Bored? Need Some Skills? Want to be Prepared? Get Certified

It's back to school time and while most of us are past the age of mandatory education, learning should be continual and for the rest of your life. If you have some spare time this fall, why not get certified/licensed in a skill (or two...or ten) that will help you be more prepared? Here's some ideas:

• Become a certified HAM radio operator
• Become certified in CPR
• Become an EMT or Paramedic
• Become a certified lifeguard
• Become certified in safe boating practices
• Become certified in Search and Rescue
• Become a CERT member
• Earn a motorcycle safety course certificate
• Earn FEMA course certificates
• Become certified in firearms use
• Earn NOLS certificates
• Earn tactical training certificates
• Earn a black belt in a martial art (karate, judo, taekwondo, etc)

The idea is to always be learning something, preferably something that will help you in a survival situation.

10 Ways I Have Seen People Die (And How You Can Prevent These Things from Happening to You)

There are numerous ways to die. I even had a relative who was killed by a parade float of all things. However, there are quite a few common ways to die which are really unnecessary with just a bit of common sense and/or knowledge.

1. Don't drive drunk and/or ride with a drunk driver. There have been too many of these wrecks to count and I am always shocked when people say they knew the driver was drunk but thought they would make it home OK anyway. More often than not, the drunk driver walks away and the person in the car/the person they hit dies.
2. Drowning in lakes or rivers. In our area, rivers are swift and cold and there's lots of stuff under water to get tangled up in. There have also been numerous drownings in the cold lakes in our area. People can't "out swim" hypothermia and when your body gets cold, all of the blood leaves your extremities in order to flow to your vital organs leaving you unable to move, swim, or call for help. Swim only in safe areas...like in a pool.
3. Heart attacks are quite common as people age. Seeing a 40 year old die of a heart attack is another story. Your heart will keep working if you exercise and eat right consistently. Having an AED on hand it also useful in this situation.
4. Kids driving badly. I had my driver's license the day I turned 16 and thought I was invincible. Now that I have witnessed--again too many to count--accidents that involve teenage drivers, I have changed my mind, both about teenage invincibility and the advisability of 16 year olds driving. Intermediate driver licensing laws is a good start but overall, I don't think kids should drive until they are 18 or older, simply based on scientific evidence of teenage brain development (or the lack thereof).
5. Sprinting into a violent or potentially violent situation. It is a common reaction--you see someone stealing your car or see someone getting in a fight and your first response is to jump in and either retrieve your car or help the person in a fight. This can lead to death. Some things aren't worth risking your life for (your car, your property) and other things need a bit of perspective before you act (like does the attacker have a firearm). Consider then react.
6. Texting/chatting on the cell phone while driving. One of the most horrific accidents I have seen (not on scene but in a review complete with gory photos of extricating body parts out of a pile of steel that was crushed like an accordion) was the Metrolink commuter train wreck that killed 25 people just because the engineer was texting and not paying attention while he was driving the train. This also happens daily on our roads and freeways. People simply can't read their text messages and update their FaceBook profile when their eyes should be on the road ahead.
7. Babies killed at home. Babies are killed with surprising regularity by depressed moms, irresponsible/violent step dads or boyfriends, rolling over on them when they are sleeping with their parents, etc. Parents should be much more concerned about the environment that they live in than the very minuscule possibility of stranger abduction.
8. You may be surprised by the suicide statistics in your area. I know that when I tell people that suicide is a leading cause of death in our area they are always surprised. It's one of those things that people don't like to talk about but it doesn't erase the fact that a lot of people are killing themselves. Call 1-800-273 TALK if you or someone you know is suicidal.
9. Falls are a problem of the old in general. And, as the population ages, falls are rapidly moving up the scale as a leading cause of death. Sounds boring but if you can keep grandma from falling with some useful prevention measures or keep yourself from falling off the roof when putting up Christmas lights, you will be ahead of the pack, statistically speaking.
10. Poisonings are also rather boring--meaning they don't usually make the evening news--but it is another very common way to die. Whether because some genius thought it was a good idea to vent his generator into his home (death by carbon monoxide poisoning) or because someone overdosed on their meds, and everything in between (food poisoning, eating poison mushrooms, experimenting with drugs), a little knowledge and forethought can prevent this tragic way of dying.

