10 Foods That Will Last Forever/Long in the Post-Apocalyptic World

Some people think the world is going to end TOMORROW (THOUGH IT'S NOT TRUE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE!!! THE 7-YEAR TRIBULATION HAS NOT YET STARTED/ENDED!). But as an alert Christian, we should at least get ourselves prepared for any disaster that may happen out of the blue.

According to believers, this apocalypse could manifest itself in a number of ways. If there is a disaster and you happen to make it out alive, there's a good chance supermarkets will soon be pillaged and you'll need access to a steady stream of food.

That means you'll need to pack your cupboard with shelf-stable ingredients that provide enough energy to help you rebuild society. 

Here's what to grab before the end of the world hits, or during all that looting that's sure to follow.

Honey

Robert Neff/Flickr

Shelf-life: Indefinite

Honey may crystallize over time, resulting in a heap of thick, sugary gunk at the bottom of containers,
but in terms of safety, the golden liquid is practically immortal. 

Honey can last for centuries if stored in a sealed jar, according to the National Honey Board. 

Though it doesn't pack the same nutritional value (in terms of vitamins and minerals) as other foods,
honey can add extra flavor to food, provide simple sugars, and can also be used to treat wounds and burns. 

Pemmican

Mark's Daily Apple

Shelf-life: Indefinite

Invented by Native Americans, pemmican was traditionally made from the lean meat of large game like buffalo,
elk, or deer. The meat was dried over an open fire, mixed with fat, and pressed into little cakes.
Sometimes berries were tossed in for extra flavor.

Pemmican makes the perfect survival treat because they're easy to make (there are only three basic ingredients),
it's a good source of energy and protein, and it does not have to be refrigerated, cooked or heated.

Today, US Wellness Meats in Missouri makes packaged beef pemmican snack sticks and bars,
which they say last up to two years in the freezer.  

Here's a recipe for homemade pemmican — for when your post-apocalyptic-self butchers an elk —
which can supposedly last forever.  

Meals, Ready to Eat

Wikipedia

Shelf-life: 5+ years

Commonly known as MREs, these pre-packaged meals have been sustaining American troops on the
battlefield since 1981. Each foil pouch, which can be easily carried, prepared, and eaten,
contains about 1,200 calories.

It's not just standard meat and potato dishes either. There are a wide range of entrees to choose from,
including beef brisket, lemon pepper tuna, and vegetable lasagna for plant-eating preppers. 

Depending on storing conditions, an MRE bag can stay fresh for up to five years.
If you're less concerned about flavor, the pocket-size army grub can hold up for more than a decade.  

Hard liquor

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider

Shelf-life: Indefinite

In a time of crisis, alcohol is a must-have. 

Unopened bottles of hard liquor like vodka, whiskey, and rum don't really go bad,
though they may lose some of their "kick" as the years pass.
Be careful about leaving them out in the sun though.

This is one of the more expensive items to have in your survival cupboard,
but it has many practical uses besides drinking, like cleaning wounds.
Having it available for a post-apocalyptic party doesn't hurt either.

Peanut Butter

flik/Greatist

Shelf-life: 2-5 years

Creamy, chunky, or organic, peanut butter is a cupboard mainstay for many Americans.
Kept in low humidity the thick spread will last for quite some time.
A high amount of Vitamin E prevents peanut butter from spoiling. 

This is the one situation where you'll want to stay away from the all-natural stuff,
which requires refrigeration because it does not contain preservatives.  

Twinkie

Instagram/kimbrrrrly

Shelf-life: 30 years

We're hopeful you scooped up a good amount of Twinkie boxes after Hostess announced plans
to shut down its baking operations back in November.

The iconic golden snack cake may not be the most health-conscious munchy to bulk stock —
it's mostly fat and sugar — but we figure when times get tough, the tough turn to junk food. 

Though Hostess contends that the little cake's shelf-life is closer to 25 days, a science teacher
from Maine once told the Associated Press that he harbored a Twinkie in his classroom for 30 years and
despite being a little stale, it was probably still good enough to eat. 

Canned or dried beans

Gordon Joly via Wikimedia

Shelf-life: 30+ years

Kidney, pinto, black, or Lima — take your pick. Beans are the ultimate survival food because they're
high in protein, easy to store, and come in many different varieties. 

When combined with rice (another survival food) beans form a complete protein. That means the
meal contains all of the nine essential amino acids to support your body.  

Rice

Shutterstock

Shelf-life: 25+ years

Rice has long been a main food source for more than half of the world population.
The hearty grain will continue to keep humanity strong and well-fed in the event of a disaster.  

Rice is also dirt cheap, comes in many types, and is easy to prepare.  

