Navigating Effectively and Quietly In the Dark When the SHTF
"When the lights go out the looters and other criminals come out to play. Daylight is reserved for resting up after a night of pillaging and plundering. This means that once the SHTF the darkness becomes dangerous. You may have to navigate at night, and at the same time avoid those that would do you harm, such as marauders or looters. You may also have to avoid groups that have targeted you or your Prepper group specifically, so you will have to be able to move silently and effectively through the darkness."
"When the lights go out the looters and other criminals come out to play. Daylight is reserved for resting up after a night of pillaging and plundering. This means that once the SHTF the darkness becomes dangerous. You may have to navigate at night, and at the same time avoid those that would do you harm, such as marauders or looters. You may also have to avoid groups that have targeted you or your Prepper group specifically, so you will have to be able to move silently and effectively through the darkness."

21 Natural Alternatives to the Flu Shot
"The CDC recently admitted that this year’s flu shot likely won’t protect you from the flu, but did it ever? Though the CDC has issued a formal apology regarding the issue for this season, flu vaccinations have long been seen as ineffective by a horde of experts. But don’t worry – here you will find more than 20 natural flu remedies using natural antivirals. Interestingly, the flu shot may never really be protecting you, as since there is no single virus that causes the flu, and therefore there is no one flu vaccine that protects against all of them. A virus mutates over time. It adapts. If a vaccine is created to kill one type of virus, it can mutate into another organism, specifically adapted to withstand the ‘medicine’ that was created to kill it. Biotech has simply attempted to come up with a one-dose, all-purpose vaccine that will kill every virus. If it were truly possible to kill all viruses, none would be left on the planet. Just like humans, viruses can make mistakes in the copying of RNA or DNA, and these small mistakes can be repeated into new strains. When these mutations don’t kill the organism, they replicate, making new progeny with the ‘mistake’ coding. This is why people are usually susceptible to disease – except there’s a catch."
"The CDC recently admitted that this year’s flu shot likely won’t protect you from the flu, but did it ever? Though the CDC has issued a formal apology regarding the issue for this season, flu vaccinations have long been seen as ineffective by a horde of experts. But don’t worry – here you will find more than 20 natural flu remedies using natural antivirals. Interestingly, the flu shot may never really be protecting you, as since there is no single virus that causes the flu, and therefore there is no one flu vaccine that protects against all of them. A virus mutates over time. It adapts. If a vaccine is created to kill one type of virus, it can mutate into another organism, specifically adapted to withstand the ‘medicine’ that was created to kill it. Biotech has simply attempted to come up with a one-dose, all-purpose vaccine that will kill every virus. If it were truly possible to kill all viruses, none would be left on the planet. Just like humans, viruses can make mistakes in the copying of RNA or DNA, and these small mistakes can be repeated into new strains. When these mutations don’t kill the organism, they replicate, making new progeny with the ‘mistake’ coding. This is why people are usually susceptible to disease – except there’s a catch."

