A Hard Copy...

In this computer age...it is so easy to just walk over to our computers to find the information we want on the internet and in our nicely organized digital files. This ease has led many to completely abandon having paper copies. They say..."Why have a paper copy that may just be misplaced...or that I have to file...when I can easily just have everything stored on the computer!?"

Anyone who has had a computer die...with no back up can answer that one! All of your precious documents can be lost in an instant. Months of geneology work...family records...irreplaceable photos...recipes...etc...can vanish in an instant.

Such experiences have driven the sales of ways to back up your files onto CD's...DVD's...flash drives...and to additional hard drives. I am all for having these records backed using these methods. It can save you a lot of heartache and time. In this vein...I have read where various preparedness authors recommend that you put onto a disc all of those documents that prove who you are...and other important documents onto a disc...and then putting it into your bug-out-bag in a durable water-proof container. The thought is that you can carry all "filing cabinet" of documents on your back...without the accompanying weight! Sounds like a good idea to me. Still..I think that there are certain things that you should really have backed up onto a good ole' fashioned piece of paper!

You see...all of that information has to be retrieved from a working computer. Circumstances one day could be there there may be no working computers available. An EMP blast could fry all of the computers in your region. OR...there could be a long term disruption in the electrical grid. This could happen for a variety of reasons that could make it unsafe for workers to fix it...or not possible without substantial infrastructure being rebuilt. For example...a plague where no one wants to go to work for fear of exposure...a war on our own land...or a famine coupled with riots and anarchy to name a few.

If for one reason or another you are stuck in your home for weeks on end with no working computer...you may wish that you had printed out all of those food storage recipes that are only to be found on your computer!

Really...we should have paper copies of the things that we can't...or don't want to try to remember as a reference...or that are meaningful to us for one reason or another.

Investing in a self reliance/survival library is also a worthwhile endeavor. Books on homesteading...gardening...nuclear war survival...medical books...wild food identification...religion...constitutional government (hey...you might have to put it back together again!) and so on... All the books that you would need to be an island to yourself. Even a few fiction books that take you away to a happy place might be a good idea for your sanity. I have picked up many wonderful books from Amazon for a fraction of their cover price and try to continue to add books as my budget allows.

While buying digital copies of books to read on your Kindle...or other electronic contraption may be convenient...and hip nowadays...it may not be available to you during an emergency. So I would not recommend it for anything other than reading your copy of "Twilight" or whatever it is you read for fun.

So...make your hard copies...or buy them as books...and put them where you will know you can get them when you need them!

"Popcorn is really neat......fun to make and fun to eat!!" (Barney)

Like one of Pavlov's dogs...when I catch just the sight or smell of it...my mouth waters...and I crave a bowl. In the American culture...I am not alone. At virtually any function where crowds of people are...there will be someone selling popcorn to the masses. One can hardly watch a movie in this country...without a heaping helping of popcorn to snack on. One might think that it's use started with us...but it's roots go back thousands of years.

While we may think of popcorn as just a snack that we might have for fun...it has qualities that also make it a great staple to be had for tough times...

Let's consider some of the virtues of popcorn...

1. It fills that desire for the "munchies"...when only something salty and crunchy will do.

2. It is not complicated to make. Even the cooking inept can make an edible product.

3. It requires only popcorn and a heat source. An oil can increase the flavor...but popcorn will pop without it.

4. Even the most finicky will eat it.

5. It can store for several years in a kernel form. The moisture and oil contained in the kernel is what makes it pop...and is probably the reason why you need to rotate it more often than you would other dry corns you might store. Popcorn at 14.5% moisture can be safely stored over winter and into early spring. For longer term storage, it should be dried to 13.5-12.5%.

6. It can be good for you! Nutritionally, it is one of the best all-around snack foods, providing 67% as much protein, 110% as much iron and as much calcium as an equal amount of beef. An average 1.5-ounce serving of popcorn supplies the same energy as two eggs; and a cup of unbuttered popcorn contains less calories than half a medium grapefruit. In addition, hull is excellent roughage, comparing favorably with bran flakes or whole wheat toast.

7. You can grow it yourself.

8. It is a comfort food of the highest degree and can increase morale.

9. It takes little room to store...and expands greatly for consumption. It can make your belly feel full.

10. It is versatile...as it can be seasoned a variety of ways to make the flavor sweet, salty...etc...

11. It is inexpensive.

12. It can be made primitively and doesn't require fancy equipment. You can make it on your stovetop with pans you already have or purchase a stovetop popper. I have this stovetop popper and use it several times a week. It is available in an aluminum or steel version. I honestly don't know which one I have. I picked it up at target after christmas for a fraction of the price as it was in their Christmas clearance.

13. It is mild for most stomachs. One can eat a lot of it and not get sick.

14. It can be used in the place of other dried corns in cooking. Cornbread for example.

Picking a Popcorn

There are actually 6 (or more) different types of corn...so make sure that it is a popcorn and not one meant for flour or something like that.

If you have ever tried various popcorns...you may have noticed that some taste better than others. I'm not talking about what toppings you put on them...but the actually taste of the unadultered popcorn. They also have varying puffiness and texture. If a kernel has too much moisture...it will be chewy and won't store well. If it is too dry...less kernels will pop.

