Flick that light switch, will ya?

As we pass through the kitchen, we grab the remote and turn on the evening news.
The talking head is announcing more trouble for the storm stricken central states, a whiny voice comes on and squeaks about not having any power and the 'when is the government going to help us?' refrain is chanted by several in ten second sound bites.
We think about our preps as we continue to the garage, decide to make a check on what's out there.
Beside the house entry door is the fire extinguisher- we check the date, even though we know it was refreshed just last month. The blast of cold air hits our face as we walk in- air temp is nearly ten below because we don't heat the garage and the reason we don't store canned foods or water out here.
We flick the light switch and close the door, stop and look around. Beside the door we see the glow of the rechargeable flashlight hanging on the wall. A comforting tool on a dark night.
Is there any clutter that will trip us up or block passage if we need to move around at night? Are there any unusual smells- propane or natural gas, smoke, rotting meat (dead mice or a cat that strayed in and died), hot electrical wire smells? Is the door completely sealing or is there snow and ice holding it above the apron? Any way for someone to get a good sized lever under it?
In a small section to one side we have our dried food preps, sealed in air tight five gallon containers and hidden in the little room we built especially to hide from prying eyes and little fingers. Beans, peas, lentils, spaghetti and macaroni, sauce mixes, powdered milk, dehydrated fruits and veggies, soup mixes, jerky, egg powder (ISHKA! talk about overseas flights at night- horrid breakfasts of powdered eggs cooking fill the fuselage!)- you get the idea: nothing with liquid. Stacked neatly against the wall is our supply of toiletries: T.P., soaps, toothpaste, floss, laundry soaps, paper towels (a few rolls, anyway; I like shop towels best).
Our BugOutBags are packed and ready, easy to grab and run with or throw in the trunk. We check the straps, open one, insure it's been refilled from the last practice run when we camped out last fall.
Our gunsafe is still locked: open it and check a couple weapons for hints of moisture. Ammo, too. Any rust or mold on lead bullets, discoloration of the brass? Good- we know it's solid. Lock it up and continue our inspection.
Tucked under the workbench is our generator. When was the last time you checked it? Did it run well? Was there clean and proper amount of oil in the crankcase? Tank full? Battery charged? Was the pull-start rope in good condition? Give it a slow pull and check again. Are the extension cords with it? (We do not run our gennie in the garage: keep it ten feet or more from the house walls to prevent exhaust from filling a room or getting in through the soffitt vents.) A few minutes run time to test won't be drastic, but no more. And open the door to get fresh air.
A word on extension cords: don't get the cheapie 16 gauge wired ones. We need as little impedance as we can get, so go with larger wire, 12 or 10 gauge, especially the longer ones. On the gennie- get the best you can afford, but don't scrimp on Watt output. A 2500W gennie will barely run a skilsaw. Go at least 5500W capacity for any kind of multiple equipment use, such as fridge or freezer and some lighting, the TV and furnace. In gennies, diesel motors are king. They last longer, run more efficiently and the fuel doesn't deteriorate as rapidly as gasoline. But it will be expensive. Again, let your pocketbook and perceived needs be your guide. (A good source for gennies is http://www.northerntool.com/ and they ship world wide. Actually, they are a good source for many prepper items, so check them out.)
It's not recommended, but we have a few five gallon containers of gasoline at the juncture of wall and door and we shake them as we pass, insuring they're full. (Preferably, keep petroleum products in an old refrigerator or steel shed outside and away from the house/garage/shop. Yet I don't know anyone who doesn't have a full gas can sitting in their garage.)
Hanging on the wall on those cute little red hooks are our gardening and logging tools. No need to worry about them but we check for rust anyway.
Memories of pleasant summer evenings with the Clan gathered around laughing and chatting away fill our mind as we walk past the barbecue. We know how to use it, have plenty of briquettes and starter fluid (or LP tanks if that's your type), in case we really feel the need for a Super Bowl party Sunday. (Yep, I BBQ year round.) Not far away are a few armloads of firewood for the fireplace (or fire ring outdoors). Stacked against the back wall of the garage is that pile of wood we gathered from the blowdowns during last summer's windstorm.
Satisfied the house is secure, we return to the kitchen, open the fridge and grab a brew. As we twist the top off, we are glad we're set for nearly any incident that can befall our home. Our family is safe and snug as visions of touchdowns and party raucor fills our imagination.
The game goes on. Go Vikes.
Wait- they ain't playing this week end! Drat. Oh, well- nothing new.
Shy

Death Rattle of our current economic order

First, thanks for inviting me to join this endeavor, Shy Wolf.

