Being Prepared

:Being Prepared:

The economy on this planet is going to shit; it’s a fact of life. Europe has “solved” there debt crisis, but only by breaking their own EU constitutional rules… The EU has essentially done what the US keeps doing and that is to keep putting off their responsibilities on the next generation of leaders. Kicking the can of responsibility down the road and it is just getting fuller of debt and major issues that will make a day of serious reckoning inevitable. The economy is about as predictable as an earthquake, and just as deadly. Precious metals have hit their maximum and at this point will only go down. Let there be no doubt in you’re mind if our economy collapses gold and silver will have value, but the people who are prepared with food, water and most importantly weapons will survive and dictate policy.

I am not endorsing highway robbery as a means to survival, but others might and if you can’t protect yourself and you’re family those who are using a strong and violent offensive policy won’t care; they also won’t settle for you “paying” them off with a precious metal when they can shoot you and take whatever they want. This is a worst case scenario, but when the shit hits the fan you won’t have the luxury of betting on the police or the good nature of people saving you. It’s a grim reality, but if you look at past events from everything to revolutions in countries to natural disasters like in New Orleans with Katrina people only follow law and order when law and order controls them. I heard a saying a long time ago that really holds true, “Civilization is only skin deep” and that is the God honest truth.

Having provisions and a plan for a worst case scenario is you’re best bet of survival and safety. If you have friend or family with a remote home or cabin you will stand a better chance of survival there than you will in a city or a suburb. Cities and suburbs are bad locations to shelter in place for long periods of time for many reasons, but I will list a couple for example purposes. In a military train of mind cities are targets of massive opportunity, a target rich environment for a military to hit with strategic weapons or to plunder for resources and provisions. In the short term cities have a higher population density and no real place to hide out. There will be many people running out of all life sustaining foods, water and medicine and they will not be prepared and immediately resort to violence and theft as a means to survive.

When something catastrophic happens time will be of the essence more than people know. Reacting fast and relocating to a more secure rural environment can mean the difference between life and death. Evacuating to a secure location needs to be a decision already planned out and kept on “ice” (in case of emergency) People who are not prepared will want to come with you or be interested in were you are going. DO NOT TELL THEM or tell them a different location. If you want to survive in the new world you need to have you’re priorities straight which unfortunately does not translate to most peoples ideal concepts of morality and human ethics.

My priorities can appear aggressive in nature, but there is truth to the saying that the best defense is a strong offense. You can have all of the food and water and medicine you need to survive, but if you can’t protect yourself from being robbed or killed then it does you absolutely no good at all. This paragraph will out my recommendations for weaponry in an event requiring you to “bug out”. These selections will reflect my experience with these weapons, commonality of parts and availability of ammunition currently and theoretically in a shortage.

-Rifles:

-The AR-15: Battle tested weapon still used in variants by many militaries across the world. Large availability of ammo and parts. Excellent at short to medium range (300-400 yards w/o extensive training) does require maintenance if fired a lot or gets dirty, if neglected can foul weapon causing misfire or jam rendering weapon inert.  

-The AK-47: The most mass produced weapon on the planet, used in every major conflict in some form since the Korean War. Ammo is fairly common and about a third of the cost of AR15 ammo, and the base price for the gun is usually around half that of an AR as well. The AK-47 is much more durable and able to withstand long periods of neglect and fire without issue. I wouldn’t trust this weapon at anything more than 100 yards for accuracy reasons. I know that it is accurate at more than that, but from experience I wouldn’t bet on more than that for a rookie operator.

-Shotguns:

-Remington 870: A battle and time tested shotgun, relatively inexpensive and infinitely reliable. Comes in multiple gauges, but I own and recommend the 12 gauge express version of this gun. Short barrel ideal for close combat, not recommend for long range attack, but if you are at range, my advice is to lay low and avoid confrontation at every chance; thus limiting you’re exposure to injury/death along with family or other innocents in you’re group.   

-Handguns:

-Glock’s:, is really all I need to say. Confidently I can say they are the most common weapon. The 9mm models such as the Glock 17,19 & 26 are some of the best selling handguns in existence and 9mm is probably the most common handgun bullet on the planet. In my opinion though the 9mm lacks power and range that bigger bullets possess. My glock favorites are the .45 & .40 caliber models; both are stronger rounds than the 9mm and bring more intimidation than a 9mm.