After trying quite a few...the best I have found is an organic variety that is available through Azure Standard that when bought in bulk is within a few nickels of the price of the yellow popcorn from Winco's bulk bin. I purchase a few big bags and put them into 5 gallon buckets with lids that I get from a donut shop and some into smaller more easily managed containers as well. When those containers get low I refill them from what is in the buckets.

I encourage you to avoid "prepopped" popcorns that you might buy at the store as they have all kinds of chemicals on them to make them fresh. I also would recommend that you not eat the microwave varieties as they have something in them called "diacetyl" that is known to be bad for you. You know... since I'm on a roll here...I'll say...you might consider not putting most anything unhealthy on your popcorn! Especially anything manufactured to taste like something real! Cooking popcorn in some tasty oil (I like coconut) with some salt is beyond toothsome. I also sometimes jazz it up and make "pickle popcorn" by sprinkling nutritional yeast, salt, and organic dill weed on it. The kids LOVE it!!

It should also be mentioned that there are other seeds and grains that also "pop". Wheat...that you probably already have stored can be made to "pop". Amaranth is another grain that can be made to pop as well. While these may be good in their own right...I doubt they'll take the place of popcorn anytime soon!

So one day...if all of your cheetos and potato chips have been consumed...and no trucks will be delivering any more any time soon...you may be glad you had the foresight to store some popcorn!

Clean out your hot water heater...

A friend of mine runs a preparedness supply shop...and also is the leader of the CERT team in Folsom. He has a website where he posts various preparedness articles. This one on cleaning out a hot water heater for emergency preparedness is a really sensible idea in my estimation. It is worth putting on your preparedness to-do list!

What is a Survivalist?...and a Class Invitation...

9/11 helped Americans to see that it is in fact possible for us to be attacked on our own soil. It got people to thinking about what they would have done if it were a more widespread attack. What if there was war...in your neighborhood! What if you were stuck in your house for a long period of time? What if the infrastructure of your town or even the nation was interrupted? What would you do?

Hurricane Katrina got people thinking about the need to be prepared to evacuate one's home...to have an emergency evacuation bag ready. It showed how societies can break down quickly...and bring out the best and worse in people. That you had best have your own supplies stored and not rely on anyone else to take care of you. That government may try to take your weapons of self defense when you may need them the most!!

The economic downturn has got people thinking about a possible repeat of the great depression...or worse. What would happen if the economy collapses? What if life got REALLY primitive... How would you eat? How would you survive?

These events and others have served to create more interest in survival skills over the last decade. A library of books have been written on the subject to fill the desire for information. Shows such as "Man vs. Wild"..."Survivorman"..."Lost"...and "Castaway" have seen phenomenal success. Great teachers such as Ron Hood and Ray Mears (two of my favorites) have careers selling videos and training on how to survive various wilderness and urban situations. Websites and forums have sprung up that teach all kinds of "bushcraft" skills and let people trade ideas of what does and doesn't work.

Still...despite the good examples of many of these who teach survival skills...when a lot of people hear the word "survivalist" they think of some sort of "off-balance" person...like that high strung Sarah Connor lady from the Terminator movie...all tough...speaking crazed of end-times scenarios with a big gun in hand. Or perhaps they may think of someone like the cartoon of the guy above...sitting on his cache of food with a big gun. Perhaps in an effort to sensationalize their stories...the media has played up the image of survivalists being what might be called "militant extremists". While there may be survivalists who are militant...and extreme by many people's standards...to push survivalism into a box like that is to ignore the rainbow of types of survivalists out there.

And I've got to say...I've got absolutely no problem with the guy in the cartoon. Here is a man who through his foresight...has used money that he earned...to purchase food...which is HIS property. He has also taken advantage of his constitutionally protected liberty...to have a gun ready to protect his property and life...from any who dare take either! Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were more like him!! While some may condemn him for having a lack of charity...which he may or may not have...I support him either way! I want support him in his constitutional rights...and in his God given right to choose to have charity or not.

The definition of a "Survivalist" is really much more broad than one might think.

From the American Heritage Dictionary...

sur·viv·al·ist (sər-vī'və-lĭst) n. One who has personal or group survival as a primary goal in the face of difficulty, opposition, and especially the threat of natural catastrophe, nuclear war, or societal collapse.

By that definition...one could just as easily think of this young pioneer woman! The pioneers certainly had personal and group survival as a primary goal!

Or perhaps this boy scout!! Who is trained on how to survive in the wilderness!

There are many more that could be labeled as survivalists. People that practice food storage... or emergency medicine...that put together an emergency evacuation bag...etc. If that is being an "extremist"...then more people ought to be extreme.

As we look back across the expanse of recorded history...of people living primitively...working hard to survive...we should find that in the grand scheme of things...that by contrast...we are a strange people living in a strange time. A time when survival skills are hardly common knowledge. Where they aren't handed down from generation to generation anymore...and we need to seek out that training by those who have kept the knowledge alive.

