. It removes radiation, fluoride, salt, pesticides, bacteria, dirt and other contaminants from any water. Be prepared for disasters, save hundreds on bottled water and utility bills.Our panel is a desalinator, not just a filter. It removes pure water from the contaminated source, one pure h2o molecule at a time.

The panel water is up to ten times more pure than tap water and up to 700 times more pure than contaminated ground water. Use over and over with no filters to clog and nothing to wear out. our panels are made of UV-stabilized, FDA-compliant, food-grade plastic to give you years of trouble-free use.

You already know how important water is to your emergency kit, and you may already have reserve water with your food and other preparedness gear, at least enough for a few days or weeks. But what about for months and years? And how much water weight can you carry if you need to take the show on the road? Can you be sure you’ll have water pressure at your tap if you need it most to fill up emergency water containers? Is that well or stream water contaminated? Do you have the equipment to remove radioactive isotopes and fallout from your water? Is your regular water filter enough? Water filters are the time-tested preparedness tool, and they work great for short-term use, but they often need a steady supply of replacement components and they can’t remove salt, arsenic and other dissolved contaminants.

When the contaminants are in solution with the water, they slip through even the best filters. To make the most difficult water sources drinkable you’ll need a full-fledged desalination system, but those are usually power-hungry, they foul with the wrong kind of contaminants, or they require single-use chemical pouches. If you live near the ocean, you’ll need a way to convert seawater into drinking water with robust reliability. If you have access to contaminated surface water, you’ll need a way to remove pesticides, arsenic, fluoride and chemicals that are in solution with the water, and which can’t be filtered. There’s a better, long-term, robust solution for your emergency kit! It can convert any contaminated source into pure, delicious drinking water for you and your family for months and years into the unknown using only sunlight.

No replacement filters, no chemicals, batteries, or parts to worry about sourcing into the unknown. Everything you’ll need for years-worth and thousands of gallons of water making is in a single lightweight bag.

Are Foreign Troops Here for Martial Law?

I received this alarming e-mail from a reader called STONE03: "UrbanMan you need to understand that the government is bringing in foreign troops to start martial law. I think the Government is going to use Homeland security and the foreign troops because the US military would be unreliable enforcing martial law and confiscating guns. Go to this link at Before It's News to see the latest breaking news on foreign troops ALREADY in this country! You need to get the word out and put it on your site. OUT STONE03."


UrbanMan replies: Okay Stone, I'm posting it now. I went to the provided link. Bottom line is I know some of it is total bullshit and I suspect all of it is. For the reader here is what is being reported on Before It's News:

"DHS armored vehicles being delivered from Kentucky to Tennessee. What makes this interesting is that the drivers were not AMERICAN military, but rather FOREIGN military troops driving these vehicles."

"When American people spoke to these foreign drivers, they detected they were either Russian or Eastern European/Slavic in background. Many Americans are wondering what this is all about."

"I will tell you exactly what this is all about, from years of research across America, and traveling to Europe to uncover more of the role of foreign troops in America's grim future."

"After I heard that Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, NM, had been turned over to the GERMAN BUNDESWEHR LUFTWAFFE (German Air Force) for their military use and training of German pilots, I decided to go down to Alamogordo to see what was unfolding."

"Six weeks were spent in interviewing both American and German troops in Alamogordo. I also went live on radio with Mike Shinaberry to discuss martial law in America and the role of foreign troops, including German troops. My book then in print, "PREMONITIONS OF AN AMERICAN HOLOCAUST," was also being distributed at that time there. IN fact, the Germans sent one of their military men to purchase a copy of my book at the radio station."

"I came away from that sobering experience very enlightened...and also shaken. I remember thinking, "SO it IS true...everything I have been reading about the NWO and martial law!"

"German military were actually bragging at times to the Americans, that they were indeed there for martial law. One German military officer informed a Christian group out for Sunday buffet after church, that they were there to do the dirty work that the American troops did not want to do to their fellow Americans under martial law."

UrbanMan again: The German Air Force and their Air Defense Missile people have been in the U.S. training, in a permanent fashion, for something like 40 years! I understand that the U.S. Army is moving their Air Defense center to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. So again, the German Air Force has been in this country for decades.

As far as the information -"What makes this interesting is that the drivers were not AMERICAN military, but rather FOREIGN military troops driving these vehicles." - If the government was trying to smuggle in foreign troops to enact martial law, do you think they would have them readily recognizable as foreign troops?

As far as this quote: "German military were actually bragging at times to the Americans, that they were indeed there for martial law. One German military officer informed a Christian group out for Sunday buffet after church, that they were there to do the dirty work that the American troops did not want to do to their fellow Americans under martial law." - Are you kidding me? If the German military actually said that to someone, they were feeding that person's ignorance. As for the speech in church, who actually heard it? I'll bet that was totally fabricated.

For sure, DHS (Homeland Security) is doing some strange and suspicious things, like the humongous ammunition purchase and the fielding of Mine Resistant Vehicles (MRAP's). As to the MRAP's they are surplus from the military. From a few of my DHS contacts, they say there are plans to use them at the land ports of entry where immigrants and visitors come through in case there is a "rush" through there, as well as for situations like Hurricane Katrina to protect relief and rescue employees.

I don't know Stone,...maybe I'm trying to be too reasonable. Maybe I am wearing rose colored glasses,.....I know there are way too many situations to prepare to survive without having foreign troop enacted martial law being the main threat!!

Gold and Silver Prices Sliding - Chance for Preppers

The current slide of Gold (and Silver) prices which now appear at this post time to be possibly be inching  up again, nor reports of Gold scarcity from purchases by foreign governments (read Chinese among others) have nothing to do with the Survivalist's need to have some gold and silver on hand as an essential component of their collapse plan. Let me say that again,....all the hoopla around Gold and Silver, .....as investments, as hedges against inflation, or to protect against deflation of the dollar have nothing to do with the the need for preppers to have some precious metals on hand, be it gold and/or silver bullion, and/or coins for silver melt value just to have some type of buying power after a economic or financial collapse.

It has been reported by several respected financial analysts that China and India alone account for almost 80% of the annual Gold purchases. Add in Russia's new focus on building national wealth through Gold purchases does not leave much for the rest of the world. There have also been reports that the U.S. is vastly overstating the Gold Reserves that the Federal government holds. Nice! In some minds this makes it more likely that the U.S. Government will develop some sort of regulation on physical precious metal holdings and even a confiscation program under the guise of national security, a la F.D.R.

In my mind, damaged as it is, I draw a difference between a economic collapse and a financial collapse. In short, an economic collapse would be commodities driven with shortages (fuels and food among others) and skyrocketing prices driving food riots and the projected government attempts to control the mess. On the other hand a financial collapse would be a collapse of the dollar, a tanking of Wall Street reminisance of the Great Depression, or a possible attack on our banking systems and networks.

I don't expect many people to agree with me on the above definitions, but that's how I have to cateogorize these real threats in my mind and in my speech to predict possible scenarios.