Powdered milk

Alan Levine/Flickr

Shelf life: Indefinite

Powdered milk is a mainstay of fallout shelters and food aid supplies when fresh milk isn't available.
The dried stuff many not be very appealing, but it pretty much lasts forever and is useful for cooking and baking. 

It's also easy to tell if the product has gone bad. If your powdered milk turns yellow, it's time to toss it.  

Ramen noodles

Wikipedia

Shelf-life: 10+ years

The Japanese noodle is filling, easy to prepare, and light-weight.
Some college kids even live on these squiggly pastas for years.

It makes sense: The dried bricks come with different-flavored packets and can be purchased for as little as
16 cents a pack. Mixed with some dehydrated vegetables, the noodles can make a nice meal.  

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/foods-with-a-long-shelf-life-2012-12?op=1

How to Choose Groceries for Long Term Food Storage

When you want to establish a food supply for long-term storage, you must consider a few factors. The food items you choose must be easy to store and store well over the long term. The food must also be easy to prepare and provide nutritional value. Long-term food storage will not be difficult if you follow a few basic tips.

Type of storage:
While a freezer is excellent for storing many foods, it may not be your best choice. Unless you have access to a generator or use solar power, your freezer may not be operational when you need it the most. The best choices for grocery items are those that are canned or well sealed in plastic.

Longevity of food products:
• Low acid canned foods – 2 to 5 years
• High acid canned foods – 1 to 2 years
• Boxed cereal – 6 to 12 months
• Uncooked cereal – 1 year
• Peanut butter – 2 years
• Crackers – 1 year
• Jellies – 2 years
• Dry pasta – 3 years

Honey, rice, sugar and chocolate powder will keep almost indefinitely if stored correctly. Honey may crystallize but it will still be safe. If you doubt the safety of an item, throw it out.

Ease of use:
No matter how long a food item can last, it will not be helpful if you cannot use it. Canned goods should not present a problem as long as you have a can opener. Canned goods with pop-top lids may be a better choice. Items that require heating to higher temperatures can present a problem. While you should arrange for ways to warm your food, exact temperatures may be hard to control.

Choose foods that are pre-cooked or do not require higher heat for use. You can re-hydrate most items with a minimal amount of warmth; it just may take a bit longer. It is extremely important that you consider the additional water needs of dehydrated foods when you are planning items for storage.
Nutritional value:
Soups, nuts and energy bars all provide good nutritional sources. Add in dehydrated or freeze dried fruits and vegetables for variety. Energy or nutritional drinks are also an excellent choice.
When you work on your long-term food storage, date the items as you store them. Rotate these food items into your regular meals to keep your supply fresh. Every six to twelve months you should re-evaluate the types of items you are storing. Your needs may change over time.

Ray Boeyenga+ is an emergency preparedness and self-reliance advisor who regularly blogs at Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Centre.

Source: http://www.rockymountainsurvival.com/how-to-choose-groceries-for-long-term-food-storage/

Getting Your Mind Right for Survival: When You are the One Walking Point

Hurricane Sandy left a lot of people without power, food, water, fuel, medicines, and shelter. Many people are still going without — in the middle of the wealthy NYC area.

Imagine a larger scale disaster where state and municipal emergency response systems were knocked out, and you were left entirely on your own to assure the survival of yourself and those close to you. What would you do?

The success triad below: training, tangibles, and mindset should give you some ideas on where to start.

Success in Emergency Preparedness

Some common preparedness tangibles are:

• Silver
• Ammunition
• Food and water
• Spare gasoline
• Batteries
• Coats, hats, gloves
• Camping gear

Some common preparedness training includes:

• Personal protection
• Gunsmithing
• Food preparation
• Carpentry and home repair
• Small engine repair and maintenance
• Survival
• Orienteering

Some common successful mindset qualities are:

• Aim, Focus
• Perseverance
• Adaptability
• Curious and inquisitive
• Enthusiastic
• Evaluative- scrutinizes his self, choices, etc for continued improvement

_Successful Preparedness Mindset

Here is a look at 15 skills to survive TEOTWAWKI from MD Creekmore:

1. Food Processing – many survival planners overlook food processing in favor of more exciting elements of preparedness. This is a mistake, I think cooking and preparing basic storage foods is one of the most important elements of preparedness .

2. Bulk Food Storage – without sufficient qualities of storage foods our demise is practically guaranteed after a major catastrophe. Storing basic grains and beans isn’t difficult and any dunce can do it properly in a couple of hours with proper instruction.

3. Medical Training – every survivalist should have sufficient medical training. A good start is taking a basic CPR and first aid class, check with your local Red Cross for scheduling. If time and finances allow taking EMT classes would also be a good idea. Don’t overlook herbal medicine, which maybe all we have to work with on an individual level.

