Poor Man Prepper

Archive for May, 2012

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:11 — 31.3MB)

Episode 56:  Forget The Tea Party, How About The Lemonade Party?…

Show Summary:

Instead of a Tea Party, I propose a Lemonade Party.  This party would consist of American’s selling lemonade in front of their homes as a testament of true American capitalism.  You see, most cities and municipalities in this country frown upon Americans taking part in capitalism.

Why?  In order to operate a lemonade stand in these cities and municipalities, one would would need a business license.  And be subjugated to a host of inspections so that bureaucrats can be seen doing a job(s) that is wholly unneeded or wanted.  All in the guise of safety and security.

That is very uncapitalistic by the way.  Encumbering a business person with fees and inspections means less money towards business investments and developments.  These new ventures could possibly allow employers to hire more people and make a dent in unemployment.  And these new hires could be tasked with keeping the business in top operating form, including the responsibility of ensuring that the products and services that are offered are safe and reliable.

Of course American citizens, after all, cannot be trusted with such responsibilities.  To intrust American citizens with such responsibilities would encourage individuality and self-reliance.  Attributes that our politicians and bureaucratic keepsakes would much prefer us not to practice as their positions would eventually be seen as nonessential and therefore unneeded.  And that would mean salaries and pensions that the taxpayer would no longer need to pay to such nonessential and unneeded personal.

So, my fellow Americans let’s have our Lemonade Party.  As a testament to true capitalism and as a protest of the current uncapitalistic status quo.  Until we stand together against this bureaucratic nonsense, our future generations will languish with little prosperity.

Show Topics And Links:

• The Lemonade Party

• John Stossel-Illegal Everything

• The race up the mountain top

• Who wins-our American ancestors from the past

• Who loses-the current generations and future generations if nothing is done

Later,

Lat Cozad

poormanprepper.com

latcozad@poormanprepper.com

Please subscribe on iTunes and join my email notification list on my website.  Also, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:53 — 36.5MB)

Episode 55:  Worst Case Scenario-It Hits The Fan-You Are At The Retreat(Part 4)…

Show Summary:

First things first.  Yesterday’s show was not great because I got rushed and I was worried about time.  So, today I will be more precise in my presentation on what I’m trying to accomplish with this podcast.  And in future podcasts for this site, I’m going to include a brief summary of what this particular show is all about before I start the podcast.  With all that being said, it’s time to get to the subject matter of today’s show and this series.

I generally want the listener of this “You Are At The Retreat” series to think about their retreat location and consider possibilities at that location if there was a SHTF incident.  In doing so, I am diving into the realm of the hypothetical in an attempt to bring out as many ideas that could possibly affect how a person(s) react to a SHTF event while at the retreat/bug out location.

Now, some people might not have considered a retreat location at all and simply decide to stay in place and shelter at that location until better times arrive.  That of course, is the decision of the individual and every situation is different.

But if a person lives in an urban environment where people are practically living on top of each other, I would highly suggest making plans to get the hell out of Dodge in case a SHTF event happens in your area of operation.  In my humble estimation that would be a prudent course action if such an unfortunate event ever happened.

And that my friends is where I screwed up yesterday as I included a means of escape in an urban environment section to the podcast.  I thought since we had our maps out yesterday, that is would be a good idea to mark possible routes for egress in your retreat environment.  Honestly, I should have saved that for a different podcast entirely.  Sorry about the confusion.

Okay, so today we are going to be diving back into hypothetical land and discussing refugees and crime.  In today’s conversation I’m going to present possible ideas that could be presented and I am going to ask how these problems can be dealt with and if there are other options to consider.  So hold on, buckle down, and let’s get the show started.

Show Topics And Links:

Before Show Starts-This Is What I Would Suggest

• Pen and paper to write down your own list

• A map of your retreat area-wherever you plan on living/making a stand

• If you do not have a PC or internet connection of your own, use your local libraries facilities, or ask a friend for help

• Remember this a thought experiment/brainstorming session in an effort to come up with ideas in case a SHTF situation occurs

Today’s What If Thought Experiment:  Refugees And Crime

Refugees:

• I pointed out during my first podcast on this subject that refugees could be pouring into your retreat area and could be a problem, especially if you live close to an urban area

• The question is this-What would you do if you had refugees showing up at your doorstep?

• Would feed them and provide them with shelter if possible?

• What if they would not go away?  What would do?

• Remember, depending on the crisis, you do not know when societal order could be restored

• Hopefully, refugee facilities have been constructed for temporary housing until permanent housing could be made available

• I know, I know, the FEMA camps right?  Well people who have heard about these might have some ideas about this particular accommodation and stray away from Federal government help, and hence end up at your door step.  I do not know if there are legitimate concerns about these camps or if this is simply hysteria.  But anyway, I would probably expect some traffic coming through your area if there is some semblance of civilization and refugees head towards it because of the practicality of perceived safety.

