Poor Old Dude

Well at least it may be, watch the news and search for the truth. Study history, it does repeat itself. Protect yourself because no one else will. Prepare for the worst because it probably will be. Don't trust politicians, they lie no mater what the party. There are good people out there, but the bad far out weigh them. That's pretty much it. Keep your heads down and you eyes open. Good Luck All

OK I know most people under 50 wont even know what that means so hears another way to say it....Keep your mouth shut or you'll die! I love how people go on Youtube or forums and happily detail all the cool stuff they have for when SHTF. Or better show their bug out locations, detail their plans, and in general give a inventory of their supplies. Come on how dumb is that? Do you think because you don't show your face of give exact directions to your stash that there wont be someone who can figure it out? That you can't be followed or tracked? Or that the government can't find you with a few key strokes? Maybe you just tell a few friends or family members...now they don't seem interested but believe me when things go pear shaped they will remember every word you have said and will be knocking on your door expecting a share at best, or knocking you in the head and taking it all at worst. Keep what you have to yourself and maybe you'll have it when you need it.

Sorry I haven't been posting as regularly as I should. This tends to be a very hectic time of the year, plus I am one of those people who do not do well around the holidays. So to those who read this I do apologize and will try to do better.

I don't know if it will happen in a week, a month, or ten years, but it is coming. It wont be due to IS, or solar flares, or any outside force. It will be due to a rupture in the fabric of our society, this rupture has been exacerbated beyond all reason in recent years. It would be nice to point a finger at one person, but unfortunately the blame can be spread from parent to president, and every elected official who hasn't had the balls to say enough is enough. In my heart I fear that there is no turning back from the brink at this point and we will find no aid from our friends and allies who will be happy to pick over our remains. All jokes aside its time to prepare for the worst, and pray for the best. If anyone reading this feels I am being a alarmist, open you eyes, read the headlines, study history and judge for your self.

Common wisdom, or at least youtube wisdom tells us that we need to be part of a group to survive if SHTF, and it sounds good except for one slight trouble, people on a good day are vicious creatures who can only be trusted to do the worst thing possible. On a bad day they are even worse, and those who pretend to travel the moral high ground are even less trust worthy, they will turn faster than any rattle snake. Let any of these highly evolved individuals loose access to their free stuff and good life and they will turn into a snarlling pack of animals, just check the daily head lines if you have any doubt. If you need to be part of a group get yourself some dogs far more loyal, and useful than most humans.

There is a old saying from the South/ Midwest it goes like this "give a country boy a .22 and a pocketknife and he will survive" I have to say that is one of the truest statements out there. I know we all want the latest, greatest but the truth is people have been surviving on this planet for centuries without all the stuff that we think is necessary. People have been surviving with little of nothing and not only surviving but thriving. Don't get caught up in the trap of thinking that only with the latest gear will you survive. Take stock of what you do have it will probably be more than enough.. 

Well it seems that this blog is primarily read in Russia, OK it probably isn't read anywhere but when I check my stats it seems that most views are from Russia...I can see it now one day I will travel to Russia and be swarmed by crowds of fans, mostly buxom Russia ladies of course, all clamoring for my autograph and slipping hotel keys in my pockets....OK I know that's not likely but it does bring a smile to my face.  

I know this will sound stupid to many of you, but as a person who has suffered due to a back injury for most of my adult life, I will tell you there is very little as incapacitating as a back injury. When SHTF many of the labor saving devices that we have come to depend on will be a thing of the past, lifting, pulling and carrying heavy loads will be a daily requirement for your survival. DO NOT forget to take care of your back. Learn proper lifting techniques, work on increasing your core strength, and begin now. In a worst case scenario it will save your life, in a best case scenario it will save you some unwanted pain. 

Probably one of the easiest ways to prepare for the apocalypse is to learn from experts, no not those guys on TV whose only purpose is entertainment but people who really have had to live the life. I was fortunate enough to have parents and grandparent who live in a time and place where modern technology was still very limited, unfortunately I was not smart enough to take full advantage of it, but still I did learn quite a bit.  I have stoked a wood stove to keep from freezing, hauled water, tended animals, and not had the advantage of indoor plumbing. I have hunted, and fished for my food and gone hungry if I came home without. Now I know that the number of people still living in this country who have lived in a style more familiar to the people of the 18th century than the 21st is dwindling rapidly, but first hand accounts are still available. Journals and diaries written by folk who have lived under primitive conditions, as well as cookbooks, are out there and are filled with valuab

Pontypool better than most mainstream zombie media out there.