My first entry will explain why we must start preparing now for what's to come.

Most people, my in-laws and many friends and family included, believe that Obama's fiscal "stimulus" plan will save us.

They think that a crisis caused by too much debt and credit can be solved by moving the bad debts onto the public's balance sheet (the bailouts), along with a jolt of government spending (the stimulus).

That's like trying to cure an alcoholic by giving him more booze. The government boondoggles will risk making the US government insolvent, and at the very least, put a crushing tax burden and inflationary environment onto our children's shoulders. A good web site with primers on this mess can be found here:
http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/

I also recommend: http://ashizashiz.blogspot.com/

The nail in the coffin is the proven fact that the world's oil output has peaked. That does NOT mean we are out of oil... Peak Oil theorists have never made that claim. There will always be more oil in the ground. The important question, though, is at what point the remaining oil becomes too difficult or energy-intensive to extract. There is a concept called ROEI, return on energy investment. If it takes more energy to drill, pump, extract and refine the oil than you get out of it, then it doesn't make economic sense to produce it. We've hit the point where energy production at most of the biggest, oldest oil fields around the world (Saudi Arabia, Mexico, etc.) has started to decline at startling rates.

Once the economy starts its pseudo-recovery due to the stimulus program, oil prices will shoot through the roof, snapping the American consumer in the ass like a wet gym towel.

The DEATH RATTLE of our economic system has come. In one last, futile effort that costs trillions of dollars, the powers that be are going to make the system breathe one last horrid shuddering breath, before it all comes crashing down.

Please see Dmitri Orlov's site for details on what to expect:
http://cluborlov.blogspot.com/

The conclusion: it's getting close to too late to start a serious prep (maybe). Or maybe we have another year or two as the stimulus package jolts the terminally ill economy one last time.

Start prepping now.

For those interested, I am started a new blog to document the the "death rattle" - maybe it's wasted effort, but at the least, I will post links to the latest data and best articles I can find on the subject. My new blog is here:
http://economicdeathrattle.blogspot.com

On that subject, everyone in my company just got an email saying that one of our biggest suppliers is going out of business suddenly, today, with 3 hours notice to their employees.

Foolishness Exhibit A

updated 5:05 p.m. CT, Thurs., Jan. 29, 2009

CADIZ, Ky. - Hundreds of thousands of ice storm victims hunkered down in frigid homes and shelters Thursday, expecting to spend at least a week without power and waiting in long lines to buy generators, firewood, groceries and bottled water... (emphasis mine)

...Utility companies in Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Arkansas and West Virginia warned that many of the estimated 1.3 million homes and businesses left without electricity wouldn't have power back before Saturday at the earliest, and at worst, as late as mid-February....

...We're buying up anything that we can eat cold," Tracie Augustinovich said...For heat, the couple were using a kerosene heater loaned to them by a friend — at least until the fuel runs out. When it does, she said, they would go to a shelter....

..."I'm sleeping in a car, which is just fine," Eason, 74, said. "There's nothing wrong with a car. Every couple of hours I turn it on, I let it run for 10 minutes and that keeps it pretty warm."...

...Tony Cipolla managed to keep warm by building a fire at his powerless home near Seneca Park in Louisville, cooking a pot of soup over a gas stove. But there wasn't a long-term plan (emphasis mine)for Cipolla and his two children, ages 5 and 9, if electricity wasn't soon restored....

...We expect it to take at least a week before all our customers are back in service, maybe longer in some areas," Entergy operations director Brady Aldy said in a statement...