Back to Gold and Silver. So again, the market forces, large foreign government buys and investment advice all have nothing to do with the need for the totally prepared survivalist to have physical gold and/or silver on hand as purchasing power if and when the dollar holds no more value, or is even perceived to hold no more value and people will refuse to accept it for transactions.

I fully realize that most people cannot buy Gold as it is prohibitive expensive to buy much if any at all. Gold closed on Friday 19 April at $1,392.70 an ounce while Silver closed $23.30, so Silver is the poor or average man's precious metal.

Two of the questions I get asked the most regarding keeping cash and precious metals on hand, are:

"How much cash should I keep on hand?"

Well how much can you afford to keep on hand? I know a guy who, every two weeks at payday, takes all his money out of the bank except for the mandatory minimum enough to pay bills. While I don't advocate this, I do admire this guy for the committment he has, as he has been doing this for three years now. No telling how much cash he has at home! And no, you can't have his address.

I believe that upon the imminent and actual collapse of fiat currency there will be people accepting cash for a short period of time,...until food runs out or until it is clear that fiat currency won't be making a comeback anytime soon.

Just like noted financial guru Dave Ramsey advocates an emergency fund, I just think this emergency fund should be partially kept at home if you can take measures to safe guard it.

"How much precious metals should I keep on hand"?

Again, how much can you afford? I have a very small amount of gold. SIlver is the poor man's precious metal and taking last week's closing price of $23.30 and not counting the premium you pay for rounds or bars, 100 ounces would cost you $2,330.00

Starting from nothing, if you bought 2 to 4 ounces a month after a year's time you would be a quarter to half way towards 100 ounces. I think that's a decent target goal. If you can afford mre then go for it. That advantage of buying small amounts at local sources, and paying cash, would keep you under the radar for both robbery and confiscation,...sorry about being redundant,..I should have just said robbery.

So just like that AR-15 you have in the closet and hope to never use for real, Gold and Silver fill an  emergency need as well.  Consider putting some away.   

Will New Executive Orders on Guns Affect Preppers?

Upon the failure of the Senate to pass gun control legislation President Obama has signed 23 executive orders address gun control issues in America. Of course, the Administration refers to these executive orders as efforts to reduce gun violence, from which any rational citizen can see is just an effort to control access to guns and the effects on violence levels will very minmal if any ta all. We are taking a look at each executive order and providing commentary, if necesary, on if this partivcular order will effct those of us preparing for the eventually collapse of the U.S. be it from economic, financial, or other SHTF catalysts. You can view these executive orders at Forbes.com


Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions:

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.

UrbanMan Comment: This could open the door to two way information sharing and a de facto registration of gun owners and could potentially also link these gun owners to specific gun purchases.

2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.

UrbanMan Comment: This may be chip away at privacy act issues relating to medical conditions, problems, procedures and medications. This may be part of a larger net cast to collect information that can be clasified as derogatory in nature and lead to restrictions on gun buying for these individuals.

3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.

UrbanMan Comment: Just leave the States alone....and the people while you are at it.

4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.

UrbanMan Comment: So is this just a study? or will Eric Holder's list of dislikeables become "persons prohibited from owning guns"?

5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.

UrbanMan Comment: I don't have a problem with a background check on owners of record before stolen or recovered guns are turned back over to the indivdual, but I think what this directive means if guns are seized from and individual are are cleared for return to the owner, then a background check wil have to be done, which of course will show that the owner had been arrestt (not convicted) and guns seized, therefore failing a background check - this is a potential Catch 22.

6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.

UrbanMan Comment: This is a pretty troublesome directive. Does this mean that there will come about a regulation or prohibition on private sales unless ran through a licensed gun dealer? Is this in regards to a private sellers being required to get a background check for the private sale to another private citizen? If so, how is this going to be enforced?

7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.

UrbanMan Comment: You know this won't be done with an input from gun organizations like the NRA or NSSF, so I'm wrroed about the liberal spin on it which can continue the general theme that guns are bad.

8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

UrbanMan Comment: We all know the best gun safety is a trained and responsible gun owner who keeps his finger off the trigger until he/she is sure of their target.

9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.

UrbanMan Comment: What? This is already being accomplished as an essential part of any investigation involving guns. It is determined when and to what distributor the manufacturer ships the guns to and from there to what seller (gun shop or national sporting good chain). Law enforcement has a timeline on when the gun could have been sold and queries the seller on who bought the gun. This provides an investigative lead and that end user is questioned on the question of that gun and possible disposal through private sale or even theft.

10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.

11. Nominate an ATF director.

UrbanMan Comment: I think Senator Diane Feinstein would make a good ATF Director. She seeming knows a lot about guns.

12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.

13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.

UrbanMan Comment: Does this include prosecuting the actors and decision makers of "Fast and Furious".

14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

UrbanMan Comment: I'll save CDC the time and save the government the money,....causes of gun violence are criminals. Prevention is more complicated,.....triple the penalites for use of a gun in a crime and pass national right to concealed carry.

15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effectiveuse of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.

UrbanMan Comment: Oh here we go again,....voice recognition gun safeties,.....magnet ring safety deactivators,.........20 lbs triggers,..........keys to lock or unlock firing mechanisms.

16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.

UrbanMan Comment: Doctors may have the "right' to question their patients about guns in their homes, according to Obamacare, but to what purpose? To determine the basis for approved or disapproved care? There are basicaly two choices in answering this line of questioning,..."Nope, no guns in the house" - whether it's true or not,....or,...."That's none of your damn business Doc!". Oh excuse me, I guess there is another way to answer this question........"Guns in my house? I don't have ENOUGH guns in my house."

17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.

UrbanMan Comment: There needs to be some sort of standards and penalities so that Health Care providers won't be tempted to make reckless reports.

18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.

UrbanMan Comment: I would like to see armed school resource officers at all schools as I think if children are not our most valuable resource, then what is?

19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.

UrbanMan Comment: The government does not do well in planning especially in the realm of security related issues as well evident by the Benghazi consulate debacle. I say let the Government stick to what it knows best and that is spending money.

20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.

UrbanMan Comment: Here we go again,...getting into the states' business. But it really makes no never mind as all the increased taxes, increased but under reported unemployment, decreased productivity and manufacturing, inflation and national debt are going to make Medicaid (and all other forms of entitlements and welfare) mute when the economic collapse begins.

21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.

22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.

23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.

Forbes.com comment: It does not appear that any of the executive orders would have any impact on the guns people currently own-or would like to purchase- and that all proposals regarding limiting the availability of assault weapons or large ammunition magazines will be proposed for Congressional action. As such, any potential effort to create a constitutional crisis—or the leveling of charges that the White House has overstepped its executive authority—would hold no validity.

UrbanMan Comment: About time to buy that M1A Scout rifle I've been looking at.

How Will a Cashless Society Affect Survivalists?

This is part of an article entitled "Winds Of Digital Change" by Bob Rinear, that was sent to me by a retired investment banker who is now an avowed prepper moving from the North to establish a home in Northern Arizona awaiting what he believes is the economic collapse of America. I am posting this to stimulate thought on how a cashless society can effect our ability to prepare to survive. I'm not too worried about having digital money after a economical or financial collapse as digital money will give way to barter or dealing in preciuous metals - hence the need to own physical gold and silver - but the longer we live in a cashless society, the greater of an impact, a negative impact, it will have on our preparations.

