Chicago Tea Party

God Bless Rick Santelli.

If the Chicago Tea Party for July gets off the ground and spreads to St. Louis, I’ll be sure to mention it lots here.

After all, dissent is the highest form of patriotism. 

Crisis! Catastrophe! A Disaster From Which We May Never Recover!

I was at Macy’s today, looking for a new sofa.

I had to wait 10 minutes to find an empty parking spot at the mall.

I remember my mom’s stories about growing up at the end of the Great Depression, how hard it was to find a parking spot for your car at the mall for secondary national holidays.

No, wait, instead she talked about how it was a special treat to take the mule into town maybe once a month to buy a bottle of 7-Up.

I’m not saying times aren’t tough, and that you shouldn’t prepare, but keep it in perspective–93% of the people in this country are employed. 95% of homeowners are making their payments.

The current President and Hillary Clinton are both students of leftist thinker Saul Alinsky. One of his “Rules for Radicals” was that community organizing types should make any situation out to be as bad as possible so that people are ready for socialist change:

They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future. This acceptance is the reformation essential to any revolution. To bring on this reformation requires that the organizer work inside the system, among not only the middle class but the 40 per cent of American families – more than seventy million people – whose income range from $5,000 to $10,000 a year [in 1971].

Don’t put too much faith in the fear-mongering of the Panicker-In-Chief. He’s doing it for a reason.

Have not yet found a couch.

What’s Inside an MRE?

If you’re into preparedness, you may find yourself purchasing Meals Ready To Eat. The ones I have are military surplus, but there are others available commercially. I’ve opened one up for examination. Here are the contents:

• Chicken, vegetables, and noodles in sauce
• Sweetened pears (the back of the packet also has a postcard)
• Pretzels
• Crackers
• Cheese spread
• Cocoa beverage powder
• Hot beverage bag
• M&Ms
• Spoon
• Accessory pack: instant coffee with creamer and sugar, salt, Tabasco, moist towelette, toilet paper (not necessary for its given purpose, given the notoriously constipating effects of MREs, but would make decent tinder), pack of matches, two pieces gum
• Chemical heater

Despite the jokes, most of them are reasonably good. They’re heavy, but self-contained. Having said that, unless you’re a 19-year-old lugging 75 pounds of gear in the 120-degree desert heat, that’s a big “meal.” In a survival situation, if food is scarce and you’re not overly active, ration them out throughout the day. For example:

• Have pears and coffee for breakfast.
• Pretzels at mid-morning
• Crackers and cheese spread a couple of hours later
• M&Ms in mid-afternoon
• Entree and cocoa for dinner
• Gum before bed

Now, in a situation where you’ll be exerting yourself, that’s not a lot of calories for a whole day, and you’ll want to supplement with other foods. I’m just suggesting a way to make the food last throughout a day so you wouldn’t be dreadfully hungry at any given time. In a bad emergency, think creatively about the many layers of packaging: could you use the very heavy plastic bag for something (water bag–may hold up to a quart)? Save the cardboard packaging and toilet paper for tinder. Save matches, always. If you don’t use your Tabasco, save it to trade with another traveler further on down the trail. If you take your coffee black, save the sugar packet anyway. If you get a stomach bug with diarrhea, you can mix it and a pinch of salt in some water to make a field-expedient rehydration drink. Never throw away the moist towelette or spoon (finger splint in a pinch, as well as many other uses).

Store in a cool, dry place for long storage life.

Thus endeth the lesson on the care and feeding of Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.

What Did You Do Today To Prepare?

• Worked out for an hour (I’ve worked out an hour a day, every day, since January 5)
• Started studying the online Missouri Hunter Education course. I don’t know if I could shoot an animal, but it’s better to have a hunting permit and not need it than to need one and not have it.
• Grabbed my “go” bag out of the closet and took a look through it.

That’s the point of today’s post. My “go” bag is my backpacking backpack, and I’m going on a trip soon, so I need to switch out some of the gear. As it stands now, I have it set up as a survival bag for at least 3 days (but it would do for far longer than that). Here are the contents:

• It’s a Kelty Red Cloud backpack (with pack cover)
• REI Chrysalis tent
• Thermarest 3/4 length sleeping pad
• Clipped to the front with a carabiner is a sheathed Air Force Survival Knife (I call it the Mick Dundee) with a whetstone
• Synthetic mummy sleeping bag rated to 30 degrees in a stuff sack
• Notebook and pen, with 20 feet of duct tape wrapped around pen
• One hundred dollars in small bills
• Compass
• Whistle with compass, thermometer, and magnifying glass
• Leather glove
• Small sewing kit
• Headlamp
• Hand-crank cell phone charger with LED light
• Small fishing kit–line, frog gig, bobbers, hooks, various lures
• Tin with safety pins and wire saw
• Fire kit with incredible redundancy: 3 lighters, 3 packs of matches, two tea light candles, tinder in waterproof case, magnesium block with flint striker, Coghlan’s fire paste
• Wire
• GPS
• Six AA batteries
• Four AAA batteries
• Candle lantern with three candles (and yet another lighter!)
• Katadyn Hiker water filter
• Mesh bag
• Laundry line
• Two little Coleman red clip-on lights
• 50 feet nylon line
• Mini Maglite (with another 10 feet of duct tape wrapped around)
• Inflatable ball
• Deck of cards (entertainment is important)
• Black plastic garbage bag
• Waterproof windbreaker with hood
• Toilet kit: Plastic trowel, TP, hand sanitizer
• Empty 2-liter Camelback
• Camp stove and gas bottle
• Three MREs
• Six Mainstay bars
• Flexible cutting board
• Nalgene bottle stuffed with four bandanas
• Three pairs underwear
• Three pairs socks
• Hygiene kit: Dr. Bronner’s soap (like Mark Spitz!), comb, wet wipes, small deodorant, small toothbrush and toothpaste and cup, lip balm, small Gold Bond powder, nail clippers, small mirror
• First aid kit one: two large safety pins, lots of potassium iodide (about my only slightly paranoid item), iodine, gentian violet, extras of my prescriptions (sleep aids–I have insomnia), Sawyer Extractor
• First aid kit two: Standard Target-purchased first aid kit with gauze, tongue depressors, cold compress, wound irrigator, moleskin, shears, tape, cotton, Q-tips, alcohol cleansing pads, antibiotic cream, lots of band-aids of various sizes, emergency/survival blanket, SAM splint, sterile suture kit, burn gel, various OTC painkillers, two pair nitrile gloves (allergic to latex), large gauze pads, eye patch bandage
• Mess kit: Plastic coffee mug, small nesting skillet/bowl/1-qt saucepan with lid combo, inside the saucepan is a baggie of sugar, salt, pepper, curry powder, garlic powder, small sheets of aluminum foil, and small bottle of Tabasco
• Ziploc bag with fork, two spoons, small bottle olive oil, two more little Tabasco bottles, cheese spread packet out of an MRE, instant coffee, tea, powdered drink mixes

All this survival-y goodness comes to about 35 pounds (I will carry much less on the backpacking trip, ironically, because I will be with others). Depending on the season, I include bug spray and sunscreen.

That’s a more substantial “go” bag than most, but I consider it good insurance.

Edited to add: I just tossed an older Leatherman Kick tool into there, and realized it’s not much of a “go” bag if I don’t keep my leather hiking boots in the same closet. You learn something every day…or at least you should.

Thoughts on “The Gray Man”

Over at Survival Blog, there was a recent discussion on the concept of “The Gray Man.” A reader wrote in about  hypothetical man living in a tyrannical society. He gives every outward appearance of going along with what’s going in society, while in private he was, within the confines of the law, resisting the system.

The responses varied between armchair commandos who condemned the idea to folks who agreed. I come down in the middle. To start, our country is not yet tyrannical, and we all have an obligation to ensure within the law that no person or party is ever allowed to usurp this country’s fundamental liberties. On the other hand, I agree with those posters who noted that the original “gray man” went too far in blending in by buying a pro-government bumper sticker and never letting his friends or co-workers know he disapproved of what was going on. Again, here’s the balance. I don’t believe Mr. Obama has yet shown signs of outright tyranny, but at the same time, we all remember what he and his followers in the media did to Joe the Plumber when he dared to ask a question (for those who don’t remember, scores of negative articles were written about him and his personal files were illegally accesseed by various government functionaries).  Today, when Mr. Obama spoke in Elkhart, Indiana, he made those who would ask questions say their names, and a woman who asked about Geithner’s and Daschle’s tax-dodging ways was soundly booed by the audience. It will be interesting to see in the next couple of days what repercussions befall her. With that history, I would never publicly and openly ask a question of Mr. Obama, but I would never sport a bumper sticker for him or let family and friends think I thought that sort of behavior is right.

There’s a place for being “gray,” but it has to be balanced with speaking out to friends and family who might still be convinced. No one who believes in liberty and individualism should feel like they are alone.

What Did You Do Today To Prepare?

That was a heading on an awesome forum I used to spend more time on. People would post what they did or bought to prepare for hard times (joblessness, natural disasters, etc.), and it was often a source of some pretty good ideas. I thought I’d carry that over to here.

With the imminent passage of the Porkulus Bill, which will be shortly followed by socialized health care, the Fairness Doctrine, and the rolling back of the 2nd Amendment, capitalism and individual liberty will be on the decline. We’ve decided to go with European Socialism (you know, the construct wherein, even in the boom times of 2005 and 2006, they had higher unemployment rates than we have now in the US). These changes will be temporary–the American people still love their liberty, and even Messianic figures who get their own commemorative plates can’t change that. In the meantime, times will be tough. Still, there are things you can do.

