“It’s That Old Thing: Gotta Learn How to Shoot Straight.”
(X)—Here it is: we give billions of dollars to Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority—presumably as “please be nice to us” protection / insurance money.
All three autocracies then run with the lie that a terrorist/jihadist (our media prefers “militant”) rocket, in flight on its way to kill Israeli civilians, which had fallen short at a Gazan hospital parking lot, was in fact an Israeli “war crime” of bombing a hospital building that wiped out “500 civilians.”
That was not just a multifaceted lie, but a monstrous and demonstrable one.
What followed was weary boilerplate.
You know the now half-century-old drill: the usual riots and mobs throughout the Middle East sprout up on cue, shouting hatred of Jews and death to the U.S. Our terrified aid-recipient Arab autocratic governments snub a visiting American president. Our worried diplomats show contrition (Secretary of State Blinken promptly suggested lowering our flags to half-mast at our embassies abroad in sympathy with the hospital victims of the supposed Israeli air strike).
At home the tired left-wing campus and urban demonstrations erupt—along with a dramatic takeover of the Capitol building, all confident in the usual legal exemptions extended to such left-wing protests.
(But wasn’t it established by AG Merrick Garland that storming the Capitol and disrupting congressional proceedings was an “insurrection“ designed to destroy democracy and thus punishable by felony charges likely leading to considerable prison time— with congressional investigations and criminal charges looming for any elected official who purportedly encouraged such an insurrection, as Rep. Rashida Tlaib did for this one?)
All this madness was followed by the predictable Biden reaction of printing and sending yet another $100 million of fungible “please don’t hate us” money to terrorist-run enclaves—even as Iran confidently awaits its promised $6 billion ransom payment.
Again, the Biden message is that if Islamic Jihad had just hit its intended target and only killed more Jewish civilians, then there would have been no problem (cf. confirmed from the mouth of Biden himself: “It’s that old thing: gotta learn how to shoot straight.”): just shoot straight, terrorists, and then no riots, no snubs, and for now no need for more American Danegeld.
At some point, will someone state the obvious: the more a bankrupt America appeases the Middle East, sends aid and money, takes in its refugees, and lectures democratic Israel, all the more the Arab world shows contempt, and all the closer we get to a theater-wide war— predicated on the idea that a loud but contemptibly weak America is at the mercy of unstable governments and unhinged throngs? And thus it can neither protect its friends nor advance its interests.
Perhaps the Arab world is trying to tell us something and we should listen.
I think their own conduct and actions convey a warning/message to us something like the following:
‘America needs to stop the Biden empty rhetoric now. On what evidence exactly can you Americans claim that Hamas does not have wide support in Gaza? After all, Hamas certainly resonates even on your own American campuses. And the methods some of us choose to slaughter Israelis are our own business, not yours. And by the way, leave it us to deal with our own fellow-Islamists in Iran.’
In response to the implicit messaging of our “allies” and the Islamic street, we do need to stop the empty rhetoric, but in the Jacksonian ‘don’t tread on me’ sense: vastly increase our defenses, prepare for the worst, return to maximum fossil fuel production, stop importing oil and hatred of America from the Middle East, cease unrestricted immigration and yank visas, enforce our immigration laws—and allow Israel to defend itself from pre-civilizational murderers.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.