This is a topic I've read a little about but still feel very lacking in understanding. EMPs (Electro Magnetic Pulse) seem to be intense power surges from explosions which could devastate our electronic systems. Everything from computers, to car engines, to radios, and possibly even household wiring could be affected. This all sounds so sci-fi, but a fair amount of evidence exists.
Someone sent me this link which has numerous articles listed on the same page, all discussing this issue. It is really quite a comprehensive catalog of info.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Pocono Tax Day Tea Party being planned
I don't know if there is any interest on this blog for this kind of thing, but I am working with the organizers of a Tax Day Tea party here in Northeastern PA. It will be tax day, April 15th at noon in East Stroudsburg, PA. Anyone interested?
Are you an Illegal Hoarder? Depends on what state you're in...
Are Preppers Illegal Hoarders facing possible confiscation of their Preps?
On federal level, there aren't many laws on the books regarding this, but there are Executive Orders.
This article looks to be several years old (last date referenced is 2002) but Executive Orders don't expire...I can't vouch for accuracy, but it points out the various EO's that allow for FEMA to confiscate/control roadways, communication, health and education facilities, food resources, fertilizer, and production facilities and even split up your family for work gangs.
The article points out however, that many states *do* have many and varied laws on the books regarding hoarding, and uses Hawaii as an example. In Hawaii, apparently anything more than a week's worth of provisions could be considered "hoarding" and subject to confiscation and redistribution. Yikes. On a small island, double Yikes.
As messed up as this is, other countries may well be worse off. The author apparently lives on a small island I've never heard of (Ballarat) that was facing water shortages, and authorities there have drafted (but not signed YET) laws that allow for metering *private rainwater tank usage* and for allowing *public* taps to be put on your *private* well. Again, YIKES.
I searched for the term "hoarding" in the PA database here:
http://www.pacode.com/secure/search.asp
and didn't get any hits...it might be in there somewhere though, can anyone more lawyer-like enlighten us?
On federal level, there aren't many laws on the books regarding this, but there are Executive Orders.
This article looks to be several years old (last date referenced is 2002) but Executive Orders don't expire...I can't vouch for accuracy, but it points out the various EO's that allow for FEMA to confiscate/control roadways, communication, health and education facilities, food resources, fertilizer, and production facilities and even split up your family for work gangs.
The article points out however, that many states *do* have many and varied laws on the books regarding hoarding, and uses Hawaii as an example. In Hawaii, apparently anything more than a week's worth of provisions could be considered "hoarding" and subject to confiscation and redistribution. Yikes. On a small island, double Yikes.
As messed up as this is, other countries may well be worse off. The author apparently lives on a small island I've never heard of (Ballarat) that was facing water shortages, and authorities there have drafted (but not signed YET) laws that allow for metering *private rainwater tank usage* and for allowing *public* taps to be put on your *private* well. Again, YIKES.
I searched for the term "hoarding" in the PA database here:
http://www.pacode.com/secure/search.asp
and didn't get any hits...it might be in there somewhere though, can anyone more lawyer-like enlighten us?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Note on drying foods: soup mixes
Hey all - just wanted to post a note on my recent experience with drying soup mixes (ie: leftover onions, potatoes, carrots, leaf spinach to be mixed with beef bullion upon rehydration ~10 min in boiling water)...I have been using the food saver canisters for the soup mixes, and even though all seemed dry, the onions were soft after a day or so. I can only imagine that the potatoes (boiled them first this time, taste was MUCH better, kind of transparent when dry) were still venting moisture. The spuds seemed dry... but I guess they weren't.
Soup was quite palatable, I think 1/4 cup mix to 3 cups water worked pretty good <-- might revise this it's off the top of my head. I seasoned the potatoes before drying them by tossing them in a big bowl with the seasoning. The leaf spinach really works well IMO it's got the consistency of the seaweed in miso soup but no funky taste. Great way to get vitamins in a survival form, only need fresh water and heat.
Dried meat doesn't last as long as dried veggies, so I'd recommend storing them separately...dried soup mixes should last 6 months to a year in a freezer, where dried meats should last like 6 months.
You should definitely experiment before relying on any Prepper/camping technology. For instance, it's slow to cook with dehydrated food, especially on a small propane stove (haven't tried w/dehydrated food yet), and most Prepper food is not what we eat normally, so it's good to try and at least get used to it a little.
Many factors will affect how you Prep. Humidity, water availability, cooking fuel type, pests, etc will affect your decisions, and a few dry runs will make any shortcomings perfectly clear! But in a good way, before you and yours are really in need. :)
I've had several pleasant (ie: dried apples w/cinammon and soup mixes) and unpleasant (don't even bother to dry out lemon or lime slices - YUCK) surprises...and hope to hear yours in the comments!
