Your Food, Your Life

I'm undertaking a new project for this blog--testing survival foods.

Over the next several weeks I'll be testing the usability, taste, storablility, and best options for building your stores of food. This will include everything from canned items, prepackaged foods, mre's, camping packs, dehydrated items, and other options available for sustenance that can be used in an emergency situation.

I'm excited to get started, although my taste buds and stomach may later regret this little adventure. At the end, I hope to provide you with a list of options best suited for several different catastrophic scenarios, and also provide you with a list detailing what you would need--realistically--for different lengths of time.

I'll also be detailing the systems provided, and others available, created specifically for the purpose of preparing meals without the modern conveniences of a stove, running water, refrigeration, and the advantage of having specific kitchen implements available for use.

If you have any suggestions for food items, specific company branded products, or items you have used in the past you would like me to include, drop me a note in the comments below and I'll be happy to include them in my completely unscientific study.

Wish me luck . . . and pray for me to keep the stomach pumps away.

Think Strange Things Aren't Going On?

How about a self-avowed Communist, who has been arrested twice, set up with a plumb position in the White House--answerable only to Obama?

Could that really happen? Here? In America?

You bet your ass it is happening--right this moment.

Van Jones, the president's Green Jobs Tsar and key founding member of the Apollo Alliance, is set up as one of the president's hand-picked advisers, and he just secured billions of dollars in Federal Stimulus Money for Apollo.

You may want to write, and call, both your Senator and Congressman on this one. How does an unabashed, America-hating, far-left wing fanatic manage to secure a job--any job--within the Federal Government?

Still thinking thinks aren't being turned upside down? Still thinking life is safe and secure, and us Americans are insulated against civil breakdowns, civil riots on a mass scale, and the death of the very Constitution which created the greatest civilization in the history of mankind?

Open your eyes, ask the hard questions of your elected officials, and please make sure you are preparing yourself for the worst possible outcome you could imagine--because, at the rate our government is spinning out of control, the days of Marshall Law and the complete loss of your basic rights as an American is looming just around the corner.

Creating Your Defense--Part 1

Let's start putting together your means to defend yourself in the event of a major crisis.

I have a few general thoughts before we get into the specifics, so bear with me for just a few moments.

First, budgetary consideration need to be taken into account. Sure, it would be great to go out and spend thousands of dollars on firearms, but is that realistic for you? You need to weigh what you're able to afford financially versus what you determine your needs will be--then do the research to maximize the money you have available to purchase the best weapons platform for you.

Next, there are many different and varying schools of thoughts and philosophies when it comes to personal defense. I'll give you my beliefs and thoughts, and while these have been gleaned from deep thought, research, and information obtained from firearms experts, how you choose to build your defense is entirely up to you. There are no set guidelines, and the best determining factor is your own confidence in your defensive plans and resources.

Don't do what I tell you, don't take my advice as law, and only use the advice and recommendations of any experts as a guideline and learning tool. Think for yourself, not just in this but in all things, and do what is in your best interest.


My thoughts are this:



A handgun is a tool that gives time to reach your primary weapon--hopefully a rifle or shotgun.


A handgun is the weapon of last resort--used when your primary weapons have either become disabled, rendered unusable, or you've run out of ammunition.


Handguns are wonderful; readily available, typically easy to operate, relatively effective at close range, and, maybe most importantly, concealable. While all of the above are true, a handgun is not the most effective weapon for self-defense. That honor and distinction belongs to the shotgun, and that is what we are going to examine today.

The shotgun gives you a convenient platform; easy to operate, easy to clean and maintain, and readily available and priced to fit any budget. It gives you a firearm that provides you with nearly unparalleled knock-down power, easily able to inflict lethal damage, and the range to address any imminent threat at distance. It also gives you the intimidation factor--few sounds in this world can compare with the sound of a shotgun being racked, and this factor alone may defuse a potentially dangerous situation and buy you extra time to explore other options.

The shotgun is a workhorse, and it's available in all sizes and shapes. It gives you the ability to operate in confined, narrow spaces--such as hallways or from cover, and provides a variety of option in ammunition types to tailor your defense.

If you only have the means to purchase one firearm, my suggestion and recommendation would be a shotgun--hands down, no questions asked, don't need to think about it twice. Get the shotgun, learn how to operate it effectively, and you have just obtained the foundation for a very formidable defense.