Take stock, prepping is great, getting the latest greatest is good, but if you don't and if you can't, take stock of what you have. There are many things in most households that can come in handy. A tarp or drop cloth can make a functional shelter, butcher knife a good survival blade, gallon freezer bags to hold water. Through in duct tape, clothes line, 55 gallon garbage bags, Bic lighter, etc. etc. and you have the beginnings of a emergency kit. No it's not tactical or cutting edge but it might just keep you alive and in the end that's what counts. Set yourself a challenge  give yourself a 10 minute time limit and see what you can gather to secure your survival, then another 5 minutes for anything you might have forgotten or thought of after the first 10. This will give you something to work from.

Only this makes more sense

OK this is going to be a bit of a rant so feel free not to read. I have a pet peeve, and sometimes it really pisses me off and that is self proclaimed internet experts....I have been interested in a few fields of study for a loooong time, since far before the age of computers...I know hard to believe any of us fossils are still around...and yes I do know how to use a card catalog and the dewey decimal system....but back to my rant. After all these years I still do not consider myself a expert, but I am constantly coming across people, that I know for a fact until very recently knew nothing about the field they are now declaring themselves a expert in. Even worse in my book is that these people are taking what they have learned from true experts and putting it out there like it was their break through or their research when the fact of the mater is they have done none of the work that is required to acquire the knowledge. Just because you visit a bunch of forums and watch youtube you ar

 No I'm not talking about having a F16 in your garage, I'm talking about air powered rifles. Now I'm not going to get into the whole, can air guns be used as a weapon debate, but I will say the modern big bore rifles that can take down a water buffalo do blur the lines. Anyone preparing for survival really should have a air gun on hand, whether it's a common small caliber for small game or one of the big bore hunting rifles. Air guns have a number of advantages in this anti-gun world. First and foremost they do not require a license or registration. Ammo for firearms is getting not only more expensive but also difficult to find, and even require a background check in some states, giving the powers that be another way to track your weapons in a crisis. Ammo for air guns is cheaper, lighter, and easier to acquire. A plus, plus, plus. As to what air guns are capable of doing, and cost, well that depends on caliber and type, I'll leave you to YouTube, and r

The machete, a truly under appreciated tool/ weapon that every budget minded person should have. Yes you can find machetes that cost mega bucks but why would you want to when you can buy a truly serviceable one for around twenty bucks US. They come in a infinite number of shapes, sizes and weights for pretty much any need. For clearing brush, cutting saplings or splitting skulls they are without equal. Many of the heavy machetes can even handle heavy chopping. I personally prefer a shorter machete in the 12 to 20 inch size, great for light to moderate chopping, easy to maintain and easy to carry. Favorite brands are Tramontina, Imacasa or even a old Collins if you can find one. This is one time buying from South of the Border is a great thing. For the love of Pete stay away from the ones sold at Wally World and other big box stores they are crap with a capitol C. In a SHTF situation a machete may be your best friend and while you are getting ready for STHF they will give you a practi

First another Bug Out Bag Comment: Bug Out Bags should not weigh a ton, common wisdom (at least on youtube) says your bug out should be 10 to 15% of your body weight. OK seriously? That would put my BOB at near 30lbs as I'm a big guy, not fat, not sedentary, just big...Now I hate to tell all the experts out there, but if SHTF and I'm out there on foot, trying to make as little noise as possible, move as fast as possible and travel as far as possible I don't want to be carrying a 30lb. anchor on top of any other items I am carrying outside of my BOB. OK you're a ex-navy seal whose used to trekking with 100lbs of gear, well more power to you that aint me or anyone I know. If you want to load a vehicle with tons of equipment cool, I would too, but if your BOB is for making a quick on foot escape keep it light, because there isn't going to be anyone out there to carry it for you. Secondly: If anyone doesn't know ammo is heavy (there seem to be a lot of people who d

Another one of those things you very seldom hear the experts talking about stockpiling is soap. We use soap so much in today's world we hardly even think about it, what we use it for and what it would be like to do with out. We use soap on out skin, hair, clothes, dishes, wounds, etc.etc.etc. and to do without it would be less than pleasant... without soap to clean wounds infections can take hold in even the smallest injury.Without soap to clean our eating and cooking utensils food born illness can spread. Without soap to clean our skin and hair we stink. One good thing soap is pretty much soap, the same soap can be used for multiple things, so your really don't need twenty different kinds of it. What you need is a good, solid unscented bar of soap and a lot of them, because while my grandmother knew how to make soap I doubt many people today still have that skill. So remember guys prepare to be clean in the apocalypse, your friends and family will thank you...