Tainted pharmaceuticals are being shipped to the United States
"Lack of quality control abroad is resulting in tainted pharmaceuticals being shipped to the United States. This has the potential to affect anyone who fills a prescription for a drug that is made overseas. But, this current crisis of ‘bad drugs’ should come as no surprise to anyone – especially when you consider that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admits to not conducting nearly enough drug plant inspections overseas."
"Lack of quality control abroad is resulting in tainted pharmaceuticals being shipped to the United States. This has the potential to affect anyone who fills a prescription for a drug that is made overseas. But, this current crisis of ‘bad drugs’ should come as no surprise to anyone – especially when you consider that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admits to not conducting nearly enough drug plant inspections overseas."
Illinois Just Made it a Felony for Its Citizens to Record the Police and the Media is Silent
"Illinois — In March of this year the Illinois Supreme Court struck down the state’s eavesdropping law, and rightfully so, as it was touted as the most unconstitutional law of its kind in the country. But Illinois, being the the corrupt and violent police state that it is, couldn’t let their police and other government officials be held accountable by its citizens. The bill is back, and with a vengeance. The Amendment to Senate Bill 1342 was introduced on Tuesday, Dec. 2, as an amendment to an existing bill on a completely different subject. The amendment removed all of the bill’s previous content and replaced it with the new ban on recording. The House passed it the following day, and the Senate passed it the day after that."
"Illinois — In March of this year the Illinois Supreme Court struck down the state’s eavesdropping law, and rightfully so, as it was touted as the most unconstitutional law of its kind in the country. But Illinois, being the the corrupt and violent police state that it is, couldn’t let their police and other government officials be held accountable by its citizens. The bill is back, and with a vengeance. The Amendment to Senate Bill 1342 was introduced on Tuesday, Dec. 2, as an amendment to an existing bill on a completely different subject. The amendment removed all of the bill’s previous content and replaced it with the new ban on recording. The House passed it the following day, and the Senate passed it the day after that."
Banks Urge Big U.S. Clients to Move Deposits, WSJ Reports
(Sgt Trainer: You know full well that something is about to happen when the banks are trying to protect their own interests and the interests of their large corporation pals. As I have stated before, if you have any money in the bank, now's the time to get all of it out except that which you need to leave in there for paying recurring bills. Otherwise, the likelihood that you will lose all of the money you have in banks is getting stronger each day.)
(Sgt Trainer: You know full well that something is about to happen when the banks are trying to protect their own interests and the interests of their large corporation pals. As I have stated before, if you have any money in the bank, now's the time to get all of it out except that which you need to leave in there for paying recurring bills. Otherwise, the likelihood that you will lose all of the money you have in banks is getting stronger each day.)
The College Industrial Complex Does Not Want You to Read This
"A college education used to be considered the great equalizer in which a young adult from any social class could close the future income gap regardless of the social class of origin. Unfortunately, a college education is becoming a governmental form of oppression. Step on to almost any college campus today and you will witness the beginning of the creation of generational debt slaves. For those of you who have children who are approaching college age, your eyes will be opened by the words written here. And the words written here are coming from a college insider who is intimately familiar with these corrupt student lending practices. And like many of you, not only am I professionally entrenched in this unholy system, I am not that many years away from witnessing the enslavement of my soon to be college age child. The College-Industrial-Complex has our children exactly where they want them. It can be accurately said that they are a captive audience and that is because that unemployment rates for those without a bachelor’s degree are twice as high as for those who have one. The global elite can bid up education prices, just as they do real estate prices in Manhattan and San Francisco. However, you do not have to live in a pricey area. However, your children do need a college education in order to be competitive."
"A college education used to be considered the great equalizer in which a young adult from any social class could close the future income gap regardless of the social class of origin. Unfortunately, a college education is becoming a governmental form of oppression. Step on to almost any college campus today and you will witness the beginning of the creation of generational debt slaves. For those of you who have children who are approaching college age, your eyes will be opened by the words written here. And the words written here are coming from a college insider who is intimately familiar with these corrupt student lending practices. And like many of you, not only am I professionally entrenched in this unholy system, I am not that many years away from witnessing the enslavement of my soon to be college age child. The College-Industrial-Complex has our children exactly where they want them. It can be accurately said that they are a captive audience and that is because that unemployment rates for those without a bachelor’s degree are twice as high as for those who have one. The global elite can bid up education prices, just as they do real estate prices in Manhattan and San Francisco. However, you do not have to live in a pricey area. However, your children do need a college education in order to be competitive."
States Move Forward With Plan To Alter Constitution
"A very important meeting is being held in Washington this week, but career politicians, lobbyists and most in the media don't want you to know about it. More than 100 state legislators from around the country are meeting at the Naval Heritage Center. The Assembly of State Legislatures (ASL) will discuss the rules for the first-ever Article V Constitutional amendment convention. This is their third meeting. They're preparing to take on Washington, and Congress doesn't like it. The Framers of the Constitution had the foresight to anticipate what Congress has become: a dysfunctional mess. In Article V they wisely provided a means for the states to step in and amend the Constitution largely without congressional approval. The state legislators in ASL are determined to convene an amendment convention. Our situation is that dire."
"A very important meeting is being held in Washington this week, but career politicians, lobbyists and most in the media don't want you to know about it. More than 100 state legislators from around the country are meeting at the Naval Heritage Center. The Assembly of State Legislatures (ASL) will discuss the rules for the first-ever Article V Constitutional amendment convention. This is their third meeting. They're preparing to take on Washington, and Congress doesn't like it. The Framers of the Constitution had the foresight to anticipate what Congress has become: a dysfunctional mess. In Article V they wisely provided a means for the states to step in and amend the Constitution largely without congressional approval. The state legislators in ASL are determined to convene an amendment convention. Our situation is that dire."