All the AR-15 and AK-47 fans may find issue with this, and I'll be examining those two weapons in a later post. For now, with budgetary considerations, availability and variety of ammunition, stopping power, and the ease to operate and maintain, I believe the shotgun should be the bases for any defense and arsenal you build.

Shotguns are available in almost every price range starting at just over $200 and going up into the thousands. To me, purchasing a lower end shotgun, purchasing the accessories you want, then using any budget left on another weapon makes more sense then spending all you money on an expensive, fancy shotgun that does the same thing. Lets say you have a thousand dollars budgeted for weapons and ammo: I'd spend about $300-$400 on the shotgun and accessories, probably another $200 on ammunition--and I'll get into ammo needs a little later--then use the extra $400-$500 to purchase a handgun. It just makes more sense to me then going out and spending all of the money on a really nice shotgun.


Recommendations:


Mossberg 88 Maverick: Winner of "Best Bang for Your Buck". You can find this base level shotgun for just over $200, and it gives you a great weapon you can pull out of the box and feel comfortable and safe using. The 88 Maverick is fully compatible with all accessories from the Mossberg 500 line, and if you spend about another hundred dollars you can deck this gun out with everything you could need or want. Bonus--compatible with nearly every type of shotgun ammo available.

Mossberg 500: This line of shotguns, priced from the $300-$500 range, offers the most variations and configurations of any shotgun line manufactured today. If you have a special preference, the Mossberg 500 most likely has a version to fit your needs. Another workhorse weapon that is very affordable, very dependable, readily available, interchangeable and customizable, and will fill your need for a defense weapon very nicely. Plenty of accessories are available to upgrade your weapon, and is able to fire almost every size and type of shell.

Check out the 500 Tactical Persuader, around $399, for a ready-made, great defensive shotgun already decked out with most of the upgrades included. This model can be tough to find due to it's popularity, but it's well worth the hunt.

Remington Model 870 Express Shotgun: Remington has built a reputation for quality and reliability over the past century, and that reputation is well deserved and well earned. The 870 models begin at just over $400 and go up depending on the variations. The 870 Express is built specifically for home defense, and includes a few desired accessories, for about $415. Another shotgun you can take home, load, and be ready to go without having to mess around. I'll cover some of the other Remington rifles in another post, and they offer a few choices that are desirable for home defense and give you some capabilities the shotgun doesn't provide.

Benelli Shotguns: Benelli has several lines of high quality shotguns perfect for home defense--Nova, Super Nova, M2, M4, and Black Eagle. Benelli makes very high quality, unique shotguns--but it's going to cost you more then any of the options above. The Nova line begins in the $500's, and pricing increases depending on the line and options. The M4 Tactical is a wonderful, menacing and intimidating weapon used by the USMC, and if you have about $1300 budgeted for your shotgun you couldn't buy a better one. I love the Benelli's, and if price is not your main concern then you should absolutely take a look at all they have to offer. Great guns by one of the greatest names in firearms.

Others to Consider:

--CZ Model 712 --- $450 and hard to find right now.
--Winchester Defender -- $300 and a name you can trust.
--Howa Tactical Entry -- $400 for a nice shotgun, may be tough to find.

This should give you a great place to start as you plan your defense. The shotgun is the most effective weapon ever designed for close quarter combat, and it's my firm belief that you should consider the shotgun as the basic foundation upon which to build your arsenal for defense of your family and home.

Next up: Rifles.


Preparation is the Key!

A Quick Post on Your Freedom--what's left of it.

I promised this post would be dedicated to providing you with specific recommendations for creating your defensive strategy, but I felt compelled to touch base with you on some of the things happening in the United States right now, at this very moment.

Your freedom, your liberty, and your future are under direct assault from this current president, his administration, and the policies they are pursuing. The details are enormous, and this blog isn't dedicated to examining politics directly, but I will comment from time to time when events dictate a response.

For anybody who believes that our country and our society are stable, and that political chaos and social collapse are only paranoid delusions, I simply ask you to take a look around you right now; look at the bill, HR 3247, passed yesterday by our elected officials in Washington. It is very scary stuff.

I want you to take a look at an organization named the Apollo Alliance; founded, incidentally, by an avowed Communist and the presidents current Green Jobs Tsar, Van Jones. Check out their website and see if they mission they believe sounds like anything coming out of Washington.

Know thy enemy.

Familiarize yourself with the enemies of freedom.

