Beginning today 17 U.S. Air Force combat units grounded

According to internal documents obtained by Air Force Times, beginning on Apr. 9, 2013, the U.S. Air Force will begin grounding front line combat units as a consequence of sequestration and the need to deal with budget cuts.

Seventeen squadrons belonging to the various U.S. Air Force commands are going to be affected by the stand down order.

The grounding is aimed to save the 44,000 flying hours (worth 591 million USD) through September.

The funded 241,496 flying hours will be distributed to those squadrons that will remain combat ready or are expected to keep a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” until the end of the Fiscal Year 2013.

Whilst some squadron will be immediately grounded, others will be forced down as soon as they come back from their overseas deployment. Among them, the 94th Fighter Squadron from Langley, whose F-22 Raptor stealth fighters currently deployed to Kadena, Okinawa and Osan airbase amid Korean Peninsula crisis, or 354th Fighter Squadron, 12 A-10C of which are currently returning to Davis Monthan after being deployed to Afghanistan.

Other grounded units include the Thunderbirds demo team, 555th Fighter Squadron from Aviano airbase, Italy; 77th Fighter Squadron from Shaw AFB, South Carolina; 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons from RAF Lakenheath, UK; 18th Aggressor Squadron from Eielson AFB, Alaska; B-52 squadrons belonging to the 2nd Bomb Wing from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and 5th Bomb Wing from Minot AFB, North Dakota; as well as B-1 squadrons from both 2nd and 7th Bomb Wing from Dyess AFB, Texas.

Anyway, here’s the detailed list of involved squadrons by airframes prepared by Air Force Times.

F-22

94th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

27th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15 C/D

67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15E

336th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

F-16 C/D

8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

55th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9

158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

4th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment

421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

A-10C

75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

52nd Fighter Wing — Closing

442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

HH-60G

18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

B-1B

7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

2nd Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

B-2

509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

B-52

2nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 9

5th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September

E-3B/C/G

2nd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September

18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

SE-4B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

EC-130H

55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through September

OC-135B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135S

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135U

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135V/W

55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

TC-135W

55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through September

WC-135C/W

55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September

The Aviationist

6.3 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEAR SOUTHERN IRAN'S BUSHEHR NUCLEAR FACILITY

Nuclear Korea

Tom Horn & Cris Putnam on It's Supernatural with Sid Roth Part 2

North Korea Satellite Flies Over America Multiple Times

Detonating a nuke over the western, center edge of the satellite orbital path detail (the green lines) would take out a larger chunk of the US, than detonating it where the House marker is, don't you think? Thus, people west of the satellite orbital path are not out of danger. I don't see a nuke being exploded up in Canada if the target is the US east coast. And why waste a nuke detonated too close to the ocean when you can affect more of the US by detonating it further inland. (I hope I'm not teaching Chubba-bubba how to nuke a nation!)


 

Thanks to PatR for this information.

A nuclear device exploding anywhere will knock out the electric grid for a very long time (years to forever). And there will be fallout to deal with. If you are going to take this threat seriously, now is the time to execute your plans. If you are going to dig a fallout shelter in your backyard, you better get moving on it because it takes two-three days. Chubba-bubba says he can't guarantee the safety of diplomats after Wednesday. And check out the latest Benjamin Fulford. He's saying the dark forces are going to try to detonate a nuke and blame it on North Korea, which has really set itself up for something like this.

Earthchngers college

Black Sea Naval Force Starts Active Drills

MOSCOW, April 9 (RIA Novosti) - Warships from the six nations participating in the international Black Sea Naval Force (Blackseafor) exercise left the Bulgarian port of Varna for the active phase of the drills, the Russian Black Sea Fleet command said on Tuesday.

Bulgaria’s Reshitelni corvette, Georgia’s Sukhumi coastal patrol boat, Russia’s Ropucha-I class Novocherkassk large landing ship, Romania’s Macelariu corvette, Turkey’s Heybeliada corvette and Ukraine’s Cherkassy minesweeper will conduct a three-day exercise at sea, Russian Black Sea Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said.

After the active part of the exercise the warships will call at the Romanian port of Constanta on April 12 as part of the second stage of Blackseafor’s 12th activation, running from April 5 to April 23.