Thousands of Cellphone Users Receive Government “Emergency Alert”
"Thousands of cellphone users in Kentucky were surprised to receive an “emergency alert” from the federal government warning them to “prepare for action,” a message local authorities later blamed on “human error” during testing. The alert, which was was sent out to people in the Corbin and London areas of Southern Kentucky earlier today, came from the Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort via the Federal Communication Commission’s Wireless Emergency Alert system. The messages are designed to warn local residents of immediate safety threats in their area, but some have criticized the “government alerts” as being invasive."
"Thousands of cellphone users in Kentucky were surprised to receive an “emergency alert” from the federal government warning them to “prepare for action,” a message local authorities later blamed on “human error” during testing. The alert, which was was sent out to people in the Corbin and London areas of Southern Kentucky earlier today, came from the Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort via the Federal Communication Commission’s Wireless Emergency Alert system. The messages are designed to warn local residents of immediate safety threats in their area, but some have criticized the “government alerts” as being invasive."

Winter Is Coming. Thoughts on nasty weather gear.
"Cold weather presents two main challenges for people doing anything in the outdoors. If you live in an area where long deep freezes are normal every winter, such as Alaska, Michigan, or up state New York, then you probably already have all the winter gear you need and laugh at people who have to deal with 35 and raining for months on end. But for everyone else, who generally experience a winter between 0 and 40 degrees F, these are my thoughts on the matter. Staying comfortable while doing strenuous activities. Staying comfortable while doing stationary activities. Anyone who says being comfortable shouldn’t be a consideration is an idiot. Suffering doesn’t build character so much as distract you from everything else you should be doing. But the only difference between the two is “strenuous” verses “stationary.” The conventional wisdom is to wear layers that you put on and take off to adjust to the weather and your activity level and try to stay comfortable that way."
"Cold weather presents two main challenges for people doing anything in the outdoors. If you live in an area where long deep freezes are normal every winter, such as Alaska, Michigan, or up state New York, then you probably already have all the winter gear you need and laugh at people who have to deal with 35 and raining for months on end. But for everyone else, who generally experience a winter between 0 and 40 degrees F, these are my thoughts on the matter. Staying comfortable while doing strenuous activities. Staying comfortable while doing stationary activities. Anyone who says being comfortable shouldn’t be a consideration is an idiot. Suffering doesn’t build character so much as distract you from everything else you should be doing. But the only difference between the two is “strenuous” verses “stationary.” The conventional wisdom is to wear layers that you put on and take off to adjust to the weather and your activity level and try to stay comfortable that way."

Coca-Cola Is Getting into the Milk Business
"It will cost twice as much, but they say it will be healthier and more sustainable. Let’s examine those claims. The Coca-Cola Company has created what they claim is a more nutritious milk product called “fairlife” (no capitals, please!), and they plan to sell it for twice the price of regular milk. Calling it the “premiumization of milk,” they say their new milk will have 50% more natural protein, 30% more natural calcium, and 50% less sugar. They also claim that their product is made on sustainable and more humane dairy farms. There is, however, nothing natural about this milk. They’ve managed to increase its protein and calcium content by separating the milk into its five components (water, butterfat, protein, lactose, and vitamins and minerals), then removing the lactose altogether and recombining the rest in different proportions. More information about their process is unavailable since it falls under “proprietary” secrets. We wonder if sacrificing good fats, vitamins, and minerals are an appropriate price for increased protein and calcium content. Note that the calcium has been added without including important co-factors like vitamin K that move calcium into the bones and keep it from damaging the heart."
"It will cost twice as much, but they say it will be healthier and more sustainable. Let’s examine those claims. The Coca-Cola Company has created what they claim is a more nutritious milk product called “fairlife” (no capitals, please!), and they plan to sell it for twice the price of regular milk. Calling it the “premiumization of milk,” they say their new milk will have 50% more natural protein, 30% more natural calcium, and 50% less sugar. They also claim that their product is made on sustainable and more humane dairy farms. There is, however, nothing natural about this milk. They’ve managed to increase its protein and calcium content by separating the milk into its five components (water, butterfat, protein, lactose, and vitamins and minerals), then removing the lactose altogether and recombining the rest in different proportions. More information about their process is unavailable since it falls under “proprietary” secrets. We wonder if sacrificing good fats, vitamins, and minerals are an appropriate price for increased protein and calcium content. Note that the calcium has been added without including important co-factors like vitamin K that move calcium into the bones and keep it from damaging the heart."