It seems to me that we should all be seeking to acquire that knowledge...to be survivalists...as it is highly probable that we may be thrust into a situation where we will need it to survive. While we sit on the comfy armchair of life...it may seem unreasonable that we could be found without the necessities of life...and yet any number of events could find us out in the cold. We have the commandments of God to be prepared to be able to survive the events prior to Christs coming...we have the promise that disasters will increase in frequency and severity...and the signs of the times...that scream of a need to learn the skills of self sufficiency.

While much can be learned from books and videos. There is no comparison with having hands on training from a knowledgeable mentor. While I have learned things here and there from various people...I have failed to find someone who is the whole package...who is local. Someone who can take me from A-Z in survival...until now.

A Class Invitation

Recently I was introduced to Doug Huffman and his survival school in the Placerville area. Doug is a survival expert who trains organizations like Special Forces, Navy Seals, Homeland Security, Search & Rescue, FBI Special Agents, and Sheriff Departments on how to survive all kinds of precarious scenarios. The demands of those organizations have progressively pushed many of his programs that he does with the public to the background. He has a few classes for the public coming up...neither of which I can make. I spoke with him and he told me that if I put together a group of a minimum of 7 people (myself included) that he would do a class for us. So I am putting together a class that will be on October 17th. We will have no more than 10-12 people in our group.

The class is an 8 hour intense training on skills to survive (from 8am-4pm). We will do one of two curriculums...one is on wilderness survival...and the other is on wild plants. See this to look at the class descriptions. I don't have all the details...but it should be a 4 mile hike on a path through the woods with lots of stops. It requires at least a moderate level of fitness. Tell me which class you would be interested in...and the majority will decide which one we do. These classes are generally $125 a person...but because of the poor economy Doug is trying to help people out by lowering the price to $95. That is a great value. This isn't some abstract...forgettable seminar or book...he is taking us out for 7 HOURS to teach us hands on skills and to have us practice to gain proficiency! It will be awesome!

To reserve your place please contact me at wfgsnix@yahoo.com

More on Forced Vaccinations...

I have recently read where mainstream media has sought to discredit those that say that vaccinations for swine flu could be "mandatory". They have dismissed those that say that our government could try to force us to be vaccinated as the rant of lunatics.

While these critics may or may not have good intentions...they are dead wrong. A bill that just went through the Massachusetts senate shows what could be in the future for any of the states if we choose to sit on our hands while evil works late into the night.

The following is cut and pasted from an article found here. They break down which rights are being violated...and how they plan to squeeze the residents of MA into compliance. I think it is impossible to dismiss this article as sensationalism...AS IT QUOTES THE ACTUAL BILL! If you doubt it...read it in the context of the bill. Whether you or not you believe the swine flu vaccination is a good or bad thing...the following should sicken anyone who truly believes in constitutional government...and should be cause for alarm.

"The United States of America is devolving into medical fascism and Massachusetts is leading the way with the passage of a new bill, the "Pandemic Response Bill" 2028, reportedly just passed by the MA state Senate and now awaiting approval in the House. This bill suspends virtually all Constitutional rights of Massachusetts citizens and forces anyone "suspected" of being infected to submit to interrogations, "decontaminations" and vaccines.

It's also sets fines up to $1,000 per day for anyone who refuses to submit to quarantines, vaccinations, decontamination efforts or to follow any other verbal order by virtually any state-licensed law enforcement or medical personnel. You can read the text yourself here:http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/sen...

Here's some of the language contained in the bill:

(Violation of 4th Amendment: Illegal search and seizure)

During either type of declared emergency, a local public health authority... may exercise authority... to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises; to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be
decontaminated any building or facility; to destroy any material; to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons;

(Violation of 14th Amendment; illegal arrest without a warrant)

...an officer authorized to serve criminal process may arrest without a warrant any person whom the officer has probable cause to believe has violated an order given to effectuate the purposes of this subsection and shall use reasonable diligence to enforce such order. [Gunpoint]

(Government price controls)

The attorney general, in consultation with the office of consumer affairs and business regulation, and upon the declaration by the governor that a supply emergency exists, shall take appropriate action to ensure that no person shall sell a product or service that is at a price that unreasonably exceeds the price charged before the emergency.

"Involuntary Transportation" (also known as kidnapping)

Law enforcement authorities, upon order of the commissioner or his agent or at the request of a local public health authority pursuant to such order, shall assist emergency medical technicians or other appropriate medical personnel in the involuntary transportation of such person to the tuberculosis treatment center.

$1,000 / day in fines

Any person who knowingly violates an order, as to which noncompliance
poses a serious danger to public health as determined by the commissioner or the local public health authority, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars per day that the violation continues, or both.

Forced vaccinations

Furthermore, when the commissioner or a local public health authority within its jurisdiction determines that either or both of the following measures are necessary to prevent a serious danger to the public health the commissioner or local public health authority may exercise the following authority: (1) to vaccinate or provide precautionary prophylaxis to individuals as protection against communicable disease...

Forced quarantine for those who refuse (illegal imprisonment without charge)

An individual who is unable or unwilling to submit to vaccination or treatment shall not be required to submit to such procedures but may be isolated or quarantined pursuant to section 96 of chapter 111 if his or her refusal poses a serious danger to public health or results in uncertainty whether he or she has been exposed to or is infected with a disease or condition that poses a serious danger to public health, as determined by the commissioner, or a local public health authority operating within its jurisdiction."