The sea exercises will include joint defense drills, the boarding of suspicious civilian ships to prevent human trafficking or the smuggling of arms and dangerous substances, as well as rescue operations at sea and helping ships in distress.

Blackseafor was established in 2001 on Turkey's initiative and comprises Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia and Russia.

It is an on-call force and currently has no permanent headquarters. The Blackseafor is activated twice a year and the command structure is based on a rotation principle. Each littoral member state assumes leadership for a one-year period.

According to its charter, the purpose of Blackseafor is to promote security and stability in the Black Sea maritime area and beyond, to strengthen friendship and good relations among the regional states and increase interoperability among those states' naval forces.

RIA Novosti

Day of Reckoning

The Darkness Draws Nearer - Part Five

Joseph Herrin (04-08-2013)

I read the news to find out WHAT is happening, but I do not trust the media to tell me WHY something is happening. J.P. Morgan once made the following statement that I have quoted in previous writings.

“A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.”

This is a caveat to bear in mind whenever one reads the news. Following is an excerpt from a news item appearing on the Christian Science Monitor’s site that calls for discernment.

'Close your foreign accounts or be fired,' Putin tells Russian officials

The Russian president ordered all state officials to declare assets and divest foreign-held funds, in an apparent effort to tighten the Kremlin's controls and stem corruption.



Vladimir Putin and Student on Bus

By Fred Weir, Correspondent / April 3, 2013 at 11:20 am EDT
Moscow

President Vladimir Putin has ordered all Russian officials to get rid of any bank accounts and financial securities they may hold abroad and bring them home to Russia by July 1, or face being fired.

The two decrees, suddenly and unexpectedly issued by Mr. Putin on Tuesday, will oblige all state officials to declare assets and divest foreign-held funds, and areseen by many experts as a potentially significant new impetus in the Kremlin's declared struggle against corruption.

The new rules will strike a blow at the practice of "offshorization," in which cash earned in Russia is exported to overseas tax havens, as highlighted by the recent collapse of Cyprus as a key offshore zone for wealthy Russians. Analysts say that Russian officials, compelled to keep their money at home, will be more easily controlled by a Kremlin that has lately been cracking down on outside influences in a variety of ways, including forcing NGOs that obtain funding from abroad to self-declare as "foreign agents" to prohibiting US citizens from adopting Russian orphans.

"If someone has bank accounts abroad, we give them three months to get rid of them," Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov told reporters.
[Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0403/Close-your-foreign-accounts-or-be-fired-Putin-tells-Russian-officials]

You can read the entire article at the link above. If you choose to do so, I encourage you to separate facts from the supplied reasons for the actions. Satan and his disciples are quite skilled at their job. Satan is a liar and the father of lies. The Bible declares him to be “the great deceiver who deceives the entire world.” He can be quite convincing, and his disciples are skilled in deceiving the masses and misleading the public about their true motives.

The facts of this news item are quite simple. Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, has told all Russian officials to withdraw their money from foreign banks by July 1st, 2013. These foreign banks are primarily located in Europe and America. They are based upon the Euro and the Dollar. These currencies are overseen by central banks (the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve) that have been running the printing presses at full speed for years. They have been creating massive amounts of fiat money while encouraging the national governments that use their currencies to borrow heavily. This is an unsustainable model, as was recently observed in Greece and Cyprus.

It seems that Vladimir Putin, and the global media that is controlled by a tight knit cabal of the world’s elite, have supplied the public with a “good” reason for Russian officials to withdraw their money from foreign banks by Julyb 1st, but the “real” reason has not been declared. One of the heaviest investors in Cypriot banks were Russians, including public officials and business interests that are tightly interconnected to the Russian government. When a similar collapse comes to the rest of the European Monetary Union, and to America, it would be prudent for Russian officials and oligarchs to limit their exposure to the collapse. If Putin “suddenly and unexpectedly” announced that all Russian officials must repatriate their money by July 1st while supplying no explanation, many would connect this action with the events in Cyprus and the threat of financial collapse spreading to other nations.

For my readers in America, those things occurring in Russia may seem far away and little related to events at home. Consider, however, what you would think if President Obama suddenly announced that all government officials in the United States must have all their money out of foreign banks, especially those in the European Union, by July 1st. Would not this raise suspicion about the true reason for his action?