If you look around, at the direction this president is leading this country through his policies and radical ideas, and not realize the potential for a complete collapse of our country then I fear for you. Those in power are putting the pieces in place, and if you listen to the words they speak you'll realize they are not trying to hide the fact they want to steal your freedom and way of life.

It's coming . . . the storm is gathering on the horizon.

It's more imperative then ever that you begin to make your preparations. It's more important then ever that you begin to formulate a plan, gather resources, and make arrangements to provide for your life. Things are getting bad in this country due to the political climate, and we are just scratching the surface. Worse days are coming, and the fight for the future of this county and the ideals it was founded upon. Make no mistake, that day is nearly upon us.

Preparation is the Key.

Defense/Security 1A--Part Deux

I'm back--sorry again about the last post. Somehow I lost about half of that post, and I promise you it was by far the best part ;) . Hopefully I can remember the most riveting passages, and this one turns out okay--we'll see. Let's get to it.

So I ended; "Gun lover or not, you should have some type of firearm". Let's pick it up from right at that point.

A large percentage of the populace has moral issues with gun ownerships and firearms in general. Your beliefs are your own, and that's fine. What I would like to ask you to do for the next few minutes is set aside any preconceived notions and beliefs you may have, and try to immerse yourself in possibilities.

In a major event, by the seventh day most resources of food and water will be exhausted. Water Treatment facilities can operate for about five days without power. The water in the tank of your toilet, or filling your bathtub are great ideas, but even that isn't going to get you very far. By day seven most other supplies of water, unless a person planned specifically for this type of event, will also be exhausted. This is a problem.

If you've been through a typical winter storm in the Midwest, you've experienced a forecasted winter storm or large snow event. Store shelves get wiped out quickly, with the basic staples like bread and water being snapped up like all people will be doing is sitting around making toast. In a national emergency, the likelihood of retail food outlets operating after the first forty-eight hour period is extremely unlikely, and grocery shelves will be emptied within the first twenty-four hours. With no supplies to restock, once the current inventories are gone that's it. There will be no other options other then the food you have stocked in your home pantries or in your survival kit.

Perishables will last for about two days, and without power refrigerated and frozen items will be consumed first before they have a chance to spoil. How many people do you think keep a fully stocked pantry, with lots of extra canned goods, pastas, and other items that don't require the addition of some other perishable good to prepare? Look in your own pantry; is that three year old, dusty can of lima beans you can't remember purchasing enough to feed you for a day? Do you have any real items of sustenance you can rely on? If you're like me, your pantry is filled with cream of mushroom soup, pie filling, tomato sauce, and a couple cans of corn--nothing adequate to sustain a single person, let alone a family, for longer then a few days.

So, ten days into the event, with no way to resupply and all other normal sources of obtaining food are no longer an option, what do you think is going to happen?

Food and water will become the most prized of commodities. Gold will not matter, money will be useless, and those bonds and IRA's you hold will be junk--but food and water will by the most valuable asset in society. People starving or dying from thirst will harm or kill to keep themselves alive.

In breakdowns of society, as in the case of Katrina, we've witnessed the phenomena of mob rule and pack mentality. Groups of people will band together to share resources and knowledge, with the hopes that larger numbers will increase the chance for survival. People will turn to violence--without hesitation, without regret, and without sympathy--when their existence is jeopardized.

If you do have a moral dilemma with firearms ask yourself this--will your morality and idealism protect your children when confronted with desperate, starving individuals attempting to take your supply of food and water as the only means they have to live? Are your moral beliefs more important then your families lives?

I contend the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution is one of the most important ideas from the greatest political document ever written. That amendment insures your rights to keep and bear arms, and insure your ability to protect yourself. I also believe that the right to protect yourself, your family, your property and possessions, transcends any legislation written by man. This right is God given, or by whatever name you choose to call the greater power in the universe.

A firearm is a tool, just as a hammer or screwdriver, and in and of itself does not have the ability to inflict harm. If you were to set a handgun and a hammer side by side on a table, then leave them there for an extended period of time, when you returned they would still be sitting, unmoved, in the same position they were left. No harm would have come to anybody or anything because a gun, by itself, has no ability to cause harm or injury. In fact, the hammer--a common tool found in every home--has the ability to create harm and death just as easily as a firearm; it all comes down to the intention of the person using that tool.

So, morally evil or not, a gun is simply a tool. And it's the tool best designed to keep you safe, secure, and alive in a time of crisis. Don't let any moral dilemma compromise your personal safety, the safety of your loved ones, and your life.

