Living on $10,000 a Year – Now

by

A final book chapter, Fed testimony, fresh job numbers, and crypto crazies means a biggish report today.  Which  we will pick up and play through starting with the jobs picture.

Oh, and not anything especially shocking about the election results in Super Tuesday, to speak of.

Two cupper, for sure though because many puzzle pieces are in motion.

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105 thoughts on “Living on $10,000 a Year – Now”

  1. Dam I cannot find the story again.. just a half hour ago I was reading a news story about the prosecutor that got away with hitting trump with almost a half a billion dollars fine in NYC..
    She is at it again to another billion dollar business in NYC.. going after them the same way she went after Trump..
    So my question is.. they hit trump up with a half a billion dollars in fines.. now they are after the second billionaire the same way.. Hmm what are all the other big business owners thinking on their multi billion dollar business’s in NYC.. even though the governor said oh we won’t do that .. the proof is in the pudding your doing it again and the other one with trump isn’t even a month old yet..

    • NYC?

      “Nearly 1,000 New York National Guardsmen, state police and MTA cops are being deployed to carry out bag checks in the Big Apple’s crime-ridden subway system, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.”

      https://nypost.com/2024/03/06/us-news/gov-hochul-to-deploy-1000-national-guardsman-state-cops-to-carry-out-bag-checks-in-nyc-subways/

      My mother once told me that in the 40’s and 50’s you could safely ride the NYC subway system any time of day or night.

      Imagine that…

    • “prosecutor that got away with hitting trump with almost a half a billion dollars fine in NYC..
      She is at it again to another billion dollar business in NYC.. going after them the same way she went after Trump.”

      Where are the pictures of people rioting in the streets against this type of IDIOTIC justice ruling.
      New definition: ( Justice = Money ); That’s all.

      Btw. NYC claims a budget surplus for the next two years, so I hear ;-) ? Being ’em on, happy illegals ?
      When in Rome do like the Roman’s did.

    • LOOB maybe if you got the facts on the court cases Trump lost in NY you might understand more.

      • Joe.. it doesn’t matter.. Its like the celebrity fart in a jar.. what is the value in it.. NOT A DAM THING… It truely isn’t about one of his buildings being not worth what he claimed it would be when he got the loan.. there wasn’t a victim. Its like my van.. the book value on it is three thousand dollars retail high retail.. they wanted sixteen thousand for it.. the reason so much.. it has the wheelchair conversion to it.. the wheel chair conversion isn’t worth that much either.. the bank loaned me the money.. but the van itself does not hold that value.. the value on it is three thousand dollars. so should that company that sold me the van be taken to court because they over valued the van..there isn’t a victim here..I bought it .. love it am paying for it.. they over valued the van..
        GAS.. overvalued.. the oil companies make billions a year selling it.. so should their companies be destroyed because they over valued their product..
        WAGES…. why should a pencil pusher make his wage or get million dollar bonuses for doing a shitty job they were giving ceo’s of companies the people bailed out with billions multi million dollar bonuses for doing a crappy job and taking their companies to the brink of collapse .. .. should he be taken to court for being over valued and lacking the skill set to know the work being done. granted depending on the company I am sure a good share of his employees feel they are over paying the guy. like my daughters best friends dad that was downsized then offered a half a million dollars.. while I was making three bucks an hour for the very same company.. he thought he was being insulted for that wage at a half million.. Did he over value his career and worth as an employee…this is all about control and to destroy another. Is trump worth the money he has gleaned in his companies..I personally can’t stand his personality.. he’s got a good reason to brag though..
        The whole thing is they want to destroy him because of his political beliefs.. and with the story that she is after another the sign is right in front of you.. if you don’t believe in our political beliefs then we will destroy your company and you at any cost.

  2. Interview from late yesterday of Scott Ritter about Victoria Nuland and the Ukraine War as well as observations about France’s /Germany’s Military /Great Britain trying to get a direct confrontation with Russia started (Ritter relates a huge push is anticipated this spring by the Russians and relates a thought by the Russians that the War will be totally over by early fall).

    In the interview Scott Ritter also discusses Israel wrt Hamas and it’s long term survival prospects as it is currently structured. In addition he talks about the HUGE changes in Warfare being caused by new weaponry including drones.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uCHeU_rDbY&t=116s

    YouTube Comments of this morning noted that this video is NOW being censored on YouTube. Not sure what that means, it loaded up for me, but the links to the other sites where it is posted may be active if not available any more on YouTube. It was NOT being censored on YouTube when I watched it starting about midnight. The interview was originally posted yesterday evening EST

    Scott Ritter as most here know is a controversial figure, many call him a Putin Apologist. He became well known as the lead UN Weapons Inspector for Iraq prior to the 2nd Gulf War when he disagreed with the US Government, Dick Cheney and crowd in particular, saying that his weapons inspections indicated that Iraq did NOT have massive amounts WMD’s and a large WMD program as was being claimed by the Bush Administration. (many never forgave him for him disagreeing with US Government PR on those issue which were our justification for starting that war, said it proved he was a TRAITOR …. even though in hindsight history would prove him correct)

    Longest interview I have ever seen by Ritter but well worth the time it takes since it dovetails so closely to GA Stewart’s work as well as that by Martin Armstrong, Cliff High, and Zimmell. 2 hours long but worth every minute imo since we are on the precipice … and France, Germany, and Great Britain seeming to be doing everything they can to get a direct confrontation with Russia going. (note intercepted phone call released last week where military people from those countries openly discuss troops they ALREADY have on the ground in Ukraine and how they are already DIRECTLY FIGHTING Russia from behind the scenes)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uCHeU_rDbY&t=116s

    (sorry if posted before – but so important imo for what is coming up in the next few weeks something everybody should watch)

    • John Rubino: Dig into any of the US Empire’s recent crimes you’ll find a bunch of familiar monsters. Dick Chaney composed the lies that sold the invasion of Iraq (WMDs!!), engineered the actual war, and then oversaw the “rebuilding” that enriched his business partners.

      John Bolton pops up in pretty in every administration of the past four decades, always agitating for the invasion of Iran and (failing that) much of the rest of the world.

      And lurking in the background of these and dozens of other deep-state atrocities is the subject of this post, Victoria Nuland. She’s never met a brown person she doesn’t want to torture or an independent government she doesn’t want to overthrow. If Satan exists, she’s his Western Hemisphere bureau chief.

      Today she retired from her post as Biden’s Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

      Of course, “retirement” in this case probably means replacing Klaus Schwab at the World Economic Forum or running a black op false flag to steal the coming election. But at least she’s out of the State Department.

      https://www.howestreet.com/2024/03/monsters-we-should-know-victoria-nuland/

      • The US has eventually LOST every War the Neocons and Deep State got us involved in … with that record their wanting the US to create and then get involved in Ukraine War speaks highly of where they want the US to end up in the end. (hint … on the losing side)

        What I have always found amazing is the 100% support of the NYC press, DC press, Republicans, Democrats, Wall Street, Defense Industry, and AIPAC groups for the Neocons. It is almost like everybody has their fingers in the “PAY ME” pie, while sending working people out to “DIE” for their Games and dreams of Personal Riches.

        Maybe we deserve to have a Nuclear War so people, at least those who survive, can realize that the WAR WAR WAR crowd is literally crazy with their greed for Power and Money. (rather “was” before they were killed in the War they CRAVE)

        If Stewart’s work is accurate (and the other soothsayers) this may be the year we get to see the opening salvo’s of that conflict.

        Crazy … absolutely crazy.

        • “The US has eventually LOST every War the Neocons and Deep State got us involved in”

          That depends on your point of view.

          Please let me refer you to the speech given by Lyndon Baines Johnson at the 1964 Democratic Convention, or one specific quote therefrom:

          “We are in the midst of the largest and the longest period of peacetime prosperity in our history. And almost every American listening to us tonight has seen the results in his own life.”

          -LYNDON B. JOHNSON
          36th President of the United States
          August 27, 1964

          ===

          Now, what’s so special about this? Mr. Kennedy eventually sent 5000 military advisors to Vietnam, to train the South Vietnamese in fighting skills (and undoubtedly provide intel & limited logistics.)

          Very shortly after Kennedy’s death, Mr. Johnson bumped this number to 50,000 and Mr. McNamara “adjusted” the Army’s Rules of Engagement to ensure our 50,000 advisors would become 50,000 combatants.

          These SOBs deliberately got us involved in the VietNam civil war, and 8 months (and nearly 1000 dead Americans later) LBJ credited his Administration for causing the “peacetime” prosperity he inherited from Eisenhower and Kennedy, as he accepted the Democratic nomination for President.

          Vietnam lasted another 10 years for us, and propelled both the economic boom of the ’60s and the emergence of a myriad of radical countercultures — an emergence which eventually led to the creation of Neoconservatives, as the Democratic Party suffered a schism which split the fascists off from the communists.

          I blame LBJ for a lot of things, including destroying the nuclear family in impoverished (mostly Black) America, but I also blame him for the Vietnam War and the creation of Neocons. The amount of social degradation and destruction, and generally very bad stuff, which can be traced back to the Johnson Administration is staggering.

          So, did we lose Vietnam? Leftist historians might disagree…

      • “John Bolton pops up in pretty in every administration of the past four decades, always agitating for the invasion of Iran”

        Which always annoys the crap out of me. IMO Iran should be overthrown. Also IMO, there are enough Iranian expats within a 30 mile radius of Dearborn, Michigan who’re both ready and willing to do the job, if we would simply train them, give ’em some rifles and ammo, and allow them to hang a bunch of stars on Reza Pahlavi’s epaulets…

      • AND Middle East, where Christianity began, nations.

        The Palestinians were heavily Christian in 1948 and prior, but they pretty much have been wiped off the genetic reproduction map.

      • “And lurking in the background of these and dozens of other deep-state atrocities is the subject of this post, Victoria Nuland.”

        “Fuck the EU” actually likes people who use a Cyrillic alphabet less than she likes darker-skinned Caucasians and North Africans…

    • Stephen 2 and JC, remember, even though it does not look like it, all the shenanigans and manipulations and chess moves are to destroy the once White majority Christian nations.

      Everything else is subterfuge.

    • Youtube generally doesn’t censor a video outright if they can avoid it(in their own AI mind). They much prefer to stop suggesting it in feeds or set as an “adult” video requiring sign-in. They will also demonetize it, so the producer gets nothing financial from views. In most cases, if you have the actual URL, you can find, watch, and download the video if you know how. Depending on the video, downloading it may violate youtube’s terms of service, but it still works.

  3. Good morning George and another good Peoplenomics. Living off $17,000 is doable here in Costa Rica. The Resident requirement here is $1,000 guarantied for life. Can you live on $1,000? Some of the Tico’s do but our Quality od Life would Suck!

    Looking at time I feel that time is short for those on the fence about making a move to somewhere that is perhaps better for the coming shit show.

    As you know I have lived in Costa Rica for years and still love it for the people, climate and cost of living. Here is an article from one of our newspapers on Costa Rica – https://qcostarica.com/41-year-old-and-her-family-left-the-u-s-for-costa-rica-and-live-on-less-than-30000-a-year-were-a-lot-happier-and-never-moving-back/

    In addition I paid our property taxes for the year – $163 which includes trash pickup each week and biweekly recycle pickup. Not bad for a 2 BR 2 Bath house with workshop, art area/dry room and garage on 1/3 of an acre. We also have a pasture which continues many fruit and coffee trees. On this property we built an art studio with a large deck and full bath with parking. Size is a bit under 2 acres. Love sitting on the creek deck having a cool one in the evening. Having my second cup of Home Grown Coffee now. Very good

    Cost of living for us is about $3000 a month which include a gardener and house cleaning. I could cut it down but that your effect our easy life style.

    Just had a ‘mini-stroke’ which makes me wobbly while walking. Had a CAT scan for $500 USD. In the states the CAT scan ran my Lady much, much more so you can see how we live on Social Insecurity each month. Object is to live under our income and still have mini vacations when want.

    I am past 80 and starting on life problems so My Lady and I have decided to sell the properties. If I depart first she will not be able to handle the garden and fruits trees. Hope that you don’t mind but here is the link – https://www.we-sell-paradise.com/property/well-maintained-home/?search_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.we-sell-paradise.com%2Fproperties%2F%3Fsort%3Dnewest%26es%3D1%26es_type%5B2%5D%3D222%26from_bedrooms%3D2%26max_price%3D400000%26from_bathrooms%3D2%26paged-1%3D2%26sort-1%3Dnewest

    Any questions from the readers I will attempt to answer.

    Many thanks for your articles as they stimulate the mind or what’s left of it.

    Cheers

    • I knew a young woman that went there for a school I believe.. she was astonished at the cost of living there.. the only negative she had was the reliability of the utilities. like water pressure sucked brown outs etc. now that was a considerable time ago to..
      I wouldn’t mind moving there..
      or nova Scotia..

      • There is a major housing crisis here in Nova Scotia because of the unsustainable immigration from India.

        Our power infrastructure is now worse than a third world level due to the power utility maximizing shareholder profit and executive compensation.

      • When / if the SHTF all Carib island nations will become an extremely dangerous places to live. The ships will stop coming – and not one island can grow enough food for their respective populations. It will become very dangerous., and down-right unfriendly.
        – Think twice about moving to an island nation.

        • Probably want to be EAST of the North American “DRY LINE” too!

          Only a few places WEST of the “Dry Line” receive enough natural water withOUT having to irrigate to grow food crops. Think long and hard before trying to bug out or “escape” by being WEST of the North American DRY LINE.

        • A note here that Costa Rica Is Not and Island. Next door to Panama and Nicaragua. Grows a lot of crops, including rice & beans, but not enough. Lots of small local farmers for tomatoes, beef pepper and lettuces. No AC or heat required if you chose the right elevation.

        • The American “DRY LINE”

          A Nation Divided: Arid/Humid Climate Boundary in U.S. Creeps Eastward

          Scientific America 2018

          https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-nation-divided-arid-humid-climate-boundary-in-u-s-creeps-eastward/

          The US “Dry Line” for agricultural purposes (not daily weather purposes)
          “…The divide is so stark airline passengers can see it—a patchwork quilt of green farms on one side, a vast expanse of brown and gold on the other….”

          “…Geologist and explorer John Wesley Powell was the first scientist known to have conceptualized the east/west climate divide in the mid–19th century. Soon it became known as the “100th meridian”—for the longitude with which it roughly coincided—and took on a sort of mythic status in the country’s lore. More than a century later it caught the attention of Richard Seager, a climate scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, when he chanced upon a world map of population density. On it he noticed a sharp drop west of the 100th meridian: The sprawl of homes, commercial facilities and roads starts to vanish along with the vegetation….”

          “…First, he and his colleagues set out to decipher if the line was a true physical entity, because it had yet to be analyzed with modern scientific data sets. The team found the boundary was clearly defined in drought and precipitation patterns as well as in measurements of soil moisture and vegetation, according to the Earth Interactions research. “What I like about the paper is that it keys in on what has become myth—but shows it to be fact,” says Martin Hoerling …”

          (as for the SHIFT eastward in the Dry Line that is occurring) “…. This shift is not confined to some distant future: Data collected since 1979 suggest it is already underway. The divide now seems closer to the 98th meridian, some 100 miles east of the 100th, the team says, although there is significant year-to-year variability within the data….”

          more at the above link

        • I deliberately moved west of the dry line! East is yeast and West is best!

          My skin would never dry out and I
          always got rained on as I was working outside. I hate being in rain and getting partly wet. It’s horrible. When it rains I stay inside and avoid it – even after it’s stopped raining. Humidity seems to rot me.

          Others disagree.

      • Yes.., I know Coast Rica is not an Island Nation.., but it will have the exact same problems -not enough food for the population.

        • not true,98$% renewable energy and able to grow what is necessary…have been here 24 years,pura vida

        • Costa Rica and food. According to ChatGPT, CR is a net importer, including of the ever-present rice and beans. This contrasts with my experience last summer buying groceries there for two months; I found imported (mainly processed) food VERY expensive but local foods easily available and inexpensive. According to ChatGPT, the only net exporters of food in Latin America are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. I still consider CR as my best “bolt hole but will be making a trip to Panama and Columbia in May to explore those options more. If I were 65 rather than 81, an off-grid house on a couple of acres in the mountains of CR or Panama would be a no-brainer.

      • You just want to get to Oak Island LOOB. I know what you are up to. I almost made it there many years ago. It is not too far off the shore of Nova Scotia but was rough weather. I doubt I will ever get the chance again but if I do, I will be sure to bring you back some gold loot. LOL.

        • LMAO.. yes.. It is a dream just to see the place LOL Has my attention.. I remember reading the article they keep bringing up in the Readers digest.. caught my interest as a boy and I am wanting to see what they find out..
          LOL LOL

  4. Infoworld. 3/4/23
    “White House urges developers to dump C and C++.
    Biden administration calls for developers to embrace memory-safe programing languages and move away from those that cause buffer overflows and other memory
    access vulnerabilities.”

    • I’m not at all sure anybody who either lives or works at the White House knows what C, C++, or any other computer language is.

      AFAIK the “C” family do not have any endemic leaks or vulnerabilities. The Microsoft “Visual C” family likely does, but that’s a Microsoft thing, not a computer language thing…

      • The vulnerabilities lie with the programmers, who often fail to find memory leaks, which may remain obscure if such leaks happen only in rarely used execution paths. C and to a lesser extent C++ allows for virtually undecipherable code, even though it may work well. Carefully written code in these languages is as clear as English to those who know the languages. The technical report is quite well written and I understand their points, and is obviously not written by the idiot pontificators in the White House.

        At this point, rewriting much of the code since the 1960’s seems to be a nearly impossible fool’s errand. The only “safe” language they mentioned was Rust. Perhaps someone here knows about it.

  5. The “How to Live…” book appears very useful. Have already incorporated many of the suggestions. Question would be – when the doodoo hits the fan and money becomes mostly less efficient toilet paper, what does one do about utility bills, property taxes, etc? Our local utility company already refuses cash payments. Our local gubmint won’t take advance property tax payments (which keep rising because our formerly mostly rural area has become “hot”), and paying abovementioned bills with gold or silver likely unworkable. What then? Barter will be outlawed with heavy fines once the CBDC’s arrive, and friendly folk will sell out their neighbors for a meal. Gloomy outlook for a 74-year-old widow on a few acres who just wants to keep channeling Laura Ingalls!

    • if…it hits as predicted. there won’t be any utilities.. let’s hope that all the studies that have been done are totally wrong..
      I’d they are right there would be only a handful remaining.. Asian countries and countries in the Balkan states have been working fir decades making shelters for the general population. a year ago Xi told all the people in China to gather a years food..they have been working feverishly building backup power generation plants. ghost cities and factories all while the observations are that the US has been dismantling our industrial capabilities..
      leaving our country vulnerable for a catastrophic collapse.. strengthening it is nod conducive to their business model. one look at the border and the millions that have entered and harbored by our own political leaders is example enough on that.. the absolute best we can expect now that the deficit is gaining a trillion every three months is a depression and currency devaluation that would make Zimbabwe appear as an economic wizzard..

    • of course what would I know .I am just an old poor moron in the middle of the wastelands that has a strong opinion..that is totally dependent on our system to continue working

    • “what does one do about utility bills, property taxes, etc?”

      Hoard cash until you have enough to live on for a year, including an estimate of what your bills, taxes, etc., will be.

      No government entity will accept advance tax payments, because to do so would lock in your tax rate.

      A funny thing about our currency. If you look on any dollar bill of any denomination, you will see:

      THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER
      FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

      What this means is your dollar bill is legal tender for all debts. Once you have tendered your FRNs to cover a debt, the creditor can refuse to accept it, but having tendered the debt, I would demand a receipt stating I had tendered it, and the creditor chose to refuse to accept a payment made with United States currency.

      After a SHTF like an EMP or Internet hack & shutdown, you will only have to survive the bureaucrats for about 6mos. After the bank runs and failures of the Depression, banks began wholesale repossessions of properties whose mortgages were in arrears. After about six months, they stopped, as the banksters figured out they suddenly had a bunch of liabilities they couldn’t get out from under at any price, and they could either let the delinquencies ride and people stay in their houses, or join the list of failed banks…

      • That totally depends…IF… the country remains. IF the money is still holding value.. IF some other country isn’t our new leader.. IF.. what the threat assessments say is true and it does happen in a similar fashion.. who would collect it.. where would they take it.. who would use it..
        https://www.ebay.com/itm/284073652351?
        IF.. the balloon goes up.. and the threat assessments all say there is just a few people left.. no one will be collecting taxes.. everything will have to be rebuilt.. then what currency would you collect.. we have let millions into the country..
        the story my father told me that he was told about the weimar depression.. two boys from a wealthy family got their inheritance.. the one boy saved his.. the other went out and spent his.. drinking partying sex.. great time.. the weimar depression hit.. and the money collapsed.. the good child had his money but it had no value.. the party child.. he had bottles and there was a shortage of bottles..
        most of the people from the depression where there weren’t any jobs kept money but money still had value.. in sock drawers books etc .. jars buried in the back yards..
        with the glover piven act happening and the deficit gaining a trillion every three months this year.. next year it will be a trillion every two months or earlier. the year after that a trillions every couple of weeks.. its an avalanche that we have coming.. and an administration shoveling out money like no other time in history. an infrastructure failing on every level in every sector.. and we are about to go to war.. not a little war but a big war..
        If the dollar collapses similar to zimbabwe.. then you can’t save enough money to do anything.. its a truck load of bills to buy a loaf of bread.. you can’t eat gold.. you cannot eat the dollar bill.. youd choke to death.. and the ink is not edible..

        • I somewhat envy the party child! I know someone that lives like that and she’s done so all her life. At least she’ll be taking those memories with her.

          OTOH, continuing to save in retirement may be a bad idea, but spending it effectively would require actual work! What is worth spending money on after retirement that will actually bring inner joy? It’s a conundrum!

  6. Hi George,
    Just ran across this in my e-mail about the effects of flaxseed on BP.
    https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/fighting-inflammation-with-flaxseeds/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=600877cfa5-RSS_BLOG_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-600877cfa5-23628505&mc_cid=600877cfa5&mc_eid=0485ba9a62

    From the article:
    “A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial found that, compared to placebo, dietary flaxseed consumption resulted in an extraordinary drop in high blood pressure, which is “the single largest risk factor” for death globally.”

    • I read an article two days ago.., on this very subject and am currently doing some research.
      – Makes ya wonder just what is in flaxseed that has such an effect on BP. [ ? ]

      • Omega 3 in the form of alpha linolenic acid is big in this seed oil. Whole flaxseeds contain lignans in addition to the ALA. As far as I know, the exact process/methodology of BP reduction is still unclear.

  7. With Thrive Life you can buy smaller cans to try out food you are interested in. When eating freeze dried or dehydrated food you have to add fats to most of them or you will lose weight on this diet.

    Wise had problems in the past with their food going bad before 20 years. supposedly they have fixed this problem.

    I bought two cases of freeze dried fruit in myler bags about 10 years ago. I decided to open one and eat it. it was all unedible. it turned brown and clumped into big balls. the second case was the same. it was disappointing.

    I bought some buy one get one free 24 hour emergency myler bags with assorted food stuffs. It was tasty enough but extremely salty.

    Although I still have some can freeze dried/dehydrated food storage I don’t want to eat any of it except for pasta, sugar, and powdered eggs. Even the flour is too salty.

  9. I am finding that I am saving money on my beef, butter, eggs and bacon diet. I have a subscription to Wild Pastures every month for $134 with assorted meat, mostly beef. There is a local rancher who sells local grass fed beef that I also occasionally buy from. Aldi’s has eggs and butter at relatively inexpensive prices and the occasional ribeye steak. Amazon has beef sticks that are affordable.

  10. Hi, George,
    Thank you and your readers for all the brilliant comments and insights to the subject of where we all live and how we manage it. Mr. Tinkerer has described a new wrinkle in his life management, that of a health issue which could be quite serious and will impact his living arrangement. No matter how well prepared and organized we make our lives, a sudden health issue, which is nearly impossible to prepare for, may arise that can throw a monkey wrench into the works.
    I have had many surgeries that were performed to repair parts of my body, like knees, feet, eyes, removing faulty parts in the abdomen area, and two cancer operations. I have had no heart or lung issues. It seems that a some point some of us might need to be close to a hospital when we get to a certain age. This will not apply to everyone, as I know several people who are living in their own homes at age 90. So, I guess that this is one bridge you cross whenever you get to it. I do know first hand that people can be struck down by a devastating health issue at a young age. Our life paths have some common alignments but differ in remarkable ways.
    By the way, I have seen sites constructed for senior living that reside near hospitals, like those north of the Phoenix area and in Tucson.

    • when I worked at the hospital .
      they had a meeting once around 9/11 and emergency planning if a war started in the usa..
      the plan they told us at the time…
      LOCK THE DOORS
      they would go out and triage .. without power without a supply line there maybe 1 or two days supplies..even now the VA Healthcare system has changed their supply distribution system.. stuff that was readily available is now unheard of getting..in the end its all in the business model

  12. Looks like we’re now only 4 days from the start of Rama Damma Ding Dong, so I just have to ask:

    Who still has “Start of SHTF” for the 10/11 March timeframe.

  13. “Living on $10,000 a Year – Now”
    Let’s talk about what an inflation adjusted $17,000 a year will get you:
    A $800 a month apartment with $200 in utilities eats up $12,000 a year. Oh, but there are cheaper living accommodations you say; no, not without stacking in extra paying bodies. Tiny home pads are $400 or more a month, but finding a livable RV for less than $30K is tough. Sleeping on the street or in shelters cuts that bill, but that is existing, not living.
    Motorized transport. Sorry, that’s not in the budget. With an electric bike, and somewhere to plug it in, you get a boost in transport on warm dry days. Motorized vehicles all require fuel, upkeep and insurance. Figure $3000 a year or more for the lowest cost 2-wheel gasoline transport.
    Food. If you work two food ser ice jobs which gets you at least one free or reduced cost meal a day, the food is easier. No snacks, no beverages other than water. Otherwise, you sign up for assistance.
    Entertainment and comms. That’s where Android phones and a discount service provider come in. A 5G phone can be had for $200 ‘ish these days. A discount unlimited cell phone provider is $26 a month. Figuring a 2 year phone life, that comes up to less than $450 a year. That is much cheaper than 15 – 20 years back. That’s why the new Android roll-outs go to India these days. Big market.
    Medical. If you are below the poverty line, you sign up for Obamacare. For oldsters, figure $2100 a year for Advantage, plus another $500 plus out of pocket, minimum.
    OK, so if you are over SS age, life can get easier.
    I can live decently for $3000 a month, but I own a small, relatively low-upkeep home with a tiny property tax bill. Unexpected capital expenses eat into savings.
    Existing on $17,000 a year is possible, but calling it living is a reach. One major unforeseen event, and you are in trouble.

    • It’s those “major unforeseen events” that cause the loss of hope and despair that push so many into crime and addiction. I once did an analysis of the recidivism after release from a decently managed female work release program. The women would find jobs and housing and be seeming be doing OK. Then a transmission in their beater would fail. Or a kid needed expensive medicine. Or a relative who had been doing babysitting would get sick. It was a short jump back to the skills of prostitution and/or drug sales. You can live on $17K, I guess, but having $50K or more available for emergencies would make it more doable. Three months after release from work release, the program I was evaluating looked like the solution to crime. But after a year the recidivism (rearrest) rate was about the same as those who had not received employment and housing assistance.

      • Good info. No savings to fall back on, no hope. It is important that those still in the workforce take advantage of opportunities to salt away personal savings in 401K and IRA’s for lean years to come. Been there and back.

      • That is my fear over a young lady.. she was trafficked from the age of what twelve.. they used force and fear to control her .. she tried to get out of it.. then they beat her almost half to death because she tried to escape and live a decent life.. when they got caught.. they threatened her and then they put her in prison because she was afraid to testify..
        she will be getting out in a year or two.. she was doing thirty years.. her half time is coming up.. she is looking forward to that to.. but.. will she be able to survive.. I won’t live forever.. where she has to go.. rent is more than seventeen grand a year.. its like that here in the wastelands..
        since she knows no other skills.. what are the odds of her going back to it in an attempt to survive.. the boss would never understand if I let her stay in the spare room.. half our age.. she deserves a shot at a normal life.. I pray she gets it to.. sadly.. because she was afraid.. and refused to testify.. her career choices are extremely limited..

  14. :…, so please feel free to send in ideas and suggestions for improvement.”
    – I do not know if this is an actual “improvement” – you have pretty much covered it all [ in one way, or another – except for the real need for a quality dutch-oven. ] .., however, I have always been fascinated with the psychology of it all. How can I work it and what can I do to make and keep “The Misses” happy and content? It has been a goal of mine. If she is doing OK – then all is well., and I can now work on making her beyond OK and go well into happy. As far as I am concerned., if she is at least content and I can make her laugh – then as a couple, we are doing just fine. Luckily, we are both low-maintenance people. I don’t think she even owns an eyebrow pencil.
    – I never have tried to work this out into a written guide: How to maintain a good mental attitude in times of crisis and stress. Especially when that ‘stress’ can last for weeks, months., or even years., and you can plainly see that what you had is not coming back anytime soon., if ever. Which will devastate most of our modern, completely dependent society.
    – What advice you may have for one., will not apply to, or for another. No two people are alike – especially when tossed into a stressful situation or a constant-crisis. People look at it differently and will react differently. Trying to cover a psych-subject that will help and benefit everyone – that is beyond my ability to communicate., but it is an important subject.
    – Simply saying: “Maintain a positive attitude” just won’t cut it.
    The daily stress of trying to maintain a “quality-of-life” will be much harder on people than the actual work to obtain it.
    * * *
    Psych example: In a constant crisis the stress of potential violence will weigh heavily on most people. In “down the tubes” society, that potential violence will be real – as many people will very desperate and down-right unfriendly. They won’t ask. – they will simply try to take it all. You will be nothing more than a target in such cases.
    My years of training, experience, attitude and willingness to go “Full Viking” on an unwanted guest., either with a katana, or a double stack 1911, is to me, “acceptable behavior”. I even have a cleaner set-up for such eventuality. But that is me. Not you.
    ., and do I recommend that approach? Hell, no!
    How far you are willing to go to protect your loved ones is entirely up to you – I can’t dictate such behavior with a simply rah-rah speech, or comment. However., you will be very surprised at what you can do in such a situation.
    I will say.., that you should plan on such a scenario, no matter how much you spend each year to live – and be as mentally prepared as you can to implement that plan. [ Saying you are a bad-ass and will just kill them all – will change immediately when they start coming at you.] Your life and “those who count on you” may depend on such actions on your part. Remember – you will be nothing but a target in the way of their goals – reciprocation in-kind will be required, for ‘your’ goals – living !
    “Must be present to win.”

      • I am not a fan of “less lethal” devices.
        It is not called “life or death” situation for nothing.
        I understand that you may not wish to kill someone.., I get that – however, the guy coming at you doesn’t think that way., and ‘less lethal’ weaponry can give a false sense of security. ., and will do nothing against a drugged up animal in a heavy coat.
        – .., and be careful ‘practicing’ on animals., you may really need them further down the road.

        • boy.. I him hawed over that issue myself d’lynn.. I cannot even tell you how much I struggled with this.. some old UDT SEAL type friends offered to give me the real thing .. they are afraid when this all goes bad that I will become a victim..a couple of them even joked about whether or not they should move in to one of our spare rooms just in case his skill set was needed..
          I have seen the bad guys that would go to any lengths to destroy someone for nothing really the horrors of man will do to man is unbelievable and makes me very sad… I bought one of the less lethal pepper ball guns I didn’t get that brand I got a ..
          https://www.amazon.com/Wearable4U-Caliber-Pepper-Pistol-Included/dp/B08NPRQVYF/ref=sr_1_35?
          first I will have to learn how to use it..
          I debated getting a real one that was lethal and seriously never ever thought I would buy one of the less lethal…. In the consideration between lethal and non lethal.. I knew that if I took someone elses life even in protecting my own or my families.. I would still never be able to forgive myself . since I don’t value the crap I own.. all we would need is enough time to get away..
          I have enough neighbors that have the lethal crap that I would only have to get to the next door neighbors on either side. or to the parking lot close by where the local officer sits waiting for someone to speed by..

        • I believe you need both. You probably don’t want to shoot your neighbor’s kid that got too curious, but you certainly want to eliminate real threats. Those untrained and inexperienced in combat will likely hesitate – most of us don’t want to deal with legal or moral consequences, and have reservations about taking a life. If things get bad enough, those things will have to be trained out.

          Also, loud bangs can draw unwanted attention, though sometimes they can work in your favor.

        • LooB – “I knew that if I took someone else’s life even in protecting my own or my families.. I would still never be able to forgive myself .”
          – I can understand that. Many people feel that way. But I have a question for you…,
          – How are you going to feel when you don’t protect your family and have to watch them die? Will you be able to forgive yourself? Which is the lessor of those two evils? Which one can you live with? Only you can decide that.
          –
          .., and the police officer parked looking for speeders – won’t be there.

        • d’Lynn, wise thoughts from an obvious doer.
          I’ve trained many a newcomer to firearms for self defense and my first question to them was always,
          If you are not mentally prepared to take someones life if needed don’t ever pick up a gun. If you are prepared show no mercy.
          Its a serious question that must be considered.

        • “I am not a fan of “less lethal” devices.
          It is not called “life or death” situation for nothing.”

          Ditto.

          A “less-lethal” weapon used on me is going to make me really, really mad, and once angry, I’m going to retaliate. The only direction I’m running is toward the person who’s hurting me. I assure y’all, my retaliation will be worse than the “less-than-lethal” attack on me.

          I am considered a “good guy.” I don’t use attack-enhancing drugs.* A lot of bad people do. Dopers aren’t going to run either and they’re also going to retaliate, except they are likely to not stop their retaliation until long past the time the person they’re bludgeoning has ceased having a pulse.

          * The reason the .40cal pistol was created is because cops were fatally shooting people stoned on PCP yet being killed by the perp, because a .38 didn’t have enough oomph to put a stoner who was baked on “hog” down, even with a heart or head shot.

          And yet, there are people here who believe they can shoot someone with a toy and stop them? Okay, I’ll talk to you both.

          Vic: The big BB will do nothing. It is .68cal and 2.95 grams of plastic. It takes a lot of energy to fling and you could probably figure a 12″ group at 50 feet.

          LOOB: (Have you ever been shot with a pepper ball? I have. It’s annoying.) Military CS and “bear spray” work a lot better. A (real) Taser works better yet. Even so, you can find vids where someone whose brain was frying on MDMA had to be tased by 3-4 different officers before they stopped trying to kill the cops.

          Just stop.

          Vic: If I lived in Canada I would acquire a pistol if I had to smuggle it in from the States, one piece at a time, imbedded into pewter figurines. I would choose a .41 magnum or .45 revolver which was convertible to using .410 shotgun shells. You’re acquiring a gun for last-ditch “desperation defense” against criminals who want you dead. You are never going to use it, or even show it to anyone, unless you MUST kill someone to keep yourself or your family from being murdered.

          LOOB: Same story. The single best home defense weapon is a pump-action shotgun. Racking the forestock slide is one of the most-recognizable sounds on Earth and will generally encourage people with bad intent to leave, quickly, and leave you alone. However, in a SHTF situ people will become murdering-desperate within days. When they show up, it will be to kill you and your family, and racking that slide will only tell them where to aim.

          Both: 12ga shotguns have a kick. A 16ga kicks less than half as hard; a 20ga kicks less than half as hard as a 16; a 28 kicks less than half as hard as a 20. I have no trouble shooting a 16 or 20 gauge shotgun one-handed and from the hip. The kick is surprisingly light, and I’m pretty sure a 16ga deer slug is as deadly as a 12ga slug.

      • A semi-auto 20ga shotgun is a very good close-quarter defensive weapon.
        – I would encourage you to look into it.
        – Yes., handgun ownership in Canada is a real pain.., but that 20ga will serve you well., if you decide to go that route.

    • our learning module of a year without an income was an eye opener..first..everyone vanishes that you would expect to be around and at least listen to you gripe.. ( fair weather friends) who comes to your rescue is from someone you would never expect in a million years.
      the basics.. what gives you quality of life..makes it worth living..
      in my learning modules each event taught me a new thing.. you never would expect beating grain in a cast iron pan is as miserable as it is..that’s probably why I have so many grain grinders.. getting cooking oil where do you get it.. well thats why I have two oil expellers..cheese pasta chocolate.. ( wet grinder) during the year without an income the wide and I played board games.. she would say I wish I had some wine.. so learning to make wine ..became a goal..beer.. soda pop soap it all takes skill sets that the average just don’t know..like fixing a ham radio..I wouldn’t have a clue. I built a satellite receiver lna and dish years ago ..I wouldn’t do it again it was a lot of work and without the proper test equipment it was a pain in the ass..
      making chocolate roasting coffee..each thing is something to do. I have a compressed earth block press just in case shelters and facilities need to be made.. I sent one to a mission to build a clinic and school and whatever they needed..and had one sent to myself..
      I.n the end its the simple pleasures that we all take for granted..the things we never think about.. I have five stills..just in case we need fuel..we all seen what lack of toilet did to the people they were panicking… so how many got a deck left and learned how to make toilet paper..

    • the year without an income.. PHASE TEN TWIST… the board game was a real treat.. we played that so much.. what was nice is.. you can be right at the winning spot and lose.. kept your minds busy..
      My wife gave me crap before about my shopping habits.. afterwards.. she now helps keep the pantry stocked.. retort canning.. a must do.. a magic seal is a great item to have.. I have a freeze dryer to.. well I have two of them..One I got for our ward at church they told me to keep it..
      Tilleys.. how big of a home do you have.. if you have a monster house.. you have to have it so you can shut most of it off.. I have a couple of tilleys..
      https://www.etsy.com/listing/1511688736/tilley-r1-kerosene-pressure-heater
      you can make them for a lot less.. when I slow down running that plan is to show the grandson how to make one.. dollar store stainless mixing bowl and a couple of been and soup cans will work.. and keep one good sized room warm and livable..
      the same with quick lite table lamps.. still working on the one with the grandson.. I could just give him one.. but he won’t learn without making one himself..
      https://www.etsy.com/listing/1489402127/1928-coleman-lamp-model-118-instant-lite?
      I have one for every room..
      I still have to show the grandson how they work.. simple stuff.. just so busy running back and forth to oncologists that I haven’t had time.. I will though.. the grandson is scared of the dark.. he will get a lamp.. and a tilley..
      its the simple things.. laundry.. how do you run a washing machine without the utilities.. laundry soap.. its the basics..that matter the most..
      https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Labor-Saving-Alternative-Dormitory-Apartment/dp/B0CCJLLS9W

    • I found a good blueprint for living is found in Proverbs. Best advice for living and getting along with others is found there. But with wisdom comes Common Sense.
      A couple of years ago I found out that Diana, a city girl, at times felt frightened living out here where the busses don’t run especially if I am away overnight without her. So, I don’t do that anymore. She finally told me one reason was that she felt like people, men mainly, knew when I was away and would show up unannounced. She said she was never threatened but it was always some excuse like wanting to ask if they could hunt or if I wanted to sell something or some other lame reason. And not being people we know it was enough to get her spidey senses activated. I suppose she picked it up after 40+ years with an old light fighter and cop. She, like George describes Elaine, looks a good 15 or 20 years younger than her 62 and is as beautiful now as she was when we met 42 years ago. I see people do double takes. I am 12 years older. I promised I would protect her. But knowing she was scared or unhappy was a wake up call. As d’Lynn said I would do anything so she would not feel that way again.
      I recommend everyone do the same for theirs.

      • Forty-five years ago when my wife told me, “I’m moving to the farm; you come when you can.”, I continued working in Dallas for another 9 years. Staying in Dallas with her mother during the week and coming home on weekends left her to fend for herself most of the time. When friends would ask, “Aren’t you concerned for her safety out there in the woods by herself?”. I always replied, “Nope. She’s the meanest thing out there. (She had been a reserve deputy sheriff with Dallas County prior to moving.) If she has to call the sheriff, it’ll be to tell them to bring a body bag.”

    • All this happens as you imagine, you will lose weight, if you do not have any around you might consider investing in smaller sized clothing.

  15. Dunno about elsewhere, but the Costco food court here… even though it is outside the warehouse… has always required a scan of the membership card when you order. Can’t beat the ten buck pizzas. Take ‘em home and split up slices in ziplock bags and freeze them. Makes a dandy two-slice lunch you can nuke at your convenience.

    As for Witchy Nuland modeling for anything… have you seen the before and after pix of her? She must be a ‘stress eater’ is all I will kindly say.

  16. A few disconnected thoughts:

    It is close. VERY close. It will begin simply, and with very little to no warning.

    It may begin with a trucker strike — which would probably grow quickly over a very few days into a complete transportation shutdown. Store shelves will be bare nearly immediately. Poeple just do NOT prepare; but they DO panic. Extremely Nasty is only a few days out. The good news is many foks will fight it, work togther and share — even as many others will not. Existing groups — churches and community organiations will do what they can, called to action.

    GovDome will not — can not — save you, AND they are slow to respond to anything big. Depending upon the depending upons, your self-reliant time may be a few days to a few years. Most emergncies get much worse before they bein to get better. Allow for this.

    When the paychecks stop, and banking becomes non-functional, Police, Fire, EMT, and other crucial services will cease. They have to take care of their families, too.
    Some folks will volunteer — but in many places, especially in over-developed bureaucratic ones, volunteers won’t be tapped — allowed –until complete shut-down happens.

    Maybe it’ll start with a lage-scale, rapidly evolving war or two or three — happening over a few days to a few weeks. Maybe it’ll start with a financial collapse (For my part, seems to me financial collapse is a result, not a primary cause. I live about ten miles from Amerca’s lagest and by far best equipped concentrated military base — Fort Liberty, once known as Fort Bragg. It’ll get a Fabulously Bright Dawn one day if this unfolds. I expect to go out with it, if that happens.

    I’m OK with that. I’m 80, with several pesky health issues, and life post atomic cookie exchange will be a struggle I’m not able to work anymore.

    It’s going to be a question of stamina, of staying power, to last till the tide turns and civilization creeps back. I’m unquestionably not strong enough for that anymore.

    Good luck to you: and bear in mind Great Catastrophes usually don’t actually happen. Y2K? 2012? But some do occur, and can be quite a bitch.

    How long are your “legs?

  18. re: 2/22/24
    feat: “A Star Is Born”, 1937

    Folks,

    The Universe is speaking in coinkydoinks with yesterday’s official announcement by Mr. Blinken of Mrs. Nuland’s shortly-to-follow-exit from State. The Secretary used her given name once to begin his statement followed by her nickname Toria 10 times. The spinster Princess Victoria, ‘Toria’ to her father King Edward VII, declined a proposal of marriage from the future Tsar NicholasII (d.1918) and was described as “a of the first order” by King Edward VIII. Her abode entered into the possession of the late QE2’s cousin the Duke of Kent, “grandmaster of the governing body of Freemasonry in England and Wales”.

    Perhaps the writing was on the State published schedule wall on 1/11/24 when a colleague to Ms. Nuland, Ms. Elizabeth M. Allen, delivered remarks to the nonprofit CSIS thinktank. She addressed America’s plans going forward for the Black Sea region as the war in Ukraine enters its third year.

    https://www.csis.org/events/navigating-security-challenges-black-sea-region

    Mrs. Nuland addressed the CSIS forum on 2/22/24 near the second anniversary commencement of the Russian invasion. There is no public announcement of the event in the public State Department schedule page. Additionally, Mrs. Nuland appears to have been for the most part the sole senior manager on duty at State HQ for “meetings and briefings” from December 26 to 29, 2023 inclusive.

    https://www.csis.org/analysis/under-secretary-state-victoria-nuland-two-year-anniversary-russias-full-scale-invasion

    Wikipedia advises that “A Star Is Born” premiered in 1937 at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood. A fictional premiere at the theater seen a meeting between Max and Mary in 1937 “Star’s” movie inspiration “What Price Hollywood?” of 1932.

    Land that Grauman’s is built on now appears to be owned by a firm co-founded by a banker from the defunct Drexel Burnham Lambert. The theater’s naming rights last decade were held by a partially state-owned Chinese consumer goods manufacturer incorporated in the Cayman Islands.

  20. Good Book.

    “many puzzle pieces are in motion.”

    7 days after fools day, Sin Eclipses Shamash.

    Sin passes infront of Shamash. Sin is the ancient sumerian name for the Moon.

    Shamash is the sun. Shamash is Justice and Protection of travelers. According to Ancient Babylon scripture.

    and here I am, the one who stood as living water in a dry well.

    ROY G BIV, Quite the spectrum. Every day is a planet and every planet a color.

    On the topic of:
    Fuck those Dishes!

    Prior to Woke, Cinderella was held hostage in the house, by her two step sisters, whose names were Ego and Resentment, and her evil step mother, who’s name was Fear.

    From the moment Cinderella took a single step out of the house, She entered The Kingdom. It’s the first thing that happend. Taking her second step, she was Transformed. That is the second thing that happend. After her 3rd step, She Ruled The Kingdom.

    *****
    I am still unsure if I will make the journey to the place I was 4 years prior to the date of eclipse. I have asked, and have heard nothing back as of yet.

    Perhaps, I am not to go there. Since, my plan to move to Arizona, was stopped. If I was already living in Arizona? I would have. I have several messages from Shaman I have yet to listen to. I will listen to them tomorrow.
    Even if I do go, I won’t be telling anyone. The Shamman will just know.

    The Eclipse doesn’t pass over the spot I stood 4 years ago that day.

    Justice over Sin and Me standing below Sin in the place known as the point of creation?

    hmmmmm… quite the ponder.

    More to be revealed. five right hands.

    ~ Well, I know it wasn’t you who held me down
    Heaven knows it wasn’t you who set me free.
    So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains
    And we never even know we have the key.~

    Already Gone, The Eagles

  21. oh I understand now.

    Sin passes under Shamash. Shamash is the Divine Judge.

    Just Andy
    me, the one who stood in the dry well. filled with earth “dirt”
    and The Earth is Cinderella.

    as in heaven as it is on earth.

    ahhhhh. there is my answer.

  22. ehem.

    according to Semerian Scripture in Babylon.

    Shamash is the Divine Judge.
    Shamash is the Sun.
    Sin is the name for the Moon.

    on 04/08/2024, 7 days after fools day (April 1st)
    The Divine Judge is over Sin.

    As it is in Heaven, so it is on Earth.

    The Earth is Cinderella.

    now i understand why my name is over the word for Justice in the word find in the ancient language.

  23. uhem. my name, Andy is written above the ancient word for “Accused” in the word find.

    wow! life is stranger than fiction. this is big stuff. real world and heaven stuff.

    • See text “Enki In the land of the Dead” when it is said further on that at the prow of the boat the waves break like a “devouring wolf”. The Wolf of course reminds of the wolf-dog Anubis, the opener of the paths who guides the deceased into the afterlife. One of his epithets is also “the one on the mountain”, namely the mountain (the Kur in Sumerian) which leads to the abode of the dead. Recall once again the appearance of a bird and a wolf-dog at the end of tablet BM 100046, at the moment when the deceased Son of Life must reach heaven.
      According Christian Jacq, the wolf of Nordic tradition is a noble animal that walks ahead of things and revels its power to Humans worthy of perceiving it. Endowed with the most piercing eyesight there is, the wolf possesses an immense treasure since it knows in its smallest detours the road which leads to Wahall, the Nordic paradise. To meet the wolf is therefore to meet the initiator…Ancient traditions , as we can see , held the wolf in greatest esteem. Before establishment of Protestantism, the Nordic countries linked the wolf to Christ, since the animal, like the son of man, carried the light within him..Assimilated to this very particular light which precedes broad daylight, the wolf saw in the darkness. So, he did not hesitate to confront the forces of evil and darkness whose traps he did not fear. When Catholicism and Protestantism sank into negating rationalism, they attacked the wolf with most extreme violence. Lowering the Christian adventure to any historical dimensions, they denied the power of the solar animal because it manifested the true ideals of civilization: the symbol, the myth and the cosmic dimension…”Fighting Wolf” was the nickname of Odin. The god was materialized by a boat carry “the good ones”, from the known to the unknown.Those who emerged unscathed from the mouth of the wolf, from the initiatory cave, crossed the river of life on a wolf-boat. These “good ones” are the hero’s es who join Odin in the hall of Valhalla.

      The more you learn..

  24. “Saying you are a bad-ass and will just kill them all – will change immediately when they start coming at you.”

    In everybody’s heroic daydreams the baddies never shoot back.

    I wasn’t kidding when I said a few years back, that the muzzle on a .45 looks as big as a train tunnel, when it’s pointed at you by someone who doesn’t care whether they squeeze the trigger, or not. That wasn’t the first time I looked down an angry muzzle, but it was the last (and I’d prefer to keep it that way…)

  25. “A useful thing, though, to have antennas covered with radio-blocking metal foil.”

    I strongly suggest you tape, then test. I thought a sealed lead bag would kill Verizon’s signal to my phone — nope! Putting the lead bag inside a second lead bag did attenuate things somewhat, but the signal still came through.

    • “Lead,” (Pb) is NOT good for RF shielding. It IS good for “ionizing” radiation, such as nuclear.

      Aluminum foil or copper foil, or even aluminum window screen — as in keep the skeeters outside the house — is better.

      It’s not nuclear ionizing particle absorbtion you need (lead), it’s high electrical CONDUCTANCE that forms an RF shield, and even so, it needs to be gapless/slotless. Continuous, in other words.

      I wish there was time to school all here in RF shielding practices.

      Even a galvanized steel garbage can with a tight-fitting lid perforys better than lead for radio frequency shielding.

      • Shielding efficacy depends on what you are being dosed with. Lead has to be extremely thick to stop gamma rays. 9′ or so of hard packed dirt works better. Other ionizing radiation requires less shielding. Carbon is good at stopping neutrons. If you need neutron shielding, Ure survival chances are already zero.
        Carbon also absorbs EMF efficiently. Tar paper and manufactured carbon absorption material behind conductive shielding5 metal is a good combo.
        The garbage can for a Faraday enclosure needs mods to work well:
        1. The lid needs a RF gasket like the electronics supply houses carry, otherwise you won’t get more than 20 dB attenuation. Refer to Arthur Bradley’s EMP Doctor Youtube channel for testing.
        2. A sheet of carbon absorber laid on top of the contents damps out leakage.
        3. Contents should be wrapped in aluminum foil or a dry bag, or both. Be sure to tape a Post-it label on each piece, rather than having to unwrap the entire contents to find the one widget you are searching for.
        4. Always wear a tin foil hat when doing hobby EMP mitigation. It proves you are a serious amateur.

      • Hey, it was an offhand test. I was sorting/storing some of my old photography stuff and came to a pile of lead bags, so I tried the experiment on a whim.

        This was in regards to shielding a vehicle antenna, remember? My point is:

        One should test, once they believe something is shielded.

        When the real event occurs, whether it be caused by Man or God, there won’t be any do-overs…

  26. “We have lived out here in the woods with septic systems – and watched our neighbors deal with high-tech anaerobic systems to our endless amusement.”

    Girl #2 is getting ready to fork out $1200-$1400 for a new pump (to replace the one her hubby had put in two years ago, to replace a dead pump.)

    These kids REALLY need a print copy of “The 100 Year Toaster…”

  27. IF you own a low maintenance property including the taxes, and live carefully, I believe it’s still possible for an individual to still live on 10K a year, with the caveat that you have zero medical, vision, or dental costs or insurance of any kind other than perhaps liability ins. on your car, if any! That would include Medicare parts B, C, D, etc. I live close to the ground financially by choice, but I do spend more than the minimal 10K for other things I desire. Broken cars and even trucks are cheap if you can repair and maintain them. Avoiding locations requiring state inspections is important too. Registration and insurance is enough of a sunk cost before even thinking about fuel and maintenance. Radical DIY is your friend.

    The most important question is “How long do you intend to live and what means do you intend to invoke to extend your life?”. At some point life will become unsustainable without medical intervention, and at a subsequent point, it won’t be sustainable at all. Are you prepared to go quietly into the night, or are you willing to allow medical intervention? This is a most important question that’s unexamined by most people. There’s no right answer except for one that you’re most comfortable with. Enforcing this choice on well-meaning outsiders is a challenge to be reckoned with, preferably while you’re still in good health.

    As we all know, growing older is not for the faint of heart(pun intended).

  28. “Finance

    We’ve covered most of the basics in countless columns overs the past 20-years.

    The basics are: Monetary/Money systems will break down not long after the power goes out.”

    Money will be worthless…

    Except in one area: Until the bureaucrats in the banks, utilities companies, and the County Courthouse figure out that recurring bills have been obsolesced, they will be able to be paid in FRNs, and they will have to accept them. Within a few months of a “grid, hard down,” they will realize a pound of coffee is an excellent medium of exchange, and there’s no legal authority to keep a landowner from shooting them and feeding their carcass to the pigs, they’ll become much better neighbors. Until that time though, best to have some o’ dat “coin of the Realm” lying around. It may be worthless, but it will be useful, at least for a little while…

  29. “Reader note: If there is anything you feel is missing – remember, this book is only a draft and we can add to it at any time…. so please feel free to send in ideas and suggestions for improvement.”

    George, do you still have the pamphlet I wrote years ago called “Ray’s Prepper Notes?” I E-Mailed you a copy in 2007 or thereabouts. If you dumped your mail archive, that’s no big deal, but if its still around, you’re welcome to pilfer any bits you think might be of use.

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