-1911: The .45ACP bullet provides stopping power and brute intimidation. Not as common at glock and 9mm ammo, but if you can stockpile .45ACP ammo this weapon would benefit you greatly in a combat situation. This 1911 is a Kimber Tactical with a flashlight on it. Having a flashlight attached to you're weapons gives you the edge of having both hands free, but it also allows for people to see you and know which direction you're weapon is pointed.

There are many more weapons out there to choose from, but the ones listed above are proven weapons and available on a mass scale which are elements you want in a scenario in which you need to depend on them.

Typical Contents of a Bug-Out Bag

The suggested contents of a bug-out bag vary, but most of the following are usually included:

• Enough food and water to last for seventy two hours. This includes:
• 1 gallon of water per person per day, for washing, drinking and cooking.
• Non-perishable food.
• Water purification supplies.
• Cooking supplies.
• Cutlery and cups/dishes.
• A first aid kit.
• Fire starting tool (i.e. matches, ferrocerium rod, lighter, etc.) I keep one of each
• A disaster plan including location of emergency centers, rallying points, possible evacuation routes etc.
• Professional emergency literature explaining what to do in various types of disaster studied and understood before the actual disaster but kept for reference.
• Maps and travel information.
• Standard camping equipment, including sanitation supplies.
• Weather appropriate clothing (poncho, headwear, gloves, etc.)
• Bedding items such as sleeping bags & blankets.
• Enough medicine to last an extended evacuation period.
• Pet, child and elderly care needs.
• Battery or crank operated Radio. Shortwave should always be included with the radio, but there getting harder to find in the states, wonder why?
• Lighting (battery or crank operated flashlight, glow sticks). solar charger is also a good idea
• Firearms and appropriate ammunition.
• Crowbar (weapon, building and vehicle entry, etc.)
• Cash and change, as electronic banking transactions may not be available during he initial period following an emergency or evacuation.
• Barter Items like precious metals and reusable items that you have extra of and are light
• Fixed-blade or folding knife.

Time to catch up with Matt

So it’s time for a catch up blog. A lot has happened since the last time I blogged substantially.

1. I got married to an awesome woman.
2. Our puppy is really not a puppy anymore (6mo & 42lbs).
3. I got an amazing motorcycle from a friend who was in a tough spot.
4. I have started on my thesis to free me from the trials of grad school.

1. Let’s talk about our wedding. Don’t get me wrong I love my family, but as anyone knows families drive people the most insane. For all intensive purposes I have like 4 sets of people that represent my parents. Obviously my mother and my father (biological) are my parents, but others have stepped up when needed to earn an honorary title. Having said that that brings so many different sets of expectations to a wedding. I have developed a little equation to explain. So I have 4 sets of people (2) per set which makes 8 people -1 because my mom is single so now we are at 7. Since most people are hypocrites so they say 1 thing, but actually want another that makes for 2 points of view/ expectation per person… So if you can keep up we are at 7x2=14. That is 14 different expectations and desires for 2 only children getting married. First off you can’t make everybody happy, but really in this case I didn’t think we were going to make anyone happy… Except for 2 people, but we don’t need to get into that… This is polite company of course. My biggest advice/ regret are that my lovely wife and I didn’t just elope. We thought our wedding turned out well, but we (my in-laws and Dad/his wife) dumped so much money into the wedding that they (Kate and I) wanted to just get a check and be done with it. We could have been well on our way to owning a house if it wasn’t for the expectations of family, who in reality didn’t enjoy themselves and left after only 3 hours. It was very frustrating because it meant the party was costing $5000 an hour…. At that rate we could have been handing out party favors filled with narcotics. To anyone reading this blog who is planning a wedding, don’t go all out and spend a fortune, it’s really not that big of a deal and if you think it is you are a diva (girl) or a homo if you are a guy. In the words of my father, “It really doesn’t matter, because you are no more married at the end of the day”. I think that quote rings true, so really think about what you and you’re spouse want before you spend tens of thousands of dollars on peoples expectations; because in reality you’ll not only not meet them, but you’ll be a lot more poor for trying.