Be Wary of Vaccinations...

Man's Wisdom and Health

While we can count upon God's wisdom to be unchanging...man's wisdom changes with the seasons. One area where man's wisdom is consistently under revision is in the field of health.

An apparently esteemed scientist in an ultra-white pressed lab coat...representing some big organization will stand up and recite the findings of a new report...fresh off the presses...saying that something is the most healthy thing in the world. Say eggs for example. He reports..."They are a good source of protein and an important part of a healthy diet".

I would contend that the average joe public will not read the report he carries under his arm. They probably won't look into seeing who funded the research. They don't look to see if the scientists are actually reputable...or really have any way of knowing if they are reputable. Still...like the 10 commandments written in stone...so seems this infallible "scientific" report. Because it appears to be widely accepted...it must be true.

The medical schools preach the contents of the report...teaching the doctors to be of the many merits of eggs...and then they start their practices passing on their education to their patients. If they don't believe the report...and choose to go against the reports findings...they may face ostracism by their peers or perhaps lose credibility with their patients for not toeing the line with what is the prevalent belief of the day.

It's not an easy battle to be Columbus trying to convince people the world is round!

A few years later...a man who has been eating 20 eggs a day dies of a heart attack. The coroner concludes that he died from all of the cholesterol from the massive amounts of eggs he was consuming. His family does some research and finds that the egg report was funded by the national egg council...and that the scientists falsified reports for increased funding. The family sues and it makes the mainstream news. A new scientist stands with a new scientific report and authoritatively states... "New findings are showing that the cholesterol is high in eggs and so they should be avoided." Egg sales plummet and noses are turned up at the unhealthy eggs.

Then just wait a year or so...and they will be healthy again when the "new" report comes out. Public opinion can change overnight...almost entirely on the message being shouted from the loudspeakers of the media.

While I picked on eggs...I could have just as easily used any number of things to illustrate the point. Wheat...butter...sugar...fake sugar...beef...wine...etc...etc.... Even cigarettes were once marketed as being good for you because they had vitamins in them!!! (I used to have an ad from the 50's that I clipped from a "Time" magazine...with a man getting healthy by smoking!) I could have also chosen any number of medications that have come out over the years that were purported to be the wonder drugs of their day...that ultimately caused all kinds of birth defects...paralyzed...and/or caused all kinds of damage to people. Even possibly killing those who trusted...and partook.

Motives

So why...if we know historically that it is difficult for man to reach any believable conclusions...do we still give their findings such merit? We would do well to look to God for what He has revealed with reference to proper health...and not ride the tides of popular opinion.

Some not only just believe...they champion the cause of man's health wisdom trying to influence everyone around them to get on board! They really believe that they are going to be helping people by getting them to eat certain foods or partake in certain remedies...which may or may not actually be the case.

Others are driven by a desire to make money...as they will become wealthy as the demand for their product increases. They may or may not care if it ultimately hurts or helps people...as long as they make a buck.

Others...as servants of Satan are evil in every sense of that word...and truly just want to hurt people. Like their master...they take pleasure in the pain and misery of others. Either deceived into believing that they are in reality serving God...or knowingly serving Satan they plan ways to hurt people. They may have even bought into the satanic belief that if they can kill people they are "helping" the world by eliminating some of what they consider an excess of population. While this may seem hard to believe to the person who lives in the light...God has revealed that there truly are "evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of ^bconspiring men in the last days". People that are putting needles into the apples of trick or treaters...only in a much larger...more damaging way.

The Government and Health

The government...that works for you and I...has given the American people advice over the years as to what will keep them healthy. They have even used your "voluntary" tax money to fund various organizations that aim to teach you how to be healthy. While they may disseminate some wonderful information...that may be absolutely true...the government has not always given the best advice. This may be because they are disseminating propaganda meant to keep the masses from becoming crippled with anxiety for things that they can't control. For example with the "duck and cover" campaign...that taught children to go under their desks in the event of a nuclear detonation...for safety. Anyone with any knowledge about nuclear bombs will tell you that such action is completely ineffectual.

After the 9/11 attack\demolition in the US...the Environmental Protection Agency administrator announced that "The air is safe to breathe". Tell that to the people now who are suffering with respiratory problems or other sicknesses resultant from their days trying to save lives and clean up. Their stories riddle the media.

One area where the government has committed a lot of time and our money to...is to get people vaccinated with a potpourri of vaccines. Vaccines aimed at preventing everything from polio to hepatitis...to the common flu.

They have used this money to purchase media ads to try to influence our citizens and those here illegally to make sure that they are vaccinated. They have also actively passed legislation aimed at making it harder and harder to go without getting vaccinated. Children entering school are required to provide all of the vaccination information...or should still be provided a document to sign saying that they don't vaccinate for moral reasons....that is...for now. People leaving the country may have to provide various vaccination records based upon where they are going...or not allowed to leave the country. Certain public sector and military jobs...by law...are required to have certain vaccinations...or you will not be able to be hired...or get kicked out.