Iowa’s going to have smartphone driver’s licenses
"The Iowa Department of Transportation said it plans to pilot a smartphone driver’s license program that could one day make plastic licenses a thing of the past. “It’s really moving beyond a static thing,” said Mark Lowe, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicles Division, in an interview with The Washington Post. The concept is to not only host the license in an app, but to also be able to send push notifications about, say, traffic, or if a user’s license is about to expire, Lowe said. He said he is “not aware” of any other state that has a similar program. A group of state employees that travels frequently for work will pilot the program in the next six months, and the department of transportation will determine the next steps for wider use, including giving Iowans the option to try to the smartphone license while waiting for their plastic version to arrive in the mail."
"The Iowa Department of Transportation said it plans to pilot a smartphone driver’s license program that could one day make plastic licenses a thing of the past. “It’s really moving beyond a static thing,” said Mark Lowe, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicles Division, in an interview with The Washington Post. The concept is to not only host the license in an app, but to also be able to send push notifications about, say, traffic, or if a user’s license is about to expire, Lowe said. He said he is “not aware” of any other state that has a similar program. A group of state employees that travels frequently for work will pilot the program in the next six months, and the department of transportation will determine the next steps for wider use, including giving Iowans the option to try to the smartphone license while waiting for their plastic version to arrive in the mail."
Whooping cough outbreak at Massachusetts high school affected only vaccinated students
"Unvaccinated children are supposedly the cause, according to state health officials, of a recent whooping cough outbreak that occurred in the posh Cape Cod area of Massachusetts. But as reported by CBS Boston, all of the children affected by the outbreak were already vaccinated, proving once again that vaccines don’t really work. Some 15 children at Falmouth High School reportedly came down with the respiratory illness, which also goes by the name pertussis, sparking a wave of panic about a corresponding increase in vaccine exemptions. But as usual, nobody affected by the outbreak was unvaccinated, and no matter how hard the media tries to spin the issue, those who were vaccinated were not protected."
"Unvaccinated children are supposedly the cause, according to state health officials, of a recent whooping cough outbreak that occurred in the posh Cape Cod area of Massachusetts. But as reported by CBS Boston, all of the children affected by the outbreak were already vaccinated, proving once again that vaccines don’t really work. Some 15 children at Falmouth High School reportedly came down with the respiratory illness, which also goes by the name pertussis, sparking a wave of panic about a corresponding increase in vaccine exemptions. But as usual, nobody affected by the outbreak was unvaccinated, and no matter how hard the media tries to spin the issue, those who were vaccinated were not protected."

Elite Think Tank Admits to Ongoing Climate Engineering Experiments
"If we could experiment with the atmosphere and literally play God, it’s very tempting to a scientist. – Kenyan earth scientist Richard Odingo. For those who know about the history of geoengineering – aka chemtrails – you might be noticing a spate of admissions from the halls of establishment science and government that the “conspiracy theory” is no longer … it is a fact. Perhaps the efforts of independent researchers have forced such open disclosure, at least putting us over the hurdle of abject denial. However, the narrative being created for mainstream media consumption is disingenuous at best, and full-throttle manipulation at worst. Case in point is an admission from The Royal Society that geoengineering experiments are being debated for full rollout even in the absence of policy restrictions."
"If we could experiment with the atmosphere and literally play God, it’s very tempting to a scientist. – Kenyan earth scientist Richard Odingo. For those who know about the history of geoengineering – aka chemtrails – you might be noticing a spate of admissions from the halls of establishment science and government that the “conspiracy theory” is no longer … it is a fact. Perhaps the efforts of independent researchers have forced such open disclosure, at least putting us over the hurdle of abject denial. However, the narrative being created for mainstream media consumption is disingenuous at best, and full-throttle manipulation at worst. Case in point is an admission from The Royal Society that geoengineering experiments are being debated for full rollout even in the absence of policy restrictions."
46 Million on Food Stamps for 36 Months in a Row
"For the first time in U.S. history, food stamp enrollments have been above 46 million for 36 months in a row. According to newly released numbers from the United States Department of Agriculture (which oversees the food stamp program), food stamp enrollments in September 2011 were 46,268,250 and never fell below 46 million up and through September 2014 (the most recent month for which numbers are available), when 46,459,998 individuals received food stamps. The 36 unbroken months of food stamps enrollments above 46 million paints an economic portrait of a citizenry frozen in place."
"For the first time in U.S. history, food stamp enrollments have been above 46 million for 36 months in a row. According to newly released numbers from the United States Department of Agriculture (which oversees the food stamp program), food stamp enrollments in September 2011 were 46,268,250 and never fell below 46 million up and through September 2014 (the most recent month for which numbers are available), when 46,459,998 individuals received food stamps. The 36 unbroken months of food stamps enrollments above 46 million paints an economic portrait of a citizenry frozen in place."

