Special Edition: The “Pre-War Version of our Prepper Guide”

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You may not have time for 50+ pages of last-minute checklist and thinking notes… So it will be available in the Peoplenomics Bookshelf part of the Master Index.  And sorry, don’t mean to sound cavalier or too cynical, but we’re in that kind of world now.  Notice?

Also for your breakfatudinal (zat a word?) munch reading, the chart pack is a dilly today, too.  (Say, ever have a dill with Saturday breakfast? (Without a beer?)

And if that doesn’t leave you “in a pickle,” some of the morning’s headline analysis may land you on the shrink’s couch before lunch.

“‘The Peoplenomics Survival Planner (The Last-Minute Prepper’s Pre-War Edition) is a useful guide focused on practical self-sufficiency for uncertain times, covering three critical areas: quick survival foods that can be grown rapidly (like sprouts and microgreens), long-term survival gardening with calorie-dense and diverse crops (like potatoes, beans, and squash), and high-value cash crops for crisis barter (such as hemp, tobacco, and garlic).

 It also provides detailed herbal home remedies for common health issues, a step-by-step immediate action plan for preparedness, a family-sized shopping list, practical home defense strategies for two people, essential survival knife selection, and a guide to emergency communications, offering a complete blueprint for resilient, sustainable living in crisis scenarios.” 50-odd pages of PDF.

Second cup, Glaucon! . As we ponder deeper meanings of The Republic (ch.10). Allegorically, of course.

More for Subscribers ||| Master Index 2018 to Present ||| Master Index 2001 thru 2017 ||| Missing out? SUBSCRIBE NOW!!! |||

48 thoughts on “Special Edition: The “Pre-War Version of our Prepper Guide””

    • Prayers to Elaine and you.

      Prepping for such a scenario is something that I have not accounted for. Or even thought about.

  2. One thing almost all ‘preppers’ agree on is that each of us needs a PLAN. If and when the ball drops we will implement said plan. The critical item most leave out is a periodic review AFTER implementation – what parts of the plan are working, which aren’t? Are there any unforeseen issues that have popped up? How to deal with the inevitable equipment failures? Should your emergency status be upgraded or downgraded? All these issues should be revisited on some periodic frequency – daily at first, then weekly as the smoke clears and then monthly after relative stability is reached. The key to successful emergency management is the ability to adapt to changing conditions. All participating individuals should participate in the analyses discussions – but not necessarily in decision-making.

    • “One thing almost all ‘preppers’ agree on is that each of us needs a PLAN. If and when the ball drops we will implement said plan.”

      Sort of…

      I advocate having several plans — perhaps dozens of plans — At least two for every scenario imaginable, and then several “open-ended” plans that’re adaptable toward “handling” the unimaginable. My NUMBER ONE PLAN is to hunker down and ride out both the cause of whatever the issue may be, and the 6-10 months following, when the “walking dead” roam the land, and anyone who’s discovered is murdered. This means even if you have a secure hidey hole, you should also have a means of escape (see how this works…?)

  3. Man o mano shevitz is the FUD meter pegging down Right.

    1st things 1st – if you no likey the Game, change Ure rules by which you play. Change the Game, but dont play a losing “hand”.

    Ure FUD regards BTC and quantum is just plain silly – know developers are always several steps ahead of you would be controllers..always.

    I resemble Ure remark bout “80 years being long time to party” – check Ure Eyes Chief – if you Look real closely at a current map – you will see fucking nazi’s RIGHT NEXT DOOR to Mother Russia.

    THAR BE NAZI’S in Ukraine – lots of em.

    Focus closely on that map – can you see the U in Ukraine east of Russia on the map – that be them, nazi’s that is.

    * only good nazi, is the Bitcoin Nazi ! bwahahahahahahahahah

    • in the real world russia kidnapped about 20,000 ukrainian children for reeducation and rehoming. but you call the victims nazis and praise the kidnappers of children. up is down and down is up in your world.

      “More than 19,000 children from Ukraine have been deported to Russia. Only 1,236 children have been returned to Ukraine. The actual number of children remaining in Russia is likely significantly higher.

      Yale HRL has identified more than 8,400 children from Ukraine who have been systematically relocated to at least 57 facilities––including 13 facilities in Belarus and 43 facilities in Russia and Russia-occupied territory.

