Wednesday, September 8, 2010

How I "Woke Up": Surviving The Coming Collapse

(snippet)
Since my own “economy” had collapsed 14 months before, I knew all about that. 
So as my wife and I hit the road, over our Starbucks Coffees I said, “So honey, if the U.S. and/ or world economies collapsed, what would we do?”  She didn’t answer for a long minute, maybe two.  Then she said, “Well, we’d just go to the cabin.”  To which I answered, “Yeah, then what?” 
For the rest of our week driving through the beautiful, but desolate and remote state of Nevada we began to talk-out all of the things we would need to live a life even remotely like the one we live now. 
Fast forward to now.  We are nearly set.  We’ve spent $2,000 or so on canned goods at Costco.  Our deep-freezer is full of meats I’ve gotten on sale.  At my current residence I have 20 gallons of frozen citrus juice from my orchard ready for bugging out.  We have vitamins for 12 people to last a year.  We have enough non-hybrid seeds to plant four acres.  We’ve had solar power installed at the cabin.  We even have a couple of portable solar generators.  Since I am not handy, I’ve gotten a carpenter and an electrician to join my tribe.  I also have a friend who hunted a lot in his youth.  He provided all the “lead rations” and “high-speed delivery systems” that we’ll need.  We are still a little light on medical / first-aid stuff.  But I’m working on that.  And we did all of our prep a little at a time, on a shoestring budget.  The solar was the only thing I had to max out the credit cards for.  Unfortunately I couldn’t afford gold, but I found a coin shop that sells silver at a buck over spot, so I’ve gotten 200 ounces of that.  I also have about 10 gallons of cheap store-brand liquor that I have bottled in little pint-size water bottles for bartering.    
But none of that could have happened if I had not “woken up”.  I hope this article might wake up someone who hasn’t had the rug pulled out from under them yet.  Because those are the people who are still sleeping.  And the main-steam media isn’t going to wake anyone up.  The current administration certainly isn’t going to do it.  In fact, they need us to stay asleep. 
Now, you might be saying, “But Lew, I don’t have a mountain cabin to flee to.”  Most don’t, so you’re not alone.  I would recommend getting some canned food, bottled water, and some firearms for defense.  Look at how you can best fortify wherever it is that you call home.  Gently “feel out” your neighbors to see where there heads are at.  A small, tight community of a few houses will fair better than trying to go it alone. 
In closing, I hope I have at least caused someone to “wake up” to the dangers that surround our current Western Society.  And don’t just take my word for it.  Do your own research.  The web is full of info on this subject.  I like SurvivalBlog.com and OffTheGridNews. Take care, and good luck to you.  Thanks, - Lew B.   
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15 comments:

  1. Shit dude !

    I've done all that and more - 6 years ago !

    I spent 7 grand on a geothermal heating unit; another 6 grand on a private water well that has a 100 per gallon per hour capacity; another
    14 grand on a comnplete solar generation system; another 4 grand on stainless steel Ruger mini14's and enough ammo to sink a whaler

    I even installed a wind turbine!

    Over Labor day I visited family in Va. - I had to wait 45 minutes to fuel up at an Amoco station. I have never seen traffic like that

    Collapse my ass

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  2. 4:26 don't worry your wish will come true, its like owning silver or gold. You don't know when you'll need it

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  3. Good personal article.
    Like Celente is saying, 80% of people are just living in La-La land, are oblivious to reality, and won't survive what's coming..
    I warned people back in 2007 about the GFC and they just smiled - they're not smiling now !
    The USA and Europe are both screwed and on the brink of economic and social collapse and even over here in Australia we're seeing lending restrictions, housing downturns, bank profit slumps, stern warnings over household debt so we'll go down with the global economic ship too.
    I've been preparing for the crash for 2 years - I have no debts, fixed my health issues, have multiple valuable income streams, learning FAST about self-sufficiency and have a safe haven to retreat to when it all goes pear-shaped.
    Food will be the big issue - people MUST grown their own all year round. Fridges and freezers are good - if there's power !
    Lots of wood is indispensable - ie your retreat should be a bush one. Wood gives you heating, cooking, hot water and sterilsing free.
    Tank water with 4 or 5 stage filters too is a must.
    Vacuum sealing is a good choice along with preserving - attend a course on these FAST !
    Get a big linear fresnel lens - they can boil water, cook your food and they cost naff all.
    Get high power 20W LEDs, a small solar panel and a battery. Cheap lighting and works brilliantly !
    I've got orders piling up for these after people saw what I'd done.
    Check out Food4wealth - this is the BEST way of growing food hassle free I've seen !

    Well, they're my tips. Each to his own now...

    P.S. Thanks for the Offthegrid link !

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  4. Some good ideas and here are a few links for other things that I have picked up:

    9mm or 45
    http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com

    Water Siphon Filter
    http://www.pwgazette.com/gravity.htm

    Herbals: Immunity, Genesis, NutraPack
    http://www.symmetry-preferred-customer.com

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  5. @anonymous
    Well that is really the question isnt it? Planning for the future is a tricky thing. Not all your eggs in one basket, instead branch out into as many areas you think may be necessary for your survivil. Probably the most important thing you could do cheaply to start is to save empty gallon jugs and fill with water, you never know how important water is til it is in extreme demand. At least save up a weeks worth of wather, preferably at least 2 weeks.