There are many considerations when choosing a firearm that need to be explored. Do you prefer a handgun or a long gun, or perhaps both? What caliber ammunition are you comfortable and confident using? How available is the ammunition for the weapon you choose? Is the firearm easy to breakdown and clean, easy to use, and offer the safety features you prefer? What types of accessories are available, and which ones would increase your effectiveness with the weapon? In the event of a major apocalyptic event, what's the likelihood you'll be able to scrounge the correct ammo? Will you be able to teach others to use the weapon?

These are just a few things you need to consider, and there are numerous options available for types, configurations, and features available in every category of firearms. You also need to consider your budget--how much money do you have available, and what is the best use of your budget?

In the next post, I'll be delving into some specifics, some recommendations, and some of the key features of importance. Also, in a future post we'll examine some other types of weapons, thoughts on fashioning your own weapons from readily available items, and give you some ideas on how to implement defense strategy. But always remember that a firearm is the most useful and effective tool available for ensuring your personal defense.

A firearm is a tool, so please don't let any moral dilemmas or issues prevent you from having the most effective means of protecting your life in case of disaster.

Preparation is the Key!

Sorry about Defense 1A Post

I lost about half of the post about Defense and Security 1A, and I wanted to apologize. If I can't find the rest of the post I will finish this in a second part later today sometime. I hope I didn't lose it because the information it contained is of vital importance.

Hang in there, and I'll get it fixed as soon as possible. Thanks

Priority 1A--Defense and Security

Typically there is a lull or period of time, just before or just after, a major event comes to pass. The residents of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans had plenty of lead time and warning about Hurricane Katrina. After 9/11, the country seemed to stand still for a period of time before the gravity and tragedy of the attacks set in and people began to either panick or take action.

That lull, that small window of time, are critical to you--and you need to be prepared and able to take advantage of these moments. In the case of most disasters, there will be a chance to reach your home, but you need to act immediatly as events begin to unfold and while others are wasting crucial moments trying to comprehend the meaning of what they see.

Securing you family and your supplies is your first priority.

Get home and gather your family. Have a plan in place so everybody knows to meet at a designated location. your home or wherever else you designate as your "safe zone", to further assess the situation, gather and secure needed supplies, and to enact defensive measure to protect yourself, and your supplies, from physical threat or theft.

During the hurricane blackout we experienced in Ohio, it took about 48 hours before the true nature of people began to shine through. People began to get squirrley, and do things you would never expect. This power outage was widespread in our area, but there was not an threats to life for most people. Supplies like food, ice, gasoline, and generators were quickly snapped up from retailers that remained open dispite having no power--and soon, without normal deliveries, resources became scarce and unavailable.

That time, most people treated the blackouts as just a big campout/cookout, but even then you could see panick and desperation set in with some even though there was no real threat. In situation like this, you learn very quickly who your friends are, who are the givers/sharers, and who is just out to take from others. It was really a very facinating study in human behavior and the effects of stress on a small scale. I was shocked, truley shocked, by some of the behaviors I witnessed out of people I would normally consider strong indivduals and friends. At the same time, it was great to see the amount of sharing, distribution of food and other resources, and general caring shown by most people.

You need to have a place--secret, secure, and defended, where you store your supplies and other goods. This spot is your Alamo. Secure this area, and all of your resources at the first signs of a major event.

Now that you have your family gathered, and you have your place of storage filled and secure, it's time to look at your own personal security against violence and theft.

Gun lover or not, you should have some type of firearm.

Priorities and Preparation--Your Keys to Survival

Let's get started . . .



Let's say, just as an example, the area you live is hit by a major environmental catastrophe--hurricane, earthquake, volcano, widespread power outage, or something along those lines.



What is your top priorities to ensure you and your family are safe, secure, and can get through a period of time without help from any outside source? What are the most important items or supplies you need to get through?



I've spent a great deal of time pondering this question. There are lists you can download from government sites that give you a run down of things you'll need for a three day window of time, and while these lists are a decent place to start, you should take them with a grain of salt. Use one of these lists for reference only and develop your own list according to your area, nearby resources, and any special needs you may require.



Any information the government provides, including the recommendation that three days worth of supplies are adequate, is coming from the same group of people who couldn't get help to New Orleans for over fourteen days. My thoughts are that you should have a minimum of twenty day supply--and I'll explain the reasons why I consider that to be a bare minimum list in a followup post.



