preparedness » Survival and Beyond

Disaster Preparedness in a “Short Term Culture”, The Hypocrisy of Lois Lerner, Monsanto vs State’s Rights, Disconnecting From the System and Some Spiritual Empowerment

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

May 232013

My heart goes out to all the victims of the tornado in Oklahoma and their families… You are all in my prayers.

One of the first issues I discuss is the trend towards non-preparedness and “short-term thinking” among individuals and in communities that are prone to natural disaster. I cover the latest developments in the IRS scandal involving those who were behind the targeting of patriot groups and the trail of lies and denial all the way up the chain of command. I also talk about Monsanto’s recent attempts to alter the 2013 Farm Bill to block states from demanding GMO labeling. I’m spreading the word about the worldwide “March Against Monsanto” and the long-term reasons why GM crops are the biggest threat to our ecosystem. I also offer my final conclusion about Adam Kokesh’s armed march on Washington DC and why I think it’s a BAD idea. I also read listener’s mail, which led to many interesting topics, including disconnecting yourself from the “system” and how empowering people with the truth about reality creation, consciousness and connectedness is one of the most important things we can do as individuals (among several other topics!)

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The Post Disaster 3-5′s

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

May 202013

Modern Survival Online

We know that in the aftermath of any major event like a hurricane or even some riot brought on by a political differences, society tends to fall apart. Once that happens, we know what comes next. This is what is known as the 3 5s. Check out how this law has played out in real life scenarios.

3-5 Hours Looting Happens

Within three to five hours of an incident, looting starts to happen as people begin to panic. People will do whatever it takes to get the supplies they need to survive or simply things that they want. There are some people who do not appreciate the looting and will go to great lengths to protect their property. A looter is often somebody who is hungry, dangerous and mean. Think back to Hurricane Katrina. People looted abandoned stores to get the food they felt they needed. With resources stretched so thin, there was nobody around to police the people

3-5 Days Store Shelves are Empty

Not everybody will loot. Some people will flood the stores to buy the things they need. Typically, a grocery store is only stocked with enough supplies to last 3 to 4 days. Shelves will be wiped out in the aftermath of any crisis. This was recently exhibited during the Hurricane Sandy situation. People were panicked over the prospect of the “Frankenstorm” and rushed to stock their pantries, resulting in empty store shelves. Local stores were wiped out of bread and other basic items, including batteries days before the storm even hit. Bread and batteries are both key elements of survival. People were doing what they could to prepare for the hours and days they would be without food and power. The mayor of New York City began distributing food 4 days after the storm hit.

3-5 Weeks City Folk Fan Out

After 3 to 5 weeks of coping with a disaster within the city limits, city dwellers will begin to fan out in search of necessities. One of the most devastating examples of this scenario is the Chernobyl disaster that happened in Russia in 1986. The city and surrounding areas were toxic with radiation. People who survived the blast left the city in the hopes of finding somewhere to live. Many were still very sick because of the radiation poisoning and were seeking medical attention. The survivors needed somewhere safe to live and to start over.

3-5 Months Groups Haphazardly Put Together Will Crumble

It is common for people to band together in groups after a major event. Groups are formed by people who have the same religious values, may be of the same race or from the same culture, or similar location. We saw this happen in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s after communism ended. Political leaders managed to destroy these groups with the use of fear mongering directed at opposing religious and cultural groups. This ended up leading to the “former Yugoslavia.”

3-5 Years Normalcy Returns

As humans, we are left with physical and emotional scars after a tragic event. This is true of a society that has encountered any major event as well. Although there is a strong chance society will get back to normal, it is very likely it will not be the same. There will be scars and if there have been any other similar traumas, that sense of normalcy will be delayed.

One way to understand how the new norm is different from the previous norm is to imagine a person’s life before and after a spouse died. It will take a few years, but eventually, the widower will begin to lead a normal life again, albeit a different normal than what life was like with the spouse.

Society is the same. After an event, people will strive to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives. It will probably never be the same. It is always a good idea to learn from events that have happened in an effort to avoid or be better prepared for the future.

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The 25 Things You Should Do to Get Prepared for the Coming Collapse

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Apr 122013

Economic Collapse Blog

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 nowthree 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 inthe 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 beingdeindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country isabsolutely 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 suncauses 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 post a comment with your thoughts below…

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Survival Mindset: Preparedness as a Way of Life – Part 1

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Mar 292013

By Gaye Levy – Backdoor Survival

Prepping, survivalism, emergency preparedness, disaster readiness – call it what you will, but having the mindset to take care of yourself in good times and bad is the focus of Backdoor Survival. That plus a healthy dose of living strategically and sustainably while having a bit of fun at the same time.

Today I would like to explore the survival mindset and preparedness as a way of life and as a path to self-reliance and independence.