4. Gardening – because of space and finances most of us can not put back enough food to last the rest of our lives. We’ll need to replace our storage foods with fresh supplies. Gardening is an excellent way to do this, and is it easy to learn with instruction and practice. It is amazing at the amount of food that can be grown in a small space under proper conditions.

5. Preserving – Most foods spoil rather quickly resulting in loss of quality, edibility and nutritive value – food preservation is an important survival skill . We need to learn to Can, Dry, Freeze, Salt, Smoke, Pickle, Bury, Vacuum Pack, Sugar, Jelly, Pot etc.

6. Hunting – contrary to popular belief all wild game will not disappear after a collapse. Most people would rather stand in a food line waiting for a handout than scour the backwoods looking for game and let’s not forget that the extent of most peoples hunting skills doesn’t go beyond the latest Cabelas video game.

7. Trapping – trapping is more practical under survival conditions than hunting. By setting a trap you can be other places and do other things while the trap does the hunting for you. Learn to set snares, build deadfalls, box traps, fish traps, and the use steel traps. Becoming a proficient trapper is not difficult – all you need to do is get off the couch and learn by doing.

8. Firearms Repair – basic firearms repair (replacement of broken parts) isn’t all that difficult if you have the parts needed when something breaks. There’s no need in learning to repair every make and model of firearm in existence. You do need to have an in-depth understanding of your chosen weapons, how they work and repair methods for each.

9. Self-Defense Skills – the most effective self-defense techniques are also the easiest to master. Striking vulnerable points, biting and eye gouging are simple and effective techniques that can be quickly learned and when applied with aggression can bring down the most determined attacker.

10. Firearms Skills – if you’re new to firearms a basic safety course is necessary before learning defensive skills. Concealed carry permit classes are held in most areas as are hunter education programs – I suggest you participate in both. The National Rifle Association offers a number of classes that are most helpful. As for books and videos I recommend “Tactical Pistol Shooting” and Kelly McCann’s inside the crucible series.

11. Water Purification – another simple skill often overlooked is water acquisition and purification.

12. Using Tools – you should have a survival toolbox of basic tools, such as; hammers, saws, screwdrivers, winches, vice grips, wire cutters, files etc. And the skills needed to put these tools to use.

13. Animal Husbandry – raising animals goes hand-in-hand with gardening, hunting and trapping to provide a continuous source of nourishment during hard times. I highly recommend “Barnyard in your Backyard” this book covers everything you need to know.

14. Home Power – while it may be possible to survive with no electrical power, having some source of current will make life easier. My solar set up was under $600 batteries included and building my homemade generator was under $100.

15. Investing – after getting your survival necessities in order (food, water, meds, shelter, defense) it’s time to start thinking about investing in precious metals, namely gold and silver. Just be sure not to make the mistake of going into debt while investing in these metals. _MDCreekmore

And since “no man is an island,” and your chances of surviving an emergency are greater when in the company of other skilled and competent persons, here are some ideas on the topic of finding like-minded persons — again from MD Creekmore:

Take a look at your situation, family and friends – would they be there for you and each other when the balloon goes up? What are their skills? What do they have to offer? Will they work together?

If the answers to the above questions are negative, than you need to look elsewhere for support. But where do you look. And, perhaps more importantly, how do you do it without drawing attention to yourself or inviting danger into your retreat.

Consider looking into:
Churches with similar religious convictions to your own.
Hunting clubs
Gun clubs
Garden clubs
First Aid & CPR class attendees
Those attending self-defense classes or seminars
I’m sure you can think of other possibilities, but you get the idea.

Starting your own related club, as a ruse to attract like-minded people for an inital “feeling-out” process isn’t out of the question. Even if you don’t find a worthy candidate you’ll at least have gotten off the couch.

I know a former Army ranger who offered free wilderness survival classes as a ruse when building his survival group.

They would spend a weekend out in the woods learning various outdoor survival techniques. While he would secretly evaluate each as a potential member for his survival group…. _More info at: MDCreekmore: Survival Group

List of top 10 best survival guns from SHTFblog

If the stock market crashes, it will be because investors are afraid of a lot more than “the fiscal cliff.”

Preparation starts by accumulating the rudimentary elements of survival: food, water, shelter, medical supplies, security, survival skills and a basic reactionary plan. _SurvivalBlog

Think of emergencies related to Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters as short-lived reminders of the bigger ones that are coming down the road. The graft and corruption of modern governments are degrading the ability of official institutions to assist citizens in the event of sustained disasters. The growing inability of government institutions to come to the meaningful aid of citizens makes it all the more important for citizens to know how to help themselves.

Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.