Wow, actually have had visitors to my blog from Romania, Germany,Turkey, Russia, UK, Poland and China. pretty cool since I never expected anyone to read it. Thank you very much.

Saw the first episode of Fear the Walking Stupid, don't know that it's a good thing that within the first 20 min. I was tired of all the dysfunctional modern family clichés and wanted all the major characters dead. Also please, please all you zombie screen writers stop writing characters who act like they have never seen a zombie movie.

Bug out bags, the fallout shelter of the 2000's according to common wisdom you have yo have one and if you get everything they say you need it'll cost more than your first car, not to mention your get home bag, get to work bag, your while you're at work bag etc.etc.etc. Now bug out bags are nothing new as a kid from the Midwest we always had them, but they were called emergency supplies and kept in a orange crate in our trunk, and they weren't survival they were common sense. They were pretty basic and fairly cheap. Usually they contained a couple blankets, a tarp, garbage bags, candles and matches, rain jackets in summer, extra coats and boots in winter, cat litter, folding shovel, hatchet, electrical tape, rope and a couple throw away charcoal grills, a couple jugs of water more for the car than us,and  that's pretty much it. We all carried pocket knives including Mom, and had a basic tool box in the car. Nothing fancy but it did the job. We didn'

While it's always good to keep a stash of cash at home, historically when everything goes asses over elbows  currency is more than often devalued or eliminated and replace with some other script by the powers that be. So what are you to do, my suggestion is buy precious metals. They tend to loose less value and sometimes even increase in value... I personally prefer silver over gold. Buying everyday items in a SHTF situation with gold is sort of like walking into a 7-11 with a hundred dollar bill one of two things will happen they wont be able to break it or you'll get robbed. "But how" you ask "I don't have the money for that" well really yes you do. First the cheapest way to get silver is check your change, any coin dime or larger that was made before 1964 is 90 % silver...OK you aren't going to be able to get much this way anymore but it's a start. You can also buy silver online from reputable dealers right now it's selling between $17 and

To my loyal readers, both of you :) I have to apologize that I haven't posted in a while, don't know if I had too much heat or what, but haven't had much energy to post or anything else in the last couple of weeks. I seem to be over the hump now and hope to get back on track soon.

With the advent of the cell phone, internet and other forms of mobile communication the once noble and somewhat ludicrous CB Radio has become little more than a footnote in the history of the 1970's. For those of you who don't know CB stands for Citizens band radio, a short to mid-range communication system used in days gone by. The CB was a fairly inexpensive, required no license or registration...a true citizens radio system, and while it did have it's short comings it was very useful for communication while on the move. Now to the reason for this post, in a SHTF or Martial law situation communication ie. cellphone, internet etc. will be suspended, limited, and/or heavily monitored. The grid goes down, you loose all of those handy dandy devices we have become so dependent on. Martial law takes effect news agency's, radio stations, television and all the rest will be in the control of what ever government is left.  Short wave systems (what few are left) are licensed an

In a SHTF scenario today's PC social standards and morals will do nothing but get you killed. Yes you can decide to stick to your standards, take the moral high ground and end up being the prey in a world full of predators, or you can adapt and survive. Now saying that does not mean you have to become some mindless beast but you will have to look at the world much differently than you do today. Lets use the canine world as a example. In that world you have two extremes at one end you have the Wolf, at the other the Toy Poodle...must people today are toy poodles. In a SHTF you might not have to become a Wolf but you damn sure wont be able to stay a Poodle and survive. A German Shepherd would be the way to go.

While that 72 hr survival kit you picked up on the internet is really cool, in a apocalypse it's going to last exactly 72 hrs. Not a real great survival time.  Things like space blankets, tube tents and survival bars are great for a short term crisis, not the end of the world as we know it. So when you are getting your kit together look for things that will be useful in the long term. This doesn't always have to cost a fortune, but it does take common sense and imagination. Instead of space blankets get some surplus wool ones. Instead of a Mylar tube tent pick up a couple of good quality tarps that you can use to make a shelter that will last weeks not days. Yes it will cost a few dollars more and it wont fit in your pocket but it might be the difference between 72 hours and life.  