 There's absolutely no doubt that at some point in the future, they are going to abandon the idea of "cash" and all transactions will be done with a swipe.

Consider "money" for a while. It has been around in one form or another for thousands of years. When the first coinage was used to "buy" goods instead of using the barter system, there's no doubt that several things happened. One is that it became stupendously easier to get what you wanted or needed. But by association it creates a massive boom in "business". For instance let us suppose you were the farmer and you had hundreds of cows and steer. Well you might want to get a pair of pants or some boots. But the shoemaker didn't want a milk cow or a steer. So you guys couldn't do a lot of business and your feet still hurt. Once the concept of using coins (lets just say currency) really took hold, you could buy your pants and boots from the Shoe maker, and the house builder could "buy" your cows and meats. The velocity of business increased exponentially. Expanding that, all forms of increasing "good" took place.

People could "buy" books and pay tuition to schools. They could easily pay for musicians to play for their parties, etc. Education exploded, the arts became more widely accepted.

Money was a darned good thing.

Then of course there came a time when they figured out that carrying gold around was a bit of a pain, and the first concepts of "currency based on gold" was issued. This was the first good stabs at "currency". The idea being you'd use a slip of paper with a number on it as your vehicle to buy something. The paper "note" would correspond to an amount of gold you could exchange the note for if you wished. While many credit the Europeans for coming up with this and to some extent they were very important as to it's ultimate adoption, the Chinese began the practice 2000 years ago.

The Song Dynasty in China was the first to issue paper money, called "jiaozi", around the 10th century AD. Although the notes were valued at a certain exchange rate for gold, silver, or silk, conversion was never allowed in practice. Then, the successive Yuan Dynasty tried again and was the first dynasty in China to use paper currency as the predominant circulating medium. The founder of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan, issued paper money known as Chao in his reign. The original notes during the Yuan Dynasty were restricted in both area and duration as in the Song Dynasty. (notice that even today most will call the Chinese currency the "yuan" instead of the Renminbi which is its actual official name).

Of course you all know that here in the states President Nixon closed the "gold window" which basically severed our currency from any backing what so ever. We became "fiat" meaning that our currency was only backed by Uncle Sam saying it has value. It couldn't be exchanged at the banks for gold any more. Since that time, we've seen all manner of things happen, just as they have in the past. They PRINTED ever more gobs of the stuff. Well guess what? We've seen all that before. All of it.

The Romans printed money, the Greeks, the Argentineans, the Germans, you name it. All through history they have printed more money than they had "metal" (gold or silver) to back it and it always ended badly. It has only been in the past 45 years that we've embarked on what amounts to a completely "fiat" global situation. No one's money is backed by anything any more. This is new.

We have to ask the question, what happens when they push us into a completely digital cash-less society? We know that when we went from barter to "money" our societies saw a massive increase in activity. We know that when we went to a "currency backed by money" system the entire world experienced the biggest growth spurt the planet had ever seen. But in the last 40 years we've gone to a "currency backed by nothing" system and we're seeing that groan and creak because of the abuses of printing too much of it. Not to mention the downsides of theft, extortion, illegal activity, etc. It is a failure, and they know it. The system will be revamped.

So consider this. At "some" point, even if the so-called currency of the future is indeed backed by some percentage of gold, there will be NO PAPER MONEY. Every transaction will be a card swipe, a smart phone pass, etc.

So there it is folks. At some point in our not too distant future, the idea of "cash" will be tossed in the garbage bin. Everything you do will be recorded digitally. Now we have to try and figure out just how that affects us. For some the effects will be quite large. Consider the drug dealer. He plies his trade in the dark and uses cash. Well if there's no cash in our system, how does he get paid? Consider all the "under the table" folks. You know, the guy that cuts ten of his neighbors lawns each weekend for 30 bucks cash. How does he get paid now? If it is all digital, there's a trail, a completely unbroken trail. He can't hide that from the IRS any more.

Consider anything you buy. Did you think you'd be slick when you were cheating on your spouse by buying him/her gifts with cash? No longer, now the wife would be able to find those "charges". In fact, if Uncle Sam is dead set on knowing every single thing about you, then a cash less society is his orgasmic fantasy. But what I want to know is this... what is the resultant effect on the economy? Will sales rise because you can swipe faster than you can trade cash and wait for change? Will jobs be created because it will no longer benefit someone to hire someone else "under the table", or will the percentage of poor explode because those folks will not be utilized anymore?

As much as a cash society is flush with the ability for abuse, how does one measure the "good" that hidden transactions represent? I have found no logical way to explore it to be honest with you. But I know that there have been times in my life where I've "lent" some money to someone, where it bailed them out of a tough jam, and it would have been disaster if they had to let others know they "needed" the funding.

There's been other times where just handing my table waitress an extra tip, brought us service above and beyond the normal. What is the ancillary effect of moving cash around that isn't attached to a digital string? How does one give their kids an allowance, or pay the neighbor kid for shoveling your driveway? How many businesses were built in America by someone with dogged determination starting out by going door to door selling cookies or shoveling snow? Would all those kids be forever pushed out of the budding entrepreneurial pool?

How big is the Bureaucracy going to be that tries to watch over all that digital snow? Who's the Government troll that will dissect all the digital payments you make? Is not Government intervention in our lives at a level we already see as abusive? Then we have the security side of it all. What happens when there's the "glitch" like we've seen lately, where you log in and your bank account shows "0" in it? You can't even buy a gallon of milk until you get that account fixed, how long does that take? Then consider the implications for "them" to completely stop you in your tracks. If cash is not accepted for any good or service, the Government can absolutely crush you simply by shutting off your "digital account". Think about it deeply folks because the implications for abuse boggle the mind.

I have thought a lot about this over the past few months as I see more and more digital card readers pop up in every area of our lives. You see commercials for readers you pop onto your phone so you can swipe cards wherever you are. You saw the beginning of it when years ago McDonalds put card readers in their outlets. Now it's Starbucks and virtually every convenience store. The march towards a completely digital world is marching forward and picking up steam. Just 40 years ago the concept would have been science fiction. Today it is not only reality, it is roaring forward.

From where I sit, it is my opinion that right now all of this digital money is being seen as a benefit. That is because it "supplements" the status quo, it "adds" to your ability to do business. But, once the hammer falls and it is "law", I see a much different picture. I see disruptions in so many areas, that the "net net" of it all is very negative. It is the ultimate "big brother" eye in the sky. With that in mind, it "has" to stifle economic activity.

Let me leave you with this thought. Imagine a major drug dealer in say Miami. While selling drugs is clearly illegal, and many people are hurt by it (the drug user, turf wars, etc.) the fact is that the millions made by the dealer and his gang is spent. Homes are built, cars are sold, pools installed, travel booked, etc. Despite the creation of the cash being illegal, the resultant spending of the cash is "good" for the economy. A digital society could put the dealer out of business, which is good. But the businesses that would have benefitted from that dealer spending his illegal gains is hurt, which is bad.