Yahweh has given signs that Europe and America will collapse. One profound sign was the sudden sinking of the mammoth cruise ship Costa Concordia which occurred in January of 2012.



Costa Concordia

This ship was larger than the HMS Titanic. The sudden calamity that befell it serves as a parable of that which is coming to the nations. In blog posts at the time I pointed out that the various deck levels of this ship were named after European nations.



Deck Plan of the Foundered Ship

It is not difficult to discern the parable in this event. Even the secular media was able to discern a relationship between this news event and the fragile condition of Europe’s financial system.




The above cartoon features the leaders of France and Germany talking to one another, while Monti, who is Italian, is about to fall into the water. America is in the same perilous condition (the Costa Concordia was owned jointly by American and European interests).




My counsel is to ignore what the politicians say, while watching closely what they do. This news story reporting that Russian officials are to have withdrawn their money from all foreign accounts by July 1st is one that should cause people to sit up and take notice.

The collapse is a planned event. America’s people were betrayed in 1913 when the Federal Reserve act was passed. We now stand one hundred years removed from that event. Will we see the fruit of this insidious act reach its ultimate conclusion in 2013 as the dollar collapses and a New World Order is ushered in with the implementation of a global central bank and a world currency? The Illuminati loves the image of the Phoenix. It symbolizes a new world order arising out of the ashes of the old. Only by collapsing the present nation-based government and financial systems can a world government and global financial system arise.

Yahweh has been giving His people many warnings of that which is to come. Yahshua instructed His disciples to be “wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves.” We live in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. I am persuaded that the prudent path for the disciples of Christ is to be as little entangled with this world system as possible.

II Timothy 2:3-8
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Yahshua. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier... Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

I Corinthians 7:29-31
But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

If your treasures are on this earth, you will suffer much loss. Satan will use the impoverization of the world to enslave the masses. This is what is being done in Cyprus. The global bankers are robbing the Cypriot account holders of their funds. The middle class is being destroyed. In the end there will be only two classes; the super-wealthy and those living on a subsistence basis. If you are trying to protect a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle, you will suffer much loss. The apostle Paul exhorted Timothy with the words, “Having food and covering, with these we shall be content.”

Yahweh is permitting these experiences to come to the world to purify His church. John, the beloved disciple, wrote:

I John 2:15-17
Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

Yahshua stated that no man can serve both God and mammon (wealth, materialism). Yet, the people of God have been trying to do so. In the coming financial collapse and economic turmoil, many Christians will suffer great material loss. How much better it would be for them to yield all they possess to Christ to be disposed of as His Spirit would direct them.

Luke 14:33
“So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all that he possesses.”

To the rich, young ruler, Yahshua declared.

Mark 10:21
"One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

It is far better to voluntarily surrender your material possessions to Yahweh to be used as He directs, for there is reward in doing so. If you wait until the banks collapse and your wealth is taken from you, you will receive no reward. You will also lack the confidence that Yahweh will provide for all your needs in coming days. In the audio message titled Compassion’s Silver Lining, I have shared many Scriptures where Yahweh gives promises to those who care for the poor and needy that He will care for them in the day of their distress.

http://www.heart4god.ws/compassions%20silver%20lining.htm

Proverbs 21:13
He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.

Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

Proverbs 19:17
He who is gracious to a poor man lends to Yahweh, and He will repay him.

Proverbs 14:21
Happy is he who is gracious to the poor.

Ezekiel 16:49-51
"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."

America is Sodom. That should be quite apparent as the President of the nation is pressing continuously to promote the spread and adoption of a homosexual lifestyle. Yet, the church in America is also Sodom. She is aptly described by the words above recorded by the prophet Ezekiel.

My counsel to the people of God as they see dark days approaching is NOT the conventional wisdom of the world, nor that of a worldly church. I cannot tell you to invest in silver and gold, to purchase a retreat in the mountains, or stock up supplies for years to come. Yahweh may instruct you to do some practical things to prepare, yet, the surest way to meet the coming days of economic collapse, civil unrest, and distress is to surrender all you possess to Yahshua, giving freely to the poor and needy, thereby insuring that Yahweh will be attentive to your cries in your day of need.