More at http://peakoil.com/generalideas/getting-your-mind-right-for-survival-when-you-are-the-one-walking-point/

When the Hard Times Come – You Are On Your Own!

by Earl Griffin

There has been a lot of attention paid recently to the activities of those individuals and families who believe in taking responsibility for themselves. Often they are called “Preppers.” Sometimes they are called “hoarders”, or “crazies.”

Funny; when things go south it’s not often you see those people on television crying, screaming, and pulling their hair because the government isn’t there to help them. That is because they helped themselves before it hit the fan.

I remember when Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. I recall the anger that I personally felt because of the seemingly unmitigated suffering of the people in the aftermath of that storm. Each day the smoldering rage I felt because of the government’s apparent inaction burned hotter and brighter.

It’s been several years since Katrina – things still haven’t gotten back to normal in New Orleans. “Those dang Republicans,” I thought, “callous, indifferent to the plight of those with whom they have lost touch.” Now we’ve had another storm: Sandy.

The weather forecasters were united for a week. “It’s going to be a huge, terrible storm,” they said.

I remember the innumerable jackasses calling the radio station and complaining about the “hype.”

Before long reporters, weather forecasters, and government officials were making public service announcements to assure the public that this storm was not being “hyped.”

Everyone had a week’s warning!

The “crazies,” aka people who believe that it is their responsibility to take care of themselves and their own family no matter what, started getting ready as you can see: here, here, and here.

When I asked people, “What are you doing to get ready for Sandy?” A few people listed their preparations. However the majority of people just laughed at me and joked about, “Milk, bread, and toilet paper.”

Maryland was spared much of the terrible wind damage. However New Jersey and New York were not. Funny – at first there wasn’t a lot of coverage about the looting and panic people were experiencing. However, Barking Window did cover these things and more in Sandy’s aftermath.

We learned some startling truths. For instance FEMA simply isn’t ready for large disasters and it is Europe and not the U.S. that leads in weather forecasting.

The Republicans are not in charge this time around – instead it is a Democrat who sits in the White House. What difference did it make? It made no difference at all. People in those areas hardest hit by Sandy are all crying and begging for help – when they aren’t dumpster diving for food!

So the Republicans failed after Katrina and the Democrats have failed after Sandy.

There is an important lesson to learn from this: Reliance upon government is not a good idea during an emergency. People – all people – should prepare for hard times and emergencies within their means to do so! Even the poor can do something to prepare.

Prepare for the storm but also be mindful of your preparations for after the storm. You will have to look after yourself, your family, and even your neighbors. You will also have to be prepared for those who are up to no good.

There are a lot of people who will go on after this storm without having learned anything – don’t be one of them.

If you have not already done so, begin to develop a philosophy of self-reliance. Be careful though; don’t fall into the “me against the world,” snare that many others get caught in. Prepare for yourself and your family but don’t forget your neighbors. I don’t mean to suggest you should do their work for them, but I think it is important that we remember that we are not islands. We are members of a community. Reach out to those in need and be a leader in your community.

More @ http://thesurvivalplaceblog.com/2012/11/06/when-the-hard-times-come-you-are-on-your-own/

Liberal media, White House owes preppers and survivalists a massive apology in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy

If you’re not, ask yourselves why Preppers have been slandered by the mainsteam media for years, slammed for the derogatory “stockpiling” of supplies – which may have kept you from being ready for something like Sandy.

Ask your congressman “Why?” Ask your local newspapers and TV stations, “Why?”

“Natural” disasters are part of life.

But what if the United States Government is preparing for something not not quite so “natural” and want you helpless against it?

You might find one answer in the FEMA” CAMP SYSTEM  set up “to detain US citizens in the event of an uprising or civil unrest” – or anything else we might not be ready for, like Sandy?

Today, the media owes you a massive apology (Hah! Fat chance!) because if the-preppers-are-right, they are the only ones making do  in the wake of superstorm Sandy. 

If anyone asks you what you’re preparing for, just say, “Another Sandy”.

Preppers are the new prophets,, deniers are the new homeless – the tin-foil party hats vs the Lead-lined skullcaps – who survived Sandy?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday, November 04, 2012
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) In the wake of superstorm Sandy, preppers are the new prophets. Those who failed to prepare are the new homeless.

For as long as we can all remember, preppers and survivalists have been derided by the mainstream media, labeled "kooks" and "wing nuts" for stockpiling food, water, ammunition, medical supplies and emergency gear. Only paranoid conspiracy theorists engage in evil preparedness activities, we were told by the sellout mainstream media, and they've convinced many that preppers may even be terrorists.