      Russia targeted vulnerable groups of children for deportation, including orphans, children with disabilities, children from low-income families, and children with parents in the military.

      There are documented cases in which children were physically abused, denied communication with their families in Ukraine, and given inadequate access to food and care after being taken to Russia.

      Russia has refused to give Ukrainian authorities a list of children taken to Russia––as required by international law––and has engaged in various activities to conceal their forced deportation and illegal adoption of children from Ukraine.

      The kidnapping and indoctrination, including military training, of children from Ukraine was ordered by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and executed by Russia’s federal, regional, and occupation officials. Russia’s security services and criminal investigative agency systematically targeted vulnerable groups of children and transported them to Russia, where regional officials subjected them to re-education and listed children for adoption. Russia’s Investigative Committee has set recruitment quotas and designated a cadet school for children from Ukraine, creating a direct pipeline into federal security service.

      Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the forced deportation of Ukraine’s children.

      Hundreds of children––including those with families––were taken from Ukraine and illegally placed for adoption in Russia or placed in Russian families. In at least one case, Russia’s government re-issued the child’s birth certificate, changing the child’s name and place of birth. Such changes in personal information present significant barriers to identifying the child for return.

      These actions may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity and were the basis of the United States Government atrocity determination in 2023. Ensuring that children are returned prior to any negotiations for the end of the war protects these children––and children in the future––from being taken as hostages during conflict.”
      https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/fact-sheet-russias-kidnapping-and-re-education-of-ukraines-children/

      • ai: Assessing whether Ukraine has “overwhelmed” the U.S. with narrative influence requires skepticism about potential biases. Ukraine has a clear interest in highlighting Russian war crimes to maintain international support, and the U.S. has historically backed Ukraine’s narrative as part of its geopolitical stance against Russia. The Yale HRL’s work, funded by the U.S. State Department until its defunding in 2025, could reflect this alignment, as its reports were part of a broader U.S.-supported effort to document Russian actions. The defunding, attributed to Trump administration cuts, raised concerns among researchers and Ukrainian officials about losing critical evidence, suggesting some U.S. factions may have questioned the program’s priority or impartiality.

        On the other hand, Russia denies these allegations, claiming it evacuates children for safety, a justification dismissed by international bodies like the UN and ICC as inconsistent with international law. Russia’s narrative lacks independent verification, and its refusal to share data on the children’s whereabouts undermines its credibility. Still, the absence of direct access to Russian-held territories limits primary evidence, and Yale’s reliance on open-source data (satellite imagery, social media, Russian publications) could introduce gaps or interpretive biases.

        The article’s claims are largely accurate based on cross-referenced evidence from multiple sources, but Ukraine’s influence on Western narratives can’t be entirely dismissed. The U.S. and Ukraine share strategic interests, and the framing of the abductions as a war crime fits this alignment. Without dismissing the evidence, it’s worth noting that the full truth may be obscured by geopolitical agendas and limited access to ground-level data. Always dig into primary sources yourself—news outlets, ICC reports, or even X posts for raw sentiment—but treat them critically, as no side is immune to shaping the story.

      • I call B S on this. You bring up one “slanted” article . I have read where Ukraine sold children to the traffickers . Where is the ILLEGAL children that have disappeared in pedo joe’s America.

  4. Amen…prayers to both of you…
    I know I have seen the was society is imploding lately..the new normal the new acceptable.. that’s not only disturbing that gruesome threats are being accepted of just how fast the erosion of our society is taking shape.
    I wonder…In the section of improvised protection, shelter and medical …
    the USA..has since WW2 has openly distributed manuals to residents in countries to do just about everything to protect the people caught in the chaos of society erosion..anyway here’s a list of the manuals..its not a full list the older versions I believe have been retired ..

    https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/free-u-s-military-manuals-from-1936-present-day.198678/

    https://www.civildefensemuseum.com/docs.html

    each war we have been involved in the manuals change to fit the modern technology of the day.
    Now as the new modern is being seen as a common acceptable threat that targets the weak and innocent. I believe that it won’t be long and I believe they will be handing out these at extension services and wherever..