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  6. One of the absolute BEST things you can do to prepare is to read the blog of a guy who recently lived through an economic collapse in his home country. It's fascinating and you will learn a lot.

    Before I read it, I was thinking the whole "cabin in the woods" thing. But after reading it, my perspective changed somewhat. Now I have an increased focus on security.

    Here's a link:
    http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008/10/thoughts-on-urban-survival-2005.html

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  7. 4:26 I see the same thing in VA also, but I know its because everyone works for the gov't somehow. I mean EVERYONE. Its always crowded because these people have high paying govt jobs they are secure with. Everyone works for the govt here in VA and I wish I had a dollar for every FED agent that came to my house asking security clearance info on my GOVT neighbors. Its still going to happen, but slowly here near a govt or military community.

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  8. Forget thinking "weeks" and start thinking "years" !!

    2 weeks water and food is NOTHING - plan on 2 YEARS food & water !
    We could be looking at a very prolonged depression running 20 years or more like the 1st great depression...

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  9. And a nice biblical tale of the first plundering Central Banker ? ..@

    http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/jims_quote_of_the_day_1666.html
    Jim's Quote of the Day:
    "Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give us food; why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone." And Joseph answered, "Give your cattle, and I will give you food in exchange for your cattle, if your money is gone." So they brought their cattle to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the asses: and he supplied them with food in exchange for all their cattle that year. And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord's; there is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be slaves to Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land may not be desolate." So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them. The land became Pharaoh's; and as for the people, he made slaves of them from one end of Egypt to the other. Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh, and lived on the allowance which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones." And they said, "You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh." - Genesis 47:13-25
    Saturday, August 14, 2010

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  10. Couldn't help but notice his reference to "this administration' as if Obama was the cause of all of this. I know some folks will get their feelings hurt, but it all began with Reagan (he spent as much or more on nothing as any of the others have) and continued rolling until it wound up here. Organization should be the starting point - we should be speaking with and getting to know each other more than we should be storing food at this point. Those who insist on "doing it themselves" or "for themselves" will be the among first to perish. The ruling elites' strategy of alienation, fear of each other and the mentality of the rugged individualist has, sadly, proven to be very effective. Yes, we should be making physical preparations, but TOGETHER, not individually. Since we already know where it's all heading and what the elites' responses will be, our ONLY course of action is a united one. Of course, this will certainly fail if anyone even vaguely believes it can go on as before. A new approach is absolutely necessary - we must, are required to and really have no other choice but to give up on any of the ideas of the "ME" Generation. Communication and cooperation, sharing and caring and these things will most certainly challenge our old behavior patterns (consumers, not citizens. Me first. Success is more money and toys). We have forgotten our common humanity in our rush to accumulate not only stuff, but praise, recognition, pride. Our deepest struggle initially will be with ourselves and with what we've learned from the barons of greed and blood. The road is open and it lies ahead of us and it's going to be very bumpy and scary and if you believe you can do it alone you will fall by the wayside.

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  11. Even an unemployed survivalist still can't let go of a Starbucks $2 a cup coffee. Pathetic.

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  12. 4:26 & 11:20, Not all folks that live in Va. works for the Fed's. I live in the Shenandoah Valley which at one point in time was called the "breadbasket of the Confederacy".

    Because of greed and the almighty dollar, most of the larger farming tracts were lost to the mfg. plants,home building and shopping malls, now resulting in closed up factories, closed up homes and empty commercial building.

    Farming is probably a quarter of what it was as little as 35 yrs. ago.

    Cabinet factories, textiles and electronis that were once a mainstay have all moved to some third world mongrel nation for low wages, no benefits and little or no corporate taxes.

    I firmly beleive that unless we find a way to sustain your family, you too will be gone.

    speaking of measures families have taken to be able to weather this storm that is sure to encompass us, I too have made some provisions.

    I have built into my house a safe room, the safe room also has a tunnel leading from the room to an outside area 75ft from the house.

    Materials to barter with will still be better than maoney/silver/gold.

    I recall an old fellow told me once hen I was a young kid, he enisioned a time when you will have a wheelbarrow load of money and can't buy a loaf of bread. Well, we aren't quite there yet, but it's coming.

    For the one's that are relying ing the electrical power grid, don't. If you cannot beleive that this is a real possibility, when was the last time you weathered result of a tornado, coastal hurricane, wildfires, flood or just a bad thunderstorm?

    Also, terrorism/gangs are a very real scenario, don't beleive it? Then you are in a dream world. There are gangs, criminals and just plain thugs, who are just waiting for something to happen. Be prepared.

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  13. good job lew, and learning to be self sufficient even away from the cabin is a useful thing

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  14. @Anonymous 9:08 AM
    The finger pointing specifically towards Reagan is usually the knee-jerk reaction on feeling his reputation being too good. While he surely was no saint debt-wise, *all* presidents at least since JFK drove up the national debt recklessly - or why do you think Nixon closed the gold window, years before Reagan came to office?

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  15. All of this is really interesting. It would be nice to be able to bug out etc. But what does one do when they are a blind person and cannot just climb into a car and drive off. I guess in the end it is all about survival of the fittest.
    Deanna

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