I have always thought of myself as a optimist, about people, society, even our government, but events over recent years have shown me that while optimism is a great thing to have it's not something that you can depend on. So prepare now for the worst and hope for the best....remember every bright new day is preceded by a long dark night, and I fear the dark may be rising.    

Tactical ain't cool  Really, go ahead paint a big target on your forehead if you want. When stuff really hits the crapper the last thing you want is to stand out,. Your big black tacticool backpack, your military style clothing, and top of the line combat boots are just going to scream "look at me"...and more important "I've got stuff you want." No mater how good you are with your neatly concealed 9mm, a shot from hiding with a old hunting rifle is going to leave you just as dead, and put all your neat stuff in someone else's  hands. Forget the predatory thief or roving band of Mad Max extras for a moment. More importantly it'll set off alarms with any military or police presence that is still trying to control or get control of the situation. Again big frigging target on forehead and don't believe for one moment they can't take it all away from you. Also unless you live in a rural area where it's worn daily, drop the camo a

Recently during a high fever that accompanied a illness it all became clear to me, everything wrong with our country is a diabolical plan of the aliens (little green/grey men type not illegals, well maybe them too.) So here is my epiphany. Basically they want to turn us into a subservient work force by the following means Direct mind control:  Used primarily on politicians because they have so little mind to control, to manipulate favorable policy, and divide the people. Sandyhook type shooters, because they also have no mind to speak of, to instill fear and increasing government control. Biological chemical agents: Used to make segments of the population more docile and fearful, also to make certain groups more aggressive so the sheep are willing to give up anything to feel safe.  Genetic manipulation; Used to increase conditions that require long-term use of medications to control (all those three letter conditions that anyone over forty has never heard of ), to c

There are a lot of things that can be done to insure your survival in a SHTF situation, but along with survival of the body there is also has to be something more, the ability to feel human. Ok you have your Bug Out Bag, your weapons cash, your food supply, and all the little tools and toys that Youtube says you need, but what about underwear and socks???  Lets face it you can run around for days even weeks in the same shirt and jeans if you have to.....but nothing makes you feel more miserable, less human than wearing wet and dirty underclothes and socks, and there's nothing that makes you feel better, more secure in you humanity than a fresh pair of shorts and a pair of dry socks without holes. So my suggestion is have at least one extra set in whatever bag you are carrying and a stash back at your main base, because lets face it you may not be able to run to your local Wally World and get your tighty whities once things go to the dogs. Remember what your mother said " You n

Ok if SHTF really does happen, the grid goes down and we're left living in a 19th century world there are going to be a lot of long hours waiting for the morning, the rain to stop, the spring to come. Boredom kills, so prepare. Books and not e-books but real honest to god paper books, they can be read without the need for electricity, traded, sold and even used, heaven forbid to start a fire.., try that with a kindle. Games, dice, cards, jacks (don't laugh), tiddlywinks. All light, compact games with a unlimited variety of ways to play. Finally music, remember no I pads, stereos, no more free down loads....music is probably one of the oldest ways, besides sex to spend time and relieve boredom, fortunately there are a number of small packable instruments available, recorders, penny whistles, jaw harps, spoons, harmonicas, ocarinas, kalimbas  etc. or make your own.You don't have to be a trained musician, just make noise, let the world know you're still alive and kicking..

Saw a commercial today saying how we should thank the US army for our independence. Not to take anything away from the brave men and women of the US armed forces but the fact is we owe our independence to a conscripted colonial army and a militia made up of farmers, merchants, land owners and woodsmen. So instead of thanking a group of modern professional soldiers, thank the people who left their daily lives behind to take up arms for something they believed in, with nothing to gain but freedom.

 Yes I said around ten dollars. That knife is the good old (the older the better) butchers knife. Available from many companies although I prefer either Old Hickory or Chicago Cutlery, (Old Hickory if like me you prefer carbon steel, Chicago Cutlery for stainless) or if you're really lucky you can find a good thick vintage blade for little of nothing at a second hand store. WTF am I talking about you might ask? Well what most people seem to forget is that before the Civil war the most common edged personal weapon was the lowly Butchers knife or some variation of it. Trappers, hunters, explorers, mountain men, all carried them for everything from cooking chores to personal defense. Cheap and easy to maintain they are the perfect apocalypse knife for the budget minded....if you are a DIYer you can pick up a complete knife or just a blade and go to town making it a personal piece of functional art.