What great confidence will be the portion of those who surrendered all they have to be used of the Lord as He directs! Such ones can in coming days say, “Yahweh, I gave freely and generously to those in need. I had compassion on the destitute and hungry. I fed the homeless, and cared for the widow and the orphan. I entreat you now to remember me in my time of need. You have promised that in giving to the poor I have lent my money and substance to You, and You will repay me.”

People of God, your money is not safe in the banks of men. This will be proven in days not far off. Only that which is devoted to God and used at His direction will be safe. Yahweh will be surety for it. Think of it this way. The man or woman who sells their possessions, yields up their comfortable life, and gives all they possess to Yahweh for His use, are not throwing away their money and resources. They are reinvesting it. They are taking it out of this world system of finance and materialism and placing it on deposit with Yahweh in His kingdom. Yahweh will not squander what it entrusted to Him, or defraud any man. He will be faithful to make His resources available when His people are in need. He will open the doors of His storehouses when His people call to Him. There are no bank holidays in the kingdom of heaven.

I can face coming days with confidence, not because I have made earthly provision (though I have done that which Yahweh directed me to do). My confidence is based upon Yahweh’s faithfulness. He has promised that He will repay that which I have sowed into the lives of others. I have not hoarded money or goods. Whenever I have received material supply, I have asked Yahweh with whom He would have me share it.

Isaiah 58:6-9
"Is this not the fast which I choose... Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of Yahweh will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'”

The darkness is drawing near. Your opportunity to yield all you possess to Yahshua, to give generously to the poor and needy, is rapidly coming to an end. Soon, the wealth of Christians will be plundered by evil men. Heed the counsel of Yahshua and “make friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, [you] may be received into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). Yahweh will have a place prepared for His humble, selfless, and generous servants in the days ahead. Act now that He might receive you into His dwelling place.

Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

Joseph Herrin

25 Things That You Should Do To Get Prepared For The Economic Collapse

Do you think that you know how to prepare for the collapse of the economy?  If so, are you putting that knowledge into action?  In America today, people are more concerned about the possibility of an economic collapse than ever before.  It has been estimated that there are nowthree million preppers in the United States.  But the truth that nobody really knows the actual number, because a lot of preppers keep their "prepping" to themselves.  So what are all of those people preparing for exactly?  Well, survey after survey has shown that "economic collapse" is the number one potential disaster that preppers are most concerned about.  

Of course that shouldn't be surprising because we truly are facing economic problems that are absolutely unprecedented.  We are living inthe greatest debt bubble in the history of the world, the global banking system has been transformed into a high-risk pyramid scheme of debt, risk and leverage that could collapse at any time, and wealthy countries such as the United States have been living way above their means for decades.  Meanwhile, the United States is beingdeindustrialized at a blinding pace and poverty in this country isabsolutely exploding.  Anyone that is not concerned about the economy should have their head examined.  Fortunately, I have found that an increasing number of Americans are becoming convinced that we are heading for a horrific economic crisis.  Once they come to that realization, they want to know what they should do.

And the reality is that "getting prepared" is going to look different for each family based on their own unique circumstances.  Some people have a lot of resources, while others have very little.  Some people are very independent of the system and can move wherever they want, while others are totally dependent on their jobs and must stay near the cities at least for now.

In addition, it is important to distinguish between the "short-term" and the "long-term" when talking about economic collapse.  As I have written about previously, our economic collapse is not going to happen all at once.  It is going to unfold over time.  In the "short-term", many are moving money around and are building up "emergency funds" to prepare for the next recession.  For the "long-term", many are storing up food and huge stockpiles of survival supplies in order to be prepared for the total collapse of society.  Both approaches are wise, but it is important to keep in mind that different approaches will be needed at different times.

The strategies posted below are a mix of both short-term and long-term strategies.  Some will be important for our immediate future, while others may not be needed for a number of years.  But in the end, you will be very thankful for the time and the effort that you spent getting prepared while you still could.

The following are 25 things that you should do to get prepared for the coming economic collapse...

#1 An Emergency Fund

Do you remember what happened when the financial system almost collapsed back in 2008?  Millions of Americans suddenly lost their jobs, and because many of them were living paycheck to paycheck, many of them also got behind on their mortgages and lost their homes.  You don't want to lose everything that you have worked for during this next major economic downturn.  It is imperative that you have an emergency fund.  It should be enough to cover all of your expenses for at least six months, but I would encourage you to have an emergency fund that is even larger than that.