The very word "stockpiling" has been used in a derogatory manner, as if it's somehow bad for private citizens to stockpile food, medicine and emergency supplies that might save lives in a crisis. Never mind that the government stockpiles all these things for its own survival; citizens are routinely taught that stockpiling is bad!

Suddenly all that has changed. In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, preppers are the ones who aren't starving, freezing or begging the government to come save them with emergency supplies. Those who failed to prepare are now subjected to the chaotic, incompetent actions of the federal government which is, predictably, operating in a never-ending state of logistical failure.

An one example, in response to the ongoing scarcity of gasoline, New York announced that the Defense Department would be opening up free gas stations near areas hardest-hit, but that residents should stay away and let first responders fuel up ahead of them.

This, of course, set off a wave of confusion. It was then announced that those "civilians" (a derogatory term against citizens, used only in a police state) who were already in line could stay in line, but no "civilians" could join the line. Many people waited up to six hours for gasoline. Tempers flared, fist fights were commonplace, and state troopers had to be sent to gas stations to keep the peace.

Preppers, of course, already stored away spare fuel at home and therefore didn't need to wait in line and subject themselves to the chaos and desperation.

FEMA runs out of water

This one was easy to see coming: FEMA has run out of water to distribute to Sandy victims and is now desperately trying to find a private contractor that will deliver millions of bottles of water to the region.

That this could happen in the aftermath of a storm that everybody saw coming at least a week ahead of time is nothing short of bewildering. How could FEMA, whose only job is to plan for crisis, not have stockpiled some supplies in advance of the storm?

The answer is that FEMA is just flat-out incompetent. As described in an article by Michael Patrick Leahy:

...the agency appears to have been completely unprepared to distribute bottled water to Hurricane Sandy victims when the storm hit this Monday. In contrast to its stated policy, FEMA failed to have any meaningful supplies of bottled water -- or any other supplies, for that matter -- stored in nearby facilities as it had proclaimed it would on its website. This was the case despite several days advance warning of the impending storm.

Once again, preppers who had stockpiled water in advance of all this were sitting pretty, living on stored water supplies. Those who invested in water filters were even able to use water that would not have been drinkable otherwise.

No electricity = no heat for cooking

Even today, the power grid is down in many areas, and for all those residents using electric stoves and toasters, that means no ability cook anything... not even to boil water!

Most people simply have no backup plan for when the power grid goes down. So they become yet another victim who needs to be rescued by a government that has a terrible track record on rescues.

Preppers, on the other hand, own non-electric cookstoves such as this Zoom Dura cookstove which can burn paper, wood, small branches and almost anything flammable. It boils water, cooks meals, and kills bacteria. No batteries required.

In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, people who own emergency campstoves or cookstoves have been able to cook meals if they also stored some food. Something as simple as a few cans of chili can be priceless in the middle of a grid down scenario. Or some quinoa, oatmeal, rice or whatever.

I know for a fact that we shipped a large number of 40-day organic survival food pails to the Northeast in the days before the storm hit. Those people have no doubt been sitting pretty with plenty of food to eat, compared to their neighbors who didn't prepare and are therefore starving or dumpster diving for food scraps.

Arming up with bows, machetes, firearms and baseball bats

Looting has been widespread in some areas, thanks mostly to the fact that police are spread too thin and can't cover all the territory. At first, the looting targeted commercial buildings, where looters made off with TV projectors, flat panel displays and valuable electronics, but it soon shifted to the looting of private homes by criminals dressed as Con Edison workers.

Citizens quickly realized they would need to fend for themselves. As the NY Daily News reports:

Ever since Sandy strafed the Queens peninsula and tore up the boardwalk, it's become an often lawless place where cops are even scarcer than electrical power and food. Locals say they are arming themselves with guns, baseball bats, booby traps -- even a bow and arrow -- to defend against looters.

"We booby-trapped our door and keep a baseball bat beside our bed," said Danielle Harris, 34, rummaging through donated supplies as children rode scooters along half-block chunk of the boardwalk that had marooned into the middle of Beach 91st St.

"We heard gunshots for three nights in a row," said Harris, who believed they came from the nearby housing projects.

Preppers, of course, already have firearms and ammo. In fact, many preppers today are investing in firearms proficiency training in order to gain combat skills. I know several firearms instructors, and they tell me their classes are jam packed, with waiting lists increasingly common.

A typical prepper owns not only a handgun, but also a combat rifle (typically an AR or AK) and a shotgun for close quarters defense. In addition, preppers stockpile at least 1,000 rounds of ammo for each. It's not uncommon to talk to preppers who have stored 10,000 rounds of ammo for each firearm they own.

These firearms, far from causing violence, are used in the defense of life and property in communities struck by disaster. People who legally own firearms are law-abiding citizens who typically work with local law enforcement to restore peace and security to local communities and help stop criminals and looters.