Ladies and Gentlemen: I give you "Exhibit A" in why you should be a prepper.

And so it goes: one difficulty after another. One cold, hungry, homeless family after another. Two commonalities among them: all are heading for gov't sponsored housing and none of them were prepared.

Is this where you want to be?

So many 'environmentalist/Gaia' like to think 'mother earth', using the phrase to show a need to protect the planet, to pass their foolish laws on carbon emissions- without carbon, nothing lives on this planet, so WTF?- yet do not prepare for the most elemental, simple problems their 'mother' throws at them. Then their one hue and cry is for the nanny.gov to bail them out. Supply them with clean, sweet smelling dry clothes, tasty food, dry sleeping quarters.

What fools.

How much time did these people all have before this storm hit? How much preparing did they perform, showing love and concern for their families, themselves? How much would it have cost them to be prepared as to what it will cost them after, in home repairs alone?

Foolishness and laziness are the real problems these people have.

Foolishness because they did not prepare for the most simple of activities: maintaining a livable lifestyle in their homes. Lazy because to have thought about it and done it was too much bother. Foolishness because preparing for the Super Bowl was much more important than caring for their family. Speaking of the Super Bowl- how many know more about the Super Bowl than survival?

People are heading to shopping malls and hardware stores at the last moment to buy what they need. "The last 5500W generator," and the man was ecstatic to get it. What will it run? For a survival standard, 5500 Watt is the minimum of power.

"...anything we can eat cold..." and almost useless at warming the core to aide in keeping one warm. Why cold? No dual-fuel campstove? No propane campstove? No campfire making abilities or tools? There is absolutely no reason to go without something warm/hot in our diet at any time of year. Winter especially. A cup of hot broth, a cup of hot chocolate, a cup of hot coffee, a cup of soup, will go far in healing pangs of doubt in ability to survive. Yet they went without, eating little nutritionally worth while and, after that, head for gov't sponsored aide.

Do you see anything wrong in this picture?

Shy

Prepper Tea Bag Party

Be sure to get your tea bags in the mail to our non-illustrious prez and Congress and Senate critters by February 1.
Addy for Oberstar (8th District) is: Congressman James Oberstar
2365 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515

Any Klobuchar is: Senator Amy Klobuchar
302 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

Since Coleman and Frankenstein are still embattled in the election process, I imagine we can send a proxy tea bag to : Senator Harry Reid
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510


Let's get the message to our politicians we are fed up with their wasteful spending of our money and the irresponsible ways they are denigrating our nation, ignoring their constituents and blaspheming our Constitution.

Shy

Every BOB needs a BUG

Just a finishing touch on the DCB/GHB from the last post. We will have a small medical kit in our bag- bandaids, aspirin, etc.; some kind of refreshment-drink and food (comfort food, even); a flashlight- trying to keep this pack small since we will carry it with us almost continually. One item we should probably consider- if you're licensed to carry- is a small Back Up Gun. Something close to hand if we lose (God forbid!) our belt gun.

First, a disclaimer of sorts. I'm a 'Prepper' and want you to be a 'Prepper', too. (Hmmm, do I recall a commercial with that for a slogan?)

Disclaimer: I'm a prepper, not an expert. What I am describing is what, more or less, I am doing, not what everyone else should do. These are guidelines, only. Not the definitive answer to anything. Since these are what I am doing and how I perceive events to unfold, they are opinion- untested in the reality for the kinds of situations being discussed. My military background has taught me much, my on-going lifestyle taught me more. But only in how I would do what I need to do, not how everyone else should do it. Also, my prepping has always been accomplished with minimal expenditure. Always buy the best you can afford. However, just because it's a Corvette, doesn't mean it's the best for any situation. Ever try hauling firewood in a 'Vette? (Hopefully that gets the point across.) Also, though I was reared around firearms and love them, I am no expert on firearms. I say again: a Corvette may not be as practical as a station wagon or pickup truck. What works in my world, may not work for yours so add your input to your thinking.