#2 Don't Put All Of Your Eggs Into One Basket

If the wealth confiscation in Cyprus has taught us anything, it is that we should not put all of our eggs in one basket.  If all of your money is in one single bank account, it would be easy to wipe out.  But if you have your money scattered around a number of different places it will give you a little bit more security.

#3 Keep Some Cash At Home

This goes along with the previous point.  While it is not wise to keep all of your money at home, you do want to keep some cash on hand.  If there is an extended bank holiday or if a giant burst from the suncauses the ATM machines to go down, you want to be able to have enough cash to buy the things that your family needs.  Just ask the people of Cyprus how crippling a bank holiday can be.  One way to keep your cash secure at home is by storing it in a concealed safe.

#4 Get Out Of Debt

A lot of people seem to assume that an economic collapse would wipe out all debts, but that will probably not be the case.  In fact, if you are in a tremendous amount of debt you will be very vulnerable if the economy collapses and you are not able to find a job.  Just ask the people who were overextended and lost their jobs during the last recession.  So please get out of debt.  Many debt collectors are becoming increasingly ruthless.  In many areas of the country they are now routinely putting debtors into prison.  You do not want to be a slave to debt when the next wave of the economic collapse strikes.

#5 Gold And Silver

In the long-term, the U.S. dollar is going to lose a tremendous amount of value and inflation is going to absolutely skyrocket.  That is one reason why so many people are investing very heavily in gold, silver and other precious metals.  All over the globe, the central banks of the world are recklessly printing money.  Everyone knows that this is going to end very badly.  In fact, there is already a push in more than a dozen U.S. states to allow gold and silver coins to be used as legal tender.  Someday you will be glad that you invested in gold and silver now while their prices were still low.

#6 Reduce Your Expenses

A lot of people claim that they can't put any money toward prepping, but the truth is that we all have room to reduce our expenses.  We all spend money on things that we do not really need.  Those that are "lean and mean" will tend to do much better during the times that are coming.

#7 Start A Side Business

If you do not have much money, a great way to increase your income is by starting a side business.  And it does not take a lot of money - there are many side businesses that you can start for next to nothing.  And starting a side business will allow you to become less dependent on your job.  In this economic environment, a job could disappear at literally any time.

#8 Move Away From The Big Cities If Possible

For many people, this is simply not possible.  Many Americans are still completely and totally dependent on their jobs.  But if you are able, now is a good time to move away from the big cities.  When the next major economic downturn strikes, there will be rioting and a dramatic rise in crime in the major cities.  If you are able to move to a more rural area you will probably be in much better shape.

#9 Store Food

Global food reserves have reached their lowest level in nearly 40 years.  As the economy gets even worse and global weather patterns become even more unstable, the price of food will go much higher and global food supplies will become much tighter.  In the long run, you will be glad for the money that you put into long-term food storage now.

#10 Learn To Grow Your Own Food

This is a skill that most Americans possessed in the past, but that most Americans today have forgotten.  Growing your own food is a way to become more independent of the system, and it is a way to get prepared for what is ahead.

#11 Nobody Can Survive Without Water

Without water, you would not even make it a few days in an emergency situation.  It is imperative that you have a plan to provide clean drinking water for your family when disaster strikes.

#12 Have A Plan For When The Grid Goes Down

What would you do if the grid went down and you suddenly did not have power for an extended period of time?  Anyone that has spent more than a few hours without power knows how frustrating this can be.  You need to have a plan for how you are going to provide power to your home that is independent of the power company.

#13 Have Blankets And Warm Clothing On Hand

This is more for emergency situations or for a complete meltdown of society.  During any major crisis, blankets and warm clothing are in great demand.  They also could potentially make great barter items.

#14 Store Personal Hygiene Supplies

A lot of preppers store up huge amounts of food, but they forget all about personal hygiene supplies.  During a long crisis, these are items that you would greatly miss if you do not have them stored up.  These types of supplies would also be great for barter.

#15 Store Medicine And Medical Supplies

You will also want to store up medical supplies and any medicine that you may need.  In an emergency situation, you definitely would not want to be without bandages and a first-aid kit.  Over the course of a long crisis, you do not want to run out of any medicines that are critical for your health.