Normal Labor and Delivery
"An announcement of a pregnancy is a cause for joy in modern times, but in olden times was also a cause for concern. Indeed, before we had knowledge of infection prevention, a woman could expect a 1-2% death rate per pregnancy. As the average woman might be pregnant 10 times or more in a life, there was a cumulative 10-20% death rate among our pioneers. In areas where modern medical care is unavailable, there is still a risk of maternal death due to pregnancy, childbirth, and after-delivery (“postpartum“) complications. Luckily, most pregnancies end in a normal and happy outcome for both mother and baby. This article will outline how to monitor a labor and conduct a normal delivery."
"An announcement of a pregnancy is a cause for joy in modern times, but in olden times was also a cause for concern. Indeed, before we had knowledge of infection prevention, a woman could expect a 1-2% death rate per pregnancy. As the average woman might be pregnant 10 times or more in a life, there was a cumulative 10-20% death rate among our pioneers. In areas where modern medical care is unavailable, there is still a risk of maternal death due to pregnancy, childbirth, and after-delivery (“postpartum“) complications. Luckily, most pregnancies end in a normal and happy outcome for both mother and baby. This article will outline how to monitor a labor and conduct a normal delivery."

33 Brilliant Non-Traditional Preps
"Pick up any preparedness book or visit any preparedness website and you are bound to be inundated with ideas for getting yourself ready for an unexpected disruptive event. After awhile, the eyes begin to glaze over as you realize that you are reading the same thing over and over again. The good news is that if so many people are talking about something, it must be true, right? For obvious reasons, I am going to leave that one alone for now. Instead, I want to focus on the real life preps from regular folks who are walking the preppers walk. By that I mean ordinary citizens, not authors, not bloggers, and not individuals that are out to make a name for themselves. I am referring to Backdoor Survival readers. As those of you that have been following this website know, to enter most giveaways there is a giveaway question designed to make you think. Recently, the question asked was: What is your favorite non-traditional prep? Be specific. Some of the answers were indeed, great ideas and quite non-traditional. Others, while more commonplace, were preps that are often overlooked and worthy of repeating. With that in mind, today I share some of the very best non-traditional preps from Backdoor Survival readers."
(Sgt Trainer: The very first "response" talks about marbles for slingshots. This is what I use. I found that Fred's Dollar Store carried a 50-count bag for $1.00. They may still do so. In fact, I was shopping a couple weeks back and an older couple was behind me in line. We got to chatting about the replacement band for a slingshot that he had in his hand along with a bag of "slingshot ammo". I was telling him about the marbles at Fred's and he put the ammo back and said he was going to go check into it. There are a lot of these ideas that I have already done because I fully believe in using your creativity to prep.)
"Pick up any preparedness book or visit any preparedness website and you are bound to be inundated with ideas for getting yourself ready for an unexpected disruptive event. After awhile, the eyes begin to glaze over as you realize that you are reading the same thing over and over again. The good news is that if so many people are talking about something, it must be true, right? For obvious reasons, I am going to leave that one alone for now. Instead, I want to focus on the real life preps from regular folks who are walking the preppers walk. By that I mean ordinary citizens, not authors, not bloggers, and not individuals that are out to make a name for themselves. I am referring to Backdoor Survival readers. As those of you that have been following this website know, to enter most giveaways there is a giveaway question designed to make you think. Recently, the question asked was: What is your favorite non-traditional prep? Be specific. Some of the answers were indeed, great ideas and quite non-traditional. Others, while more commonplace, were preps that are often overlooked and worthy of repeating. With that in mind, today I share some of the very best non-traditional preps from Backdoor Survival readers."
(Sgt Trainer: The very first "response" talks about marbles for slingshots. This is what I use. I found that Fred's Dollar Store carried a 50-count bag for $1.00. They may still do so. In fact, I was shopping a couple weeks back and an older couple was behind me in line. We got to chatting about the replacement band for a slingshot that he had in his hand along with a bag of "slingshot ammo". I was telling him about the marbles at Fred's and he put the ammo back and said he was going to go check into it. There are a lot of these ideas that I have already done because I fully believe in using your creativity to prep.)
Guest Post: What's Really In A Survival Meal?
"Many people do not consider calorie counting in a positive aspect. This concept is often associated with dieting and weight reduction, but the truth is that caloric counting is also necessary to ensure that sufficient energy is being consumed in order to support healthy day to day function. This idea of an actual calorie count constituting what makes a meal does tie in to the other factors which help to make nutrients bio-available to the body, but it can also be an important consideration when the rationing of food is added to the mix."
"Many people do not consider calorie counting in a positive aspect. This concept is often associated with dieting and weight reduction, but the truth is that caloric counting is also necessary to ensure that sufficient energy is being consumed in order to support healthy day to day function. This idea of an actual calorie count constituting what makes a meal does tie in to the other factors which help to make nutrients bio-available to the body, but it can also be an important consideration when the rationing of food is added to the mix."