Also: I do not, will not nor ever will accept responsibility for your actions. What you decide is upon you, not me. We're all adults here and can make up our own mind as well as be adult enough to accept responsibilities for our well being and that of those we are concerned with.

Clear as mud, right? You'll get the idea soon as you disagree with what I say, however.

(Chucklin' a bit as I write this.)
Now, on to the next phase of preparation.

On our way home, we stop and fill the gas tank: never allow it to get less than half full. Reason being: how far can you get on a half tank if you need to G.O.O.D at zero-dark-thirty and the tank is empty? (G.O.O.D is Get Out Of Dodge- an old cowboy expression, I guess, from the days when the lawmen rode horses after the bad guys.) Now, the tank is full. Good (the best good), head on home.
En route, we're thinking of just what it is we need to make a pit stop for. Cheese and wine for the football game tonight? (After all, the Vikes are gonna WHOMP on the Pack tonight, right? Yah, sure.)
Our home is our castle and as such, our point of refuge from the world. In some scenarios for the 'coming times' (which is how I will refer to what we dunno is gonna happen) people advocate heading for the boonies to a completely stocked, moat surrounded stone fortress of solitude. We will get there eventually. For now, we're at our current address, whether in large or small town or rural community. Here is where most of our preps will be.
Minnesota gets such a variety of weather, we can prepare for almost any natural occurrence: drought, heat wave, blizzard, tornado, flood, even earthquake (to a small degree). About all we won't concern ourselves with is hurricane or himacane. To the natural disasters, we're going to add just one man-made problem: intruders, from the lone thief taking our jewelry to the street gang Zombie invaders taking everything, including our lives.
As you park the car, check the house. How visible is it from the street? How is it laid out? What are the avenues of approach? How visible are they from the main windows, the doorway(s)? If you were a thief, how do you think you could enter unnoticed? Escape? Are there choke points you couldn't get past as a family group, where you'd be separated, possibly totally apart and, in confusion and darkness, be seriously jeopardized by this?
What about your fire escape plan? Got one? Is every family member aware of their duty(ies) during such an emergency? Who's going to grab the baby and diaper bag on the way out the smoke filled house? Who has the girls and who gets the boys? Who grabs the cell phone? Where do you meet?
No plan for that? Make a note and write it down to develop one. Got a plan? Look for loopholes and close them.
Going to the door- notice the shrubbery: any place for someone to hide, especially at night and where the yard/porch light does not strike? Check the yard for tracks: in snow it's easy, on grass not much more difficult. Do they belong to people who live here?
What kind of door is it? Steel? Wood? Wood core steel? Or a wood frame with lots of glass to let in the light? Part of the problem with 'keeping up with the Joneses' is that the Jones just like to spend money. Quite often spend it on the most impractical stuff they can find. Like big glass doors and windows. Aside from being energy inefficient, they're easy to bypass. Might be time to think of letting the Joneses do their thing, you do yours.
Inside the house: lock the door when you get in, drop your keys on the entry table and hang your coat in the closet, or on the wall rack. Nope. Pick those keys up and put them back in your pocket so you know where they are. Don't leave them laying where the kids can play with them or the pizza delivery boy pick them up. Near the door, in the closet or behind (when open) is a fire extinguisher: checked the test date lately? Is it of sufficient size to handle a medium electrical fire? is it an ABC (no, not Already Been Chewed, but wood-gas/chem/liquid-electrical) extinguisher? When was the last time you imagined using it? Do so now, keep these things fresh in your mind so there's minimal fussing around when needed. Are there a couple good flashlights there as well? (I like one in every room. Ditto with extinguishers, but I burn wood so it's almost mandatory.)