#16 Stock Up On Vitamins

A lot of preppers do not think about this either, but it is very important.  These days, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get adequate nutrition from the foods that we eat.  That is why it is very important to have an adequate store of vitamins and other supplements.

#17 Make A List Of Other Supplies That You Will Need

During any crisis, there will be a lot of other things that you will need in addition to food and water.  The following are just a few basic things that it would be wise to have on hand...

- an axe

- a can opener

- flashlights

- battery-powered radio

- extra batteries

- lighters or matches

- fire extinguisher

- sewing kit

- tools

This list could be much, much longer, but hopefully this will get you started.

#18 Don't Forget The Special Needs Of Your Babies And Your Pets

Young children and pets have special needs.  As you store supplies, don't forget about the things that they will need as well.

#19 Entertainment

This may sound trivial, but the truth is that our entertainment-addicted society would become very bored and very frustrated if the grid suddenly went down for an extended period of time.  Card games and other basic forms of entertainment can make enduring a crisis much easier.

#20 Self-Defense

In the years ahead, being able to defend your home and your family is going to become increasingly important.  When the economy crashes, people are going to start to become very desperate.  And desperate people do desperate things.

#21 Get Your Ammunition While You Still Can

Your firearms will not do you much good if you do not have ammunition for them.  Already there are widespread reports of huge ammunition shortages.  The following is from a recent CNS News article...

"The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels."

Don't just assume that you will always be able to purchase large amounts of ammunition whenever you want.  Get it now while you still can.

#22 If You Have To Go...

Have a plan for what you and your family will do if you are forced to leave your home.  If you do have to go, the following are some items that you will want to have on hand...

- a map of the area

- a compass

- backpacks for every member of the family

- sleeping bags

- warm clothing

- comfortable shoes or hiking boots

#23 Community

One of the most important assets in any crisis situation is community.  If you have friends or neighbors that you can depend upon, that is invaluable.  The time spent building those bonds now will pay off greatly during a major crisis.

#24 Have A Back-Up Plan And Be Flexible

Mike Tyson once said the following...

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

No plan ever unfolds perfectly.  When your plan is disrupted, what will you do?

It will be imperative for all of us to have a back-up plan and to be flexible during the years ahead.

#25 Keep Your Prepping To Yourself

Do not go around and tell everyone in the area where you live about your prepping.  If you do, then you may find yourself overwhelmed with "visitors" when everything falls apart.

And please do not go on television and brag about your prepping to a national audience.

Prepping is something that you want to keep to yourself, unless you want hordes of desperate people banging on your door in the future.

For much more on prepping, please check out some of my previous articles...

- "Should You Move To Another Country To Escape The Collapse Of America? 10 Questions To Ask Yourself First"

- "14 Questions People Ask About How To Prepare For The Collapse Of The Economy"

- "Rise Of The Preppers: 50 Of The Best Prepper Websites And Blogs On The Internet"

- "120 Powerful Pieces Of Advice For Preppers"

Sadly, most Americans still have blind faith that our "leaders" actually know what they are doing and will be able to fix things.

Most Americans still are convinced that everything is going to be just fine.

And of course the mainstream media does all they can to reinforce faith in the system.  Day after day, we see mindless news headlines such as this: "Californians Champing at the Bit Over Powerball Debut".

But if you are reading this article that means that you are probably much more awake than the average American is.

Please get prepared while you still can.

A great storm is coming, and time is quickly running out.

So do you have any points that you would add to the list above?  Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below...

Economic Collapse

Pyongyang warns foreigners to evacuate S. Korea, threatens ‘thermonuclear’ war

Pyongyang has issued a warning urging foreign nationals to evacuate South Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The statement was followed by threats from North Korea of “thermonuclear” war on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has warned all foreign nationals to prepare to evacuate the South in the event of conflict."We do not wish harm on foreigners in South Korea should there be a war," Reuters quoted KCNA news agency as saying, citing the spokesperson for its Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee.

The warning was read out on North Korea’s state television: “all international organizations, businesses and tourists” were told to “work out measures for the evacuation”.

The statement was followed by renewed threats of “thermonuclear" war on the Korean Peninsula, AFP reported.