Is True Self-Reliance a Myth?
"Self-reliance is a wonderful ideal that is hardwired in the American psyche. Stories of the pioneers who went west and set up homesteads give us a romantic feeling that can draw us toward a rural way of life. However, that feeling has also led many people into the brick wall of homesteading reality. Living the self-sufficient life is harder than it looks. It’s important to get a realistic look first."
"Self-reliance is a wonderful ideal that is hardwired in the American psyche. Stories of the pioneers who went west and set up homesteads give us a romantic feeling that can draw us toward a rural way of life. However, that feeling has also led many people into the brick wall of homesteading reality. Living the self-sufficient life is harder than it looks. It’s important to get a realistic look first."

Your Reason for Prepping is Stupid
"Have you ever uttered these words or simply thought them to yourself? Have you maybe been talking to someone online or reading the comments on your favorite prepping site’s latest article and thought that the person commenting was an idiot for what they said their main concerns about the world were and their reasons for getting prepared? From time to time I will write about a topic and although the comments are 99.5% positive (almost unheard of nowadays) there are times when someone will mock either a commenter on an article, or what I wrote specifically. They will essentially say that what someone else is saying is stupid. Why would they react this way? It’s human nature I guess and each of us have our own ideas of what makes sense and what is irrational. We view the world through our own filters and judge what is right, wrong and plain old wacko. This could be for all manner of things from religious beliefs, politics or social issues. I am not saying I don’t do this myself to some degree, but I started to wonder why people react with just as much disdain on prepping issues as you might with a political race. I can understand if you have political differences and while I would like to hope everyone stays civil, I can see where you would disagree with my positions on any one of a number of things and come to your own conclusion that my stance is just plain wrong. Or stupid."
"Have you ever uttered these words or simply thought them to yourself? Have you maybe been talking to someone online or reading the comments on your favorite prepping site’s latest article and thought that the person commenting was an idiot for what they said their main concerns about the world were and their reasons for getting prepared? From time to time I will write about a topic and although the comments are 99.5% positive (almost unheard of nowadays) there are times when someone will mock either a commenter on an article, or what I wrote specifically. They will essentially say that what someone else is saying is stupid. Why would they react this way? It’s human nature I guess and each of us have our own ideas of what makes sense and what is irrational. We view the world through our own filters and judge what is right, wrong and plain old wacko. This could be for all manner of things from religious beliefs, politics or social issues. I am not saying I don’t do this myself to some degree, but I started to wonder why people react with just as much disdain on prepping issues as you might with a political race. I can understand if you have political differences and while I would like to hope everyone stays civil, I can see where you would disagree with my positions on any one of a number of things and come to your own conclusion that my stance is just plain wrong. Or stupid."
How To Make Basic Bread From Dough Without Yeast
"Yeast is the magic ingredient that makes bread rise into the fluffy texture you’ve become accustomed to. However what if you didn’t have any yeast – how would you make bread? For your preparedness and ‘survival kitchen’ knowledge, you don’t necessarily need to have yeast to make edible bread. Here’s one way to do it, and I’m curious to also get your input:"
"Yeast is the magic ingredient that makes bread rise into the fluffy texture you’ve become accustomed to. However what if you didn’t have any yeast – how would you make bread? For your preparedness and ‘survival kitchen’ knowledge, you don’t necessarily need to have yeast to make edible bread. Here’s one way to do it, and I’m curious to also get your input:"

