Happy Prepper New Year!

Happy New Year to all!  With 2022 in the rear window but 2023 not looking much better when it comes to inflation, government overreach, the surveillance state, ongoing weather emergencies in many parts of the country, the border crisis, the virus du jour, and several other concerning issues, it's time to refocus on the basics of being prepared for anything that may happen.  For those who make new year resolutions, maybe add some of these to your list:

• Exercise everyday.  You may lose all of your preps and all of your gear but if you are fit and healthy, you will be miles ahead of the vast majority of Americans when it comes to survival situations.
• Eat the basics--fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and the odd serving of (non-factory farmed) meat.  The US has huge health problems, mostly due to a lousy food industry.
• Take control of your money.  Get out of debt, use cash while you still can, diversify your assets, and invest in useful things like knowledge, tools, and skill building.
• Avoid having your every move and thought surveilled.  We will delve into this in future posts.
• Be prepared for every possibility.  There is no good reason to run out of gas in your vehicle, not have any extra food at all in your home when a storm hits, have to go to a payday lender for a financial emergency, etc.
• More doing and less chatting about it online.  Besides the obvious downsides of social media, people need to get off the internet and head out in the field and actually do stuff.  Long walks or hikes, starting a nice bonfire for the family to roast marshmallows, going fishing, using your HAM radio regularly, etc.
• Guard your mind.  This should probably be at the top of the list.  Between social media garbage pushed for likes, bots and AI trying to manipulate your thoughts, advertisers using every last detail gleaned about you by big tech to influence what you buy and what you do, and the non-stop "entertainment" of video games and apps, people barely have the time or inclination to create an original thought of their own.  Disconnect.  Often.
  

Happy 4th of July...And An Earthquake

First, a happy 4th of July to all on this patriotic holiday.  Next, an earthquake that shook southern California and Las Vegas too.  Our 4th will be spent quietly at home (we have enough pyromaniac neighbors that we get a professional-grade fireworks show without leaving our home each--and every--holiday).

And then there was the fairly good-sized earthquake that happened this morning which shook our city and brought about a number of interesting reactions--some people didn't feel a thing, others pondered diving under the poker table, one elderly gentleman thought his blood pressure dropped suddenly since he felt dizzy and unsteady on his feet, and one woman felt nauseous because of the movement.  Everyone was surprised since earthquakes are fairly rare here.  Among my immediate thoughts:

• Do we have earthquake insurance (no), do we need earthquake insurance (maybe).
• Where is the spouse (a quick call ensured that all was well).
• How are the relatives who live in southern California (several elderly cousins live in the LA area, fortunately this quake caused no damage where they live).
• What would happen if there was major damage in Southern California (we might have been hosting these relatives if they had a way to get here or we had a way to go and get them, both options would be impossible if there was major road damage.  Another problem would be the hoards of people coming this was from southern California since even a simple holiday weekend can turn the I-15 into gridlock for hours on end).
• What if this quake had caused major damage in our immediate area (we are generally well prepared but there are several things that could exacerbate such a situation including: it is 105 degrees here since it is summer, the spouse has several health issues and medical care may be in short supply after a major disaster, we don't have a generator--and haven't needed one in the past decade--but a long-term power outage would be quite the problem, and we are pretty land-locked with small freeways and long distances through the hot desert to get away from this area.  Add to this the 300,000+ tourists in our city here for the holiday weekend;feeding and housing and evacuating and providing medical area for all of these people would be quite the mass casualty response).
• What can I do to be better prepared in the event of a future quake (we are well set on food and water, I will look into earthquake insurance, I will talk to the relatives about their current plans for an earthquake or other natural disaster, and getting a generator to power at least a small air conditioner just moved up my priority list).

Bottom line, even if you aren't in an area prone to earthquakes, they can happen just about anywhere so take a bit of time this weekend to learn more about earthquake preparedness and determine how you can be better prepared should such an event happen in your area.

A Wild Holiday Weekend

It's a busy (and in the case of my city, wild) holiday weekend.  There is Passover which started last night, 4/20 Day for fans of marijuana, Easter tomorrow, spring break for some kids, and National Parks Week started today (entry to all national parks is free today and many parks will hold other events during the upcoming week).  As is usually the case, we like to avoid crowds and revelers so we will be celebrating the holidays at home.  If you will be out and about, consider these safety tips:

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Take reasonable safety precautions depending on what activities you will be doing (don't start the BBQ with gasoline, if kids will be swimming always have a responsible adult supervising them, and if you will be visiting a national park be cautious when taking selfies!).
• Avoid contentious areas.  I'm guessing the marijuana events will be pretty chill, religious sites, on the other hand, can be targets for terrorism and other dangerous activities.
• Be aware of kid safety, pet safety, and food safety during Easter events such as picnics, egg hunts, candy baskets, etc.
• Don't drink and drive (our bail bonds companies do a booming business after holiday weekends).  Ditto for marijuana, don't get high and drive.

Happy 4th of July!

Here's hoping you and yours are enjoying a fun--and safe--Independence Day.  For all of the bitching and moaning we hear about our government the other 364 days a year, Independence Day reminds us that we enjoy a lot of freedoms that people in other countries simply do not get to (namely the bombs, mortars, and guns I can hear being fired off as I type this...all in good fun of course).  Happy 4th!

Happy Father's Day

A quick post to say Happy Father's Day to all you dads (and dad substitutes) out there.  Dads are of critical importance to their families, they teach boys how to become men and their daughters to become strong women, and they lead their families through good times and bad.  For all of the disparagement that dads face in our society, their role is vital when it comes to strengthening their families, communities, and the nation as a whole.  So here is a thank you to all of the men out there who fulfill the role of father--to their own kids or to other kids--on this holiday.

Happy Mother's Day!

Just a quick post to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the ladies out there.  While preparedness is often thought of as a guy-centric activity, women have been the backbone of preparedness activities for centuries as they grew and preserved the food, sewed the clothes, raised the kids, and held the family together when men went off to war or distant lands to seek their fortune.  Without moms we wouldn't be here and their position of leadership in the family is invaluable.  Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms, and ladies who serve as a mom-like figures, to the kids in their lives.

Christmas, New Years, and Beyond

With the holidays approaching, it is getting busy around here so before I forget...

• Merry Christmas!  Here's hoping you have a loud and crazy or quiet and serene, family-filled or family-free, minimalist or gifting overload Christmas (your choice, whatever makes you happy).
• Happy New Year!  Be safe of course and plan ahead so if you drink you won't drive.
• Consider a new way to celebrate the holidays (in the case of my city, I just found out that the local parks service will be offering midnight hikes to celebrate the New Year which, in my opinion, will be about a hundred times better than celebrating on the Las Vegas Strip...but that's just me).
• Set some challenging New Year's resolutions.  Yes I know that these usually fail by week two (judging by the packed gyms the first week of each new year and then crickets by the first week of February).  If you need something to really push you, pay to do something you are kind of iffy about currently (pay the $100 for that marathon, book your flights and hotel...the financial loss if you chicken out should be its own kind of motivation).
• Resolve to take care of your money situation this year.  Double your income, develop multiple streams of income, get out of debt once and for all, set up that investment account you have been thinking about...
• And as always, protect yourself and your family.  Be aware of your surroundings, watch out for fraud and scams, carry concealed if that is your thing, wear your seat belt.  Better to be prepared and not need it than not be prepared and suffer the consequences.