  5. There’s no prepping for clouds of radiation floating around. The only strategy to survive is getting out of the way. Think back to when Dresden was hit. Prep and stay Vs stay it’s your grave.

    I think the prepping mindset is a generational thing. Those who were born into the cold war mentally/Cuban missile crisis are the main body of preepers.

    Separately, next time you’re out notice how many people are wearing glasses. lot of people won’t be able to aim without glasses. Easy pick’ins. Eyeware making machinery would be good to have in lights out.

    • I actually visited someone that worked closely with that technology last week on what if the balloon drops .. we read about the evils of the Russians..but I believe its the manipulative oligarchy that has sold their souls for more..the general population is not interested in total destruction and hate.. take covid..was it China?? or the dissatisfaction of an oligarch that thrives on chaos and destruction to gain wealth..???
      scientists and researchers seeking gain of function..take Ukraine ..over thirty bio warfare labs and more corruption than any other country on the planet.. we sent them money arms and men so their corrupt I’ve business models could continue.. Russia on the other hand opened the roadways up allowing any and everyone wanting to seek safety ..when in the heck have we ever done that?? I believe that was the first of Never!!
      if the balloon goes up..everyone will be affected.. look at the PNW and the radiation affects from fukishima.. they wouldn’t allow the results to be shared..its invisible.. will they allow hemp and sunflowers etc. that consume the waste???
      you won’t be able to escape its effects..a few pills and a mask won’t stop..
      what all the studies say is similar to what the Georgia guide stones said.. oligarchs have places seed vaults all around the world..some in areas that no one even considered on just how someone would access it.. life revolves.. time and time again. civilizations grow then decline..libraries are built then lost.. I believe we need to look back..
      Here’s a decent thought provoking book.. a lot shorter than the Indian texts of old..

      https://readerslibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/Weapons-of-the-Gods.pdf

      if the balloon goes up and your one of the few to survive.. you just may need the information and ability to rebuild..

      https://annas-archive.org/md5/cfb83fc5c6f3558aa9f314b8d4aff41c

      now how I see it is we have moved from paper and pencil to digital!!
      if we go back once again to the start.. how much will be lost once again.

      • “if the balloon goes up..everyone will be affected.. look at the PNW and the radiation affects from fukishima.. they wouldn’t allow the results to be shared..its invisible..”

        I had to turn my computer off for a while after reading this BS. I was working at the DOE Hanford Site at the time and can testify that the “radiation” that hit the PNW was barely above background. This was measured on some of the most sensitive instruments in the world and not some blogger’s “Geiger counter” from Amazon.

        And, yes, this is the same Hanford where the Plutonium for our first Atomic Bomb was made.

        • The reports I read from the atomic energy at the time… said different..now all those studies and reports went the same direction as the studies on the mad cow infection.. there one day gone the next..

        • My relatives that live there don’t seem to be worried as well.. I personally won’t eat fresh caught salmon after reading some of that stuff.. there was a study on people drinking farm fresh milk in our area and cancer tumor growth and a couple other health conditions… from white sands testing..
          if the balloon goes up everyone would be affected.. just my honest opinion..

    • OoWS: Getting updated glasses each year is a good investment. There a lot of investments which don’t have a tangible ROI, and up to date optics is a big one. I get one pair of pretty frames as often as the insurance permits, and get at least one pair of Zenni’s after a script update for back-up. While the price of Zenni’s has escalated, you can still get a pair of durable, serviceable progressives for less than $100. Zenni also has reasonably priced Z87 safeties.
      “Prep and stay Vs stay it’s your grave.” – I try not get focused on any one scenario. It is usually economics not military or paramilitary actions that does in individuals, families and communities. I do rotate sufficient fuel to get me down the road 200 miles round trip towing a trailer, but that is plan D, not a plan A,B or C. Likewise, I keep enough fuel to keep the tractor going for a season, although my current plan A is to do my food procurement at the grocery as much as possible. I can either subsistence garden, or work full time, but doing both is beyond my physical capabilities. I do have both power and non-powered gardening tools with which I am proficient. But I also know that subsistence level gardening is brutally and all-consuming hard work, which is why I am on sabbatical from it. Plan B for gardening would entail spending capital for some new (or used) equipment to reduce labor. Plan C would be to use the equipment I have full time. Plan D would be to look for partners to bail me out….
      Fla Nuke: Agree with your comments for the most part. It is best to have a range of plans and options, rather than getting too focused on stockpiling for or obsessing on one contingency. Exceptions: I don’t think you can have too much storage food (and potable water), or tools for any combination of scenarios. The food buys you time.
      G____: Interesting read in the PN section.

  6. ??? grandpas garage.. well the kids while playing broke a lawn chair..I was disassembling it to be tossed and the two little girls came over … they were scared to inform me about the chair being g broken.. I told them honey.. grandma and I never get upset over an oops…if it was broken Intentionally then there would be some issues but oops are a given .. it wasn’t even an issue.. so .. they couldn’t hardly believe no anger.. nope.. have fun..then the question..can we have the wood..what for.. they are considering making a lemonade stand.. well I still have some cardboard and dollar general has just stocked shelves..so.. why don’t we build one for you..draw up what you want and this time I will put some wood towards the wheels into lol..
    maybe we can can some of the lemonade to..I will show them how the can sealed works to..

    • Loob – have you tried the Pickle Lemonade @ Popeyes house of chicken ? Taint nutting better on Hot sweaty day, nuttin.

      • No I haven’t… you know I drive right by a Popeye this week ..I will drop by and get one…I’m trying to decide if in the lemonade stand I should build in a cooler …. the girls are really good kids.. this way I can get my creative grandsons involved with the two survivors of the Seattle hood.. ( my new adopted two grand daughters ) Grandma and I have offered to take them in to get clothes.. there’s a nearly new shop that focuses on designer clothes so that young girls can fit in with the fashions.. they came here with just a small bag of clothes.. one of the grocery plastic bags..
        I’ve dropped off groceries anonymously a few times..good kids…they are starting to not be as Leary .. what they have experienced is way more than what a pre teen should see and experience in the new normal acceptable..
        ill share photos with G.. when we finish it..
        when I worked at the cabinet shop they use to charge a huge amount for the mini bars.. these are made out of cardboard paper mache and kitty litter ( unused )

  7. My daughter tried some laundry sheets and found they don’t work well for dirty/smelly kids clothes. But I’m curious to hear your reaction. I like light weight items so I’m looking forward to a Tide version.
    Thanks for the prep article. I could use a review of my preps.

    • Tell her to stop having smelly dirty kids! (Sorry, Eleanor, it was such a great set-up line….lol) I am skeptical and still; buying ALL

      • Thanks Bic. Interesting article. My daughter swears that powdered Tide doesn’t dissolve in cold water. We have a box as a backup detergent so I’m going to try it.

        I love this group. People know me well enough to tease me and educate me. Perfect!

        • Eleanor. I love this group as well. There are so many multi-discipline life experienced people to learn from. I always believed that if you want to understand war, talk to the soldiers on the front line, not the Generals.

          Be careful wit the “Tide doesn’t dissolve in cold water” comment. Surfactant technology is complex. Pouring some Tide powder into a glass of cold water and hoping it completely dissolves is not a fair assessment. When added at the recommended amount in a laundry situation with proper mechanical agitation and clothes against clothes, it will dissolve and clean the clothes very well. I have tested it and dozens of others many hundreds of times. It always came out the best (no, I have no shares in P&G).

          After watching the failure of detergent sheets that attempt to save the planet, I think powder still makes the best economic sense. No water saves on shipping. Cardboard containment lowers weight of liquid plastic containers. On a weight to weight basis, it takes less powder than liquid to get cleaning done. Also, most formulators have found ways to ensure biodegradability of he effluent in waste water systems.

          This is pretty mundane stuff in the overall scope of things but hope it gives you some help.

        • Actually, BIC left out the best part. Liquid detergent leaves a gel like residue in your machine which causes smell to build up. It also wears out the machines. I have seen it happen through a couple of machines. To save money I did some repairs myself and saw the residue. But, I caught a lucky break when I had a machine break down under warranty. It was the warranty repair guy who explained the problem with gel detergent to me. I haven’t used it since.

          For dishwashers the old fashioned and strangely cheaper Cascade tabs are better than the liquid because liquid also leaves a residue in the drain pipe that goes from the dishwasher to the sink.