So be sure to practice your methods and do quality checks of your stuff! If you can't make decent food from what you've stored, your family will hate you (joke), or if you go more than like, 2-3 weeks (as a baseline, when the drying manual said unrefrigerated dried cooked meats or fat would spoil) with improperly stored foods you could be in for a big biological surprise!
Soup was quite palatable, I think 1/4 cup mix to 3 cups water worked pretty good <-- might revise this it's off the top of my head. I seasoned the potatoes before drying them by tossing them in a big bowl with the seasoning. The leaf spinach really works well IMO it's got the consistency of the seaweed in miso soup but no funky taste. Great way to get vitamins in a survival form, only need fresh water and heat.
Dried meat doesn't last as long as dried veggies, so I'd recommend storing them separately...dried soup mixes should last 6 months to a year in a freezer, where dried meats should last like 6 months.
You should definitely experiment before relying on any Prepper/camping technology. For instance, it's slow to cook with dehydrated food, especially on a small propane stove (haven't tried w/dehydrated food yet), and most Prepper food is not what we eat normally, so it's good to try and at least get used to it a little.
Many factors will affect how you Prep. Humidity, water availability, cooking fuel type, pests, etc will affect your decisions, and a few dry runs will make any shortcomings perfectly clear! But in a good way, before you and yours are really in need. :)
I've had several pleasant (ie: dried apples w/cinammon and soup mixes) and unpleasant (don't even bother to dry out lemon or lime slices - YUCK) surprises...and hope to hear yours in the comments!
So be sure to practice your methods and do quality checks of your stuff! If you can't make decent food from what you've stored, your family will hate you (joke), or if you go more than like, 2-3 weeks (as a baseline, when the drying manual said unrefrigerated dried cooked meats or fat would spoil) with improperly stored foods you could be in for a big biological surprise!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Why I am prepping for crisis.
I’m not obsessed with prepping, I just spend every extra dollar and nearly all my extra time doing things to make sure my family is prepared for whatever crisis may come in the near future causing life to end as we know it. That's all.
I wasn't always this way. As a matter of fact, it was only about a year and a half ago that I laughed at the idea of storing a year worth of food. While I’ve always believed that things could change for the worst and change fast, I now don’t just think that it could happen, but I believe that it will happen. For me it is not a matter of if, but of when and how bad.
I’d like to share a series of reasons why I believe our life as Americans and the entire lifestyle of the modern world is going to change. This is an ongoing study as the world is constantly changing and I’m continuously learning. What follows are just a few ideas that have been moving me lately.
There are multiple things happening in the world today which could bring about massive and possibly destructive change. Any one of these things could be serious, but the reality is that multiple devastating events could happen together. Some of these things are intrinsically connected while others may not be connected, but seem to be happening simultaneously.
1) National or worldwide financial collapse could bring about conditions which destroy or drastically change life as we know it.
Anyone who doesn’t live in a zoo can tell that we have financial problems. The real dilemma is in agreeing upon a solution. The solution is extremely difficult to devise because the problem itself is so complex.
Let me qualify that last statement. At the very core I don’t think the problem is that complex because it essentially boils down to two differing philosophies of life. On the one side are those who think the government is the solution to everything, and that it should tax the pants off anyone who has something, and then give it to everyone else. This of course has drastic side effects for our entire system – economic, social, and political.
The other side consists of those independent conservative types who want lower taxes, fewer laws, and the government to stay out of their lives. If a person or company is about to go bankrupt, good! Let another company or individual succeed in the void. I myself qualify for a number of free government programs, everything from WIC (Women, Infants, and Children – a free food program), to CHIP (stands for Children’s Heath in Pennsylvania or something like that ), to free windows put in my house. When they call my house trying to get me to sign up for all these programs, I tell them NO WAY! I’m a healthy man and I can take care of my own family and you should too.
While these two views are clearly at the core of our differences as Americans, another serious problem exists, and that is the complexity of our financial system. Most people, and I include congressmen and political leaders, probably don’t fully understand what makes our economy tic. I don’t fully understand it either, trust me! But I’ve tried to figure out some things over the years and have just recently come across something that is extremely helpful, at least for me.
Chris Martenson as a web site dedicated to explaining how our economy works and why we are headed for serious trouble. He has a free three hour video series called the “Crash Course”. See it here.