What I Did Today To Prepare:

• Today was payday, so I bought and stored some silver. When I started this blog last fall, silver was about $9.30 an ounce. Today it was $13.13 an ounce. When our dollar becomes devalued due to inflation (which it will, as we will have to print that stimulating money), precious metals will go even higher.
• Put more money than I could really afford into a savings account (held at a credit union that’s unlikely to need “stimulating”). I’d rather have that cash in my checking account and enjoy it a bit, but since my elected representatives have chosen to extort my money to pay for their pet projects, I’m going to have to be very careful with what little is left. Socialism isn’t going to unstick the credit market, and cash will be king for some time. Then there’s the possibility of unemployment. The state of California can’t afford to cut people their unemployment checks anymore, and I expect that to extend to at least Michigan soon. If you have a job, put money aside in case the state can’t pay unemployment anymore. Plus, there’s the crippling tax increases that are coming, and not just to “the rich.” We’ve discovered in the past month that only the little people pay taxes: folks like Geithner and Daschle and Solis’ husband can’t be bothered. But God help you if YOU don’t. So save your money. It’s no fun, but you’ll be glad you did.
• On the subject of taxes, did mine and made plans to save the refunds. Normally I would buy something–not this year. If you can save nothing else, save your tax refund as a small emergency fund.
• Ordered seeds for this year’s garden from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Their seeds are heirloom (which means you can save seeds from them and next year’s crop will be the same as this year’s). I also bought extra  seeds for storage for the future.
• Worked out for an hour. For the next few years, it’s going to be more essential than usual to be healthy and physically fit. For businesses that chose to be stimulated, Mr. Obama, by executive order, put in salary caps. When he nationalizes medicine, what will he do? Ration care only for people who meet certain weight guidelines? Considering that democrat senator Debbie Stabenow wants to limit the First Amendment rights of people who don’t share her political beliefs, will there be a political litmus test for medical care? If nothing else, the long lines for government care will delay medical care for many. When you give the government this kind of power, you cannot be surprised when they choose to wield it against you. Moreover, when Mr. Obama passes the Freedom of Choice Act, I expect many, many Catholic and other Christian hospitals will close their doors rather than be compelled to perform abortions, so there will be fewer medical facilities available. So be healthy: exercise, lose weight, grow some of your own food.
• Called Senator McCaskill and asked her to vote against the Porkulus. She ran as a blue dog, but now has hitched her wagon inextricably to Mr. Obama, so I knew she wouldn’t actually follow the will of the people, but it’s the right thing to at least go through the motions. No matter–her choices are going to sink her in Missouri in 2012.

I’ll try to make this a regular feature. Feel free to post what you do to prepare.

A Modest Proposal

The Porkulus Bill (Hat tip: the guy who was filling in for Rush today) is 736 pages long. If ANY Senator has actually read the whole thing, I’ll walk naked down my street.

My proposal: No piece of legislation should be more than 10,000 words long. If you need more space, write another bill. That’s  a generous length, but still allows we the people to read and understand what our representatives are deciding on our behalf. If something like the “stimulus” is so important it must be passed RIGHT THIS SECOND, then let’s make it a concise, tight piece of work. These bloated legislative monstrosities are designed to hide pork and ridiculous programs from the people. Congress should not be allowed to do so.

Hope, Not Fear?

Remember when that was Mr. Obama’s mantra? You know, right up until he became President? Well, he’s afraid now, plenty afraid, and the only cure is more cowbell lots of your (and your descendants’) hard earned money for various democrat policies.  A few samples of Mr. Obama bringing the fear:

Washington Post editorial 5 February 2009:

By now, it’s clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression.

And if nothing is done, this recession might linger for years. Our economy will lose 5 million more jobs. Unemployment will approach double digits. Our nation will sink deeper into a crisis that, at some point, we may not be able to reverse.

Remarks by the President on Executive Compensation 4 February 2009:

The economic crisis we face is unlike any we’ve seen in our lifetime.

A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe and guarantee a longer recession, a less robust recovery, and a more uncertain future. Millions more jobs will be lost. More businesses will be shuttered. More dreams will be deferred.

Remarks by the President to Department of Energy Staff 5 February 2009:

Crisis could turn into catastrophe for families and businesses across the country.

*****************

You know, I mentioned the day after the Inauguration what I expected from Mr. Obama, but  I have to say I didn’t expect hysterical panic. He was so good during the campaign at promising everyone peace and unicorns, nd how quickly THAT facade has slipped. Times ARE hard, I’m not denying that–I just prefer to see my President acting like a MAN instead of waving his arms above his head yelling “OMG! We’re all gonna die!”

And yes, President Bush did the exact same thing before the first, less bloated TARP bill. The world was going to end if we didn’t pass that one, either. Then we sold our souls to Socialism, and acted surprised that the economy didn’t recover.

Disaster Preparedness–Campfire Starters

Haven’t posted in a while. I’m doing the whole “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” thing. It might get a bit dull if every post was an “I told you so.”

So, back to basics. Here’s a preparedness post.

To make a tinder campfire starter, begin with a CARDBOARD egg carton. Fill the little holes with dryer lint. Melt a candle over them, until each has enough wax to harden on top.

Your result will look a little like melted baby Tribbles:

Break ‘em apart and store in a dry place. The wax and fluffy fibers should burn with enough heat to light small twigs in a campfire. I’ll give it a try on the backpacking trip later this month and post on how they worked out.