Be Wary of Vaccinations

There are two sides to the coin when it comes to vaccines. There are people out there that want to vaccinate every moving creature...to "protect it from disease". The other crowd (which I tend to side with) believes that many or most vaccines are actually detrimental to your health and should be avoided.

I will not go so far as to say that ALL vaccines are not without their merits...as I don't believe that the church...with a prophet at the head...would have let a program go on for so long that vaccinates children with the measles vaccination if it was not for the ultimate benefit of the recipients. But to say that because the church has supported some vaccines is no indicator that ALL vaccines are in some way approved of God. I would say that Satan...the great counterfeiter has sullied the vaccination selection with his brand of poison.

Do You Trust Your Doctor?

I sure don't. Many doctors are completely unwilling to even entertain a conversation with their patients that vaccines could be bad for them. I have firsthand heard several stories of people who are treated with derision by their doctors for even questioning their word that their vaccines are "safe". The attitude is "How dare you question me!...and those that do the medical studies!!"

You will more than likely have to look to other sources to make your decisions. Finding out which vaccines you are willing to subject your body to and your families will take some effort. You will seriously have to study each one individually to decide.

Here is a list of a multitude of sites aimed at helping you to see the benefits and dangers of each vaccine...as well as the vaccine contents. The list is mostly from the anti-vaccine crowd.

You will read peoples stories of being perfectly healthy prior to being vaccinated...followed by lingering...often life changing sickness. Scientists and doctors that believe that conditions like autism and food allergies are directly linked to vaccinations...and their compelling backing to their claims. Words that should not be taken lightly.

Potential Forced Vaccinations on the Horizon

Are you OK with you or someone you love being a guinea pig for a vaccine?!! The Internet is a-buzz with chatter about the possibility of world governments FORCING their residents to get the swine flu vaccine this fall due to the statements of the World Health Organization.

With this possibility in mind...a backlash of concerned people are trying to take a stand against it...by disseminating information that should dissuade one from blindly taking the shot.

Here is a doctor who has linked the vaccine to causing cancer or worse side effects.

Here is part one of a video that surfaced of a "60 Minutes" show that exposed the complications that have arisen out of the swine flu vaccine campaign that took place back in 1976. Part two. THESE TWO VIDEOS ARE A MUST SEE.

There is evidence that the company who will profit billions from the sale of the vaccine...may actually be the company that spread it in the first place...either accidentally or intentionally.

Make a Decision

So...the time is NOW to firmly plant your feet on the ground...and decide what you are going to do. Are you going to submit injecting your body with what this blog refers to as...

experimental, untested, toxic and extremely dangerous to the human immune system. They contain squalene-based adjuvants that cause a host of annoying to life-threatening autoimmune diseases. They must be avoided, even if mandated. It’s also known that vaccines don’t protect against diseases they’re designed to prevent and often cause them.

Do you REALLY know what the side effects will be?

What are you going to do NOW to make sure that your voice is heard that you do not support mandatory vaccinations! (If you don't)

What are you going to do if the propaganda campaign to make it seem totally reasonable to take the vaccine is totally convincing...and everyone you know is taking it?

What if the people who don't take it are demonized as perpetuating the risk for everyone else?

What if the government tries to put you into a "quarantine" internment camp if you won't go along with it? Will you do it then?

What if the church leaders give no clear direction on what course to take?

Most importantly...remember the Lords has already given us the path for surviving the plagues of the last days.

Citrus Heights Community Preparedness Event...

If you are in the area and would like to come to a family preparedness fair...

There will be a free community preparedness fair hosted by the Citrus Heights Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Experts at booths will provide information on...

- Ways to cook food without electricity
- How to store food so it will be good for emergencies
- Putting together an emergency evacuation bag
- Home defense
- Making your home fire safe
- Pandemic preparedness
- Emergency communications
- Emergency sanitation

...and much more!

When: Saturday, August 22nd 10am-12pm
Where: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at

8056 Oak Avenue, Citrus Heights, CA 95610 East of Sunrise Blvd on the south side.

No lectures will be given…so come and go as you please. It is a casual dress event where all ages are welcome.

Random Email Glitch...

If you are on my email distribution...you will find that you may receive articles that were written some time ago that you may have seen before. I researched it a bit and found that there are many who are experiencing the same glitch. Random old posts being sent out. Please forgive the repetition.

The Handy Will Have the Advantage...

I've often thought about how various jobs will be of no real use during the millennium. As people will no longer get sick...we won't need doctors. People who are changed in the twinkling of an eye will have no use of being buried...sorry caretakers. Being a lion tamer will be anti-climatic for the audience...as lion's will no longer bear any threat. Those in government who endorse socialistic-communism will find themselves at odds with the Christ led Theocracy and will need to find something else to do...or repent.

Even without having to wait for the millennium...it is highly possible that our current skill sets and the things we do to support our families may be forced to evolve in order for us to provide the necessities of life. The man who made wheels for the Conestoga wagons may have really enjoyed what he was doing...but when people started driving cars...and the wagon wheel orders stopped...he had to move on to survive.