Who am I I'm part Cherokee my ancestors land was stolen, culture destroyed, we were driven across the country many died, those that survived were scattered to the winds.  I'm part Irish my ancestors were treated like animals,  our language and religion outlawed,  our land confiscated and when we crossed the ocean     hoping only to survive we were looked on as less than human and valued less than livestock. I am part Scot, war was waged against us,  our music, our language, and our clothing were forbidden.  Our king dethroned government disbanded,  Our women were raped, and a genocide was attempted.  I'm part Jewish, we were oppressed, we were enslaved,  we were burnt and butchered, we were driven from our home land, and every land we settled for over 2000 yrs. we were demonized, we were hunted.  My skin is white, I am called a racist and bigot because of it,  by people who have no idea who I am nor desire to find out,  but it's OK beca

Slingshots, light, cheap (lets face it a functional slingshot can be made out of a forked stick and some rubber bands), silent, a great addition to your apocalypse supplies. First lets get one thing straight as a offensive / defensive weapon you could do much better, but as a survival tool the slingshot is more than a little useful.  Able to take small game (squirrels, rabbits, pigeons)  with relative ease, even larger game with the right set up and arrows, but unless the apocalypse takes out half the human race in the first few days most large game animals will be gone in less than a year...better get used to eating rodents is all I'm saying. Slingshots can also be used as a distraction when those pesky zombies are getting too close to your hiding spot. Fire a few rocks into the brush away from you and off those little brain eaters go in search of a meal while you can ninja your way to safety.... the one major drawback is that rubber doesn't last for ever and since I doubt w

I guess right after toilet paper the most important thing to have in a apocalypse is knowledge. The problem with knowledge is it's sort of like insurance if you wait to get it until SHTF then you really are SOL. The good thing is, thanks to the dreaded internet the information is out there if you have the ability to sort through the huge piles of crap to find the few grains of knowledge that are useful to you. A few of my favorite places to look are Google books, there are a multitude of free to read period books that contain info on living in the days of yore (before electricity, public utilities etc.). Mother Earth News, a long time supplier of info and DIY projects that could be helpful in a apocalypse, and of course Youtube, unfortunately it takes much sifting to find truly useful info that is not a self promotion. Bottom line search a lot now while you have time. Find what will be useful to you in your situation and discard the rest.  

Keep it simple stupid: The world has just come to a end, do you really have time to read a 64 page instruction book in Chinese? Heck No. Keep in mind tried an true designs, things like the Zippo, Mora Knives, Maglite. there's a reason they have been around forever. No they may not be tacticool but what works works.

I've watched a lot of videos, read a lot of blogs and articles and one thing is abundantly clear, you need at shit load of money, if you want to survive. Or at least that's what the slick marketing wants you to believe. The best of this, the latest of that, the must haves to get you through add up quickly. I only have one problem with this. No more than a hundred years ago a huge percentage of the population lived in what we would consider nearly post apocalyptic conditions. No electricity, running water, refrigeration, communication was sketchy at best. Limited to regional newspapers and local radio. Transportation slow and not entirely dependable, etc.etc. Now I'm pretty sure they had no clue about, G10, micarta, and cyro-tempering, but they seemed to survive all the same. Where I come from there's a saying" give a country boy a .22 and a pocket knife and he will survive." So I'm going give some opinions on surviving the next big thing in n

It seems that in the world we live in today anyone can put their ideas and words out so they can be read. I have to wonder why? Why do I care what anyone else is saying or doing at this moment in time and why would anyone care what I think or am doing. Answer: they don't, I don't and they shouldn't. I'm nobody and am more than happy to be nobody. I have no special skills, no qualifications that make me a expert on anything, but I figured with so much other worthless drivel being put out by the literal bucketful why shouldn't mine join the flood. What will this blog be about? hell if I know. I have some thoughts, some ideas but whether they come to anything or not is still up in the air. Bottom line is I'm writing this for me, if someone reads it fine, if not fine. If someone reads it and likes it great, if they don't like it to too damn bad. Oh and keep your trolling to yourself because I wont read it, it will have no effect on me, how I feel, what I write