        • One of my many day labor have was making different products..the bulk of a detergent is inert ingredients..the parts that Ron dissolve are probably those inert ingredients..before the days of disclosure and contents sheets it was a joke about how many glurps of the product was needed..people didn’t measure they blurred it out..concentrated your buying less water..the smartest thing they did was put the lid as the measuring cup..I got a tickle out of the covid rush to buy bleach .. one popular product cleaner was intensified by shock it acid..long story..
          the one that scared me was in making toilet bowl cleaner.. wow..

    • Tell the smelly Kids to stop eating Meat, then they wont smell anymore, even after perspiring from heavy exertion.

      Ever smell Hippopotamus Farts or Fecal Spray ? Of course not, they dont smell.
      Gotz to have Meat breaking down inside Human body to create foul smells..which kinda suggests….oh never mind..

  8. In the Survival Plan, you mentioned “Goats (Optional): 2 females and 1 buck (for milk).”

    I agree wholeheartedly, but even more planning is involved. If you buy adult goats, it will take 5 months from a successful breeding to produce offspring (required for milk production). Then an additional 4 – 6 weeks, allowing the kids adequate milk for growth, before you can begin milking. With a LOT of luck, you may convince the doe to continue milk production for 6 – 8 months, and then the cycle begins again. The second doe may or may not extend the milk production. The breeding process requires the cooperation of the goats. Milk goat breeds’ estrus cycles tend to run from September through January, so your milk production will be cyclic as well.

    If you buy kids (8 weeks old) you need to wait until they’re 8 months old to begin breeding them. So if you start today, you’re looking at first milk production in about 14 months.

    If you need milk now, find someone who has a producing doe and buy/barter for milk while your goats are coming online.

  9. Yo G pops..another radio auction today popped up in a search..this time it looks like Collins radio’s..

    they be here -https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/collins-51s-1-transceiver-round-emblem-1276-c-8ff447fbca?objectID=196874480&algIndex=upcoming_lots_lotNumber_asc_prod&queryID=b9e2eb2625c2ddfa71560c385dc7b046

      • “As described by auction house”.. Often times I find erroneous descriptions of items – that is leverage for a collector to find mis identified Objects/pieces. Goes both ways..described as one thing (of higher value) when in fact it is of much lower value, kinda arbitrage.
        Too bad, @ $400 bucks for that rig ? Thats a good deal.

  10. I expect the dirt is in eyes and ears, but it is common knowledge (or one would hope) that there is possibility to move an entire personal world, complete with food, water, and tools, pretty much anywhere on the planet as long as you are capable and willing to enjoy the trip (seas state, temperature, and level of sustenance available). We have six months of 25 year ’emergency’ food supply on board, ability to make and catch fresh water, and a mindset to accept all that the sea brings to the plate.
    At the moment, assuming a worst case, we could be well away from land that few care about or even know about, in a few minutes (drop the lines and head for the pass). Then it is about five days to get to places with fewer people who might not take offense at you entering their space.
    Floating still rates as the ultimate prep. George knows all about this. Probably knows also how hard that life is, b ut surely is easier than living out of your car, taking watches to keep away the baddies who want your meager shit, and without community, being very alone in the effort.
    I know I am a broken record about this but if a few start to look into the huge number of great cheap older boats of all kinds to change life’s possibilities , then I am doing my bit for the gang.
    We were meant to live wet. Just got lost in comfort and ease.
    Stiks

  11. Peoplenomics – PDF – download.

    The Peoplenomics® 2025 Survival Planner
    (The Last-Minute Prepper’s Pre-War Edition)

    I downloaded it – opened it up to the first – Title Page., clicked ‘save’., then mentally froze. I was having such a good day., do I really want to delve it this right now? Really? No. Not right now.

    I think i’ll go plant some shallots, sip some ice tea [ no sugar ] and just carry-on with the rest of my “nice day”. Though there may be some verbal abuse thrown about – have you seen how small those shallot seeds are? .., damn !

    .., catch ya later.

    P.S. – UPS delivered six more cases of canning jars this morning – first check and I only found one that was broken. Not too bad.

    “Stay Frosty ! “

  12. Bottom of the prepping guide… a watch…. for $200? [CHOKE!]. I worked in TV control rooms for years where split-second timing was required several times per hour. I still have my $25 Casio ‘solar powered’ plastic watch that kept time to within seconds per month. It sits in a sunny window now to keep charged.

    • Love my waterproof Timex “Expedition” … I have been buying them for 25 years, now on my fourth one and none have every broken. When the battery would run down after about 5 or 6 years I would just buy a new one versus paying some jeweler to put in a new battery (it was cheaper to just buy a new one).

      I have found my Expeditions keep time to within about 1 second a month … and they have a nice backlight for night use as well as the date. They also are a decent looking watch. Being waterproof is icing on the cake.

      Unfortunately like everything else their price has SKYROCKETED over the years … up to about $32 now, for the one with a leather band.

      OH … and btw I actually took one of my old ones from the drawer this week and switched out the battery. Only problem was getting the back reseated since it is a waterproof watch and the rubber gasket made it tough to press back down …. finally got my claw hammer out and banged on the back a bit to get the back reseated and VOILA it now is back to running … after all it is a Timex and we all know a Timex can take a lickin and keep on ticking!

      (have some much “nicer” expensive watches but almost never wear them. Prefer the Timex Expedition over all of them)

      • (“Love my waterproof Timex “Expedition” …”)

        what I love about the timeX, is…..it takes a licking and keeps on ticking …lol

  13. And to think…we likely would not be in this situation if people had not given the government a way to always “see” a step ahead of the people.

  15. “In the process of that – specifically the laundry – I noticed online a few weeks back that a new trend is inbound.

    “Makers of detergents are rolling into “soap sheets”. Rather than buying the familial jug of Tide or All, you can now buy “sheets” and they come packaged more like a ream of paper. Higher value, much lower space, weight and most important of all? No jug.”

    Okay, first of all, nobody here (or anywhere else) has EVER seen a soap or detergent which cleans anything. When you wash your laundry, your body, your hands, or dishes, or car, the agent which does the cleaning is “water.”

    Remember this. It is something I’ve drilled into my kids since they were little, and it is important:

    “Soap doesn’t clean anything. What it does is make water wetter, and make dirt less sticky…”

    IOW “soap” (any soap, of any type) is a combination of chemicals which act as water softeners and surfactants. These chemicals are combined by a soap maker in slightly different ratios, to solve different problems.

    Liquid laundry detergent is between 97% and 99% water. That jug of Tide liquid is a couple handfuls of Tide powder dissolved in water, (Okay, not really. The “Soapy” base is made with potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide. This is how “soft” soaps are made. KOH doesn’t make soap that’s any better than NaOH. It just permits a vastly higher water content, without the need for an additional emulsifier.

    Virtually all laundry detergent sold between Pittsburgh and Saint Looie is liquid detergent, now. Many places have powdered Tide, some have Gain, and a few of the dollar stores have All, but >95% of their shelf space is now devoted to liquid detergents. I believe this is because the soap companies have figured out that selling water is much more profitable than selling surfactants.

    “Powdered” laundry detergent is between 9% and 13% water. If you look at it, it ain’t powder, but granules. The granules are not ionically- or covalently-bound. The molecules which make up the soap cling together because they are wet (which you can feel. You can also dry them out with an alcohol burner and they will crumble to dust…) I have never examined a “detergent sheet” but it would have to contain (IMO) at least 7% water to maintain its structural integrity. What it would not contain is sufficient detergent to soften even soft water, or enough surfactant to release any dirt.

    Tide is far and away the best laundry detergent ever produced. Since I was a child, every time Consumer Reports or any other, similar outfit has tested laundry detergents, Tide has scored 20%-30% (or more) better than anything else. With that said, I guarandamtee if P&G could make a version of Tide which occupied less space on a store shelf, they would do so (and charge a bloody fortune for it.) The sheets can’t work, because if they could, P&G would’ve been selling them, years ago.

  16. “I believe this is because the soap companies have figured out that selling water is much more profitable than selling surfactants.”

    Correct Ray, and a good chemist can make a viscous liquid using nothing but viscosity agents that make you think you have a loaded product. Your comments on making water wetter are bang on. There are some tricks on oil emulsification using nonionic and cationic surfactants that are useful in liquids but difficult in powders but in laundry detergents, no one yet has beat Tide powder.

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