I've heard people exclaim what they believe are absolute truths such as..."We will always have computers and so we will always need computer techs"....or...."There will always be a future in financial planning as people will always need help figuring out what to do with their money". They believe that there are professions that are above becoming outmoded and that any sort of circumstances could not change that. People that make such statements...by my estimation...fail to understand how fragile the civilization we live in is. They don't seem to feel like I do...that although we can look to the future with an optimism for long days of happiness...that we know with complete certainty there will be rugged...rugged days ahead. That we are always standing on the precipice of disaster...and the world as we know it changed overnight.

Who is going to need computer tech help if we have an EMP detonation and a war on our soil that destroys the infrastructure of the country... if we have no electricity...all the computers are fried...and people are trying to just get food and shelter?

Who is going to want a financial planner if hyperinflation destroys the use of the dollar and a system of barter emerges in the place of a fiat currency?

These are just a couple of the professions that are very valuable in a working economy and country...but could "go the way of the wagon wheel" in hard times.

In a preparedness talk classic by Ezra Taft Benson called "Prepare Ye"...he discussed various last days events and how to be prepared for them. Regarding what skills and vocations will be valuable he said...

"Men who can perform useful skills with their hands will be in increasing demand. Handymen, farmers, builders, tailors, gardeners, and mechanics can and will prove a real blessing to their families and their fellowmen."

I run into people from time to time who state "I'm not handy at all". They then point to either nature or nurture as the cause for their ineptitude. "My dad never taught me!"...or..."My brain just isn't wired that way! I am just unable to fix anything." Such people are often resigned to their helpless state...feeling that they are just beyond teaching.

While I could concede that some people may be naturally gifted with a mind and body that lends itself to success working with their hands...and that some may have a leg up on others because of a background that trained them on how to be "handy"....I cannot buy into the belief that any person with a sound mind and body cannot be taught to work with their hands.

Though their efforts may be awkward and they may make a lot of mistakes...if they stumble forward they will more than likely learn something new from each project...and will become more proficient and confident.

So...while it may be easier to just pay someone else to do your projects for you...or to buy something new instead of fixing the old or making your own...don't forget to weigh the value of doing it yourself. Though it may take more time to do it yourself...and may or may not save money...realise that in not doing the project...you may be missing an opportunity to hone skills that may "prove a real blessing" to your families and fellow men...especially if you live in hard times. Go and get your hands dirty and calloused and work on that farmers tan.

The Virtues of Fasting...

Many...or perhaps most of the worlds religions observe a fast in one way or another. They vary in length of time...what the purpose of the fast is...and what is abstained from.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fast each month for two consecutive meals as a part of their worship. There are many reasons for this fast...power to do miracles...to increase faith...overcome weakness...special blessings...to mourn...to show gratitude...to see to the needs of the poor...increase ones humility...etc...

Other than for religious reasons some fast because they believe it is good for your health. The obvious health benefits that come from losing unhealthy weight is one...but people also do it to cleanse their bodies of toxins, hasten healing, and to increase one's life expectancy. Despite various alluring health benefits...fasting should be done with care...as there are circumstances where it could be detrimental to ones health or not adviseable. Pregnant women...people on certain medications...those with certain sicknesses...etc... all should refrain from fasting.

When one fasts...they really get to see how internally strong they are. Mentally...spiritually...physically...an inner war takes place. One finds out if they have the internal constitution to control their thoughts...and their appetites. They find out who the real boss is!!

While I do fast every month...and have for a couple of decades...my body still struggles to make it through the forgone two meals without a fight. Physically I become weak...sometimes lightheaded and dizzy...it can become hard to concentrate...and I usually get a good headache. I find that I become highly sensitive to smells of food and that most anything sounds good to eat! It becomes necessary for me to steer completely clear of the kitchen...perchance in a moment of having my brain off and my body on autopilot...I put something into my mouth without thinking...and prematurely end my fast. My stomach turns and cries out to my brain to ease the hunger! Much like the drug addict going through withdrawals...my mind can become consumed with the desire to eat. AND THIS IS ONLY AFTER MISSING TWO MEALS! Such an experience truly lends credence to the claim that food is a drug that one can be "addicted" to.

That is what is happening to me biologically...if I choose to listen. If I work to turn off the voice of the natural man...and really actively seek for the things of a better world...I can find reprieve. If I allow that voice to yell uncontrolled in my ears...it is torture. While I have found great spiritual blessings from fasting...I have learned something very valuable about myself as well. I have learned how dependent on regular large meals I am...and how quickly my flesh becomes weak when I go without.

While by end of my fast I might feel like I had better eat...or starve to death...the truth is that I am really FAR from starving.

In survival training...the "Rule of Three" is often discussed. It states that as a general rule...

1. Humans cannot survive more than three hours exposed to extreme low-temperature.
2. Humans cannot survive more than three minutes without air.
3. Humans cannot survive more than three days without water.
4. Humans cannot survive more than three weeks without food.

Of course those are just general rules. Still...think about it. You might live for three short days without water...but you can survive THREE WEEKS without food! That is a really long time! There are cases where people have even gone as long as FOUR to EIGHT WEEKS or LONGER!!