Which one will end up having more societal impact? It is a troubling question.

Governments are broke and they're on a wild hunt for tax income and tracing money is their game. Digital money makes it easy. Just this week we see news that the IRS is allowed to read personal emails. We saw news stating that they inspect Facebook and twitter for hints that you might have more money than you're stating. Digital dollars is their golden goose and thus it will be implemented. We all have to understand that, and decide what it means to each of us. I can't tell you the day, but there's no doubt in my mind that it will happen in the next ten years. A long time you say? Nope, just the blink of an eye, ask my great grand mom, she'll tell you.

25 Things To Do Before SHTF

I found this article, published earlier across the prepper network, but I think it was updated due to the reference to Cyprus,...anyway it is now posted on the Activist Post, by Michael Snyder. 


Do you think that you know how to prepare for the collapse of the economy? If so, are you putting that knowledge into action? In America today, people are more concerned about the possibility of an economic collapse than ever before. It has been estimated that there are now three million preppers in the United States. But the truth that nobody really knows the actual number, because a lot of preppers keep their "prepping" to themselves. So what are all of those people preparing for exactly?

Well, survey after survey has shown that "economic collapse" is the number one potential disaster that preppers are most concerned about. Of course that shouldn't be surprising because we truly are facing economic problems that are absolutely unprecedented. We are living in the greatest debt bubble in the history of the world, the global banking system has been transformed into a high-risk pyramid scheme of debt, risk and leverage that could collapse at any time, and wealthy countries such as the United States have been living way above their means for decades.

Meanwhile, the United States is being deindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country is absolutely exploding. Anyone that is not concerned about the economy should have their head examined. Fortunately, I have found that an increasing number of Americans are becoming convinced that we are heading for a horrific economic crisis. Once they come to that realization, they want to know what they should do.

And the reality is that "getting prepared" is going to look different for each family based on their own unique circumstances. Some people have a lot of resources, while others have very little. Some people are very independent of the system and can move wherever they want, while others are totally dependent on their jobs and must stay near the cities at least for now.

In addition, it is important to distinguish between the "short-term" and the "long-term" when talking about economic collapse. As I have written about previously, our economic collapse is not going to happen all at once. It is going to unfold over time. In the "short-term", many are moving money around and are building up "emergency funds" to prepare for the next recession. For the "long-term", many are storing up food and huge stockpiles of survival supplies in order to be prepared for the total collapse of society. Both approaches are wise, but it is important to keep in mind that different approaches will be needed at different times.

The strategies posted below are a mix of both short-term and long-term strategies. Some will be important for our immediate future, while others may not be needed for a number of years. But in the end, you will be very thankful for the time and the effort that you spent getting prepared while you still could.

The following are 25 things that you should do to get prepared for the coming economic collapse...

#1 An Emergency Fund 
Do you remember what happened when the financial system almost collapsed back in 2008? Millions of Americans suddenly lost their jobs, and because many of them were living paycheck to paycheck, many of them also got behind on their mortgages and lost their homes. You don't want to lose everything that you have worked for during this next major economic downturn. It is imperative that you have an emergency fund. It should be enough to cover all of your expenses for at least six months, but I would encourage you to have an emergency fund that is even larger than that.

#2 Don't Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket 
If the wealth confiscation in Cyprus has taught us anything, it is that we should not put all of our eggs in one basket. If all of your money is in one single bank account, it would be easy to wipe out. But if you have your money scattered around a number of different places it will give you a little bit more security.

#3 Keep Some Cash At Home 
This goes along with the previous point. While it is not wise to keep all of your money at home, you do want to keep some cash on hand. If there is an extended bank holiday or if a giant burst from the sun causes the ATM machines to go down, you want to be able to have enough cash to buy the things that your family needs. Just ask the people of Cyprus how crippling a bank holiday can be. One way to keep your cash secure at home is by storing it in a concealed safe.

#4 Get Out Of Debt
A lot of people seem to assume that an economic collapse would wipe out all debts, but that will probably not be the case. In fact, if you are in a tremendous amount of debt you will be very vulnerable if the economy collapses and you are not able to find a job. Just ask the people who were overextended and lost their jobs during the last recession. So please get out of debt. Many debt collectors are becoming increasingly ruthless. In many areas of the country they are now routinely putting debtors into prison. You do not want to be a slave to debt when the next wave of the economic collapse strikes.

#5 Gold And Silver 
In the long-term, the U.S. dollar is going to lose a tremendous amount of value and inflation is going to absolutely skyrocket. That is one reason why so many people are investing very heavily in gold, silver and other precious metals. All over the globe, the central banks of the world are recklessly printing money. Everyone knows that this is going to end very badly. In fact, there is already a push in more than a dozen U.S. states to allow gold and silver coins to be used as legal tender. Someday you will be glad that you invested in gold and silver now while their prices were still low.

#6 Reduce Your Expenses 
A lot of people claim that they can't put any money toward prepping, but the truth is that we all have room to reduce our expenses. We all spend money on things that we do not really need. Those that are "lean and mean" will tend to do much better during the times that are coming.

#7 Start A Side Business 
If you do not have much money, a great way to increase your income is by starting a side business. And it does not take a lot of money - there are many side businesses that you can start for next to nothing.

And starting a side business will allow you to become less dependent on your job.

In this economic environment, a job could disappear at literally any time.

#8 Move Away From The Big Cities If Possible 
For many people, this is simply not possible. Many Americans are still completely and totally dependent on their jobs. But if you are able, now is a good time to move away from the big cities. When the next major economic downturn strikes, there will be rioting and a dramatic rise in crime in the major cities. If you are able to move to a more rural area you will probably be in much better shape.

#9 Store Food 
Global food reserves have reached their lowest level in nearly 40 years. As the economy gets even worse and global weather patterns become even more unstable, the price of food will go much higher and global food supplies will become much tighter. In the long run, you will be glad for the money that you put into long-term food storage now.

#10 Learn To Grow Your Own Food 
This is a skill that most Americans possessed in the past, but that most Americans today have forgotten. Growing your own food is a way to become more independent of the system, and it is a way to get prepared for what is ahead.

#11 Nobody Can Survive Without Water
Without water, you would not even make it a few days in an emergency situation. It is imperative that you have a plan to provide clean drinking water for your family when disaster strikes.

#12 Have A Plan For When The Grid Goes Down
What would you do if the grid went down and you suddenly did not have power for an extended period of time? Anyone that has spent more than a few hours without power knows how frustrating this can be. You need to have a plan for how you are going to provide power to your home that is independent of the power company.

#13 Have Blankets And Warm Clothing On Hand
This is more for emergency situations or for a complete meltdown of society. During any major crisis, blankets and warm clothing are in great demand. They also could potentially make great barter items.

#14 Store Personal Hygiene Supplies 
A lot of preppers store up huge amounts of food, but they forget all about personal hygiene supplies. During a long crisis, these are items that you would greatly miss if you do not have them stored up. These types of supplies would also be great for barter.