That states like New York restrict private citizens from owning firearms is, in a very real sense, denying them the ability to protect themselves during a crisis when the police can't protect them, either. Using machetes and bows is no match for a Glock 17 or an AR-15. While anti-gun people like Bloomberg or Obama like to say that guns "have no place on the streets of America," they are wrong. Firearms in the hands of law-abiding citizens are an essential part of restoring peace and order following any crisis. In a disaster scenario, more guns in the hands of responsible citizens really does equal less crime.

It's just common sense: When the cops are nowhere to be found, and the National Guard isn't helping out, and FEMA's lack of preparedness has made the local population desperate for supplies, a privately-owned firearm is the only remaining defense against criminal-minded looters and violent opportunities who try to prey on the weak. That's why I even published a tactical home defense guide designed to stop looters and criminals from targeting innocent victims of superstorm Sandy.

The media owes preppers a massive apology

One of the realizations emerging from all this is that the media's portrayal of preppers has been not just malicious and highly inaccurate. Preppers are not the "kooks" you see on TV shows (which the media admits are laced with pay-for-placement messages provided by the White House); they are intelligent, forward-thinking members of society who are truly a national treasure capable of saving lives in any disaster.

Preppers pick up where the police and the government drop the ball. Preppers provide food, water, emergency medicine and even local neighborhood security. They do it without being paid and without even being thanked for their contributions to society.

In the wake of superstorm Sandy, the national media -- and especially the liberal media which expresses intense hatred for preppers -- owes preppers a massive apology. Preppers create stability, safety and security in any crisis, and they deserve to be portrayed as the upstanding members of society they truly are.

The White House owes preppers a huge apology as well. Preppers and survivalists have, in the last few years, been characterized as "terrorists" by the Obama administration. The message is that anyone with a gun, some ammo and a stockpile of food is somehow "dangerous" or a threat to society. In reality, that person is the guy sharing food with neighbors and helping protect the neighborhood from violent criminal looters.

Famously, a prepper was recently put on a "no-fly list" and stranded in Hawaii because he was classified by the government as a "prepper." So hold on: Stockpiling emergency supplies makes you synonymous with a terrorist now?

Preppers are actually on the target list of the U.S. government. As an active duty National Guard member named "Soldier X" has recently revealed, the Guard is being trained to "treat preppers as terrorists."

According to Soldier X, the government is compiling lists of preppers and intends to confiscate their guns and treat them as enemy combatants in any crisis situation. So the very group the government should be thanking for providing local community stability and order is the group being targeted for arrest, detainment and possibly being sent to Obama's secret military prisons under theprovisions of the NDAA.

The federal government WANTS chaos and panic, get it?

The reality of all this is that the federal government is trying to eliminate preppers and survivalists precisely as a way to create more panic, fear and chaos. Why? Because it is from that scenario that the government can justify yet more funding for itself, more police state crackdowns and more dependency among the citizen slaves.

Remember: Every government wants to become like North Korea, where it dominates everything in society, controls all the resources and commands citizens as if they were slaves. The U.S. government is no different: Like every government, it thirsts for unlimited power.

Preppers and survivalists interfere with the growth of government power because they demonstrate the far greater power of individual preparedness. When preppers take care of themselves and don't need to be rescued by the government, they send a "dangerous" message to the rest of society: Emergency preparedness is YOUR responsibility, not the government's.

The White House doesn't like people sending that message. Neither does the liberal media which persistently pushes citizen victimization and government dependence. The very idea of thinking for yourself, taking care of yourself and being self-reliant is alien to the liberal media. And that's one reason why the liberal media is ultimately so dangerous: Many people who followed the advice of, say, the New York Times, are now DEAD in Jersey.

The bottom line: Preppers are the future of human civilization; deniers are dead

Hurricane Sandy was a walk in the park compared to what we'll see in a national grid-down scenario. As I've explained many times here on Natural News, a single solar flare (or a high-altitude EMP burst weapon) could knock out most of the national power grid.

That would thrust virtually the entire nation into the scenario we've recently watched unfold on Staten Island and certain parts of NY. Imagine fuel scarcity, starvation, water scarcity and looting unleashed on a national scale. That's what we will sooner or later face in America (and everywhere else, too).

When that scenario unfolds, it's a simple matter of fact that we're going to see the mass death of liberal media worshippers and Big Government worshippers who refused to prepare. The survivors will, by and large, be the preppers who planned ahead.

It's Darwinism at work, backfiring on people who call themselves "Darwinists" (who almost universally do not believe in preparedness). It's natural selection doing its thing. People who cannot adapt to survive do not tend to reproduce, while those who can adapt and survive are the ones left remaining to repopulate the planet.