• If you have a community of people, what do you think they would do?  Having a plan before hand would be advisable here

Crime:

• Would people take advantage of a breakdown of epic proportions?  Oh, bet on it!

• Consideration of where prisons and jails in your area of operation would be prudent

• Expect rioting once the current system breaks down in a SHTF event

• Law enforcement and other civil services would be stressed to deal with such an event

• Organized gangs and organized crime would be ideally situated to take advantage of the chaos

• Obviously firearms and self defense training would be advisable as a precursor to “bad days”

• Would frontier justice make a come back?

• Consider helping local law enforcement out(Sheriff’s Department)

Later,

Lat Cozad

www.poormanprepper.com

latcozad@poormanprepper.com

Please subscribe on iTunes and join my email notification list on my website.  Also, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Poor Man Prep Video 5-29-2012

Basic Prep

Basic Prep Items:

1. Instant Oates:  2 boxes = $3.20

2. Rice:  1 1 lb bag = .80 cents

3. Spaghetti:  1 box = $1.10

4. Water:  2 gallons = $1.80

5. Total Basic Prep For Today:  $5.24 before taxes

6. Surplus For Week = $4.76 cents

7. Surplus For Year = $11.04

Later,

Lat Cozad

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:37 — 35.4MB)

Episode 54:  Worst Case Scenario-It Hits The Fan-You Are At The Retreat(Part 3)…

Show Topics And Links:

Before Show Starts-This Is What I Would Suggest

• Pen and paper to write down your own list

• A map of your retreat area-wherever you plan on living/making a stand

• If you do not have a PC or internet connection of your own, use your local libraries facilities, or ask a friend for help

• Remember this a thought experiment/brainstorming session in an effort to come up with ideas in case a SHTF situation occurs

More Talk About Terrain, Man Made Structures, And Land Marks…

• Enough talk about Craig County today

• In your recon of your area what did you discover?

• Other items of interest that should probably be should be identified

1. Hospitals(critical care units, ER facilitates, outpatient clinics, outpatient surgery)

2. Town halls, community centers, civic centers, convention centers, schools

3. Sporting arenas, fields, race tracks

4. Nuclear fall out shelters

5. National guard units and other reserve units

6. Airports(both large and small)

7. Public transportation including school bus yards/facilitates as well(remember Katrina)

8. Utilities:  Nuclear(remember Fukushima Daiichi), damns, water reservoir, water storage, gas/propane storage

9. Lakes

10. Docks and boat rentals

11. Grocery stores, super markets, and convenience stores

12. National Forest and parks

13. Amusement parks

14. Libraries(before hand for research)

Means Of Escape In Urban Environments During A SHTF Event

• We already talk about sewers(last-ditch usage for emergencies only)

• How about trails, bike paths, green ways(we have them here in Gastonia, NC-story here)

• Side streets from made roads

• Utility right of ways

• Railroads

• And waterways like canals, streams, creeks, and rivers

• Yes, identify before hand bad areas that should be avoided in an emergency situation(this is not racists or racial profiling)-these areas can usually be identified by looking at your local newspapers crime reports-locate the address on a map, keep a record and you will eventually be able to identify the worst areas in your community due to the high reports of crime for that area

• Prominent buildings, land marks, or other made structures like cell phone towers or radio towers can be used for orientation while on foot(a GPS unit might also be helpful as well)

Later,

Lat Cozad

www.poormanprepper.com

latcozad@poormanprepper.com

Please subscribe on iTunes and join my email notification list on my website.  Also, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:20 — 31.4MB)

Image curtsey of Reata McDonald

Episode 53:  Memorial Day Special-Thank You For Your Service…

This is special episode since today is Memorial Day.  During today’s episode I am going to mention past wars that American Services members have fought in and that most people have forgotten.  Some of these wars people would like to forget ever existed at all since they were unpopular and caused so much pain.

But we cannot forget the ultimate price that so many service members paid to ensure our freedom.  So that I can write on my PC at this moment in the comfort of my apartment.  And even though I do not agree with war as an end to a political means, I do understand the necessity to protect and defend the nation from foreign and domestic threats.

On a day that most Americans are cooking out in their backyards, I ask this.  Please do not forget about the service members that are serving abroad and are unable to be with their families in the country that are trying to protect.  Please take a moment today to remember all of our services who have fallen in the line of duty and those that are still alive, but are scarred mentally and physically during their time in the service for this nation.