Walking through the house, thinking security. Are there windows left open during the day? Why? (If you're like me, cuz it gets hot and stuffy in the summer, of course. Not a good idea even in the country.) Checked the latches on them lately? The frames? Is the glass secure in them? How easy would it be for someone to get in them? Are there 'open' areas with no clutter? Consider putting plants or some furniture in front of them to slow someones progress. However- consider that furniture as concealment, possibly cover, for an intruder as well. (There's always a drawback to some things, isn't there?)
Does your home have a safe room? A secure room, steel doored with small window(s) where the family can gather in time of need? A room with a lockable door, phone for 9-1-1 calls? Is there a cell phone there? Any large furniture that can be placed in front of the door to retard entry? Are there a couple of flashlights available? A fire extinguisher or two? How about the self defense weapons? Are they within easy reach, loaded?
A note about calling 9-1-1 from a safe room: once entering a safe room during a home invasion/robbery and the police are called, no not leave the room, even after the police get there. Have a spare house key hanging on a stick or piece of wood you can pass to the police when they arrive- after insuring yourself it's the police. Let them clear the house for you.
Let's go to the kitchen for a snack now the house is safe.
What do you have for food preps? Got a week's worth of good nutrition for the whole family? No? Start there: take the food preps in small bites, like all preps. Unless you've got deep pockets, then you can get more. Buy what your family eats normally- unless it's Big macs and Pizza Hut. In that case, begin getting the gang on a good diet: meat an taters and s'ghetti and lots o' veggies and w-w-w-water. Set aside an area in your basement or walk-in cupboard, a spare room, whatever, and shelf it up. Start stocking some canned goods- things you eat every day. Rotate the stock as you go: First in-First out/FIFO rules.
Set aside one section for water. Quite often the dollar store in this area has cases (24 bottles) of water for a couple bucks. Get some: the average person uses about one gallon a day. As noted earlier, I don't drink water as a norm. Usually it's sport drinks and I find them by the case at two-fer-prices. Water is good for bathing and coffee, cooking and fishing. (We'll get into water purification later with SHTF scenarios.) A note about water: it's main enemies are oxygen and sunlight/light. Keep it darkened and pakages closed.
Again, stock what is normal for you. I like beans- lots- and soups. Give yourself quite a bit of leeway with dried foods, also, but have the water handy to prepare them.
MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) are a real Prepper item. Some people advocate having tons of the stuff on hand. It'll last for years and keep you alive. Who knows, you may even be able to get fat eating them, though I doubt it. At current prices, MREs are hard to find- most distributors are back ordered. Possibly due to a number of factors, the military using them is one. Other reasons may be that people are beginning to see the Prepper Light and are stocking up. If you can find them, they're good to have but not as primary diet. Mountain House is a real winner for MREs, are very tasty and can be stored til the next century if desired. Well, maybe not that long. We'll see when archaeologists dig up the remains of our civilisation. (Check the sidebar for MRE/Survival food links.) What we're looking for is about a 12 month supply of food on hand- just in case 'things' get really bad.
So for now, take a look around your castle. Is it a Keep? Or is it in need of some Prepper remodelling? If so, get at it. Remember s-l-o-w is good, no need to 'buy the store' unless you need to and can afford it.
Next issue, we're going to sneak a peek in the garage/playroom and see what we can come up with for home security. Then it'll be everyone's fave topic- unless something comes up to make guns more of an issue.