In fact, the domination of the planet by the "prepping gene" is one of the most scientific ideas of our time. That's because crisis strikes our planet on a regular basis: Solar flares, asteroids, the spread of infectious disease and even the threat of widespread nuclear war or nuclear facility failures.

Each "wave" of crisis weeds out the ignorant unprepared masses through mass death. While those people may be in a majority right now, they and their lineage have no real future.

Interestingly, modern humanity hasn't faced a real crisis yet. By "modern," I mean the version of civilization that has bet everything on complex electronics, food supply logistics and the continued restocking of the artificial living zones known as "cities." This modern civilization has only existed for about seventy-five years -- a blink of an eye in terms of the big picture. So it hasn't been tested yet with a true global survival scenario. We are one solar flare away from being thrust back to the early 1900's.

Another mass extinction event is inevitable

Sixty-five million years ago, a single rock from space wiped out the dinosaurs. It was the most violent mass-extinction event planet Earth had ever experienced. So far, there have been five mass extinction events in the known history of our planet.

Human beings are likely going to be the sixth, through the careless proliferation of nuclear power plants, the toying with GMOs and the genetic pollution of the planet, or even through the accidental release of a military bioweapon with a 98% fatality rate.

The next mass extinction event will quickly eliminate from the planet all organisms poorly adapted to survive, which includes most New York Times subscribers. It will leave behind only those humans, plants and animals with remarkable survival adaptation skills.

The most likely survivors, it turns out, are going to be well-stocked preppers who have practiced the skills of self-reliance and sustainable living.

Survival resources

If you're serious about survival, here are some resources I recommend:

James Wesley Rawles' Survival Blog:
www.SurvivalBlog.com

I also recommend books by Rawles on Amazon.com.

Joe Nobody:
www.HoldingYourGround.com
Author page on Amazon.com

Lehman's Non-Electric Store:
www.Lehmans.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037822_liberal_media_preppers_survivalists.html#ixzz2BPNZZMA8

Global Food Reserves Have Reached Their Lowest Level In Almost 40 Years

Michael Snyder, Contributor
Activist Post

For six of the last eleven years the world has consumed more food than it has produced.  This year, drought in the United States and elsewhere has put even more pressure on global food supplies than usual.

As a result, global food reserves have reached their lowest level in almost 40 years.

Experts are warning that if next summer is similar to this summer that it could be enough to trigger a major global food crisis.  At this point, the world is literally living from one year to the next.  There is simply not much of a buffer left.

In the Western world, the first place where we are going to notice the impact of this crisis is in the price of food.  It is being projected that overall food prices will rise between 5 and 20 percent by the end of this year.  It is becoming increasingly clear that the world has reached a tipping point.  We aren't producing enough food for everyone anymore, and food reserves will continue to get lower and lower.  Eventually they will be totally gone.

The United Nations has issued an unprecedented warning about the state of global food supplies.

According to the UN, global food reserves have not been this low since 1974...

World grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe weather in the United States or other food-exporting countries could trigger a major hunger crisis next year, the United Nations has warned.

Failing harvests in the US, Ukraine and other countries this year have eroded reserves to their lowest level since 1974. The US, which has experienced record heatwaves and droughts in 2012, now holds in reserve a historically low 6.5% of the maize that it expects to consume in the next year, says the UN.

'We've not been producing as much as we are consuming. That is why stocks are being run down. Supplies are now very tight across the world and reserves are at a very low level, leaving no room for unexpected events next year,' said Abdolreza Abbassian, a senior economist with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

But the population of the globe is much larger than it was back in 1974.  So needless to say, we have a major league problem on our hands.

The United States exports more food than anyone else in the world, and so the devastating drought that the U.S. experienced this summer is putting a lot of stress on the entire global food system.

According to Reuters, the drought hit U.S. ranchers particularly hard. Many of them had to kill off large portions of their herds because they couldn't afford to feed them any longer.

So there was a short-term surge in the supply of meat, but because herds are smaller now in the long-term the supply of meat is going to become much tighter.

So expect meat prices to start to go up significantly...

The worst drought to hit U.S. cropland in more than half a century could soon leave Americans reaching deeper into their pockets to fund a luxury that people in few other countries enjoy: affordable meat.

Drought-decimated fields have pushed grain prices sky high, and the rising feed costs have prompted some livestock producers to liquidate their herds. This is expected to shrink the long-term U.S. supply of meat and force up prices at the meat counter.

Some analysts are already projecting "a world shortage of pork and bacon" according to the Los Angeles Times...