THE SURVIVAL MINDSET

We live in uncertain times. Natural disasters are escalating at an alarming rate, global economies are failing, terrorists are threatening the security of the common man and climate change is affecting the ability of our food chain to provide adequate supplies to the populace. Add to this questionable politics and sneaky corporate policies and we have a recipe for crisis on our hands.

The solution, for many, to these woes is to embrace survivalism. The term “survivalism” is a word that has been around for eons.

Survivalism: An attitude, policy or practice based on the primacy of survival as a value.
. . . from Miriam Webster

Survivalism: The policy of trying to insure one’s own survival or that of one’s social or national group.
. . . from New Oxford American Dictionary

And the person who practices survivalism? That person is typically referred to as a survivalist.

Mention this term to your typical man or woman and you may be looked at with disdain and confusion. After all, aren’t survivalists those Rambo types that live in the woods wearing camouflage clothing and carrying rifles the way the rest of us carry a wallet or pocketbook?

Somewhere along the line, the words Survivalism and Survivalist became dirty words.

To overcome this perception, a more modern term has been coined. A kinder gentler term and one without negative connotations: Prepper.

What specifically is a prepper? Wikipedia defines a prepper as an “individual or group that prepares or makes preparations in advance of, or prior to, any change in normal circumstances or lifestyle without significant reliance on other persons or without substantial assistance from outside resources.”

More simply stated, a prepper desires and strives to enjoy self-sufficiency without the need for outside assistance, especially from government agencies or authorities.

THE TALE OF TWO FAMILIES

Let me relate the tale of two fictional families living close to each other in a fictional neighborhood.

Family #1 consists of a husband, a wife and two children. They are a two income family and the children, teenagers, do not work – not even performing home chores – for their generous allowance. The family has about $20,000 in savings, and a mortgage that uses up 60% of their combined take home pay. They eat out 3 to 4 nights a week, have a housekeeper and gardener and live a comfortable life.

A peek inside their pantry will show you a few canned goods but mostly cookies, chips and snack items. They rely on a weekly trip to the supermarket for food and even then, they don’t require much since they eat out a lot.

Family #2 also consists of a husband, wife and two children The Mom has a part time job doing something she loves: arranging flowers at a flower shop. The pay is not great but she enjoys both the work and getting out of the house. The family has a modest mortgage of about $75,000 and savings of $100,000. The two teens have part time jobs; one tutors kids with reading problems and the other flips burgers at the local fast food joint. Both the husband and wife enjoy cooking and prepare home cooked meals. They know how to take less expensive cuts of meats and use them in stews, stir-fry’s and other nutritious meals.

A look inside their pantry will show lots of dried goods including beans, rice, oatmeal and pasta, as well as cases of canned goods they have purchased at a discount at their local cash and carry warehouse store. Everything in the pantry is dated with the newer items stored near the rear and in the difficult to reach areas.

In the middle of one winter night, a huge snow and ice storm hits the town where both families live. Their neighborhood is especially affected because a utility company transformer has blown and the power is out. Trees have fallen and the roads are blocked. Typically there is not a lot of snow in their area so snow removal equipment is scarce.

Family #1 is cold, hungry and distressed. They have a few snacks on hand but other than that, very little food. They always meant to buy some candles and now the batteries in their flashlights are dead. As they stumble around in the dark, they are cold and desperate. They need help but the authorities are nowhere to be found. Without a battery operated radio or a wired phone, they don’t know what is going on and they are scared.

What about family #2? The wood stove is providing warmth plus their oil lanterns are providing an abundance of light. The family had a picnic around the fire consisting of canned stew, canned veggies and some canned peaches for dessert. Using the wood stove as a cooking surface, they were able to pop some popcorn while enjoying a board game around the glow of the stove and lanterns.

Their crank radio was fired up and they learned that there was a likelihood that the roads would be blocked and power out for at least 48 hours, possibly longer. They deemed this an adventure, secure in their knowledge that they had plenty of food and would be nice and toasty in their home.

Two stories. One is a family that survives and the other is barely scraping by with handouts (if they are lucky) from sympathetic neighbors and relatives.

THE FINAL WORD

Natural disasters can happen anywhere and anytime. Manmade disasters, civil disobedience, pandemics and terrorist attacks may or may not happen.

Even so, how would you deal with these events if they happened in your home town? Would you have food? Would you have water? Would you have readily accessible first aid supplies? If the transportation system around you was disabled for a period of time (a day, a week or a month), could you cope? What if fuel for your vehicle or to heat your home was not available? In the case of an emergency, how would you communicate with loved ones?

These are just a few questions you should ask yourself. They are practical questions with infinitely useful answers once you take the time to define survivalism in your own words and under your own terms.