Show Topics And Links:

• Holding off on the worst case scenario episode because today is Memorial Day

• Reminder of what Memorial Day is for and why it was created

• Our service members have been in all sorts engagements and wars since the establishment of this country

• Do not forget that our service members have fallen in engagements that are now mostly forgotten

1. War of 1812(1812-1815)

2. Mexican–American War(1846-1848)

3. Spanish–American War(1898)

4. World War 1(American involvement-1917-1918)

5. Korean War(1950-1953)

• Sometimes we would like to forget the tragic wars that we fought all together

1. American Civil War(1861-1865)

2. American Indian Wars

3. Vietnam War(1965-1975)

• The military service has been involved in a host of other small conflicts throughout its history where service members have spilled their blood on foreign soil

• Finally, the military is an extension of the political arm of this country-The military does not act separately and most conflicts are the result of a political decision

• Is it not time to finally bring our service members home and call a cease-fire to war?

• Whatever your political leaning goes towards-consider this quote

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
–George Orwell–

Later,

Lat Cozad

Image curtsey of Reata McDonald.

Photo Curtsey Of Petr Kratochvil

California is in bad shape.  How bad?  How about 16 billion dollars and counting bad.  Now the new/old Governor Jerry Brown wants to close this behemoth budget deficit with a “temporary” tax hike.

Curtsey of Bloomberg Businessweek

The Democratic governor wants voters to approve the temporary tax increases in November as part of what he described as a series of steps to help California recover from the recession without deeper cuts to education and social services.

Under the Democratic governor’s initiative, California would temporarily raise the sales tax by a quarter-cent and increase the income tax on people who make $250,000 or more a year.

The article does state that California would be “making the tough cuts,” and work on making changes to public pension plans.  In California, good luck with that.  The rest of the article can be found here.

I am not a  fan of taxes.  This is because I have a Libertarian soul and I believe in little or no taxes with limited regulations on business. The few times that I actually would agree to a tax is when there is a critical societal need.  Whatever that need is would have to be determined before the tax even comes close to being proposed.

However, I propose that tax could only be passed by a huge majority.  I am talking about 80%-90% land here.  Yes, this sounds absurd, but I believe that taxes are a bane upon society.  In my estimation, a tax is an extraordinary measure that needs a consensus from a large majority in a society before implementation.

Taxes steal from the current generation and later generations as well.  Why?  Because the revenue from tax receipts goes towards spending. Usually the kind of spending that eventually leads to deficits.

Another questions here.  How often are state funded projects completed on time and within budget guidelines?  Very seldom indeed.

Deficits lead to more spending, usually in the form of issued bonds that are promised to be paid upon maturity.  More debt in the system with tax revenues unable to keep up with the spending.  And you end up with a 16 billion dollar budget deficit.  Leaving future generations on the hook for the mistakes made by the current and past generations.

All of that being said, I raise this question.  How often are taxes temporary?  During the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression the Governor of the most prosperous state in the US wants the impede that economy even further by raising taxes.  Never mind the ridiculous restrictions already placed on the residences of the state.

The concept of temporary taxes is pure idiocy.  Kicking public unions out of government would significantly help with reducing the budget.  Once that burden is gone, California would have a fighting chance to balance their budget.  I hope Californians vote against temporary taxes this November.

Later,

Lat

Sources:

Bradley R. Schiller. 2012. LATimes.com. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/13/opinion/la-oe-schiller-california-is-bad-for-business-20120313(accessed May 27, 2012).

Photo Curtsey Of Petr Kratochvil

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:28 — 34.3MB)

Episode 52:  Worst Case Scenario-It Hits The Fan-You Are At The Retreat(Part 2)…

Show Topics And Links:

Before Show Starts-This Is What I Would Suggest

• Pen and paper to write down your own list

• A map of your retreat area-wherever you plan on living/making a stand

• Remember this a thought experiment/brainstorming session in an effort to come up with ideas in case a SHTF situation occurs

• I am approaching this scenario in the context that the citizens of Craig County are at least communicating with each other and developing some kind of plan on how deal with a new normal

Craig County, VA

 Geography/Terrain/Population/Roads

• Craig County-Estimated population:  5,208

• County seat is New Castle, VA

• Location is at the Eastern slope of the Appalachian mountains

• Roughly half the county is National Forest

• Borders West Virginia

• Mountains with valleys

• Main thoroughfares are Routes 311, 42, and 615

• Main waterway is Craigs Creek, with several smaller creeks, streams, and brooks that run throughout the county

• Problems with communication could be a problem with other parts of the county because of the distance and the isolation due the mountainous environment

• Population areas that are close/borders with Craig County

1. Roanoke County-Cities of Salem, Roanoke, and Vinton-Estimated population for the county:  92,389

2. Montgomery County-Cities of Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and Radford-Estimated population for the county:  94,531

3. Montgomery County also has two large universities located within its borders-Virginia Tech University and Radford University-Number of students present during school year-undergrad and graduate combined:  VT-30,936 and Radford-10,390