God bless, happy prepping.
Shy

Before there was TEOTWAWKI there was BOB...

Assuming many who come here are going to be as we all were at one time, Beginning Preppers, I'm going to begin with some acronyms so we're all on the same page. After all, if the terminology isn't specified, no one will know what the conversation is about.

Confession time for me: I've just recently become a 'prepper' in the global sense. I've been a survivalist since childhood (some are still telling me to grow up) and until getting on line and discovering there are others 'out there' with similar thoughts, I've had to learn a lot of terminology I didn't know existed. Much is taken from the military, which I do know a little about, but much is distinct to preppers.

Probably the best place to get a grasp of nearly every term a prepper will use is JWRawls' Survival Blog Dictionary- which is where I learned it. So, for your edification, here's the link: SurvivalBlog Dictionary.

Now... Since 'nothing extraordinary' has happened (yet) in the world other than a rapid fall of the stock market, turn-over of the Presidency, some fluctuations in the economy and the price of gas and commodities, some 'other world' warfare and a few governments going bankrupt, there's not much going on in our lives other than the normal day-to-day getting on with life type of stuff. And that's our starting point.

Our DCB, or Daily Carry Bag.

Being a freelance journalist, my 'office' is either the house or car, so I'm seldom far from lots of gear. Reading through the websites, you'll find each person has a differing view of what's important to carry, yet there's a commonality as well.

A Daily Carry Bag is those items you'll have with you all the time. Some keep them in hip/fanny packs or purses. Where you carry it is immaterial so long as you have it with you all the time. In it will be those items you perceive necessary to reach Point A (home) from Point B (where you are at that moment).

My camera pack carries about 40 pounds of camera and related gear and a small pocket has my 'emergency' supplies: a few bandaids, Purel sanitizer, some alcohol hand wipes, a book of matches, cell phone charger and some .38s in a ziploc bag. If I know I'll be 'in the field' for any hours, I have some candy bars in the pack and I really like jerky, and a bottle or two of sport drinks. (Another confession: I seldom drink water.)

It's on my person most my BOB is carried: .38 snubbie (replaced the larger frame 9mm), a speed loader, leatherman and folding knife, cell phone, wallet with IDs and permits/licenses, more bandaids, $100 in small bills- ones, fives and two tens. Which brings up two topics I'm always amazed about.

Carrying weapons of any sort.

At the least, a person should carry a folding knife for self defense. Life is just too uncertain, dangerous in today's society. Too many rapes, muggings, murders even in brite of day. Having some skill in any kind of martial art is a good idea as well, though the practicality/effectiveness of many are being taken into question by many who are often in 'combat' positions/operations. I know carrying a knife to some is senseless: why try to look like the mall-ninjas or the punks running around? My question to them is, "Why not be armed at least as minimally as your opponent?"

Minnesota has a carry law. Requires class time and police permission to become a card-carrying member of the club and the restrictions can be a deterrent for some. My feeling on this is everyone who is able should be carrying. There is no reason to be phobic about firearms. If you don't want them going off, keep your hands off them. Simple solution. Training children to leave them alone is easy, as well. Teach them. I'll cover guns in another post, but for now, just know that my opinion is to carry. Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) or, in MN vernacular, "whatever floats your boat". (Any ladies reading this and concerned about guns should read the blog: Cornered Cat written by a lady. Men will even enjoy it, so read away.)

It's in my 'office' where the majority of my gear is located away from home.

Tools that should always be in your car: jumper cables, bag of sand, spare tire and jack (read the instructions), a raincoat or poncho (I like these), walking shoes or over boots and pair of sox, a blanket, coffee can with some camping/survival candles (for light and heat), candy bars/jerky/granola bars/tin cup (for begging on street corners if nothing else)/hot chocolate mix (or coffee- whatever floats your drinking boat- a word of caution here: never use alcoholic products for hydration, especially in cold weather). If you're out and about in Minnesota, you're probably already dressed for the weather, to a degree at least. So throw in some long jons and sweater in your trunk pack as well if you aren't already wearing them. Carrying a snowsuit wouldn't be a bad idea. Some people get too carried away with 'emergency preparations' and put in lots of things that will be used only for dire emergencies. Not to knock that idea- BTDT (Been ThereDoneThat)- but let's KISS (Keep It Simple Silly) and be happy. No real need for snowshoes in winter or inflatable raft for summer. One item I carry (hidden) is a .22 Ruger 10/22 rifle and box of ammo with two 30 round clips, loaded. However, in larger metro areas this may be a bad idea.

In summing up all these words, then, we can understand our Daily Carry Bag to contain at least some minor medical supplies, a few munchies and hydrant, a knife of sorts- make it quality- a bit of sanitizer, some weather related items like a raincoat or poncho, our identification and some cash. (My kind of humor: If the grid goes down, the first thing I'm going to do is run my credit card to the max- never have to worry about paying it.)

The items will be personal, of course. Ladies will perhaps want to add some sanitary napkins/tampons, but forget the perfume and make-up, IMO: don't look like a rich target- guys, as well.