Is a Collapse of the Food Economy Near?
"Prepping and survival websites often exclaim that a collapse of the food economy is near. But perhaps it is not. I can see both sides to this question. There are indications that a collapse is near, but the food economy is also rather resilient. So I don’t want to jump to conclusions. Downside. One indication that the food economy may be in for a sharp downturn is the severe drought in California and other parts of the U.S. Right now, CA is entirely engulfed in drought of the highest order of magnitude: exceptional, extreme, and severe. And this has been going on for many months. The drought also affects many other western States, including Texas. There is not enough underground water to irrigate the vast tracts of land affected by the drought. And much of the farmland has no irrigation system in place anyway. Another problem is that the agricultural system that provides us food is increasingly global. That fact makes us vulnerable to economic and political problems in other nations far and near. The U.S. increasingly imports food from China and other nations. A political dust-up could cause a trade war, resulting in higher prices or decreased availability. Economic collapse in a European nation could cause economic problems across the EU. And since the food economy is commercial — most people do not grow their own food — an economic downturn will affect food prices."
"Prepping and survival websites often exclaim that a collapse of the food economy is near. But perhaps it is not. I can see both sides to this question. There are indications that a collapse is near, but the food economy is also rather resilient. So I don’t want to jump to conclusions. Downside. One indication that the food economy may be in for a sharp downturn is the severe drought in California and other parts of the U.S. Right now, CA is entirely engulfed in drought of the highest order of magnitude: exceptional, extreme, and severe. And this has been going on for many months. The drought also affects many other western States, including Texas. There is not enough underground water to irrigate the vast tracts of land affected by the drought. And much of the farmland has no irrigation system in place anyway. Another problem is that the agricultural system that provides us food is increasingly global. That fact makes us vulnerable to economic and political problems in other nations far and near. The U.S. increasingly imports food from China and other nations. A political dust-up could cause a trade war, resulting in higher prices or decreased availability. Economic collapse in a European nation could cause economic problems across the EU. And since the food economy is commercial — most people do not grow their own food — an economic downturn will affect food prices."

6 Winter Tricks That Keep Livestock Water From Freezing
"During winter, the cold can cause homesteaders numerous headaches, but one that can’t be overlooked is our livestock’s need for water. Ice forms easily on exposed water tanks, buckets freeze up and crack, and fields are often far from power sources and water pumps. But don’t despair. You don’t need to spend this winter hauling water and banging ice. There is a better way!" (Image Source: MotherEarthNews)
"During winter, the cold can cause homesteaders numerous headaches, but one that can’t be overlooked is our livestock’s need for water. Ice forms easily on exposed water tanks, buckets freeze up and crack, and fields are often far from power sources and water pumps. But don’t despair. You don’t need to spend this winter hauling water and banging ice. There is a better way!" (Image Source: MotherEarthNews)
Potent, Natural Pain Killers That Are Still Legal
"This topic has been more requested than any that we have previously written about, for it catalogs the most potent of the pain-relieving herbs which are still legal at most locations. The information about these natural medicines has been sparsely distributed, but there is an underground movement of freedom fighters who are beginning to share it. This article is an attempt to unify this critically important information, and to make it easily accessible for those needing serious pain relief. We have personally tested some of these natural medicines ourselves, and we encourage our readers to not underestimate their power, or experiment with massive doses. They are strong medicines, and they should be wisely treated with that degree of respect. Consider the sap from opium poppy flowers as an example, for it was first used to make opiates, and then it was further chemically refined to make codeine, morphine, and Heroin too. This simple plant is still the foundation of all pharmaceutical painkillers in one way or another. We must not continue without an obligatory notice about caution. It is foolish to use any painkiller (natural or pharmaceutical) to merely mask pain instead of remedying its cause. Routinely doing so will lead to more suffering later, when more symptoms arise from the systemic problem that was ignored. Pain always indicates that something is wrong, so efforts should be made to uncover the cause and correct it. Therefore, painkillers should only be used to temporarily mitigate a patient’s suffering, while simultaneous efforts are made to eliminate the health issues that are causing pain."
"This topic has been more requested than any that we have previously written about, for it catalogs the most potent of the pain-relieving herbs which are still legal at most locations. The information about these natural medicines has been sparsely distributed, but there is an underground movement of freedom fighters who are beginning to share it. This article is an attempt to unify this critically important information, and to make it easily accessible for those needing serious pain relief. We have personally tested some of these natural medicines ourselves, and we encourage our readers to not underestimate their power, or experiment with massive doses. They are strong medicines, and they should be wisely treated with that degree of respect. Consider the sap from opium poppy flowers as an example, for it was first used to make opiates, and then it was further chemically refined to make codeine, morphine, and Heroin too. This simple plant is still the foundation of all pharmaceutical painkillers in one way or another. We must not continue without an obligatory notice about caution. It is foolish to use any painkiller (natural or pharmaceutical) to merely mask pain instead of remedying its cause. Routinely doing so will lead to more suffering later, when more symptoms arise from the systemic problem that was ignored. Pain always indicates that something is wrong, so efforts should be made to uncover the cause and correct it. Therefore, painkillers should only be used to temporarily mitigate a patient’s suffering, while simultaneous efforts are made to eliminate the health issues that are causing pain."