4. Alleghany County-City of Covington-Estimated population for the county:  16,228

5. Botetourt County-Cities and Towns-Dalevillie, Fincastle-Estimated population for the county:  33,165

6. Giles County-County seat-Pearisburg-Estimated population for the county:  17,286

7. Monroe County, WV-County seat is Union-Estimated population for the county:  13,493

• Main thoroughfares

1. Interstate 81 runs through Roanoke County heading northeast

2. Interstate 64 runs through Alleghany County running from East to West, through Covington, VA

3. Route 460 runs through Montgomery County and Giles county into West Virginia

• Main waterways(Why include waterways-Main thoroughfares in the past)

1. New River-Runs in a curve heading Southeast and then moving Southwest-Starts in West Virginia, runs through Giles County and Montgomery County and heads towards North Carolina

2. Roanoke River-Runs West to Southeast-Starts in Southwest Virginia and runs into North Carolina and empties into the Atlantic Ocean

3. James River-Runs from West to East-Starts In Alleghany mountains and runs through Botetourt County heading east and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean

Yes, I’m going to need to use several podcasts to cover all of this.

Later,

Lat Cozad

www.poormanprepper.com

latcozad@poormanprepper.com

Please subscribe on iTunes and join my email notification list on my website.  Also, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Bank runs seems to be the order of the day in Europe.  I am keeping tabs on this.  Here is a video about bank trouble in Spain.

Video curtsey of PressTVGlobalNews YouTube channel.

Later,

Lat

Photo Curtsey Of Brian Henry

Hey Folks,

Imagine the apocalyptic event that shifts society towards the extreme.  The extreme being a societal breakdown that takes humanity years to recover from.  Most people probably are not prepared for such an event, at all.

These extreme events are rare indeed.  But there has been mass extinction events that have happened throughout the course of history on this rock that we call Earth.  Dinosaurs anybody?

Honestly, a person can not be totally prepared for every circumstance.  Why?  Because who can plan for every contingency out there or has the time to do so?  There is an old military axiom from Federick The Great, “He who defends everything defends nothing.”  The same applies to all of us in the prepper/survival community.

However, placing some kind of thought to the SHTF(Shit Hits The Fan) scenario could at least provide an educational benefit towards our prepper goals.  This is why we think and plan for possible contingencies, and in the case of a SHTF event, the improbable.

This is the beauty of the thought experiment, or brainstorming if you prefer.  Placing ideas on a list that details possible SHTF scenarios puts the concepts into context.  From that list a person can use their imagination and intellect to envision what a SHTF event would possibly look like.

No, a volcano will probably not emerge in your backyard tonight.  But it has happened in the past.  The question is what would you do if such an event happened?  Get the hell out of Dodge?  Oh, bet on it.

Unless you like having a lava stream running beside your house.  I’m sure your neighbors would love it!  Your residence would be all the rage in your community.  At least, as long as it remained intact and not buried by ash and stones spewed forth by your newest backyard decoration.

Of course I jest.  But if the improbable did happen, wouldn’t a bug out bag and plan be fitting for a disaster.  If a person values their life and family, I would go with a most enthusiastic YES!

Later,

Lat Cozad

Sources:

Frederick II. BrainyQuote.com, Xplore Inc, 2012. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/f/fredericki140989.html, accessed May 27, 2012.

Photo Curtsey Of Brian Henry

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:29 — 24.2MB)

Episode 51:  Worst Case Scenario-It Hits The Fan-You Are At The Retreat(Part 1)…

Show Topics And Links:

SHTF-Setting The Stage:

• Thought experiment-pure and simple-chances of this happening are slim, but should be discussed

• This is not about fear-just thinking out loud

• All that I am doing is airing out what could potentially happen if a SHTF moment occurred while I was located at the retreat

• I am going to use my home state of Virginia as an example and the retreat location-Craig County

• We are going to discuss a range of contingencies

• I am not going to discuss the why?

• Why?  To many possibilities

• We will discuss terrain, resources, supplies, communications, community, hunting, fishing, skills in general, and a host of other ideas that pops into my mind during this experiment

• I hope this helps other people to prepare

  

  Craig County, VA

The Thought Experiment:

• This is a trip into hypothetical land

• The listening audience-I would like for you to think about your home state, county, city, town and envision this same scenario happening on the footsteps of your homes

• Get a piece of paper or make mental notes-try to list what makes your home unique

• Also, I would suggest using a map of your home area while listening to this podcast

• This way you can located possible strengths and weakness in your area

• I will also be referring specifically towards physical landmarks in Craig County-so a map of Craig County might be necessary while listening to this podcast so that you understand what I am referring to during the podcast

• I also will be talking about Craig County as a whole, because I as community, the citizens that live in the county will have a far higher chance of survival if they work together during a crisis situation

• Will start the thought experiment during the next podcast

Later,

Lat Cozad

www.poormanprepper.com

latcozad@poormanprepper.com

Please subscribe on iTunes and join my email notification list on my website.  Also, I’m on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.