Once you do that, you will have created a survival mindset.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye

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20 Ways to Fight Prepper Fatigue

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Mar 252013

The Organic Prepper

Preparing for the worst can be exhausting.

While generally speaking, preparedness activities and awareness provide peace of mind for me, there are days that I just don’t want to see another mylar bag or read the next scary headline trumpeting our imminent collapse.

Both mentally and physically, the activities that make up the everyday life of a prepper can take a toll. If you aren’t gardening or preserving food, you’re practicing marksmanship or other vital skills. You’re reading alternative news websites and piecing together the information as it applies to you and your family. Some folks are worrying about their locations, their retirement accounts that they are unable to access and their loved ones that remain unconvinced of the need to prepare.

Feelings of overwhelming exhaustion and/or anxiety are signs that you need a little break from prepping. Don’t let that concept cause you even more panic – this doesn’t mean you are returning to life as a sheep. There is a big difference between sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the global situation, and simply taking a little step back now and then. Many people refer to this mental atmosphere of stress as “prepper fatigue.”

My daughters and I just returned from a wonderful week-long vacation visiting some states in the Pacific Northwest. The holiday served multiple purposes: much needed R&R, getting together with good friends, and checking out some farm real estate in our future desired location. I made a rule for myself limiting my time on the computer and just did the bare minimum. I didn’t scour news websites and wrack my brain for topics to write about. I did keep a list to jot down ideas as they occurred to me. My friends are like-minded so we had some great discussions. When I looked at property, obviously the self-sufficiency ramifications were foremost in my mind. But all in all, it was a break from my usual way of life.

It was rejuvenating, and it reminded me how important it is to smell the roses. It isn’t healthy to be grimly focused on the worst things that could happen every second of the day. It isn’t good for your mind and soul to worry so much about tomorrow that you forget about enjoying today.

It’s hard to let go sometimes and just enjoy the moment, but your ability to do so, even (and especially) during difficult times, will allow you to weather the coming storms in good mental health. No matter how difficult the situation, it’s important to spend some time every day smiling. As a parent, a partner, a friend – consider carefully the time you spend with loved ones and be sure that you are creating good memories, whether you’re digging in the garden together, laughing at how silly chickens look when they run, or staring in awe at a breathtaking view.

I’ve recently read some articles (this one in particular was wonderful) about this sense of enjoyment and was disturbed in the comments to see a few preppers chastising the writers and telling them that the situation was too grim to consider things like fun. The people who cannot find a way to smile during difficult times will be the ones that crack. Their children will be the ones that are the unhappiest. While being determined is important, survival is about more than shoveling unseasoned beans and rice into your mouth and standing watch. As times become more difficult, episodes of fun and laughter, no matter how simple, will see you through them.

Keeping up your motivation by taking time for some recreation doesn’t have to break the budget or divert you completely away from your prepping principles. For example, during my vacation, I was on a boat with like-minded friends. We were enjoying the warm weather and scenery while discussing how difficult it would be to breach the security of a home on a nearby hillside and brainstorming the retreat value of such a home.

Following are twenty ways to take a break, prepper style:

Visit a nearby working farm that doubles as a tourist attraction. Learn about the way the farmer houses and feeds livestock, what he grows and the self-sustainable methods in place there.
Go camping and rough it to practice your outdoor survival skills. Bring a field guide and look for plants that you can forage and signs of wildlife.
Unplug from the computer for 24-48 hours.
Do prepper drills: go a weekend without power, have a paintball ambush, go hiking with just a compass and water filter.
Learn a new skill like knitting, whittling, making pottery, or marksmanship.
Take a class: cheesemaking, gunsmithing, first aid, or a useful craft.
Join a gardening club, an archery club, or another group that provides useful information with a social aspect.
Take a walk and/or work on your fitness.
Have an all-day food preservation get-together with a like-minded friend.
Go to a farmer’s market or a pick-your-own place. Buy a bushel of fruits or veggies for canning while you’re there.
Take a vacation to an interesting place.
Attend a seminar, country fair, expo, or trade show.
Watch a movie or series marathon with the family – opt for something inspiring like Red Dawn, Jericho, or another survival flick.
Read a book like Lights Out, One Second After, or The Stand.
Browse the gardening or building section of a bookstore or library.
Spend the afternoon at a greenhouse or garden store, checking out new plants.
Curl up with a seed catalog and a notebook.
Write in a journal – you can focus on prepping, your garden, your faith, or life in general.
Play with a pet. (I’m working on some obedience training with my dog before a search and rescue course next fall.)
Go hunting or fishing.

How do you decompress to combat prepper fatigue, while still working towards your preparedness goals? Do you feel a sense of renewed enthusiasm after taking a little break?