Combat or Survival Load Out? BOTH!
"In my book, “Personal Disaster Planning Handbook,” I describe a layered and redundant system of preparation that includes both a backpack/bug out bag and a load bearing vest. In the book I’m very clear that you have to make the choice whether you load your vest to support survival, defense (combat) or both. Recently I had a friend of mine point out to me that combat is entirely about survival so if you load your vest to support defense/combat then, in his opinion, you ARE loading it for survival. This gave me pause and forced me to consider a few things. First, let’s recognize that, thanks to the popular movies and television shows, most of us consider survival as having a combat/defense component. Sometimes it’s against a hoard of shuffling zombies and sometimes it’s against a well-organized pack of cannibals. Either way, and for all the variations in between, I don’t know a single survivalist / prepper who doesn’t include weapons in his (or her) planning and preparations."
"In my book, “Personal Disaster Planning Handbook,” I describe a layered and redundant system of preparation that includes both a backpack/bug out bag and a load bearing vest. In the book I’m very clear that you have to make the choice whether you load your vest to support survival, defense (combat) or both. Recently I had a friend of mine point out to me that combat is entirely about survival so if you load your vest to support defense/combat then, in his opinion, you ARE loading it for survival. This gave me pause and forced me to consider a few things. First, let’s recognize that, thanks to the popular movies and television shows, most of us consider survival as having a combat/defense component. Sometimes it’s against a hoard of shuffling zombies and sometimes it’s against a well-organized pack of cannibals. Either way, and for all the variations in between, I don’t know a single survivalist / prepper who doesn’t include weapons in his (or her) planning and preparations."

Borax: Its Many Uses
"A naturally-occurring mineral also known as sodium borate, Borax is an eco-friendly cleaning solution featuring a host of other benefits. If your emergency or camping kit needs another component, check out some of the white stuff’s many uses:"
"A naturally-occurring mineral also known as sodium borate, Borax is an eco-friendly cleaning solution featuring a host of other benefits. If your emergency or camping kit needs another component, check out some of the white stuff’s many uses:"
A Clergy Response Team Insider Reveals the Duties of a Pastor Inside of a FEMA Camp
"Pastor Mansfield was recruited to become a member of the Clergy Response Team which would operate under the control of NOVAD and DHS. Mansfield’s revelations about his experiences are stunning and concerning at the same time. Pastor Mansfield attended several briefings and he could barely believe his ears. He learned of the government’s plan to enact martial law as well as to implement forced population relocations. Mansfield emphasized that when martial law is enacted, the enforcement would be immediate. In other words, family members will be separated from each other and part of the training that the clergy received was how to comfort separated family members. Pastor Mansfield emphasized that the FEMA/DHS drills were predicated on bioterrorism. The pastors were trained to go to homes were people refused to be relocated by the authorities and their immediate job was to convince the reluctant to willingly go to the relocation camps. Ostensibly, this was to be done in lieu of sending in the SWAT teams."
"Pastor Mansfield was recruited to become a member of the Clergy Response Team which would operate under the control of NOVAD and DHS. Mansfield’s revelations about his experiences are stunning and concerning at the same time. Pastor Mansfield attended several briefings and he could barely believe his ears. He learned of the government’s plan to enact martial law as well as to implement forced population relocations. Mansfield emphasized that when martial law is enacted, the enforcement would be immediate. In other words, family members will be separated from each other and part of the training that the clergy received was how to comfort separated family members. Pastor Mansfield emphasized that the FEMA/DHS drills were predicated on bioterrorism. The pastors were trained to go to homes were people refused to be relocated by the authorities and their immediate job was to convince the reluctant to willingly go to the relocation camps. Ostensibly, this was to be done in lieu of sending in the SWAT teams."