The price of corn — a key component in livestock feed and an ingredient in powdered sugar, salad dressing, soda and more — catapulted 60% in early summer. A British trade group recently predicted "a world shortage of pork and bacon next year," which most analysts interpreted to mean that higher prices are ahead.

In the meantime, chickens and turkeys are getting more expensive just in time for the holidays. Already, chicken prices are up 5.3% from a year earlier, while the cost of turkey and other poultry is up 6.9%. Eggs cost 18% more in September than they did a year earlier.

Sadly, the truth is that food prices have already been steadily rising in the United States in recent years.  We have come to accept this as "normal", but these horrible price increases are really squeezing the budgets of middle class families and we certainly don't need food prices to start going up even faster.

One man recently came across a grocery receipt that was eight years old.  When he compared those prices to what he is paying now he was absolutely stunned...

1 can Campbells Vegetable soup was listed as $0.89
We now pay $2.19 for the same can.

Fresh Haddock Fillets were $3.99lb. Now $7.99lb.

4 litres of Skim Milk was $4.59...now $7.59.

1 loaf of whole wheat bread was $.99...now $2.99.

Fresh Green Pepper was $1.99lb...now $3.99lb.

Canned tomato juice was $0.99 a can...now $2.29 a can.

Many prices had doubled on him in just eight years.

Now that food prices are projected to start rising even more rapidly, how soon will it be until food prices double again?

Many Americans will be shocked by rising food prices, but at least for now we won't have to deal with actual food shortages like many on the other side of the globe will be soon.

At the end of August, the World Bank issued a global hunger warning...

'Food prices rose again sharply threatening the health and well-being of millions of people,' said World Bank group president, Jim Yong Kim. 'Africa and the Middle East are particularly vulnerable, but so are people in other countries where the prices of grains have gone up abruptly.'

The bank said food prices overall rose by 10% between June and July to leave them 6% up on a year earlier. 'We cannot allow these historic price hikes to turn into a lifetime of perils as families take their children out of school and eat less nutritious food to compensate for the high prices,' said Kim.

The price of food can mean the difference between life and death in some of the poorest areas of Africa.  What some African families face on a daily basis would be absolutely unimaginable to many of us in the Western world.  The following example is from a recent article in the Guardian...

On the other side of the world, Mary Banda, who lives in Mphaka village near Nambuma in Malawi, has had a year during which she has barely been able to feed her children, one of whom has just gone to hospital with malnutrition.

Government health worker Patrick Kamzitu says: 'We are seeing more hunger among children. The price of maize has doubled in the last year. Families used to have one or two meals a day; now they are finding it hard to have one.'

How would you feel if you only got one meal per day?

In many parts of India and in many parts of Africa more than 40 percent of all children have stunted growth due to malnutrition and a lack of clean water.

So if your family has enough to eat and drink every day you should be thankful for your blessings.
What makes things even worse is that the big banks have turned betting on the price of food into a giant casino game.

Many are making huge amounts of money through commodity speculation, but by driving up prices they are severely hurting millions of families on the other side of the planet.  The following is from a recent article by Heather Stewart...

The Institute of International Finance has estimated that by the middle of last year, $450bn of financial assets was invested in commodities – or derivatives, betting on future price movements.

In principle, there would be nothing wrong with financiers moving into the food market if it directed billions of dollars of investment towards expanding production, bringing new land into cultivation and developing new technologies to boost yields.

But – as the thoroughly mad market for mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the credit crisis, and the resulting building boom across the US, illustrated very clearly – the price signals emerging from the stampeding herds of Wall street can be deeply misleading.

In a recent paper, provocatively titled 'Don't Blame the Physical Markets,' the UN's trade and development arm, Unctad, argued that the wall of money flooding into commodities has badly distorted the price signals a well-functioning market should send to producers and consumers.

The era of seemingly endless cheap food has come to an end.  In future years, there simply will not be enough food for everyone on the globe.  Some people are going to go hungry.  That is one reason why I am encouraging everyone to start preparing for the coming global food crisis.

Some experts are projecting the worst for the years ahead...

Evan Fraser, author of Empires of Food and a geography lecturer at Guelph University in Ontario, Canada, says: 'For six of the last 11 years the world has consumed more food than it has grown. We do not have any buffer and are running down reserves. Our stocks are very low and if we have a dry winter and a poor rice harvest we could see a major food crisis across the board.'

'Even if things do not boil over this year, by next summer we'll have used up this buffer and consumers in the poorer parts of the world will once again be exposed to the effects of anything that hurts production.'

Let us certainly hope for the best, but let us also prepare as if the absolute worst is headed our way.

I am busy preparing.

Are you?

This article first appeared here at The Truth.  Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog. Follow him onTwitter here.

100 Items to Disappear (STOCKPILE?) First

1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches

Reference: http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm