5 tips for surviving an economic disaster

OK, so this guy’s five tips really boil down to “have important stuff and keep it safe.” Having plenty of important stuff is important for dealing with serious stuff. Gotcha.

But as a survivor of an economic crisis and witness to others of late he makes one strong point: have cash money. Make it rain.

Hyperinflation is one possible result of economic meltdown, but it’s not necessarily the result, and even after it starts, having a supply of cash on-hand is a good idea. Cash, even in an economic disaster, has value for a time.

If you don’t have twenty minutes to listen to the guy ramble, the types important stuff to have in case of serious stuff are pretty straight-forward and can be classified as a couple of things:

• Have safe stuff: high ground, shelter, layered security, and safes for your important stuff,
• Have important stuff: money, money alternatives, water, food, ammo, etc.

That’s pretty much it. His suggested money alternatives are get an offshore bank account and get some precious metal currency. There are still limits to gold and silver, but if you have that, cash, and stuff to barter with, well, you won’t die.

Also, be wary of any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After the collapse, they go evil.

Ranger Medical Handbook 4th Edition

“What’s wrong with him?” “Oh, he’s deaf. My fault.” (img by KitUp)

You can get a copy of the latest edition of the Ranger Medic Handbook in a few days courtesy North American Rescue, purveyor of military medical equipment and Casualty Response (first aid) Kits. This pocket-sized and ruggedized reference is written by US Ranger combat medics to include handy information like:

Updated Trauma Protocols, Tactical Medical Emergency Protocols, Pharmacology, Casualty Operations and Planning, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care updates. This significant update provides an efficient medical reference, expanding on both Trauma and Medical Emergency Considerations for providers at various levels.

For forty bucks you can get two, one to keep with your first aid kit and one to keep on your toilet tank library for study. Any money made goes to the Sentinels of Freedom so hell, buy one for your car, too. ($40)

Tactical tampons to help you die less

Because comfort counts. (img Jim Cooke/Jezebel)

Do me a favor for the next five minutes. Try to forget everything you know about tampons. I know, it’s hard. But pretend that this is the first time you have ever seen or heard of the item below, and it is a new survival product on the market: the Tactical Adventure Medical Preparedness Outdoors Necessity (T.A.M.P.O.N.).

From the obvious, used to stopper bleeding, to the very clever, used for blow dart fletching, tampons are far more versatile tools than they appear on the surface. These all-purpose shove-its have many practical survival uses and their absorbent and even flammable properties may mean that you’ll soon start packing a few of these universal flow mitigation devices in your hiking, camping, and/or range bags.

So the next time you walk past the tactical hygiene aisle at the grocery store, remember to pick up an extra box of tampons, or TAMPONS, if you prefer. (more…)

Zombie Bullets In High Demand Following Flesh-Eating Attacks

Don't sugarcoat it for me. What, exactly, is ahead of us? (img by Miserlou Behind The Aperture)

@CBS Detroit:

Worried about a zombie attack? Buy zombie bullets.

Talk about zombies and a possible zombie apocalypse has increased due to recent gory accounts of drug-induced, flesh-eating attacks in the news.

Stores across the U.S., including in Metro Detroit, are getting in on the undead action by selling Zombie Bullets, made by Hornady Manufacturing.

In promoting the product on their website, Hornady suggests, “Be PREPARED – supply yourself for the Zombie Apocalypse with Zombie Max ammunition from Hornady! Loaded with PROVEN Z-Max bullets… MAKE DEAD PERMANENT!” (more…)

Off the grid living looks like the movies

Isn't that a scene from "Clan of the Cave Bear"? (img by Eric Valli)

Photographer Eric Valli spent a bunch of time with some off-grid people over a period of years and came up with some really interesting photographs, which only raise a bunch of questions in my mind. Who are these people? How long have they been living off grid? What are the parameters of their offgridness? The canoe dude and the bearded gun people look like they have access to modern textiles… or are they doing that themselves? The skin-wearing people look like Weta Workshop cooked them up in an afternoon.

Sometimes, I want words with my pictures. I really want to know the stories of these off-griders, accounts somewhere so I can believe them.

Do you know off-grid people? Can you tell me where to find their stories?

Best Made Brass Capsule

Does not include matches. (img by Best Made)

Fitted with an ingenious self-tensioning lanyard, and no-fuss press fit stopper, our brass capsule is larger than most match safes, and infinitely more versatile. We boast to have the ultimate—water tight and indestructible—place to keep small valuables safe. And with a solid liquid-dampened, jewel bearing compass set into the stopper your headings will also be kept from harm’s way.

A wise man once told me that you should always camp with smokers, because you’ll always have a way to start a fire. But so long as you keep one of these match safes around, you won’t have to worry about packing smokers every time you leave the house. Really streamlines the EDC. Also you don’t have to have to use this for matches, it’s not like there are Brass Capsule rules.

Anyway, check out Best Made’s Brass Capsule, ($32).