In the Crash Course he explains why the world cannot continue for more than twenty years as it is now. He discusses things like peek oil, inflation, money creation, exponential growth of population, and other related topics. While I didn’t agree with every word, everything he said made me stop and think. Everyone you know NEEDS to watch this video. It will inform you about how money is created from thin air, the problem of hyper inflation, and other very important topics. You should watch it now! Go here to see it!
OK now that you are back I’ll continue.
Basically, a financial collapse could cause destructive change to all of our lives. There will probably be hyper inflation, unemployment that makes the great depression look like a weekend at Disney, movement to a world currency creating a serious loss of American buying power, and then U.N. control over many national matters.
When the unemployment and hyper inflation hit, we could easily have social unrest in the form of rioting, looting, attacks upon innocent people, and attacks upon government people and buildings. This all could lead to severe government crackdowns which look very much like martial law. This web article has some interesting information about FEMA and the martial type powers granted to them during a national crisis.
At the very least, if a financial crisis occurs, we and many of our loved ones may lose our homes and possessions. In the worst case scenario many will lose their lives to violence, and our entire system of freedom could be loss in the subsequent restructuring of the national government. If you watch the Martenson videos you will understand that our financial system cannot continue as it is and massive change is coming!
2) An attack from without or from within could cripple our nation and cause destructive change.
There has not been an attack on American soil in almost eight years; at least not that has been reported. This fortunate situation could only exist for one of two reasons. First, because of the mercy of God, He has protected us. I do believe this to be partially the case. Second, because for reasons not known to me, terrorists have decided not to attack us yet.
A few things seem clear to me. There are many people in this world who hate America and many of these people are willing to die in order to damage America. Also, it is very simple to get into this nation through our open borders. Yet we have not had one suicide bomber attack a mall, school, or football game. Our government may be good at surveillance and counter-terrorism, but they are not that good.
It is entirely possible that there are dozens or hundreds or even thousands of terror cells working independently toward a single attack which would create damage and destruction in hundreds of locations all at once. Working in small independent cells has multiple advantages and they know it.
While attacking large buildings or taking out large numbers of people does have a grave effect upon the mood and emotion of the nation, it really does little to damage the nation for the long term. However, there are very simple ways that terrorists could do long term, serious damage which would effectually shut down the nation indefinitely.
What might these methods be? Well an obvious thing would be to poison water and food supplies, but this could be difficult to do. They could use nuclear bombs, but again this could be very difficult without the support of a nuclear power. (I’ll discuss this as a separate point later). They could fly airplanes into buildings, but they know that doing so will not permanently shut down the nation. There must be other simple things.
I think that the most effective way to shut down the nation would be by destroying bridges on major freeways, train trestles, and bringing down key power lines. If enough bridges were destroyed, the bulk of the food and goods going into major cities could be stopped. This would also seriously hinder the ability of co-generation plants running on coal to receive their fuel, thus crippling the power grid. Throw in a few explosions of gas lines and the nation is effectively shut down.
The result of all this could easily be chaos and rioting. People would be hungry, thirsty (water won’t flow in cities without power), and scared - a recipe for disaster. Don’t worry, FEMA will be on the way.
The impact of all this upon an already unstable and crippled economy would be overwhelming. It could cause a complete shutdown. Don’t worry; the U.N. will be on its way.
This post is getting too long. There are at least two more very likely scenarios which could or will change our lives. I’ll post them soon and then I plan to work on a post describing what I am doing to prepare.
Thanks for reading,
Pat
I wasn't always this way. As a matter of fact, it was only about a year and a half ago that I laughed at the idea of storing a year worth of food. While I’ve always believed that things could change for the worst and change fast, I now don’t just think that it could happen, but I believe that it will happen. For me it is not a matter of if, but of when and how bad.
I’d like to share a series of reasons why I believe our life as Americans and the entire lifestyle of the modern world is going to change. This is an ongoing study as the world is constantly changing and I’m continuously learning. What follows are just a few ideas that have been moving me lately.
There are multiple things happening in the world today which could bring about massive and possibly destructive change. Any one of these things could be serious, but the reality is that multiple devastating events could happen together. Some of these things are intrinsically connected while others may not be connected, but seem to be happening simultaneously.
1) National or worldwide financial collapse could bring about conditions which destroy or drastically change life as we know it.
Anyone who doesn’t live in a zoo can tell that we have financial problems. The real dilemma is in agreeing upon a solution. The solution is extremely difficult to devise because the problem itself is so complex.
Let me qualify that last statement. At the very core I don’t think the problem is that complex because it essentially boils down to two differing philosophies of life. On the one side are those who think the government is the solution to everything, and that it should tax the pants off anyone who has something, and then give it to everyone else. This of course has drastic side effects for our entire system – economic, social, and political.
The other side consists of those independent conservative types who want lower taxes, fewer laws, and the government to stay out of their lives. If a person or company is about to go bankrupt, good! Let another company or individual succeed in the void. I myself qualify for a number of free government programs, everything from WIC (Women, Infants, and Children – a free food program), to CHIP (stands for Children’s Heath in Pennsylvania or something like that ), to free windows put in my house. When they call my house trying to get me to sign up for all these programs, I tell them NO WAY! I’m a healthy man and I can take care of my own family and you should too.
While these two views are clearly at the core of our differences as Americans, another serious problem exists, and that is the complexity of our financial system. Most people, and I include congressmen and political leaders, probably don’t fully understand what makes our economy tic. I don’t fully understand it either, trust me! But I’ve tried to figure out some things over the years and have just recently come across something that is extremely helpful, at least for me.
Chris Martenson as a web site dedicated to explaining how our economy works and why we are headed for serious trouble. He has a free three hour video series called the “Crash Course”. See it here.
In the Crash Course he explains why the world cannot continue for more than twenty years as it is now. He discusses things like peek oil, inflation, money creation, exponential growth of population, and other related topics. While I didn’t agree with every word, everything he said made me stop and think. Everyone you know NEEDS to watch this video. It will inform you about how money is created from thin air, the problem of hyper inflation, and other very important topics. You should watch it now! Go here to see it!
OK now that you are back I’ll continue.
Basically, a financial collapse could cause destructive change to all of our lives. There will probably be hyper inflation, unemployment that makes the great depression look like a weekend at Disney, movement to a world currency creating a serious loss of American buying power, and then U.N. control over many national matters.
When the unemployment and hyper inflation hit, we could easily have social unrest in the form of rioting, looting, attacks upon innocent people, and attacks upon government people and buildings. This all could lead to severe government crackdowns which look very much like martial law. This web article has some interesting information about FEMA and the martial type powers granted to them during a national crisis.
At the very least, if a financial crisis occurs, we and many of our loved ones may lose our homes and possessions. In the worst case scenario many will lose their lives to violence, and our entire system of freedom could be loss in the subsequent restructuring of the national government. If you watch the Martenson videos you will understand that our financial system cannot continue as it is and massive change is coming!
2) An attack from without or from within could cripple our nation and cause destructive change.
There has not been an attack on American soil in almost eight years; at least not that has been reported. This fortunate situation could only exist for one of two reasons. First, because of the mercy of God, He has protected us. I do believe this to be partially the case. Second, because for reasons not known to me, terrorists have decided not to attack us yet.
A few things seem clear to me. There are many people in this world who hate America and many of these people are willing to die in order to damage America. Also, it is very simple to get into this nation through our open borders. Yet we have not had one suicide bomber attack a mall, school, or football game. Our government may be good at surveillance and counter-terrorism, but they are not that good.
It is entirely possible that there are dozens or hundreds or even thousands of terror cells working independently toward a single attack which would create damage and destruction in hundreds of locations all at once. Working in small independent cells has multiple advantages and they know it.
While attacking large buildings or taking out large numbers of people does have a grave effect upon the mood and emotion of the nation, it really does little to damage the nation for the long term. However, there are very simple ways that terrorists could do long term, serious damage which would effectually shut down the nation indefinitely.
What might these methods be? Well an obvious thing would be to poison water and food supplies, but this could be difficult to do. They could use nuclear bombs, but again this could be very difficult without the support of a nuclear power. (I’ll discuss this as a separate point later). They could fly airplanes into buildings, but they know that doing so will not permanently shut down the nation. There must be other simple things.
I think that the most effective way to shut down the nation would be by destroying bridges on major freeways, train trestles, and bringing down key power lines. If enough bridges were destroyed, the bulk of the food and goods going into major cities could be stopped. This would also seriously hinder the ability of co-generation plants running on coal to receive their fuel, thus crippling the power grid. Throw in a few explosions of gas lines and the nation is effectively shut down.
The result of all this could easily be chaos and rioting. People would be hungry, thirsty (water won’t flow in cities without power), and scared - a recipe for disaster. Don’t worry, FEMA will be on the way.
The impact of all this upon an already unstable and crippled economy would be overwhelming. It could cause a complete shutdown. Don’t worry; the U.N. will be on its way.
This post is getting too long. There are at least two more very likely scenarios which could or will change our lives. I’ll post them soon and then I plan to work on a post describing what I am doing to prepare.
Thanks for reading,
Pat
Hording laws already on the books
It is entirely mind blowing to think that there are laws in the USA controlling how much food and supply a person may have. I didn't believe it at first, and my brief research does not include any primary resource data, but it appears to be true. It all revolves around Executive orders, FEMA, and state governors powers. Add in individual state statutes and we find significant evidence. Preppers may be breaking the law. I don't know anything about the authors of this page, but this link is very informative. He gives a specific example from the state of Hawaii were it is illegal to save more than one week worth of food per person. Give me a break, a good deep freezer has at least few months of food. If it is true.... mercy!
Purchasing a generator
I am getting ready to purchase a generator. This is going to be a hefty investment and I really wish more time could be taken to investigate brands and details. I have spoken with a number of friends and studied the internet for a few weeks and am now approaching decision time.
After observing national and world conditions everyday, I feel that waiting on this purchase any longer would be foolish. We have accumulated enough dry food and supplies to make it at least three to six months, but we would not have regular water without a generator to run the well pump. In a crisis we would use the generator to fill drums with about 200 gallons or water and then turn off the generator untill needed again.
I am planning to continue investigating a supplemental solar system. If solar could supplement a generator, gas supplies could last two or three times longer.
I am interested in any advice anyone has about the following:
1) I am considering a gas powered 6kw peak / 5 kw continues generator from Generator Joe. Here are the specs. It has a Honda GX 340 /1 motor which seems to get pretty good reviews.
What does anyone know about Generator Joe? What about this engine setup?
There are more heavy duty generators and certainly more powerful but this one has a few advantages.
2) Can anyone give advice on storing gas. Right now I've got three steel 55 gal drums in my detached garage (they are not full yet). I am filling them at about 20 gallons per week and stabilizing them with Sta-bil. My plan is to rotate the gas into my cars every six months. What about venting the individual drums?
Thanks for reading. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Pat
After observing national and world conditions everyday, I feel that waiting on this purchase any longer would be foolish. We have accumulated enough dry food and supplies to make it at least three to six months, but we would not have regular water without a generator to run the well pump. In a crisis we would use the generator to fill drums with about 200 gallons or water and then turn off the generator untill needed again.
I am planning to continue investigating a supplemental solar system. If solar could supplement a generator, gas supplies could last two or three times longer.
I am interested in any advice anyone has about the following:
1) I am considering a gas powered 6kw peak / 5 kw continues generator from Generator Joe. Here are the specs. It has a Honda GX 340 /1 motor which seems to get pretty good reviews.
What does anyone know about Generator Joe? What about this engine setup?
There are more heavy duty generators and certainly more powerful but this one has a few advantages.
a. The gallons / hour rating is .5 at 50%. For a unit this size that is not
too bad. I want to save gas.
b. The weight of the unit is 179 lbs. I'm not superman, but I think I
can move that. My plans are to stay put as long as possible in a crisis, but if
I have to bug out in order to stay with family in more favorable areas, it would
be good to take this thing with me.
c. This thing comes set up with a 20 Amp 250 V outlet. This will be
necessary for my well pump.
2) Can anyone give advice on storing gas. Right now I've got three steel 55 gal drums in my detached garage (they are not full yet). I am filling them at about 20 gallons per week and stabilizing them with Sta-bil. My plan is to rotate the gas into my cars every six months. What about venting the individual drums?
Thanks for reading. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Pat
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Is anyone watching the PA network?
I've been watching a number of the state Peppers Networks and many of them are quite active. Why is Pennsylvania so quiet? Leave a comment if you'd like to see some activity on the PA Network.
Thanks,
Pat
Thanks,
Pat
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Another PA Prepper
I'd like to welcome Patrick as the newest Team member to the Pennsylvania Prepppers Network..Welcome Patrick!
New Here
My name is Pat and I've just joined the network here in Pennsylvania. I am concerned about many of the things I've seen discussed on all the Preppers Network pages. I am currently writing a blog called Survival Together. My friends and I also meet occasionally to discuss ways to help each other prepare for and survive through whatever may be ahead.
I am in the midst of studying up on generators and solar power. To have six months for studying and discussing these things would be optimal, but I feel there is an urgency now which will not allow such a delay.
My plan so far is to buy or build a medium size generator and also use a small solar system.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Pat
I am in the midst of studying up on generators and solar power. To have six months for studying and discussing these things would be optimal, but I feel there is an urgency now which will not allow such a delay.
My plan so far is to buy or build a medium size generator and also use a small solar system.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Pat
Friday, March 6, 2009
New Prepper In Pennsylvania
Thanks Dave P for Networking and bringing on a new member to Pennsylvania Preppers Network. I would Like to welcome BKP of Pittsburgh Prepper His site will be linked on the right hand side just under the state prepper networks.
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