When the government tells you that three days should provide you with enough until the system can be restored to normal capacity---sure. Triple that number at the very least, and it's a good general policy to make your own decisions, based on common sense and reality, as to the amount of time you feel would be needed in case of a major disaster. Count only on yourself, think for yourself, and do whatever you feel is in your own best interest.



To me, there are really three categories that would constitute the number one priority I would need:



1a. Defense and Security

1b. Water

1c. Food



I've made list after list, and it always comes back to these three basics. If you can establish these three, you have a fighting chance even if you have nothing else. You need to think of anything beyond these, with possibly the exception of medications, as purely luxury items. There is plenty more to my list, but these are the most crucial, inseparable, elements you need in order to survive.



It seems so simple, yet it's not. We, as a society, take so many things for granted. People become attached to so many useless items, and they will risk their own lives for material goods or things of sentimental value. How many times have you heard of people running back into a house fire for a box of pictures, or for a family pet? It's not as easy as you think to cast away those types of things we've become so accustom to having. It comes down to this, what is going to help you get through the next ten minutes? You need to think of this in the most basic, most life-sustaining way.

You don't need your record collection. You don't need a locket you inherited from your great aunt. Your child's special blanket is not more important then a gallon of water. Your coin collection is going to be worthless, so leave it behind. It takes a huge shift in thinking to begin seeing life at the most rudimentary level--and that is where you need to be.



This is why preparation is so key. People loss their minds in times of trouble, and they can't comprehend the possibility that life as they have know it is simply gone. The psychological effects of stress, multiplied on a scale of this magnitude, can shred a persons mind and render them not only incapable of maintaining their own well being, but creating a danger to anyone they may contact. Your mind, every bodies mind, is going to try and cling to the idea that everything is going to be alright, that everything is going to quickly return to normal, and that is a very dangerous state of mind.

Preparation is the key. Preparation is the key. Preparation is the key.

The more prepared you are to face these possibilities and challenges, the more your mind will be able to accept a catastrophic event, and allow you to maintain full control of your faculties. Stress, fatigue, disbelief--they are all inevitable, but you need to be able to move beyond that frame of mind quickly and begin to take the strong actions necessary for creating the best chance of surviving.

Preparation is the key--that is your new mantra. Preparation is the key.

Your homework for today is just to toss ideas around in your mind. Ask yourself some hard questions.

----"What do I really need to survive for a month?"
----"What are the most important items I need to have ready?"
----"What special needs do I have, beyond the basics for survival, that I will need to survive for an extended period when supplies and resources are not readily available?"
----"What are my priorities? How can I pare down the list to include only what's essential?"
----"Are there luxury items on my list of priorities that I don't really need?"

Ask yourself these questions as you think in terms of a collapse in the system for thirty days. No help is out there, and nobody is coming to rescue you--you're on your own. I'll put up my list as we get further along, and you will be welcome to take it and use it, or modify it to fit your particular conditions and needs. For now, start to imagine yourself in this type of situation--mull over the tools and objects that could help you, and consider items that may only waste your time, energy, and ability to move quickly should you need to evacuate.

Preparation is Key---live these words.

Your ability to prioritize your needs, for your basic existence, may be the most crucial task toward assuring you live to see another sunrise. For me, there are just three things that are absolute, non-negotiable, that should be the first steps in building your kit or bug-out bag; defense/security, water, food. Everything else needs to be deemed a luxury in comparison.

In the next post I'll breakdown these top three items, and go in-depth about the importance of each, the basic requirements, and considerations that need to be addressed as you start gathering your supplies. Until then, take care.

Preparation is the Key!

The Mission--Your Survival

To get things started, I'd first like to introduce myself and give you a little background about who I am and why I've chosen to start this blog.



Ask yourself one question as we get started: If society was thrown into chaos today, if the world was flipped upside down and you could no longer rely on the government to provide you with the means to secure the health and well-being of your family, could you survive for long?



I'm not a paranoid, not delusional, and I'm not a member of the "World Is Ending" crowd. Politically, I've been both a Democrat and Republican at various times during my life, and at this point I choose not to affiliate myself with either party. While my beliefs tend to lean more to the Republican side, the core beliefs the party was built upon, I no longer feel that party is centered in the concepts that have allowed this country to prosper, flourish, and establish itself as the world leader in nearly every social and economic platform.