Recently I have read two different preparedness authors who recommended fasting as a part of a sound preparedness plan. As a way of preparing for a day when you may either have to go completely without food for a time...or severely limit how much food you are eating.

If for a multitude of circumstances...war...plague...riots...etc...you end up stuck in your house for an indefinite amount of time. Uncertain of when...or even if you will be able to replenish the supplies you have... Do you think that you will be eating just like you do now? Or do you think that you will be savoring each morsel of food...wasting nothing...and eating only what you have to to survive. More than likely it would be the latter.

It seems an indisputable fact that most Americans eat plenty more than they need to. We have been conditioned to the consumption of huge portions of food at restaurants...that many force themselves to eat because it tastes soooo good...and so they don't have to bring home leftovers. We have social gatherings where Mom's encourage second helpings...even thirds...and don't forget the dessert!! As a people we are much like the goldfish that doesn't know when to stop...or just doesn't care to.

As Ezra Taft Benson said...

"To a significant degree, we are an overfed and undernourished nation..."

Recently I gave a training on food storage and afterwards a gentleman who looked well fed came up to me and said holding his stomach "I've got all the food storage I need right here!!!" then he chuckled and said "When there is a famine us fat folks are going to survive while you skinny people aren't going to make it because you have no fat to burn."

Strangely enough there is actually truth to what he said...and it can be scientifically backed up! Like a bear storing fat for hibernation...so it is...in a way...with us.

While having some extra fat may potentially be a good thing to have during a famine...it surely isn't a good game plan to purposefully be fat for famines! The church has long counseled us to work at being more physically fit. While "Fit" is more than "Not Fat"...it does have a baring on ones health. They have also counseled us to store food and know how to produce food...not just plan on living on fat stores!

Ezra Taft Benson said...

“There are rugged times ahead. It is time for every man who wishes to do his duty to get himself prepared-physically, spiritually and psychologically-for the task which may come at any time, as suddenly as the whirlwind."

In preparation for potential times of scarcity...and for the other benefits mentioned...it seems a worthwhile pursuit to learn to live on less food. Heaven knows you will save money doing it! I think this can be accomplished by purposefully eating less food...and a regiment of fasting. This will allow for us to go through the pains...the physical and psychological pains...that will get us ready for days of scarcity. We will gain the control and the mental toughness in advance that will free us up to more efficiently deal with the other challenges at hand that are associated with "rugged times".

Eat Mud...

A child sits in a pile of mud...making "Mud Pies". Perhaps we might tell the child "They are only for make believe!"...hoping that they don't succumb to the temptation of sampling their culinary creation. Interestingly enough...there are some circumstances under which eating mud...or "geophagy"may make sense. The main circumstance...of course...will most likely be that you are starving!! ...but there are other reasons too.

In Haiti not too long ago "mud cookies" became the common fare of people unable to afford any other food. The reporter who tried the Haitian cookies didn't like it...but there are others who love the taste of clay.

Some American Indian tribes added clay to their acorn meal to bind the tannins so they could be consumed.

In the Southern United States back in the 1940's...eating dirt was a common practice that came over from Africa.

Some people eat it because they believe it has various healing effects...like as a cleanser of one's system. It has been used to detoxify after ingesting poison. It has also been used to relieve nausea.

Pregnant women the world over reportedly can feel compelled to sample the soil...and do. Some surmise that this may be due to a drive to have certain minerals to help with the babies development.

In their "Professional Guide Manual", George L. Herter and Jacques P. Herter wrote about the food value of mud...

"The silt or mud on the bottom of lakes, ponds, and sloughs that have or have had some vegetation in them has a high food value for humans. Such silt or mud contains the accumulated organic food riches of thousands of years both from plants, insects, and in some cases from such things as clams, fish, and crayfish. The best way to eat such silt or mud is to make a soup. It tastes surprisingly good. Laurel leaves, wild grape leaves, juniper berries, wild leeks, or dandelion will add to it's flavor.

If lost in the wilderness, mud soup alone will bring you through in fine shape.

This is a proven scientific fact, not my personal opinion. The world famous scientist Robert Beauchamp, director of the East African Fisheries Research Organization, made a great many scientific tests on the food value of mud and silt from the bottoms of lakes. He found, for example, that the mud from the bottom of famous Lake Victoria in Africa was especially rich in food for humans. He proved the point by feeding himself and his family on the mud and in all cases the individuals gained weight."

How would you have liked to be one of his children!!?

While there may be potential health benefits of mud eating...it is not something that I would recommend to people...except in a worst case scenario sort of situation. Most would probably have to be in that sort of situation to consider it anyways! It is reassuring to know that in the absence of plant life to forage...that if it came to it...you could eat mud...and that it could actually make you GAIN weight!!

Still...without a lab to test ALL of what is in the soil...you are taking a chance of consuming lead...or chemicals...or something else that is unhealthy or hard to digest. Also...eating foods with lots of grit can work like a sandpaper on your teeth. The CDC also has an article that discusses various health benefits and some sobering risks. This should hopefully dissuade casual mud eating...and make you want to become more informed about any soil you would want to consume.

I'd venture to say that to become a wise geophagist...one would need to become pretty good at recognizing soil types...have a good understanding of the nutritional values of the soils...and a really adventurous foraging spirit! If one get's good at it...perhaps they will make dirt brownies! Of course...a wise geophagist probably won't even practice his craft...and will save his/her knowledge for a time of real need!

Just one more arrow to put into our "worst case scenario food situation" quiver!!

Pack an Instrument...

Not a lot of piano's came across the US with the pioneers!  Nor were there a lot of full sized harps...tubas...or other large instruments being played around the campfires.  Most of the instruments that were brought across the US...out of necessity had to be small enough to carry wherever they needed to go.

While many of us have put together an emergency evacuation bag of some sort to last for the short term...had you considered that in a severe disaster...your family could have to be relocated long term...or even indefinitely?  If such became the case for your family...there is a good chance that you could find yourself looking for ways to increase your morale...and the morale of those around you.  Music is one of the best ways to help people to forget their troubles and to find a common bond.

Years ago on New Years Eve...my family was on a train heading back from Montana to California.  While we traveled back...the tracks were so covered with snow...that the train had to stop overnight and wait for the tracks to be cleared.  When everyone found out that we would be stuck on the train for New Years...there were some pretty darned disappointed people.  One woman exclaimed "I'm a professional jazz singer!  I've got a concert tonight that thousands of people will be at!!"  There was  bit of a commotion as people related where they were supposed to be that night...and what a hardship it would be to stay overnight. Someone had a guitar and said..."Hey...let's make the best of this...let's go up to the dining car and play some music and have fun!  Anyone have some instruments?!"  One person said..."I have a flute!"...another said "I've got a clarinet!" and a few others had various instruments.  

In the dining car people gathered from all walks of life.  Initially it was kind of awkward as we tried to become comfortable with strangers.  We tried to figure out some songs that we all might know.  After a bit of warming up to each other...we sang everything from Simon and Garfunkel...to Christmas songs...to Led Zeppelin...to showtoons.  Classical violins played along with rock guitars.  Name a genre...and we played it.  This may sound funny but...it was one of the most meaningful and memorable nights of my life.  By far the best New Years I've ever had!  

If you want to have music be a part of your emergency pack...here are a few things to consider...

It could/should be...

1. Small enough to pack.  

2. Durable.  

3. Complicated enough to give one pleasure in learning...but not so complicated that one can't master it.  

4. Can be played loudly for others to enjoy or softly to practice or not bother others or attract attention.  

 A few instruments to consider are...

1.  A flute.  I like one made by a company called Choroi.  The pentatonic one is simple and a good choice for someone with no experience.

2.  Harmonica

3.  Jews harp/Jaw Harp

4.  Pennywhistle

I'm sure there are plenty of others that would work great. One could even consider having slightly larger instruments like a Ukulele.  Just understand that they aren't as easy to transport. Lark in the Morning carries wonderful instruments from all over the world that could really expand your musical horizons.

Don't forget too...the value of your singing voice!  You carry it wherever you go and it doesn't weigh anything!  A great addition to your longer term emergency bag is a mini hymnal (if you can still read that small)...or other books of songs to sing.

Snickers Really Satisfies...

Really...it does.  Especially during a time of great stress.  Various preparedness authors recommend packing away things like Snickers...Reeses Pieces...Cheetos...and a plethora of other "junk food" in one's emergency stash of food because "These foods cause the brain to release natural opiates, which in turn decrease pain and create euphoria and your body learns to gravitate toward them." (Levine, Kotz, Gosnell - 2003).

If you are driven from your home because of a disaster...and you are sitting in a noisy building with a bunch of other people who have been evacuated...stressed out and worried...are you going to want to reach into your emergency bag and pull out some health bar that tastes like cardboard...or a chocolate pudding and some corn chips?  The experts would say to eat the junk food...or more aptly put...the "comfort" food....as short term you will be better off.  It will serve to ease your troubled mind.

Barbara Salsbury gives some great examples in her book "Time to Prepare Not Panic"of some comfort foods to put into an emergency pack that are lightweight.  If you are packing a lot of stuff for an emergency...keeping everything lightweight is a good idea...as you may have to carry it for a long distance.

While it is certainly not advisable to eat junk food for the main course of ones diet long term...as it could make you fat...unhealthy...and starved of good nutrition...Vicki Tate would say that to NOT include junk food is a food storage mistake.  She says that if you are living on food storage..."Psychological foods" "make it more bearable".  They also serve to add variety to your diet which reduces the chance of appetite fatigue (where you are sick of eating the same thing).

Here are some recommendations about some things to store...

It is possible to freeze some candies to increase their shelf life...as well as some other methods...but most have a shelf life of less than a year.  This makes a rotation plan important.  I'm sure there are some children who would be happy to help...just make sure that they don't sneak your candies without your knowing or you may not have it when you need it!

Personally...just about the only candy we buy is for Halloween.  We purposefully purchase the candy that WE like to eat...so that if we have leftovers...it will go into our emergency stash.  Don't tell my kids...but a lot of their candy from trick or treating ends up in our stash too!

So...add some junk to your emergency evacuation kits...and your home storage and find some of the comfort that only junk food can give!