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15 Ways to Prep for Free (Or Almost Free)

Posted by Ed Corcoran News 1 Response »

Mar 222013

The River’s Edge Post

Unemployed? Money tight? 15 ways to prep for free (or almost free). Today’s economy makes it tough to prep for emergencies so today I wanted to touch on how to prep when you don’t have the money to spend.

First of all I’m not talking about just having a little money to spend, I’m talking none. Millions of people are unemployed and their unemployment checks probably don’t cover rent/mortgage or are perhaps slightly above. So what do you do when you want to continue or begin prepping when you have no money to spare?

Well, first of all, you obviously can’t buy anything. Ok, you could choose to not pay your mortgage or rent but if you get kicked out of your home where will you put all your belongings? If you have somewhere else to live, then that will be between you and your alternative homeowners.

True that these 15 ways to prep for free (or almost free) can benefit anyone regardless of personal financial freedom (or lack thereof) but we wanted to let those lacking know (in case they didn’t already) that there are some great ways to prep for free (or almost free).
So for those that have fallen on hard financial times then this list is especially for you.

Craigslist – Go to the free section and browse. You have to keep up on the free section as if there is anything really good, it usually goes quickly. Also there are occasionally people that are listed in the ‘for sale’ sections but are willing to barter.
Construction sites – Often you can get free wood, windows, bricks, rocks and other items such as sinks, toilets and cabinets from homes or businesses that are being torn down or remodeled for free. Just ask.
Friends, neighbors, family – If you have a friend, neighbor or family member that is doing some remodeling or demolition to their own home, shed or garage ask them if you can take anything off their hands.
Free samples – There are countless websites that allow you to sign up for free samples from various companies or sign up with the company directly.
Freecycle – A website devoted to free items only.
Restaurants and Fast Food – Ok, now I understand that if you don’t have money for preps you really don’t have money to go out to eat, but ask friends and family to save any free condiments or plastic ware they can for you.
Dumpster dive – This is by far the dirtiest of the options but people have been able to get great finds this way. Just make sure to clean and sanitize it really, really well.
DIY containers – Too many things to list for this one but for example, a coffee tin turned into an emergency stove/heater, soda or juice bottles to store water, soup cans into candle holders, tin can solar heater.
Candles – If you burn candles, re-use the left over wax to make new candles and if you don’t, just ask friends or family for theirs.
Food Grade buckets – Ask local bakeries or grocery stores (with bakeries) if they will give away their old icing buckets. Just wash, sanitize and you have some great containers for container gardening, storage and more.
Garden – If you don’t have a garden now is the time to plant one. Per plant, seeds are cheaper to start with than seedling plants but you still need good soil or they won’t grow or produce. You can often find free fertilizer (like horse or chicken manure) on Craigslist. Also you can get free seeds from 1) a gardener you already know 2) online – check with places like Wintersown.com, Gardenhoard.com, SweetOrganicNursery.com, and others (“free seeds” Google search). What you don’t eat you can always dehydrate and add to your prep items. If you don’t have a dehydrator just let the sun do it.
Take a class – check out our previous article on free emergency preparedness classes. You can take online classes or Red Cross emergency medical training for free!
Raise chickens – If you are in an area that allows chickens and you don’t already have any check with Craigslist, your local Co-Op or farm and feed store to see if there is anyone looking to get rid of any of their chickens! I live in an urban area and in one year I had at least two people ask me if I wanted any chickens. There are many simple DIY coops that would take up one or two days to build. There is a great article by Mother Earth News on how to feed your chickens without buying supplemental feed. Also if you create a compost (see article from Mother Earth News) the chickens benefit and you have your own awesome fertilizer.
Coupons – Depending on where you live (and how they tax) you could possibly get free items from the grocery store. Combine coupons with sales and use sites like Couponmom.com (note: Rivers Edge Post is not with an affiliate program with Couponmom.com) to help you out (she kind of does the grunt work for you, do the free sign up, that’s what I did).
Be creative – What is junk to throw away for some is a future tool or material for a project to come. I recently watched a video of a tiny house that was made with all used materials. The man made a fold out table on the outside of the house (for projects or eating outside) out of the side of an old broken washing machine. Let your imagination fly!

I hope you’ve found these suggestions helpful whether you are unemployed, under-employed or just thrifty!

On a side note: Remember that Food Banks, Churches and the Salvation Army, to name a few, will give food, clothing and possibly medical/hygiene supplies to those in need. Let me be straight here, I by no means am even insinuating getting prep items from food banks or churches for those that are not in need. I simply ad this as a reminder for those that are in such a financial disaster that they could benefit from the assistance.

If you have any other ideas please feel free to add them to the comments section below!

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25 Things That SHTF Doesn’t Care About

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Mar 172013

The Organic PrepperSHTF doesn’t generally drop by at the best of times. In fact, SHTF thrives and grows exponentially under more adverse circumstances. So, suck it up, put on your boots, and power through it – SHTF doesn’t care and neither can you!

SHTF doesn’t care about inclement weather – snow, hail, tornadoes and hurricanes all just add to the party atmosphere for SHTF.
SHTF doesn’t care that you sprained your ankle, broke your leg or are otherwise less than ambulatory. If you have to bug out without a vehicle, you have to bug out, regardless of your injury status.
SHTF doesn’t care that you decided to start prepping after the trip to Disneyworld (because that trip is expensive!!!!)
SHTF doesn’t care that you are on a boat in the middle of the ocean, regardless of what you paid for the luxury cruise. (Check out recent ill-fated Carnival Cruise of the Triumph if you don’t believe me!)
SHTF doesn’t care that you had planned to get your vehicle repaired. You have to evacuate regardless of the leak from the oil pan, the condition of the brakes and the funny noise in the transmission.
SHTF doesn’t care that the entire family is ill with the stomach flu. The entire family will just have to pause to throw up while bugging out.
SHTF doesn’t care that you need new hiking boots and that you just haven’t had time to get to the store and buy them.
SHTF doesn’t care that you planned to buy some bulk foods with your next paycheck.
SHTF doesn’t care that you always use electronic banking. If the ATMS are down and you have no cash, you cannot buy anything.
SHTF doesn’t care that you used all your ammo at the range and Wal-Mart has been out for the past month.
SHTF doesn’t care that the grocery store is closed because of a power outage and you only have a can of peas and some saltine crackers in the house.
SHTF doesn’t care that you are wearing high heels when your car plummets to the bottom of a ravine – you still have to climb out.
SHTF doesn’t care that the pharmacies are closed because of a pandemic and that you have no OTC or herbal medicines at home – if you catch the virus, you will suffer through it without medicine to treat it. And so will your kids.
SHTF doesn’t care that your truck is almost out of gas and the local gas stations have closed because of the disaster. If you have to bug out, you may end up walking instead of driving.
SHTF doesn’t care that you are depressed because you just broke up with your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. S happens when S happens.
SHTF doesn’t care that you have made a rock solid plan to get in shape - as soon as the weather warms up.
SHTF doesn’t care that you are visiting your in-laws, the most unprepared people on the planet.
SHTF doesn’t care that you had planned to get the propane tank refilled and now the propane trucks aren’t running.
SHTF doesn’t care that your wood is not dry.
SHTF doesn’t care that you have 300 pounds of beans and rice but failed to plan on a way to cook them.
SHTF doesn’t care that you don’t know how to cook over an open fire without inflicting 2nd degree burns on yourself.
SHTF doesn’t care if you have only a week’s supply of toilet paper – if the crisis lasts longer than a week, things will be progressively less pleasant regardless of your intention to purchase more Charmin.
SHTF doesn’t care you planned to reinforce your door frame and install a metal security door – if thugs arrive to invade your home, your hollow core door will serve as a minor inconvenience instead of a deterrent.
SHTF doesn’t care if you believe the fecal matter is headed towards the oscillating device or whether you think it’s a conspiracy theory.
Whatever your excuse may be, you may rest assured, it could easily be on this list. And SHTF won’t care about that either.

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Bloom Where You’re Planted: Prepping No Matter What the Setting

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Mar 142013

By The Organic Prepper

There really are very few “perfect” locations for a prepper. A very common excuse that some people give as to why they cannot prep is their current location. People say, “Well, once we are able to get moved to our farm in two years I’ll start prepping hardcore.” Another favorite is “I’m saving the money for moving instead of using it for preps.” Or even worse, ”Oh, there is no point in prepping here, because if the SHTF I’ll be dead.”

Stop this kind of thinking RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

Sometimes, to borrow an old saying, you just have to bloom where you’re planted.

There are many things you can do to increase your preparedness wherever you happen to live. Apartment dwellers at the top of a city high rise, folks in the middle of the desert, and people in HOA-ruled suburban lots all have to examine their situations, figure out their pros and cons, and work towards resolving what they can. With some pre-planning, there is a lot you can overcome if you have the right mindset. I suspect there are just as many (and probably far more) preppers living in the ‘burbs than there are living in perfect rural locations, with a lake, 10 acres of cultivated farmland in an off-grid house.

Money is tight all over. It’s very easy for people to say, off-the-cuff, “Oh, you should move.”

But just picking up and moving isn’t that easy. It took me nearly 4 years to be able to do that. People have obligations and ties that some Joe-Blow on the internet shouting out advice can’t even begin to understand. Some in the prepping community have a complete disconnect with the realities of everyday people. There are reasons like:

Not enough money to leave
A good job (very hard to come by these days)
Family members in the area that you don’t want to abandon
No work opportunities where you want to go
Custody orders that require you to remain in a certain area
A spouse who is not on board
A house that won’t sell or with an upside-down mortgage

The list goes on and on. There are as many reasons to remain in one place as there are people living in cities. And yes, I could sit here and refute each and every reason a person has chosen to remain, but it wouldn’t do one bit of good. People are sometimes alienated by the prepping movement when it seems that everything is black and white or like their personal decisions are somehow less valid than the decisions of some random person on the internet.

That’s why it’s important to take your current situation, warts and all, and work with it. This doesn’t mean that you should abandon your plans for a better location some time in the future if such a move is warranted. But it means that you shouldn’t put off important preparedness steps until after that move is made.

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Why You Should Think Like a Green Beret Instead of a Doomsday Prepper

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Feb 282013

By Sobert Gummer

There is a disaster coming and you have a decision to make: Is it better to live like a rat in a hole (a bunker) or to network with your neighbors and organize your local area of operation? Sure, it’s a loaded question but it brings up an interesting point: That even the lone wolf can’t survive long by himself. We are social pack animals by nature and the stronger we make our local “pack” the better our chances of survival.

I’d rather have a local neighborhood of 400 organized, motivated individuals defending an area and watching each other’s back than to go it alone in a ten foot corrugated pipe buried in the middle of nowhere. And if we agree on this point, then it makes perfect sense to look at the Green Berets for inspiration.

The Green Berets are the U.S. Special Forces elite commandos who get dropped behind enemy lines and are tasked with organizing the local or indigenous population toward a specific goal. They are smart, motivated and trained in tactics that make them extreme force multipliers. This should be your goal as a prepper, because surviving alone is too big of a job. The days of “Liver Eatin’” Johnson, where a mountain man could live in the back country for years at a time, wasn’t even a high survivability endeavor back in the 1800′s. The odds that one man or even a small family can, “face it alone” are very slim. Sure, you might get lucky and pull it off, but personally I prefer to play the odds. And if we look at history, the odds on survival as part of a community are much greater than going it alone– which is why communities formed in the first place.

In a disaster scenario where there is No Rule Of Law (sidenote: See NutNFancy’s excellent Youtube video on WROL: Without Rule Of Law) there will be a power vacuum. People will be scared and afraid and this is where we as preppers need to be ready to step up and provide leadership. People will only huddle in their homes for so long and if an organizational structure isn’t set up quickly to utilize your neighborhood’s strengths and resources, then you may lose them forever.

First Things First

One of the first things that a Green Beret unit will do when deployed to an area is to set up an operational base in friendly territory that serves as both an operational and administrative focal point. The operational base is used for:

Planning and Direction of Operations
Communications Support
Intelligence Support
Logistical Support
Briefing and Staging
Infiltration
Liason and Coordination
Training
Administration

Can you imagine setting up an operational base similar to what the Green Berets use by organizing your neighbors– perhaps at a local elementary school– and how it could be an asset in helping your community get through a Without Rule Of Law scenario?

Let’s compare two scenarios contrasting how modeling the Green Berets would work out much better for you and your family than modeling the typical character as portrayed on the Doomsday Preppers TV show:

A Tale Of Two Preppers

Timmy The Tool: Timmy has modeled his prepper plans in a similar manner to what he’s seen on the TV shows, including a buried corrugated pipe bunker that he’s stocked with two years worth of food for himself, his wife and his two kids, Timmy Jr. (9) and Susie (4).

Timmy lives in a non-descript suburban neighborhood in Bacon, Georgia. He doesn’t socialize or interact with any of his neighbors and the one’s who have made an effort to get to know him report that he is somewhat anti-social and odd.

When the balloon goes up, Timmy packs his wife and kids into his Chevy Suburban and gets on the road toward their buried bunker in the middle of nowhere. The trip is uneventful and Timmy hides his Suburban under a camouflage net and then ushers his family into the bunker.

Everything seems to be going swell the first night. But after seven days of living underground in a 10 foot by 40 foot bunker the kids won’t stop fighting and Timmy’s wife Helen is starting to show signs of emotional strain from being cooped up for so long without outside social interaction.

By Week 2 the radio stops working and Timmy can’t find where he put the backup radio. He’s now got a short temper and blames his wife, who’s close to the end of her fuse and can’t stop crying. Timmy’s daughter, on the other hand, has stopped communicating and their son spends most of his time escaping into books and has developed a strange cough. His wife is now begging Timmy to let them return to their home in the ‘burbs. But Timmy knows they must stay in the bunker in order to survive. It’s the only way at this point.