#15 Store Medicine And Medical Supplies
You will also want to store up medical supplies and any medicine that you may need. In an emergency situation, you definitely would not want to be without bandages and a first-aid kit. Over the course of a long crisis, you do not want to run out of any medicines that are critical for your health.

#16 Stock Up On Vitamins 
A lot of preppers do not think about this either, but it is very important. These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get adequate nutrition from the foods that we eat. That is why it is very important to have an adequate store of vitamins and other supplements.

#17 Make A List Of Other Supplies
That You Will Need During any crisis, there will be a lot of other things that you will need in addition to food and water. The following are just a few basic things that it would be wise to have on hand... - an axe - a can opener - flashlights - battery-powered radio - extra batteries - lighters or matches - fire extinguisher - sewing kit - tools This list could be much, much longer, but hopefully this will get you started.

#18 Don't Forget The Special Needs Of Your Babies And Your Pets 
Young children and pets have special needs. As you store supplies, don't forget about the things that they will need as well.

#19 Entertainment 
This may sound trivial, but the truth is that our entertainment-addicted society would become very bored and very frustrated if the grid suddenly went down for an extended period of time. Card games and other basic forms of entertainment can make enduring a crisis much easier.

#20 Self-Defense 
In the years ahead, being able to defend your home and your family is going to become increasingly important. When the economy crashes, people are going to start to become very desperate. And desperate people do desperate things.

#21 Get Your Ammunition While You Still Can 
Your firearms will not do you much good if you do not have ammunition for them. Already there are widespread reports of huge ammunition shortages. The following is from a recent CNS News article...

"The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels."

Don't just assume that you will always be able to purchase large amounts of ammunition whenever you want. Get it now while you still can.

#22 If You Have To Go... 
Have a plan for what you and your family will do if you are forced to leave your home. If you do have to go, the following are some items that you will want to have on hand...

- a map of the area - a compass - backpacks for every member of the family - sleeping bags - warm clothing - comfortable shoes or hiking boots

#23 Community 
One of the most important assets in any crisis situation is community. If you have friends or neighbors that you can depend upon, that is invaluable. The time spent building those bonds now will pay off greatly during a major crisis.

#24 Have A Back-Up Plan And Be Flexible

Mike Tyson once said the following...

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

No plan ever unfolds perfectly. When your plan is disrupted, what will you do?

It will be imperative for all of us to have a back-up plan and to be flexible during the years ahead.

#25 Keep Your Prepping To Yourself
Do not go around and tell everyone in the area where you live about your prepping. If you do, then you may find yourself overwhelmed with "visitors" when everything falls apart.

And please do not go on television and brag about your prepping to a national audience.

Prepping is something that you want to keep to yourself, unless you want hordes of desperate people banging on your door in the future.

For much more on prepping, please check out some of my previous articles...

- "Should You Move To Another Country To Escape The Collapse Of America? 10 Questions To Ask Yourself First"

- "14 Questions People Ask About How To Prepare For The Collapse Of The Economy" - "Rise Of The Preppers: 50 Of The Best Prepper Websites And Blogs On The Internet" - "120 Powerful Pieces Of Advice For Preppers"

Sadly, most Americans still have blind faith that our "leaders" actually know what they are doing and will be able to fix things.

Most Americans still are convinced that everything is going to be just fine.

And of course the mainstream media does all they can to reinforce faith in the system. Day after day, we see mindless news headlines such as this: "Californians Champing at the Bit Over Powerball Debut".

But if you are reading this article that means that you are probably much more awake than the average American is.

Please get prepared while you still can.

A great storm is coming, and time is quickly running out.

So do you have any points that you would add to the list above? Please feel free to (go to Mike Snyder's site) and post a comment with your thoughts below...

This article first appeared here at the Economic Collapse. Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog.

Government on Alert for Radical Extremism

Received this from a reader: "UrbanSurvivalSkills, be aware that the Federal Government is moving to put the Military, most likely the Army, into a martial law posture to respond to civil disturbance, food riots, population control and weapons-food confiscation. The Army is briefing their leaders on radical extremism of Citizens. My son is a Military policeman and is concerned about what he says is rampant misunderstanding of the Army's role inside the United States. He says that many of his fellow soldiers believe that not only can the Army be deployed against the civilian population but should be deployed against citizens. My son is going to get out of the service this fall and he sent me a flyer that say's, verbatim: There is no way to be 100% certain that an individual is becoming radicalized to the point that they may be considering violent action. However, recent experiences show that there are certain warning signs, or early indicators, worth review. The indicators that if observed would be a pre-disposition to radicalization and violence:"

Complains about bias

Advocates violence beyond what is “normal”

Exhibits abrupt behavioral shifts

Needs empowerment

Is socially withdrawn

Believes in government conspiracies to the point of paranoia

Is frustrated with mainstream ideologies

Experiences personal crisis and does not properly recover

Demonizes others freely

Lacks positive identity with country, unit, family, or friends

Exhibits sudden reclusiveness

"My son is a college grad and level headed. If he is concerned, so am I. Just as soon as I can manage a week off I am heading to my hunting cabin in (state deleted) just in case something stupid happens." (name removed)."

UrbanMan replies: While I do not like the belief in the Army, institutional or individual, that the Army has a role on policing or enforcement in the United States, I have a tendency to believe that what your son sent you was a pretty routine brief about violent bent people that are a part of every organization,..from the military, to law enforcement, to common businesses, and of course the Post Office.

I'm not trying to drag the military down, but the doors are not being busted down with people trying to enlist. The military's back ground checks for enlistment probably leave a lot ot be desired, therefore with 600,000 people in uniform you are bound to get some type of "radicals" be they gang bangers, white supremists, or just plain haters,......not to mention some devoid of the capacity for basic reasoning.

Again, I think this is a routine effort to "protect the force", to educate military personnel to keep an eye out for high potential violence doers. However, I am somewhat skittish about today's military especially their key leaders and the road our Federal government has taken with disregard for individual rights and vastly increased regulation across all commodity and business lines. Therefore, I'll remain one of those who are waiting to be convincned one way or the other that this may be preparation for martial law.

Thank your son for his service to the nation. And regarding your cabin,.....it may be a a good idea to make it your Bug Out location, so preparing it so could be a wise decision.

And so I thought it ended,...until reports out of Colorado where a DHS sponsored law enforcement threat briefing brought to light more Government oriented targeting of "radicals".  From PersonalLiberty.com

"The Department of Homeland Security and the military have, in reports published over the past
several years, equated a large segment of the U.S. population with terrorists for simply expressing
displeasure of the nation’s course, preparing for disaster or even paying in cash. DHS and the Barack Obama regime are aided in this endeavor by government propaganda arm mainstream media and organizations like the Southern Preposterous Lie Center (aka Southern Poverty Law Center)."

Their belief coming from a report from a letter from Undersheriff Ron Trowbridge of Prowers County Sheriff’s Office:

"On April 1, 2013 I attended training in La Junta, Colorado hosted by the Colorado State Patrol (CSP).  The training was from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm and covered two topics, Sovereign Citizens, and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.  I was pretty familiar with motorcycle gangs but since we often deal with the so-called sovereign citizen groups I was interested to see what they had to say.  The group consisted of police officers, deputies, and CSP troopers.  There were about 20 people in attendance.

Trooper Joe Kluczynski taught a 2-hour section on sovereign citizens.  Kluczynski spent most of his
two hours focusing on how, in his view and apparently the view of Homeland Security, people turn
to the sovereign citizen movement.  Kluczynski started off by saying there are probably some
sovereign citizens in this room and gave a generalized list of those groups that have sovereign
citizen views.  Among those groups, Kluczynski had listed, were those who believe America was
founded on godly principles, Christians who take the Bible literally, and “fundamentalists”. 
Kluczynski did not explain what he meant by “fundamentalists” but from the context it was clear he
was referring again to those who took the Bible literally or “too seriously.”

While Kluczynski emphasized that sovereign citizens have a right to their beliefs, he was clearly
teaching that the groups he had listed should be watched by law enforcement and should be treated
with caution because of their potential to assault law enforcement.  Kluczynski explained why he
believed these groups were dangerous saying they were angry over the election of a black president.

When someone in the group suggested the failing economy was probably much more to blame,
Kluczynski intimated that those who are not going along with the changes in America will need to
be controlled by law enforcement.  Kluczynski even later questioned some of the troopers present if
they were willing and prepared to confiscate “illegal” weapons if ordered to.

Kluczynski’s assignment with the CSP was an Analyst for the Colorado Information Analysis Center,
(CIAC).  CIAC is funded by Homeland Security funds and run by the CSP.  Kluczynski said he gets
his information from the Department of Homeland Security.  Kluczynski said he was leaving the CSP
at the end of that week (March 29, 2013) to begin his new career with Homeland Security.  I thought
he was perfect for the job.

Ron Trowbridge
Undersheriff
Prowers County Sheriff’s Office
April 5, 2013

Okay, another thing to list as indicators,...lets keep our eyes out for anymore nonsense like this and any reason to think it may be Government directed or sponsored as opposed to some individual's perspective.  I would be concerned if this ass clown Kluczynski does not get counseled by his management if for nothing more than this statement "those who are not going along with the changes in America will need to
be controlled by law enforcement:........pretty damn scary thought pattern here. 

Unemployed Man's Preps

BillT4 sent this to me: "Thanks for your site. I really like the craft and skills stuff. I lost my job five months ago. My girlfriend who lives with me is still working, so basically I'm a stay at home Dad for our five year old son who won't be starting school until the fall. I have started prepping two years ago. If we had to we could live without my girlfriends job for at least nine months. That would eat up all our savings and food supply. My goal is not to use our preps now and to even expand our food stocks. We have been eating a lot of stuff I have been growing in my green house which I built. I just traded some tomatoes and squash to a neighbor for some cinder blocks he had stacked up. He asked me how I was growing (vegetables) in winter. So I told him about my green house. Now he has contracted me to build him one. Then he called and gave me a phone number to another man who wants a greenhouse built. He is also going to place an ad at the American Legion Hall for me. So now I have some income coming in. I think the custom greenhouse thing will be better in the fall going into winter and hopefully this will also lead to some other carpentry or repair jobs. sincerely, Bill."  

UrbanMan replies: Bill, I could not use the pictures you sent as when I tried to enlarge them, the pixilation made them just a blur. But good for you finding a way to make a living your way. I read a book about building businesses and it talked about doing a Personal Asset Inventory to determine what skills a person has across the business spectrum of providing services, products or information in order to grow a business and make a living. It appears you are doing that. Again good for you. Better yet, it is aligned with preparing for bad times and helping others do the same.

You may want to consider the physical location for your green houses or advise others in this thought. Imagine a collapse, hyper-inflation, greatly reduced access to food and wandering hungry people - who then see a green house.....well you get the picture.

You may also want to consider a blog where you discuss green houses, soil prep, composting, watering systems, growing vegetables, canning or preserving the fruit of your labors, etc.  Lots of different ways to take this concept forward, but one thing is for sure,...you can't describe yourself as unemployed anymore,.....you are small business man.  

The second e-mail you sent where you traded some vegetables to an older woman for a bunch of hand tools which you plan on saving for future barter or for the flea market is also a great example of barter and prepping but also of expanding your rapport with the neighbors which will be important in a collapse as it will give you a leg up for team building.

Unless a person has a hardened and prepared site with a dedicated water source, you will be stuck like alot of us relying on our urban or suburban neighbors, and them on us, when the collapse comes. Building those relationships now will help you, helping your neighbors grow some of their own food goes along way. But be advised that being prepared for other threats besides starvation are important as well. Consider your security and protection requirements as well as shelter. Given today's ammunition shortages, it would be great if you could barter for ammunition that you could use!   Anyway, good luck and prepare well. 

Cyprus and the World financial conspiracy,

We do not advocate taking all of your money out of the bank at this time.  We have however written about having some cash always on hand on hand if the banks close for whatever reason.  Imagine a major event occuring on Friday then the Federal Government mandating banks and ATM's to close on the following Monday and/or Tuesday.   The bank lines on Wednesday would be terrible, even if it was worth it to try and withdraw some of your funds.

The cash on hand, as well as some Silver and Gold would give you some purchase power and help reduce, howeer slightly, the effects of what is happening in Cyprus.  
   
Who would have thought a western government would confiscate the private wealth of it's citizens?  It seems like our world is turning upside down.  Some think that the Cyprus deal is a test case for a much larger plot.
I'll let everyone else decide, but one source published this video and narrative as a lead in. 


The Cyprus Template Your Money AND Your Life As the story of the Cyprus Template for world financial reorganization unfolds, it is now becoming totally clear that British Empire's policy is "your money and your life." Dennis Small of EIR reviews recent intelligence tracing the now infamous Cyprus "bail-in" policy back to a December 2012 BoE/FDIC report, and all the way to Dodd-Frank.

Gold Won't Save You?

I am a proponent of the average survivalist holding some precious metals, such silver bullion and coins that have silver melt value, and, even some gold is they can afford it. This is to use primarily as barter in the phase of an economic collapse where people realize fiat currency has no value or at least will not accept fiat currency.

Others look at Gold and Silver as an investment for hyper inflation. And to be sure there is substantial potential for becoming very well off by having significant holdings of precious metals in the (hopefully) later stages of a collapse where the country and economy are being rebuilt .

Enter Marc Faber's premise that "Not Even Gold Will Save You From What Is Coming", an article published on the well respected Business Insider.

Marc Faber, who authors the Gloom Boom & Doom newsletter, is usually pretty bearish on stocks and bullish on gold. Lately, though, gold doesn't seem like it can catch a bid.

"Despite the continued reverberations regarding the Cyprus bailout and its involvement of bank deposits, gold struggled to maintain the positive momentum created in the first two weeks of March and instead now looks very likely to move lower, towards $1580 an oz," wrote Deutsche Bank commodities analyst Xiao Fu in a note this morning.

So, what does Faber have to say about it?

This morning, on Bloomberg Surveillance with Tom Keene and Alix Steel, Dr. Doom was asked why gold wasn't holding up.

Here's his explanation:

When you print money, the money does not flow evenly into the economic system. It stays essentially in the financial service industry and among people that have access to these funds, mostly well-to-do people. It does not go to the worker. I just mentioned that it doesn't flow evenly into the system.

Now from time to time it will lift the NASDAQ like between 1997 and March 2000. Then it lifted home prices in the U.S. until 2007. Then it lifted the commodity prices in 2008 until July 2008 when the global economy was already in recession. More recently it has lifted selected emerging economies, stock markets in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, up four times from 2009 lows and now the U.S.

So we are creating bubbles and bubbles and bubbles. This bubble will come to an end. My concern is that we are going to have a systemic crisis where it is going to be very difficult to hide. Even in gold, it will be difficult to hide.

Faber is, of course, still bearish on U.S. stocks. He told Bloomberg that he sees "considerable downside risk" in the market.

Listen to Mr Faber yourself and see if he makes sense.

Survialist Dad's Prepping is Actually a Medical Problem

The following is from Annie's Mailbox, an advice column published all over the U.S. in the print media (newspapers). My wife actually brought it to my attention and I laughed,....

Dear Annie: My father, my brothers and I served during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Only my father and I deployed to combat areas. Dad retired five years ago and is showing drastic symptoms of PTSD. He is stockpiling food and medical supplies and keeps trying to get my wife and me to "prepare" for when "it all hits the fan". He spends hours a day obessively watching the news and getting angry at the television. Our children used to spend time unsupervised with my parents, but that stopped when I found a loaded handgun in his bathroom cabinet. My mother has broached the topic of therapy and I've offered to go with him as I've been wrestling with some mild PTSD issues myself. But my brothers intercede every time and say Dad's fine and it's no big deal, and they convince him not to go. I believe this is dangerous. I've been unable to find any home counseling services and even our pastor says this is out of his realm of expertise. What other options are out there?- New York son

Dear Son (Annie's reply): You may have better luck getting your father to accept help if you approach him (with) this is a possible Medical Problem. We also suggest you ask him to join you for an exercise or yoga class, which can be useful for some PTSD sufferers. Also please contact the VA's National Center for PTSD or Military One Source and ask to speak to a counselor or get a referral to local military treatment facilities.

What UrbanMan would have told Son: Do not refer your Dad to the VA for PSTD - they may take his guns away. Then who is going to prortect your non-prepared butt when SHTF occurs and you undoubtably run to Daddy's house for food, shelter and protection? The only problem with your Dad is if he does not have a Bug Out Plan. Get with the program New York Son.

The Coming Collapse - A Marxist Plan?

From my sources, General Boykin is a widely respected retired Army General. When he talks people need to listen. While I am not convinced there is a plan or a conspiracy to take this country into Marxism, I do think that the direction this country is heading is on a direct azimuth to a economic collapse.

3-Star retired Army Green Beret General William G. Boykin laid out a step-by-step plan, that was posted on RedFlagNews, he says is the model of how Fidel Castro instituted Marxism in Cuba, Mao Zedong in China, Stalin in Russia and Hugo Chavez in Venzeula:

1.  Nationalize major sectors of the economy

2.  Redistribute wealth

3.  Discredit opposition

4.  Censors opposing viewpoints

5.  Control gun ownership

6.  Develop a constabulary force to control civilian population

The surge of bullet-buying confirmed by the federal government purchase estimates run into the billions of bullets,  even as the U.S. military scrimps to find training ammo is raising lots of questions about the government’s so-far unexplained actions.

But a video that has been around since last year is being forwarded across the Internet as an explanation.

The six minutes recorded by Lt. Gen. William G. “Jerry” Boykin, retired, warns that America is well along the pathway that other societies have used to bludgeon and beat their populations into submission to socialism. Even to the point of establishing a “constabulary force” to control the people.

Maybe those bullets do have a destination.

Boykin now is executive vice president of Family Research Council. But during his military career, he was one of the original members of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force. He ultimately commanded those elite warriors in combat operations. Later, Boykin commanded all the Army’s Green Berets as well as the Special Warfare Center and School.

In all, Lt. Gen. Boykin spent 36 years in the army, serving his last four years as the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence.

On the video, Boykin explains simply that he knows the standard process for creating a socialist or Marxist state because he studied it as a military officer.

His concern is that the six steps “done in every Marxist insurgency” now “are being done in America today.” He lists them:

1. nationalize major sections of the economy (the corporate bailouts),

2. redistribute wealth (the man appointed to head Medicare said health care is “nothing but a redistribution of wealth”),

3. discredit opposition (Boykin said he’s “never been so angry” as when the Obama administration called returning vets, pro-lifers and others a terror threat),

4. censorship (since old guard media already was in line, Obama’s censorship has been through “hate crimes” legislation aimed at Christian pastors and others),

5. gun control (see Washington’s present agenda), and

6. a constabulary force.

That would be “a force that can control the population,” Boykin warned.

To those who say that isn’t present in the U.S., he responds, “Let me remind you that prior to the election (in 2008) the president stood up and said if elected he would want a national civilian security force as large as and well-funded as the military.”

WND reported on Obama’s demands at the time for a “civilian national security force.”

What Obama actually said was: “We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set,” he said. “We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

Israeli Expert Predicts Coming Terrorist Attacks

This was sent to UrbanSurvivalSkills.com by a reader who said he read this article on the internationalforecaster.com. This is not a new article. There is a lot of debate over whether Juval Aviv is legitimate or not. His claims about being a Mossad agent cannot be determined and on-line fact checkers dispute his claims about predicting the 9-11 attackers. If he is exploiting 9-11 for his gain then he is simply a POS. But even shit can have it's uses,.....in the case of shit it can be used as fertilizer in some cases, and in the case of Juval Aviv, he gives us food for thought if we set aside the probability of him being a fraud.

A video is posted at the end of this article so you can see the judge Mr. Aviv yourself. One of the best things that can be gained from this article is the need for a no-comms plan. What are you going to do if the cellular and landline communications net goes down? Do you have planned actions such as link up times and locations and contingencies for no shows?

Enough from me, we'll let Juval Aviv have his say:

Do you know who Juval Aviv is? He was Golda Meir's bodyguard and the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie ' Munich ' was based. Golda Meir appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games. In a lecture in New York City a few weeks ago, Aviv shared information that EVERY American needs to know, but that our government has not yet shared with us.

A little background: Aviv predicted the London subway bombing on the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox News, stating publicly that it would happen within a week. At the time, O'Reilly laughed and mocked him, saying that in a week he wanted Aviv back on the show. Unfortunately, within a week the terrorist attack had occurred. Juval Aviv also gave intelligence to the Bush Administration about 9/11 a month before it occurred. His report specifically said that they would use planes as bombs and target high profile buildings and monuments... I think we all know what happened, right? Congress has since hired him as a security consultant.

Aviv predicts that the next terrorist attack on the U.S. will occur within the next few months. Forget hijacking airplanes, because he says terrorists will NEVER try hijacking a plane again as they know the people on board will never go down quietly again. Aviv says that our airport security is a joke – that we have been reactionary rather than proactive in developing strategies that are truly effective.

For example, because an idiot tried to light his shoe on fire, now everyone has to take off their shoes. Example 2: a group of idiots tried to bring aboard liquid explosives, and now we can't bring liquids on board. He says he's waiting for some suicidal maniac to pour liquid explosive on his underwear; government security will then have us all traveling naked! Last but not least, our airport security looks for metal, but the new explosives are made of plastic!

Currently, our government only focuses on security when people are heading to the gates. Aviv says that if a terrorist attack targets airports in the future, they will target busy times on the front end of the airport when/where people are checking in. For example, it would be easy for someone to take two suitcases of explosives, walk up to a busy check-in line, ask a person next to them to watch their bags for a minute while they run to the restroom, and then detonate the bags BEFORE security even gets involved. In Israel , security checks bags BEFORE people can even ENTER the airport.

Aviv says the next terrorist attack here in America is imminent and will involve suicide bombers and non-suicide bombers in places where large groups of people congregate, such as Disneyland, Las Vegas casinos, shopping malls, subways in rush hour, train stations, etc., as well as in rural America this time (Wyoming, Montana, etc.).

The attack will be characterized by simultaneous detonations around the country involving at least 5-8 cities, including rural areas. Aviv says terrorists won't need to use suicide bombers in many of the larger cities, because at places like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas , they can simply valet park a car loaded with explosives and walk away.

Aviv says all of the above is well known in intelligence circles, but that our U.S. Government does not want to 'alarm American citizens' with the facts. The world, however, is soon going to become 'a different place', Aviv says, where issues like 'global warming' and political correctness will have become totally irrelevant.

On an encouraging note, Aviv says that Americans don't have to be concerned about being nuked. He says the terrorists who want to destroy America will not use sophisticated weapons. Instead, they like to use suicide, as it's cheap, it's easy, and it's effective – and they have an infinite abundance of young, ignorant, fanatic militants more than willing to 'go see Allah'.

Aviv also says the next level of terrorists over which America should be most concerned will not be coming from abroad. They will instead be 'home grown' – meaning they will have attended and been educated in our own schools and universities right here in the U.S. These young terrorists will be most dangerous because they will know our language and will fully understand the habits of Americans; but that we Americans won't know/understand a thing about them.

So, what can America do to protect itself? From an intelligence perspective, Aviv says the U.S. needs to stop relying on satellites and technology for its intelligence. Instead, we need to follow Israel 's, Ireland 's and England 's hands-on examples of human intelligence, both from an infiltration perspective as well as to trust 'aware' citizens to help. We need to engage and educate ourselves as citizens; however, our U.S. Government continues to treat us, its citizens, 'like babies'. Our government thinks we can't handle the truth' and are concerned that we'll panic if we understand the realities of terrorism. Aviv says this is a deadly mistake.

Aviv recently created/executed a security test for Congress by placing an empty briefcase in five well-traveled spots in five major cities. The results? Not one person called 911 or sought a policeman to check it out. In fact, in Chicago , someone tried to steal the briefcase!

In comparison, Aviv says that citizens of Israel are so well 'trained' that an unattended bag or package would be reported in seconds by citizen(s) who know to publicly shout, 'Unattended Bag!' The area would be quickly & calmly cleared by the citizens themselves. But, unfortunately, America hasn't been 'hurt enough' yet by terrorism for their government to fully understand the need to educate its citizens or for the government to understand that it's the citizens who are, inevitably, the best first-line of defense against terrorism.

Aviv also was concerned about the high number of children who were in preschool and kindergarten after 9/11, children who were basically 'lost' without parents being able to pick them up, and schools that had no plan in place to best care for the students until their parents could get there .

He stresses the importance of having a plan that's agreed upon within your family, to respond to in the event of a terrorist emergency. He urges parents to contact their children's schools and demand that the schools, too, develop plans of actions, as they do in Israel . He says we should all have a plan that is easy enough for even our youngest children to remember and follow.

Does your family know what to do if you can't contact one another by phone? Where would you gather in an emergency? Aviv says that the U.S. Government has in force a plan that, in the event of another terrorist attack, will immediately cut-off EVERYONE's ability to use cell phones, as this is the preferred communication source used by terrorists and is often the way that their bombs are detonated. How will you communicate with your loved ones in the event you cannot use phones, internet? Bottom line, you need to have a plan!

Post Collapse Book Review: Going Home

 Just finished a collapse and survival tale called Going Home, written by A. American. I know, I know most of you have already read this book, but I am impressed by it enough and I am writing this short review and recommendation for it.

From the get-go, when the main character, Morgan, discussing his Get Home Bag concept where he has two different packs and takes one according to his requirement for that trip.  Basically how far from home he is going and what he wil ned to get back home, as well as packing additional items just in case - I think if this as mission specific packing.

While Morgan did not carry any firearms bigger than a Springfield XD in .45 ACP, spare mags - this may be a practical consideration depending on where you are going and applicable state laws.  He also carried a host,....I mean a butt load! of additional items.  And as the story goes, this character soon procured other firearms taking them from would be robbers or being gifted a rifle from good folks.

Anyway the premise for the story is a prepared individual working 250 miles away from his home and family when an EMP event, either externally or internally caused, placed im in a situation where he had to walk home since modern vehicles were all crapped out.  The story implicates a possible internally caused event - meaning caused by the US Government in order to manipulate the necessities of martial law for cover in dealing with political adversaries.

I really liked the story for several reasons:

1. Plausible survival story - alternatively walking and riding over 250 miles (no route is ever in a straight line) and being faced with what we would expect to see, and that is people taking advantage in the deteriorated security conditions enforcing their will.

2. The author, A. American (probably not his real name -haha), knew his kit and had prepared well, although I suspect the back pack/ruck sack load was heavier than most of us would want to carry.  Read about his gear load and determine if that was something you would have in your Get Home or Bug Out bag.

3. While the storyline is somewhat far fetched about possible US Goverment initiation of the EMP and the subsequent pitting of DHS personnel against DOD personnel and the secretive vetting of county sheriffs if they will support the heavy handed Federal Government, ....I have friends and acquaintances who believe whole heartedly that this is not only possible it is probable.......scary thing indeed.

This branch of the story gains credibility when ModernSurvivalBlog.com reports "the establishment of a federal authority framework that will enable Secret Service agents (not just those guarding the president), and others of the U.S. Secret Service including uniformed division officers, physical security technicians and specialists, and other ‘special officers’, to arrest and remove an elected sheriff for refusing to enforce the law (or anyone breaking the law).  The bills being introduced defines law as including any rule, regulation, executive order, court order, statute or constitutional provision."

4. This is a story without giant gun battles in each chapter and without the fanciful exploits by the hero with are sometimes found in other survival novels. I don't want to ruin the book for anyone who has not read it, so I'll stop here by saying I found it as enjoyable as any of the post collapse novels and more readable and believeable than most. I recommend it and am awaiting the next novel in this series.