All of this is the idea during times on non-stress, as we go about our daily lives before any feathers hit the fan. This pack is our insurance policy just as we insure our cars, homes, boats, lives, whatever. But it's the best life insurance we can have these days.

Hopefully I've answered a few questions and given a few links for further study. As another note of interest: I live in the far hinterland way north of the Divide, of Minnesota. People living in the metro areas of MPLS/StPaul or other larger areas, Duluth, Rochester, etc, will have somewhat different requirements which we'll get into my thinking of next.

JSW

Publius: welcome, you- or anyone- can email me at MinnesotaPrepper@aol.com any time and we can get our noodles together. I'd love to have your ideas for posts or have you write some. Especially living in the metro area as you do. I haven't been there in decades so am very unaware of life in that neck of the woods now. Thank you for stoping by- hopefully we can entertain and get many others (read that 'all") MN Preppers on line.

Shy

Minnesota Preppers Network

Howdy, All.
Welcome to the Minnesota Preppers Network.
To date, the objectives are to gain membership of like-minded individuals; share ideas and skills; get to know each other and have a network of individuals working together in emergencies and learn ways to prepare for emergencies of any kind. Perhaps a "meet and greet" at some future date to get to know each other; to keep America together and a beautiful place to live, a country retaining its Freedoms and the Liberty of the Individual. A place where people will always want to immigrate to.
Being new, our guidelines are thin at the moment as to what will happen and how, yet there must be some and these are a few we can all relate to:
A) Since the First Amendment is the life blood of the Web and blogs, articles and comments will not be moderated so long as they pertain to topic and are not slanderous, libelous, degrading to any individual, race, religion or region. In other words: no mud slinging.
As moderator, I don't want to be forced to act the part, so let's please keep it clean. Thank you.
B) Please: NO political ranting. We can keep that on our personal blogs. Unless a political comment is pertinent to the post, forget it. Make it "news we can use".
C) Absolutely NO revolutionary talk or government overthrow ideas. Zip. None. Nada.
D) This is not a Militia site. However, there will be posts that relate to that topic. Every American has the Constitutional right to protect themselves, their family, others, and their property. Guns are an integral component of self defense and will be discussed.
E) No name calling or putting others down. Be civil, be constructive in criticism, be honest,build up individuals and ideas.
Since no one has (most likely) ever been through the kind(s) of 'emergencies' many survival topics will be about, no one is the ultimate authority. Some people will certainly have more experience than others and they should share this. It's only American to be concerned for the welfare of your neighbors, which is why we are here.
Remember our state motto: "Minnesota Nice". Let's keep it that way.
One of my motto's is: "Lead, follow or get out of the way; you're either part of the solution or part of the problem, so stop being the problem."
If you're interested in joining the Minnesota Preppers Network, which is part of the American Preppers Network, you can drop me a note in the "comments" and we can work out a role.

Coming solutions:
Water preps-- no one lives long without it.
Food preps-- just a little longer than being waterless.
Shelter preps-- nice to have even if you're 'roughing it'.
Gardening/self sustenance-- rolling your own, and we ain't taking MaryJane.
Tools/work ideas and opportunities for preppers.
Weapons for survival and just enjoying. (Which should be a first since the available supply is getting very limited very quickly, ditto with ammunition.)
Living beyond the Worst Case Scenario.
...and more as the ideas flow in and the writers are up to it.
Please notice the ads to the right and give your business to our sponsors. They're experts in their fields and can help with prepping supplies and more in-depth information on any topic.
Let's all give a great big Prepper hug to Tom Martin for getting the nation-wide Prepper sites rolling. Thanks a million, Tom, and those working behind the scenes.

Happy Prepping, keep your BOB handy and your powders dry (that includes flour and ready made bread).
JSW

Coming Online Soon

Shy Wolf will be Operating Minnesota Preppers Network. If you live in Minnesota and would like to be a Team Member and contribute, Please ask him by posting a comment.

Thank you,

Tom Martin