Two more weeks into the Crunch and Timmy’s wife has had enough. The boy is virulently sick and the antibiotics that Timmy had stored don’t seem to be helping. Their daughter has stopped eating and Timmy’s wife finally gives him an ultimatum: She’s taking the kids and returning to their home in the suburbs with or without him. Timmy weighs his options and decides that he can’t let her and the kids venture back to their house unprotected so he grudgingly packs their Chevy Suburban for the drive home. Or what’s left of their home. Looters have destroyed their neighborhood and most of the houses have burned to the ground because nobody organized the neighborhood into a defensive force that could have prevented the looting. Unfortunately, Timmy and his family will never make it home to see the wreckage because the highways are either closed or have been converted into ambush “kill zones” by marauding gangs before the military can restore order.

Meanwhile…

Ralph The Realist has adopted a different approach based on what he learned in the military as a Green Beret. Instead of withdrawing from his community he has taken proactive steps to deal with a “No Rule Of Law” scenario. Ralph is good friends with both the president of the neighborhood HOA and the principal of the nearby elementary school. Along with his wife and a couple of other friends of a similar mindset they have formed a prepper group and had begun taking action before the Crunch. Including storing ten 55-gallon drums of rice, wheat, beans and pasta in an unused storage shed at the local elementary school.

When news of rioting and societal breakdown begins to reach maximum velocity, Ralph and his group each begin to reach out to other friends and neighbors who – to no one’s surprise – are now very concerned about the current state of affairs, too. Many are open to taking action but nobody has a plan… except for Ralph and his group.

After the power grid goes down, Ralph’s prepper buddy, the president of the HOA, calls a neighborhood meeting and they discover that many of their neighbors have excellent skills that will help them survive the Crunch: One is a trauma nurse. Another is a welder. The guy down the street is a doctor and an avid hunter and there are several retired cops who live one block over.

Ralph asks for volunteers to form a neighborhood watch and almost everybody volunteers. They makes plans to barricade access to the neighborhood using old cars and RVs and set up a defensive perimeter. With roughly 150 families in their neighborhood there are more than enough adults with firearms experience to stand watch in shifts.

When Ralph’s son develops a strange cough, his wife takes her rifle and walks to the doctor’s house, a block over. She does not have to worry about leaving her house unattended since the “neighborhood watch on steriods” (hat tip: Rawles) is keeping the riff-raff out. The doctor correctly diagnoses her son’s cough and prescribes the right antibiotic. She then leaves her daughter to play with the doctor’s daughter for a few hours. The little one is coping with the Crunch as if it was a free day home from school: Fun!

After a week, Ralph’s son is feeling much better. His wife is happy and she has formed a gardening club with some of the other women on her block.

Three weeks later, Ralph receives word that things are still pretty crazy outside of their neighborhood. They’ve had a couple of gun fights when looters tried to gain access to their neighborhood but nobody was hurt. Word quickly spreads among the undesirables to leave Ralph’s neighborhood alone.

Everyone is coping reasonably well when a expedition group from another neighborhood proposes a trade of fish antibiotics (which can be used by humans) for some extra ammunition. The doctor advises Ralph that it would be a good trade, and since Ralph’s neighbor has a reloading press in his garage, they’re in no fear of running low on ammunition.

After another month, the military is finally able to get things under control and rule of law is restored.

A tale of two preppers: One a complete failure for adopting an ill-thought Lone Wolf strategy and the other successful after organizing his local neighborhood to withstand the perils of a Without Rule Of Law scenario.

About the Author: Sobert Gummer is the author of Sobert Gummer’s Survival Prepping For Hard Times web site. He has lived and traveled to some of the most dangerous cities in the world and has recently returned from living in South America where he fought off a home invasion with nothing more than a machete, married an Indian woman and had his head held over a fire by a Costa Rican witch doctor. He’s now back in the United States and prepping earnestly for an uncertain future while praying for the best. His latest book, Dogs For Preppers is now available at Amazon.com for your Kindle or Kindle app.

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On the Road in Florida with Very Special Survival Guest, Joe Hurston

Posted by Ed Corcoran News, Show Archives No Responses »

Feb 222013

This week I’m doing the show from the road in central Florida where John Milandred and I have been shooting an episode for an upcoming TV program. While I’ve been here it was my distinct honor to spend some time with Joe Hurston; one of the most fascinating people I’ve had the pleasure to meet in all my years of survival and preparedness. Joe is a true force for good in the world who has spent the last 40 years literally flying (his own plane) into the most dangerous places on Earth, bringing life saving resources, help and hope to victims of the most horrific disasters in the U.S., Japan, Haiti, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and wherever help is most needed – often times in defiance of political and military forces. Joe is one of my personal heroes and I’m proud to call him my friend. He’s a true example of what ONE PERSON can do to make a difference in the world and is an inspiration to preppers and survivalists everywhere.

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30 Uses for Salt

Posted by Ed Corcoran News No Responses »

Feb 202013

Modern Survival Blog

Aside from all of the uses that salt performs in terms of baking chemistry, food flavor and food preservation, salt has a number of other uses…

Remove Rust
Make a paste using 6 tablespoons of Morton® Salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Apply paste to rusted area with a dry cloth and rub. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

Perk Up Coffee Flavor
Add a pinch of Salt to the coffee in the basket of your coffeemaker. This will improve the coffee’s flavor by helping to remove some of the acid taste.

Dispose of Disposal Odor
To help remove odors from garbage disposals, pour 1/2 cup of Salt directly into the garbage disposal. By running the disposal following manufacturer’s directions, you’ll send those odors down the drain.

Eliminate Fish Odors
Removing fish odor from your hands is simple with Salt. Just rub your hands with a lemon wedge dipped in salt, then rinse with water.

Cut Cutting Board Odors
To help cut odors off of your wooden cutting board, simply pour a generous amount of Salt directly on the board. Rub lightly with a damp cloth. Wash in warm, sudsy water.

Soothe Sore Throats
To alleviate the discomfort of a mild sore throat, gargle several times daily with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon Salt and 1/2 cup warm water*. It’s like taking a liquid lozenge.

Soak Your Feet
To prepare a salt water bath, pour 6 quarts (1-1/2 gallons) warm water in a large basin. Mix in 1/4 cup Salt and 1/4 cup baking soda. Soak feet for up to 15 minutes.

Boiling Water
Salt added to water makes the water boil at a higher temperature, thus reducing cooking time (it does not make the water boil faster).

Peeling eggs
Eggs boiled in salted water peel more easily.

Testing egg freshness
Place the egg in a cup of water to which two teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. A fresh egg sinks; a doubter will float.

Cleaning greasy pans
The greasiest iron pan will wash easily if you use a little salt in it and wipe with paper.

Cleaning stained cups
Rubbing with salt will remove stubborn tea or coffee stains from cups.

Removing pinfeathers
To remove pinfeathers easily from a chicken, rub the chicken skin with salt first.

Preventing mold
To prevent mold on cheese, wrap it in a cloth dampened with saltwater before refrigerating.

Keeping milk fresh

Adding a pinch of salt to milk will keep it fresh longer.

Relieving bee stings
If stung, immediately wet the spot and cover with salt to relieve the pain.

Removing soot
Occasionally throw a handful of salt on the flames in your fireplace; it will help loosen soot from the chimney and salt makes a bright yellow flame.

Keeping cut flowers fresh
A dash of salt added to the water in a flower vase will keep cut flowers fresh longer.

Keeping patios weed-free
If weeds or unwanted grass come up between patio bricks or blocks, carefully spread salt between the bricks and blocks, then sprinkle with water or wait for rain to wet it down.

Killing poison ivy
Mix three pounds of salt with a gallon of soapy water and apply to leaves and stems with a sprayer.

Deodorizing shoes
Sprinkling a little salt in canvas shoes occasionally will take up the moisture and help remove odors.

Save the bottom of your oven
If a pie or casserole bubbles over in the oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spill. It won’t smoke and smell, and it will bake into a crust that makes the baked-on mess much easier to clean when it has cooled.

Clean a gunky iron bottom
Sprinkle a little salt on a piece of paper and run the hot iron over it to remove rough, sticky spots.

Deter ants
Sprinkle salt at doorways, window sills and anywhere else ants sneak into your house. Ants don’t like to walk on salt.

Tame a wild barbeque
Toss a bit of salt on flames from food dripping in barbecue grills to reduce the flames and calm the smoke without cooling the coals (like water does).

Clean teeth
Use one part fine salt to two parts baking soda–dip your toothbrush in the mix and brush as usual.

Scaling fish
Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.

Non-stick pancakes
Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won’t stick.

Clothespins
Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.

Melt snow and ice
Sprinkle salt on snow or ice to melt away.

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A Conversation with John Milandred About Life, the Universe and Homesteading

Posted by Ed Corcoran News, Show Archives No Responses »

Feb 112013

This week I’m happy to have my good friend John Milandred back on the show! John is one of the founding members of the American Preppers Network as well as the founder of the online magazine; Pioneer Living and the Prepper Podcast Radio Network. His upbringing in the great northwest made him a life-long student of nature, learning from his father and grandfather both Native American and early pioneer survival skills. He ran a homestead with his wife and daughter in SE Oklahoma, raising their own crops and small livestock, living as close to a pioneer lifestyle as possible. John and I have had some good times over the years and it’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to catch up. For those of you who know John, he’s now settled back down on the homestead after a bit of adventure around the country and I thought it would be great to have him on the show! The conversation went long and all over the place We talked about freedom, food, fluoride, homesteading, brainwashing, the Oklahoma Chupacabra, our conditioned culture and slave society and of course… manifesting reality.

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