February 9, 2018

by Doug “Uncola” Lynn:

 

Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!  She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit……

Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues

– Revelation 18

 

There is an English salutation said to have been translated from a Chinese curse.  It states: May you live in interesting times. Well, like it or not, we do. There is so much insanity occurring every day, on a global basis, it is difficult to process.  So much so, that historians will one day look back on our time and scratch their heads in open-jawed, disbelief.

“Wait a minute,” they will say, “let us get this straight:”

Adam Schiff, the ranking member on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence was overseeing an investigation into President Donald Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia because Trump was said to have obtained damaging information on Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton; but, during the same time period, Schiff was engaged in obtaining damaging information from Russians on Presidential Candidate Donald Trump?

Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) had to rig the 2016 Primary Elections because she was losing to a very popular Democratic Socialist?  Then Clinton won the popular vote in the 2016 Presidential Election? Clinton received 65,844,610 votes, even when the charitable foundation she founded with her husband, an impeached former U.S. president and disbarred attorney, profited $145 million in the sale of 20% of America’s uranium supply to Russia?  Russia? Who, supposedly, stole the election from her?

Really?

Now it appears the sitting president, Barack Hussein Obama, was aware  that his law enforcement agencies illegally spied on Presidential Candidate Trump for political gain; in spite of Obama’s earlier denials regarding his knowledge of the crime(s).

Yet, none of this matters to the Corporate Mainstream Media and over 50% of American voters.

Obviously, there will be no mea culpa from the American Political Left.  On the contrary, Former President Obama and his former Attorney General, Eric Holder, have been engaged in a Hail Mary effort to create large blue waves in the upcoming 2018 Midterm Elections this fall:

 

Organizing For Action (OFA) will officially partner with the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), led by Obama’s former Attorney General Eric Holder, starting on Monday, according to an OFA [October, 2017] release.

‘OFA volunteers and supporters will provide the grassroots organizing capacity and mobilization that we’ll need to win state-level elections and move other initiatives forward ahead of the 2021 redistricting process, making sure that states are in the best position possible to draw fair maps,’ Obama reportedly writes in the email.

 

Furthermore, there are now reports of potential presidential, or senate, candidate Holder riding in on a dark horse to save the day for the Democrats:

 

Former Attorney General Eric Holder is refusing to rule out a run for president in 2020.

Holder currently leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

In addition to a possible White House bid, Holder would be a formidable candidate for the Senate from his home state of New York, should such a seat open up.

 

Unfortunately, the trends do not look good for Team Trump facing the angry hoard of extremely motivated snowflakes over the next two national elections.  The facts show that a majority percentage of American voters value social justice, illegal immigration, and identity politics, over constitutional law. Of course, these people will also sell their collective souls for a piece of welfare bread, especially, as the economy continues to implode.

This all comes at a time when ranking Republican politicians are retiring in droves.

When the blue tide turns against Team Trump it will, in effect, return the nation back onto the road towards One-World, as the U.S. Constitution, and America’s borders, are thrown out the window like cigarettes extinguished on a darkening highway; fading sparks in the rearview mirror of history.

In truth, 30-40% of patriotic voters cannot uphold a constitutional republic.  It is not looking good for the white hats.  Even if MemoGate and Trump’s current rising poll numbers were enough to help patriotic conservatives maintain, or even increase, their house and senate majorities this fall, it won’t matter as the global financial bubble continues to deflate like a helium balloon in a blizzard.

Nobody can fix the broken Bretton Woods financial system. Not me. Not you. Not Trump. It is a fact:  The global economy is toast.

The next seven years through 2025 will be chaos. The economy will crash in waves; or cycles colliding.  We will see interest rates rising, increasing unemployment, and large defaults on public and private debt. There will be systemic financial upheavals, slowing consumer demand, inventory oversupplies, and decreasing production as recession becomes depression. There will be a complete collapse of the global debt bubble; combined with corporate bankruptcies worldwide.

Economic and political election cycles (2018, 2020), war, and societal upheavals, are all like airplanes flying towards each other in the same airspace at blinding speed. This time, there will be no bailout. The global economy is a high-wire act hundreds of feet above the concrete while the circus burns all around.

The vertical bar-graphs showing debt to equity ratios for sovereign nations worldwide, over the last 30 years, literally, look like stairways to heaven.  In reality, however, they are the map showing various 8-lane highways to hell. Europe, Japan, the PIIGS nations, et al, are doomed and the investment dollars vacating these nations have been coming to America, like Eddie Murphy by way of Chucky Schumer’s Diversity Immigrant Visa lottery.  The financial invasion has added to the already, artificially inflated Dow Jones.

When sovereign defaults turn the economic San Andreas into the Grand Canyon – into the breach will flow printed money like a raging river.  The dominoes will start to fall as hyper-inflation fuels political and social unrest as societal structures collapse faster than the Twin Towers on a Tuesday morning; or the Lehman Brothers’ affection for Fannie and Freddie.

Nothing new under the sun.

Be 100% assured of this: Unavoidable, uncontrollable, and unescapable destruction is unstoppable. It is  unpreventable. Got it? It will probably start on a Friday. But, hopefully, not this Friday.

 

 

What can we do?

Well, I once had a conversation with an alcoholic who told me he tried to kill himself by drinking vodka.  I didn’t understand because I always favored whiskey.  In any case, he changed his mind when he realized how painful it was to die by alcohol.  Not pretty.

Neither is starvation.

So, think about this as you shake off any remaining normalcy bias in order to start taking baby-steps in better directions.  Yes, baby steps matter.

Even now, we stand before the abyss.  Just look around.

The other day I was staring at two medium-sized bags of grapes on my kitchen counter.  My wife told me they cost over $7.00.  That is 25 cents less than America’s current minimum wage; so some people, right now, would have to work an hour just buy those bags of grapes. That’s a hard life. In a few years, however, we will look back on today’s grocery prices as bargains.

We should get started then because time is the new equity. And, if you listen, you can hear the fat lady singing:

 

1.) Breathe.  Breathe in the Air.

Before the feces fully collides with the rotating blades and compounds the stink of garbage filling the streets, you should consider your geographical location.  Is this the place where you want to be?  Is it defensible?

If you can’t fight and win there, can you, at least, go gray for a time in order to stay hidden when the mobs invade the streets?

What about the basics?  The Survival Rule of 3 states we can live:

 

3 minutes without air

3 hours without shelter

3 days without water

3 weeks without food

 

Here’s the point:  If you haven’t done so, you need to start thinking about these things.

In your best judgment, when it all comes crashing down, what are the largest risks for where you live? If you don’t want to be where you are now when things go bad, you need a back-up plan in place and preparations to bug out.  You should also rehearse the plan.

Surprisingly, a remote cabin in the woods, or a fenced-off and hidden homestead in a rural area may not be best after all.  Take it from Fernando Ferfal Aguirre, who survived the economic collapse in Argentina.  In his book, “Surviving the Economic Collapse”, he described geographic areas as like organisms dying; where the extremities perish first. Aguirre identifies the urban areas as the safer place to work, trade, and live and the rural areas as targets where roving gangs raid and set up camp out of the reach of city services, police, and fire departments.

Could this be true for your city or town?

Keep in mind there are books defining risk-assessments for specific areas and, like any other successful plan, it is good to do your research.

I suspect, due to family, work, and financial obligations, most will decide to shelter in place at some point and your current home may be as good of a place as any to survive, fight, or die.  Either way, it would be wise to understand the potential risks that are embedded into your area. Knowing these are a baby step that might yield great benefits later.   After all, luck is when opportunity meets preparation.

 

2.) Gimme Shelter

In the face of rising interest rates and rents, homelessness is already reaching epic levels.  How is your situation?  Where will you live in the event you lose your job, or suffer financially in the face of hyper-inflation?

Remember, real estate is only yours if you own it.  In some cases it may be better to stay protected in the home you live in now.  In other circumstances it may be better to sell at this time and harvest your equity if you can.  Only you can figure this out.  Be like Nike and just do it; think about it now and have a plan in place. If you lose your home you may need to live with friends and relatives.  Maybe invite them for coffee, lunch, or dinner to discuss it now?  After all, your lack of planning doesn’t necessarily become an emergency on their part at a later date, you know? What if they have other plans?  Communication is the life-blood of any relationship. Start talking now.

How can you go Galt, now and in the future?

A person with no bills is ahead in the game. This means pay off your debts.  Should you pay off your credit cards, first, to escape their high interest rates?  Or, perhaps, you don’t want to miss a few payments on the car and lose it because you need it to get to work for your job.  Maybe it’s time to down-trade your leased Lincoln Navigator for a used Toyota?  Think about that.  You may need that extra monthly payment to make your house payment at some point.  Better to drive a hoopty piece of junk and keep a roof over your head than lose both your home and fancy car, I always say.

Above that, where will you shelter after The End Of The World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI)?  Can you sustain the rent and taxes? Is it defensible? Does it provide options for water, food, and heat?  In the colder climes, would a wood-burning stove, or high-efficiency fireplace, be better in the winter than a gas or electric fireplace?  How solid are the local utilities in your area?

Again, because it is so important:  Does your shelter have decent access to fresh water if the utilities shut down?

 

3.) When the Levee Breaks:  Water, Water, Everywhere, Not a Drop to Drink

Even if you are in a good area with decent shelter, there remains the possibility you could die of thirst or waterborne diseases caused by a variety of microorganisms, biotoxins, and toxic contaminants, which lead to devastating illnesses such as cholera, schistosomiasis and other gastrointestinal problems.

You have paid your health, life, car, and homeowner’s insurance for most of your adult life, right?  Why not pay cash now for your body-insurance by way of a (I prefer portable) water-filtration system (along with plenty of filters) in the event you’re your city services terminate for any reason?

Seems like cheap insurance for both you and your family given the average person, doing average things, needs a minimum of one gallon per day per person of potable (drinking) water.

Additionally, another 2 gallons per day per person is needed for cooking or hydrating freeze-dried foods.  Furthermore, for cleaning and sanitation, it is wise to plan on at least another 3 to 4 gallons a day per person of non-potable (i.e. unfiltered) water.  To be safe, a strategy of 10 total gallons of water per person per day is an ideal goal; although you can survive with less depending upon multiple factors like weather, level of physical activity, etc.

In addition to identifying water sources in your area, consider researching ways to harvest rainwater.

For storing water, there are also several online options and methods. Liquid bleach containing 5.25 % sodium hypochlorite (with no soap and sodium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient) can be used for long term storage solutions at 4 drops per quart / 8 drops per gallon.  Or, you can order water purification tablets online.  Another decent way to purify water is to boil it for 15 to 20 minutes.  Some claim boiling for longer than 5 minutes is a waste of good water, but 15 minutes is required to kill cryptospiridium.

In every instance, it is important to determine the best water solutions for your own specific needs in either urban or rural locations.  And don’t forget your pets and plants.

The key is to think it about it now in order to develop a plan, rather than scrambling in a desperate manner later.  The same goes for your food planning.

 

4.) The Final Countdown: Blueberry Hill, Brown Sugar, or Strawberry Fields Forever

How many people do you plan to bunker down with during the apocalypse? How many calories will they need to not starve every day?  Before starting your short and long-term food strategies you must first do the math.  There are many resources, and calorie-calculators, online to complete your research.  You should check them out now while the power is still on.

The number of calories your body needs to maintain its basic physiological functions while at rest is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You can estimate your BMR by plugging your age, weight in pounds, and height in inches, into the following formula:

For women: 655 + (4.35 × weight) + (4.7 × height) – (4.7 × age) = BMR.

For men: 66 + (6.23 × weight) + (12.7 × height) – (6.8 × age) = BMR

However, in survival situations you are going to be much more active so it may be a good idea to add another 20 – 30% (minimum) to these numbers.  Then you need to add for all of the people in your party and multiply by the most number of days you can afford to cover.

Obviously, your budget is a major factor so just do the best you can. If you can cover, for all of the people in your party, a minimum of 30 days, that may be enough time for any interim societal breakdowns to be temporarily resolved so you can replenish your supplies.

In any event, it will be better to wait out any local food shortages in your home than to be out searching like a stray cat on the streets during times of panic.

You will also need to blend your food supply (for all members of your party) in accordance to the body’s optimum caloric intake, suggested as follows:

 

Carbs 60%

Fat 25%

Protein 15%

 

The longest storage plans should include freeze dried foods, and bulk buckets of beans, rice, flour, oats, wheat (also get a couple of high quality manual grain grinders), and powdered milk. Stored properly these have can have a shelf-life of up to 25 years. There are lots of online sources to obtain these supplies, or you can buy locally, or harvest the produce from your own garden, and store via these ways:

 

Canning (search the net and query YouTube videos to see what you need and how)

 

Mylar bags & oxygen absorbers sealed by a Hot Jaw, then into 5-gallon buckets

 

Vacuum Sealer (“Tilia Foodsaver” is best rated by Consumer Reports)

 

A quality food dehydrator (@ most big box stores) to dry and preserve fruits and meat

 

Also don’t forget to stock up on salt, sugar, and pasta in bulk and cans of dehydrated chicken bouillon, beef bouillon, shortening powder, baking powder, baking soda, packages of SAF instant yeast and several gallons of vegetable oils.   Not only will you need these for preservatives and cooking but they will be great barter items as well. Buy what you like to eat and rotate through your food supply; reordering in accordance to the expiration dates.

Finally, if possible, try to seek out multiple local sources for dairy, eggs, and produce.  It would be ideal to establish relationships with these potential sources now.  Why? Because first come, first serve.

 

5.) Tap into the Power. The Heat Is On.

How can you cook without electricity? You might want to have a plan.  For cooking outdoors, or in a fireplace, you will need a cast iron skillet and a dutch-oven. You can efficiently cook a pot of food with ten charcoal briquettes under a dutch-oven.

If you prefer propane, then buy some extra tanks now.  Propane stores well, burns clean, and doesn’t take up as much room as cords of firewood.

There is a resilient little (collapsible and portable) Volcano Grill that can cook with either charcoal, wood, or propane, but keep this in mind:  The smoke from cooking outdoors, or even using a fireplace, could invite strangers to dinner; should they decide to follow their nose(s).

Along the same lines, generators are loud and may draw unwanted attention your way; especially at night.

Therefore, in the event of long-term power outages, it may be safer to use a hot plate indoors, powered by a battery bank and inverters.  This same set up can also power other small electric lights, various electronics and small appliances as well. Just online search “how to build a battery bank”.  Then, you can buy marine batteries locally and consider options for inverters and accessories here.  Worse case scenario, you can pick up a DC inverter for your car at most truck stops.  It plugs into your cigarette lighter and, you never know, it could come in handy one day by converting your car battery’s energy in the absence of functioning electric outlets.

The most common and economical type of inverters are Modified Sine Wave inverters and they work well for most uses. Pure Sine Wave inverters (also called True Sine Wave) are better for sensitive electrical or electronic items like laptop computers, laser printers, medical equipment, digital clocks, bread makers with multi-stage timers, and variable speed, or rechargeable, tools. Pure Sine Wave inverters produce a better and cleaner current, but they are also more expensive.

To recharge the batteries in your bank you can either use your car jumper cables, a small generator (and battery charger) purchased from your local big box home-supply store, or you can buy a smaller solar array kit to use on sunny days.  Best to plan for all three.

At some point, if necessary, you can hijack car batteries from abandoned vehicles.

I even placed a smaller, portable (deep cycle marine) battery bank on cart built from junked scrap plywood, recommissioned casters, and completed with an old belt bolted-in for a tow strap.

 

 

Don’t laugh. I’ve learned to count appliance wattages like calories and have even boiled water on a hot-plate with this little rig while making fire-starters out of empty egg cartons, melted wax from old candles, and wood shavings used as packing material from a box of syrup shipped to me by a New Hampshire farmer.

Call me MacGyver.

 

 

If you have a generator to charge your battery bank, it would be a good idea to purchase some manual ($30 hand-pump) gas siphons so you can tap into the well-spring of your vehicle(s) when required.

In colder climes, if you do not have a functional wood-burning stove or fireplace, you might consider having some high quality sleeping bags in your possession to keep you warm during the cold nights.

 

6.) Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News

Chances are good that you, or someone close to you, will get hurt or sick.  Therefore, it is very important to have a first-aid kit and a first-aid book on hand.  Online search for “First Responder Kits” or you can build your own by taking notes of what is included in those kits and then buy the supplies separately at your local Wal-Mart, hospital store, or pharmacy.

Consider visiting your local farm store, veterinarian’s office, or search online for the following products (using the same dosages for pigs):

 

Terramycin – general antibiotic in powder form.  Has long shelf life.  May also be found at a pet store?

Calf Scours – medication to stop diarrhea.

Disinfectants & antiseptics concentrated in gallon jugs.  Can be used to disinfect surgical equipment and injuries.

Pink Eye Medication – can help in healing wounds because it contains antiseptics, antibiotics, and an anesthetic.

 

It is also a good idea to stock up on hand sanitizer, iodine, disinfectants and antiseptics which can be purchased over-the-counter at various retail outlets.

 

7.) Make New Friends but Keep the Old…

Take walks in your area.  Or, in your apartment complex, or neighborhood, introduce yourself when people are out.  Make friends.  Get to know those around you. You may be amazed at the “small world” connections that can be made.   Become involved in local and state politics.  Get to know the local law enforcement or even strike up a conversation with the local cop walking his beat on the street.  Not all of them are pigs.  Then, use your best judgment in making assessments that might benefit you in the future.

 

8.) One is Silver. The other Gold.

Since the global bankers have been illegally hammering the price of precious metals over the last several years; purchase some physical gold and silver coins while it’s still inexpensive.  If you can’t afford to buy gold, then buy some silver.  A parabolic spike in the physical pricing of gold and silver is forthcoming and you won’t be sorry.  Moreover, it allows you to preserve some wealth outside of the “system” and, concurrently, shove the fiat currency right back up into the collective asses of the criminal cabal of elite bankers.

Also remember that wealth happens when labor is applied to resources.  Can you grow a garden and barter towards the goal of self-sufficiency? Can you provide a service in the form of a trade? Do you have a skill or hobby that might benefit your fellow man in return for some money, precious metals, or food?  Can you start a business and work from your garage, or make an office out of a spare bedroom?  Anything you can do to protect your wealth and/or provide yourself some income and self-sufficiency in the days ahead will be precious indeed.

 

9.) Money for Nothing

Now is the best time to turn your fiat cash into things you will need.  Plan for the forthcoming hard times like you would a camping trip extended to forever.  Think about what you will need every day and remember the following survival formula:

 

3 is 2

2 is 1

1 is 0

 

This means, whatever you have will break at some point. Therefore, it is best to have a back-up for everything.  For example, if you have a wood burning fireplace, you will need a chainsaw to cut wood, gas, oil, spare chains, and a sharpening file.  If your chainsaw breaks, and in the absence of a spare chainsaw, you should have an ax. If your ax breaks, you will need to get out your hatchet. If your hatchet breaks, use your knife. Don’t forget your sharpening stones.  There so many other neat options out there if you just look.

Maybe pick up some survival books, seek out some survival blogs online, and/or subscribe to some survival newsletters.

Use your imagination and think outside the box. Like how head-mounted flashlights, let you take the light with you wherever you go while keeping your hands free.

What else? Don’t forget things like lighters, matches, batteries, LED flashlights (more efficient than regular), toilet paper, AM / FM radio, shortwave radio, gas cans, lighter fluid, binoculars, a sewing kit, candles, knife, paracord, water proof baggies, trash bags, tools, a multi-tool, duct tape, electrical tape, fire-starters, a clothesline and clothing pins, plus so much more. Just think it through.

Items I have found to be extremely useful are 5-gallon (and 6-gallon) buckets. You can find them on sale sometimes at your local home supply store for as little as $3.00.  I am amazed at how I use them around my place.  They can carry anything from water, to potatoes, to tools, to firewood.  They can even be used as portable camping toilets which could come in very handy if the plumbing ever quits working in a Mad Max future.

How about waterproof clothes, heavy duty denim wear, weather resistant hiking boots, work gloves, belts, socks, t-shirts, underwear, and hats? Bug out gear and a quality backpack? One day you might appreciate any of these more than a wheel-barrow full of paper cash, let alone digital currency reflected on a faded bank statement.

 

10.) Saturday Night Special:  Lawyers, Guns and Money

Whether you achieve the impossible feat of perfect preparation, or you have merely taken baby steps in the right direction, there will likely come a time when you will need to defend yourself, or those you care about, your stuff, or all of the above.

You may think you have enough devices and fireworks, but you probably don’t.  Furthermore, in the event you ever have to use them, you will likely have to bug-out before the revenge-seekers return to burn down your house.

You may also be sued or even jailed.  And, if the authorities come for you, it would be a battle you will likely lose.

Soon, the times may bring any number of scenarios for which you will need to either fight, flee, or surrender.  Your best defense strategy is to think about it now and decide in advance, rather than wait and risk the chance of confusion in the heat of the moment. Survey your place and mentally work through any contingencies; like a flow-chart.

Practice at the range and get familiar with your tools.

In regards to the authorities, keep in mind that you are only who your documents say you are (i.e. – driver’s license, SS card, birth certificate, etc); so keep them safe and handy.  Some believe it is best to avoid any hassles with law enforcement by way of a concealed carry permit.  Others believe these put you on the “list”.

You will need to think about these things and decide.

You may also want to consider pepper-spray, or a crow-bar, or even nunchucks, for certain situations; because all you need to do is neutralize any circumstance with the least amount of force necessary. This could also save you some ensuing legal, or vigilante, hassles later.  In other words, situational awareness is paramount and sometimes it is better to grab the baseball bat instead of the shotgun or AR. Other times it may be better to be safe than sorry; to be judged by twelve as opposed to carried (and buried) by six.

Some plinkers and snipers prefer to use 22-longs as a tackdriver because of the lack of recoil, quiet, and the fact these can fuel smaller devices as well. Others worship at the alters of stopping power and bigger is better.  And some prefer the way of an upper-large-appendage, double amputee; that is, to go through life unarmed.

Up to you. But if you do decide to go heavy, own both some long and short tools with similar redundancy in the calibers.  This way you can stack fewer variations of fireworks.

I’ve made my decisions.  Your turn.

 

Conclusion

Going Galt. Paying less taxes. Becoming more self-sufficient. Staying out of debt. Buying local. Finding ways to lower monthly expenses. Converting paper cash to real stuff. Staying “awake”. Seeking out the like-minded. Watching. Learning. Enjoying every moment. Being thankful. Reading. Staying sober. Working out. Getting my affairs in order. Mentally preparing for future hardships and loss. Reciting the Serenity Prayer to myself daily. Smiling and laughing more. Not taking myself too seriously. Trying to stay humble. Not putting off tomorrow what I can do today. Staying positive.

Baby steps in these directions can make big differences now and down the line.

 

 

Take heart, and keep calm. There is still some time left. Economies are like propeller planes with the engines sputtering.  They restart for a while, and then sputter again causing the plane to fall. Then the engines restart and the plane rises slightly before falling again. Even when the last engine dies, the plane will glide for a while before the final crash.

Don’t wait for that. Every journey begins with the first step, and, as Mike Tyson once said:

“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

In the American Old West, when the cowboys roamed the plains, lady-luck was looked upon almost like a deity. It was because those folks were rolling around like tumbleweeds, just trying to survive.

So make a plan, stay with the plan, but also embrace fluidity and the throw of the dice when required.

Win or lose, may the forgiven not forget their instructions and I hope all of you will remember the following words. It is a quote which is most often attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson:

 

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.

 

 

 

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