2. Our puppy. AVA. First off she is probably one of the best dogs I know. I have known many dogs in my life, many of them were amazing, but I don’t think I have found a pup as smart, cute and affectionate as ours. For 6 months old she is super intelligent, ornery, but playful and eats like a champ. I am pretty sure that she’d eat a beer can if she had the opportunity; for sure though if it was filled with beer. We had some disappointment with our first dog, but lessons we learned made us all the more ready to raise Ava as well as we have been able to.  Since we have returned from the honeymoon we have been working on obedience and walking. For a “puppy” she is awfully strong and we have had to get a walking assist harness for her since she is pulling so hard when walking. She took off after something the other night and damn near dislocated my right arm. She has made a lot of progress though; I had expressed a desire for Ava to be out of her cage at night thus if someone broke in they’d be met with a mouth full of teeth, then a 12 gauge. Ava makes for a great guard dog already and she is 4 for 4 of nights being out of her cage with no bathroom or chewing accidents. She really blows me away with her disposition being such a young dog. We are still working on swimming, but we’ll get there. Ava has also discovered fire, yes I said fire. She is greatly enthralled by its presence and will gaze at it for hours… Well really minutes then she falls asleep in front of it. Over all she is an awesome dog with no where, but up to go!

3. My motorcycle. 2008 Suzuki Blvd M50 Limited. It’s a great bike and my first so the fact that it’s a cruiser and not a crotch rocket will probably benefit me in the long run for experience and safety. It has 805cc’s and a scary amount of low end torque due to the fact that it is shaft driven. I have joined up with a group of riders in Cincinnati that are very god riders and have a lot to offer to a new rider like myself. Just from hanging out with them, watching, and riding with them I have learned more than I thought I would in years. I took my motorcycle test at the BMV in Lebanon the other day and a test that multiple people I know have failed a number of times, I actually past on my first time through; surprising I know. Now that I am a fill endorsed motorcycle rider in the state of Ohio I feel a lot more confident in my riding skill, but never ride faster than you’re angel can fly, and never ride outside of you’re ability. A lot things kill people on motorcycles, but a majority of the time it’s people in other cars and if a rider is consuming alcohol, or if a rider is pushing the envelope and goes just a millimeter over the edge. Since I am ever vigilant in watching people in other cars and I don’t drink and ride (not even one beverage), and I ride within my ability I believe that I stand a much better chance on the roads than most. For everyone out there, ride safe and drivers of all vehicles look twice for motorcycles.

4. My thesis. After 7 years of higher education I am ready to be done. I have thus begun the month’s process of compiling and completing a final thesis for my Master’s in Public History. It is no small feat to take a task like this on, but I feel ready to attempt it. My institution is staffed with some of the best faculty I have ever had the privilege of working with. The institution in which my thesis pieces are housed is a slightly different story. They are a group a great guys, but I believe they have too much on their plate when it comes to have a MA thesis done in their facility. The scale that they want/expect requires some level of attention from their and they have hardly shed candle light on the area of interest, when they need spotlights worth of assets to assist in the execution of the project. I am trying to give them a wide berth till they finish their major project which is much larger in scale and financial need than me or my project and I understand that, but in my opinion, don’t advertise a need for MA students and accept them when you can’t provide for a thesis done in you’re facility.

That is all.

The best

I have the best wife ever! :-)

Wife after 12 hours in the car

Why I love Kate; she still has a sense of humor after driving for 12 hours

Puppy love

Our Ava on the couch!

Don't interrupt me please

Previously I had mentioned that few things irritate me beyond all belief. Liberals, Obama, the state of Illinois and people who freaking interrupt me when I am trying to help them. I understand that when people are excited or have questions about something they want to talk, but when you ask someone a question to which you do not know the answer shut the f*&$ up when you want a response. I had someone today ask me a question and then cut me off 5 times in the span of me responding with one sentence. If you already know the answer then why speak to me?

Speaking of awesome conversations today I had a lady call me and request a stuffed eagle for a church ceremony. First off, what kind of church needs a stuffed eagle? Second, wth are they doing with it?

My response was, "Wait a sec ma'am I am going to transfer you to our stuffed eagle dept."

This is just one of many outstanding examples of comical calls I get from day to day! More to come!

Unconditional Love

I have a horrible confession to make and that is that certain foods wreck my insides. For instance, yesterday I was trying to be a good fiance by eating left overs out of the fridge. Well in my crusade against left overs I came up against about of pound of delicious maple cured baked beans. I devoured them with extreme prejudice without forethought of the consequences. Hours later my tummy started a rumbling and I began to feel some pressure. I have now been suffering for hours with the worst gas I have every had PERIOD. I mean I have had bad gas before, but I seriously thought I may die. I kept running to the bathroom and outside trying to save my soon to be wife from a painful biological weapon grade death. She claimed with great zest that she still loves me anyway. A woman that can handle that proves her Unconditional Love for me cause I could hardly stand myself last night.

Moral of the story is take a handful of beano before nomming a pound of beans. Or people will end up like this cow.