10 Physical Safety Tips

There are literally hundreds of safety tips you can follow to stay safe. Here are ten physical things you can do to protect your safety:

1. If you get in a car wreck, don't immediately hop out of your car unless it is on fire. A car is your best protection on a road where other cars could crash into you at a chaotic scene.
2. If someone tries to kidnap/abduct you, even at gunpoint, refuse to go with them. Better they shoot you where you stand (at least your body will be easy to find) than to be taken to a secondary location (where they will probably kill you anyway).
3. If you hear loud noises (ie: gun shots, sounds of an assault, etc) don't immediately go running out to see what is going on, rather, determine what is going on from a position of cover.
4. Think you hear someone breaking into your house? Don't immediately grab your gun and run out looking for an intruder. A better option: get your firearm, call 911, ensure the family is all together, preferably in your safe room, and listen for what is happening. Eventually the intruder will come to you if they are indeed robbing your house. Obviously you want to clearly identify your intention to shoot (loudly) so that you give fair warning so that you don't inadvertently shoot a family member/law enforcement officer/etc.
5. I know people like to run/bike/walk while wearing their iPods but the only place it is safe to do this is in a gym. Any time you are in an unsecured area (roads, trails) you need ALL of your senses to keep you safe. Not being able to hear cars or people coming up to you is a dangerous thing to do.
6. Never be afraid to fight back when the situation warrants it. And no, when you are protecting your life, you don't have to "fight fair"--do whatever it takes to save your life.
7. Any time you are in public (or around people you don't know/trust at your home/office/a friend's home) you need to guard your physical safety. Date rape drugs put into drinks, being lured away from your friends at a nightclub, having someone surreptitiously check your ID to find your home address then make a copy of your house key for later use, etc. are all things can happen when you aren't on guard.
8. The way you act/carry yourself can have a great deal of bearing on your physical safety. Don't walk 'like a victim', don't be afraid to be rude to people when it comes down to your physical safety (ie: answering a 'can you help me?' question from a stranger with a firm 'NO'), not being afraid to yell/swear/act like a crazy person if the situation warrants it, etc.
9. Be aware of your surroundings. Sounds simple but there are plenty of things that you can do to protect your physical safety in various environments: make eye contact with people you pass on the street to let them know you are paying attention, walk in the road if necessary to avoid walking too closely to vans/alleyways/deep doorways, keep scanning the road ahead and look behind you occasionally as well, etc.
10. Don't be afraid to run and hide if necessary. It's always a good idea to be able to come back and fight another day.

Update and Info

Long time no post! I usually try to get two or three posts written per week but the past month (and the next few months to follow) has been a whirlwind of work, travel, and other socio-political wrangling which has taken quite a bit of effort to maintain/contain. Here's some random info so it at least looks like a post was written...

• Tonight is the Meet, Plan, Go event at places all over the US. Check it out here.
• Our infrastructure is toast. Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
• It's articles like this that make me long for the days of vigilant justice.
• I don't hate FaceBook as much as I used to. I signed up under a throwaway email and have found it is an interesting way to keep up with what the kids and grandkids are doing (although I am still loathe to use it for connecting with business contacts).
• I must be working too hard (or not paying attention to what is happening in the world of entertainment) as I have no idea what any of these headlines mean.
• I am always amazed when I check in on this family. If you are looking for "how to survive anywhere" lessons, this blog has some pretty good tips (ie: travel light, have a goal, work together, etc).
• A friend of mine sent me some disturbing news about his local gun range. This has a very negative impact on gun rights and the safe use of firearms. For gun grabbers, this probably won't be an isolated incident.
• Bored? Creative? Try entering one of these contests.
• Emergency fund looking a little thin? How about not spending anything for a month? Here's how.

The Economy is Headed for Collapse, Should I Stockpile Gold and Silver?

That was the gist of the question asked by reader BP in a recent email. You can ask a dozen people this question and get a dozen answers, so I'll add one more answer to the list...mine.
I simply don't think that hoarding one or two items to see you through a particular disaster makes sense. Whether you are focusing on gold to get you through an economic collapse or hoarding food to see you through a potential world-wide agricultural disaster, the simple fact is that, as my grandmother used to say, "it doesn't make sense to put all of your eggs in one basket."
What if the disaster you are planning for doesn't happen? What if you put all of your efforts toward preparing for economic collapse by hoarding gold and then there is an earthquake and your gold ends up in the bottom of the rubble of your apartment building with no way to access it? What if you are stockpiling food and there is a huge flood that washes away all of your hard work? In my humble, and somewhat knowledgeable opinion, you need to spread your preparedness efforts out in a number of areas instead of focusing on only one area, such as stockpiling gold and silver.
Should you have some gold and silver? Of course (although buying any commodity at the top of the market like people did did with houses before the real estate bubble burst isn't such a great idea). There are some great things about precious metals such as the value that they generally keep, especially when paper currency is taking a nose dive or when the general economy is unstable, but there is also a down side, namely, the fact that precious metals are actual items that you need to hide, transport, protect from theft, then try to "cash out" when you need to "buy" things. In many disaster scenarios, a loaf of bread or bottle of water will be more valuable than your shiny trinkets.
Instead of focusing 100% of your efforts (and money) on acquiring gold and silver, here are some other ideas:

• Focus 50% of your time and money on learning things. Of the many, many people I know who have survived war, famine, and countless other natural and man-made disasters, very few escaped with any tangible items whether it be food, gold, or tools. The ones who survived and, in fact thrived, after a disaster, were the ones who knew things. They knew things that made them valuable--everything from skills they could trade for food or money, to social skills which made people want to have them around and want to help them--and they knew things that helped them survive until the main disaster had passed (ie: how to hide and survive in the mountains/jungle/desert until they could evade the main threat and get to a safer location). Many also had basic business knowledge (generally not learned at university but rather in the streets) which allowed them to parlay their skills or good ideas into money which kicked into gear as soon as the initial threat passed.
• Focus 10% of your time and money on paying off your debts and saving up some cash to use in the event of an emergency.
• Focus 10% of your time and money on gathering stuff that would be useful before, during, and after a disaster such as stockpiling food/water/tools/medicine/etc.
• Focus 10% of your time and money on acquiring the "money" you think you will need after a disaster whether it be gold and silver, gasoline and tools which you could use for barter, or Japanese Yen and European Euros.
• Focus 10% of your time and money on building a social network. No matter how much gold or water you have, if you are in dire need of help (ie: a doctor to treat your wounds or a neighbor to help you pull a tree off of your house), you need to have some sort of social network in place before disaster strikes so that you know you will have people you can rely on when you most need them.
• Focus 10% of your time and money on enjoying yourself now. Always preparing for disaster takes the fun out of living for today.

Anyway, that is how I am preparing. My crystal ball is a bit fuzzy and I hardly know what is going to happen day to day, let alone what specific kind of disaster will strike and when it will happen. There may be a disaster that happens that will make me want to kick myself for not having more gold and silver on hand but I think it is much more likely that many smaller disasters will occur before the "big one"--what ever the 'big one' is--that will require a bit of all of my preps, from the Euros I have on hand to the water stored in my garage to the assortment of meds in the first aid box to the use of my emergency fund to my outdoor survival skills. Be prepared for anything.

25 More Tips for Saving Money

It is a tough economic time for many people these days. Here's more ways to save your cold, hard cash:

1. See if you can get a cheaper cell phone plan. For example, Virgin Mobile has a $25 per month plan that features unlimited text and web, and includes 400 talk minutes.
2. Go to free events in your community. Check out the online version of your newspaper (#3) or local blogs to find out what's happening each weekend.
3. Cancel newspaper/magazine subscriptions and read their online sites instead.
4. Cancel your home internet if possible (sometimes it isn't) and use free internet at the local library or at your school/office. Even our local Home Depot has free internet which you can access from their parking lot.
5. Cook at home instead of eating out. It will save you LOTS of money.
6. Build your menus around the loss leader sale items at local stores.
7. Forage for free food. This month there are plenty of blackberries and apples in our area that are ready for picking.
8. If you need clothes try: garage sales, thrift stores, friends who are cleaning out their closets, and the clearance racks of discount stores such as Walmart, Target, and Ross. There is no reason to pay full retail for clothes that will be bargain-basement priced within a few months.
9. Make your own treats. It is simple to make everything from milkshakes, to potato chips, to cakes and more, for a whole lot less than what you would pay in a store or restaurant.
10. Think preventive medical care: exercise daily, eat nutritious food, use home remedies for non-life threatening illnesses, etc.
11. Set up your own blog and include ads. This can be a great way to express your creative side, help others with the information you provide, and make some extra money.
12. Consider some free activities you can do with the family: camping, hiking, Parkour, playing at the playground, starting a neighborhood baseball game, etc.
13. Stay out of legal trouble (this can save more money than all 25 tips combined!).
14. Consider becoming a one car--or even no car--family.
15. Consider cancelling cable and hooking up a digital antenna to your TV. You can also watch shows via your computer hooked up to your TV.
16. Have a garage sale. It will cut down on the amount of stuff you need to take care of and make you some extra money.
17. Do free stuff for your spouse: bring flowers you picked on the way home (for wives), tell the husband to go fishing while you mow the yard, etc. Happy spouse, happy house.
18. Pack your kid's lunch for school each day. And/or, if you qualify, sign your kids up for free or reduced cost lunches at school (a caveat: I recently look at the menu for one of the grandkid's school lunch programs and nearly everything they were serving looked like stuff we don't even eat because of how unhealthy it is so beware).
19. Ask friends and family to help on yard/home projects instead of hiring labor. Of course you should be willing to help them out when needed.
20. Reload your own ammo. If you have a group of friends that want to do so, consider sharing the cost of reloading equipment.
21. Barter for services. Want to take karate classes but don't have the money? Find out what services you should provide the local karate school and trade for lessons.
22. Use CraigsList to your advantage. Sell stuff, buy stuff (at much cheaper than retail prices), check out their "gigs" if you need to make some money, put in an ad for your own services each week, etc.
23. Make your own beverages! If you have a daily Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts habit, this could save you LOTS of money.
24. Make a spare bedroom the "family room" when the temps drop outside; this new family room can be heated with a space heater at a fraction of the cost of heating the entire house.
25. Consider renting out spare rooms in your house. This may give you flashbacks to college, but when times are tight, any extra money helps and it also provides shelter for someone who could use it.

Stay tuned for more money saving tips...