My beliefs, which have only been strengthen and tempered by the current political difficulties this country is facing today, is that personal liberty and freedom is the most sacred right. I believe in a small Federal government, with fewer laws and interference in the lives of it's citizens, and I believe that our taxes should be minimized by changing to a national sales taxes. I believe in Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness--and I believe the Second Amendment to the Constitution is perhaps the most important section of the greatest document written in the history of mankind.



I'm a normal citizen. I live in a very nice, middle-class neighborhood, and I have a wonderful family. We do the same things nearly every family does; we look forward to the weekends, complain about the weather, go swimming at the pool, take walks and bike rides. My children are involved in sports, video games, and all the normal things kids do. We try to go on vacation to the beach every year, but like other families the economic problems have effected us as well. We spend the holidays with our family and friends, and our neighborhood is filled with wonderful people who look out for one another.



Basically, I'm trying to show you that I'm not some raving lunatic holed up in an underground bunker somewhere in the desert. I have a normal life, with the normal worries and concerns, with the normal hobbies and interests, and like many other Americans I'm beginning to feel as though that way of life, the country I was raised in and the country my children will inherit, is being threatened from numerous sources--both foreign and domestic.



I'm worried, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.



Right now in our country we are facing something we've never faced before in our history. There is a "Perfect Storm" on the horizon, and as the clouds gather and grow, and as the darkness sweeps forward and gains in depth, I've felt compelled to reassess my station, my future, and the security of my family.

Today we are facing political turmoil that we've never faced as a nation. The current president and administration seem hellbent on systematically eliminating our rights and freedoms by instituting law and policy that is socialist by nature and definition. Our very Constitution is being subverted and undermined for the purpose of political power and gain, and at this point is seems like a segment of the populace is beginning to awaken from a deep slumber and realize that the person sitting in the White House is not the man the public believed they were electing to the most powerful office in the world.

The political division among the citizens of our country is deeper then it's ever been, and the battle is just beginning. The "fundamental changes to the fabric of America" our president has spoken so boldly about in essence means the Federal Government will be instituting more control over your choices in life, taking more of the money you earn, and determining the very quality of life you experience---and this agenda cannot be allowed to continue unabated.

The potential for an incident on the political landscape which could greatly disrupt this country, tossing it back into the Dark Ages, is very real. And as this battle becomes further engaged on both sides the chances of an event capable of collapsing our society will become far greater.

Enough about the political landscape for now--that is just one of the storm fronts looming on the horizon.

Here are the others, and we'll examine each in turn during the next few day.

* Environmental Disaster -- we've seen this already with Hurricane Katrina, and we will see it again before long.

* Terrorist Threats --- Do you think this country is safe now from another attack?

* Nuclear Weapons --- Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia--scary stuff here.

* Economic State --- Things are bad, and we just spent $700 billion for nothing.

This is just the major issues we're facing today. Any single one of these has the potential to destroy our society as we know it--but the most worrisome thing is that all of these, with possibly the chance of environmental disaster, are intertwined. These current threats have always been present, but it's the scope and magnitude of each one individually that is cause for great concern.

I had to face the fact recently, thanks to the remnants of a hurricane that hit Ohio--yes, Ohio--and knocked out our power for an entire week, that I wasn't prepared for a major emergency or disaster. I wasn't prepared to keep my family safe, fed, defended, and secure should some unfortunate event cause the collapse of society. It took over two weeks for our government to get the first shipments of water to all the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Two Weeks! The city of New Orleans lost all semblance of law and order; police and fire workers choose not to show up for duty so they could keep their own families safe, riots and looting became commonplace, water and food became unavailable, mobs ruled the streets--shooting people for the few resources available.

And we watched it all on CNN and ABC news. People were fighting for their lives, the city was destroyed and underwater, and our own government was unable to correctly assess the situation and reestablish order until many needlessly died. Now, imagine an event of this type happening on a larger scale. Imagine a bio genetically created disease ravaging the populace--swine-flu, how much help do you think you're going to get?

My goal is to provide you with the things you need; the tools, knowledge, tips, techniques, and strategies, to give you and your family the best chance of surviving an event of this nature. You need to be prepared--your life, and the life of everyone you love, may depend on how well you can imagine the worst case scenario, and choose that should you will be ready, no matter what.

It's up to you--make that choice, and decide that you need to take a serious look at the world around you, and have a plan in place if the shit hits the fan. If you don't . . . well, the future may be much different then you could ever imagine.