"The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inching close to a thermonuclear war," Pyongyang’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee stated.
No evacuation in sight


UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged N. Korea to refrain from "provocative rhetoric" and encouraged other countries to exercise their influence over Pyongyang.

"The current level of tension is very dangerous. A small incident caused by miscalculation or misjudgment may create an uncontrollable situation," Reuters quoted Ban Ki-moon as saying.

The Russian Embassy in South Korea said that it has no plans to evacuate Russians from the country over Pyongyang's warning.

"At this point we are working out our position on the issue. But our preliminary response has no signs of plans related to evacuation,” RIA Novosti quoted Russian diplomatic spokesperson Nikita Kharin as saying.

N. Korea issued another warning last week advising embassies there to consider evacuating in the event of war. Currently, about two dozen countries have embassies in North Korea; most have said there are no immediate plans to withdraw personnel.

Despite the heavy rhetoric, the atmosphere in S. Korea remained calm with embassies, airlines, international offices and schools with foreign nationals operating normally, Reuters reported.

China responded by saying that it does not want to see chaos in the Korean Peninsula and opposes further escalation, Reuters quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei as saying.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said that she was resolved to break North Korea’s “vicious cycle” of having their bad behavior rewarded with economic aid.

“How long are we going to repeat this vicious cycle where the North Koreans create tensions and we give them compromises and aid?” she said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “North Korea must stop its wrong behavior and make a right choice for the future of the Korean nation.”

The aggressive rhetoric from North Korea has motivated neighboring Japan to deploy Patriot missiles batteries to protect the 36 million people who live in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) surface-to-air missile launchers have been stationed in the Japanese capital, reinforcing battery units on Okinawa and other Pacific islands, an official said Tuesday.

The weapons were authorized to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards Japanese territory, Defense Minister Onodera Itsunori said on national television.



Japan Self-Defence Forces soldiers walk near Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo April 9, 2013. (Reuters)

On Monday South Korea said that nuclear support from Washington is needed to protect against North Korea's continued aggression and unpredictability, and to keep its neighbor in check. Rep. Chung Moon-joon suggested that South Korea needs nuclear weapons of its own – not just to intimidate Pyongyang, but also to send a strong message to China.

The situation was worsened on Tuesday when North Korean laborers did not show up for work at the Kaesong joint industrial zone in the morning, effectively suspending operations. Earlier, Pyongyang refused to allow South Korean workers to enter the area, located a few kilometers inside the North’s territory.

RT

Ahmadinejad unveiled two additional uranium-processing facilities

In Tehran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unveiled Tuesday two additional uranium-processing facilities at Ardakan in the central province of Yazd. This was announced with the official disclosure by Iranian state TV of uranium mines operating in the town of Saghand, 120 kilometers from Ardakan, which are reported to have an estimated output of 60 tons of yellowcake for use in the uranium enrichment process.

In case this show of defiance was lost on the West, Tehran is now threatening to follow in the footsteps of its North Korean partner and withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in the wake of the failure of the latest negotiations between the Islamic regime and world powers (April 5-6) in Kazakhstan.

The meeting broke up without a date for resumption after Tehran refused outright to curb its enrichment program in exchange of the partial easing of sanctions, demanding that world powers acknowledge the Islamic Republic’s right to enrich uranium under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

To underline this refusal, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security, came out with this argument: There is no reason for Iran to be in compliance with the NPT and IAEA regulations when the United States and European countries “disregard its articles such as article 6 [mandating the reduction of nuclear weapons] and article 4 [Iran’s nuclear rights].” Speaking to the Fars News Agency (run by the Revolutionary Guards), Boroujerdi concluded: “Therefore, there is no reason for Iran to remain a NPT member…”

Its exit would mean that the nuclear watchdog would no longer have monitoring access to Iran’s known nuclear sites and like North Korea, which expelled the inspectors, could carry on enriching uranium and developing its nuclear weapons program without international oversight.
These steps, along with Pyongyang’s restart of its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon last week, will give the nuclear collaboration with Iran and North Korea a further boost.

However, neither Washington or Jerusalem appear to show any inclination to rein in either North Korea, Iran or the dangerous ties between them. In Jerusalem, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday that world powers would pursue further talks with Iran to resolve their nuclear dispute, but stressed that the process could not go on forever – which is exactly what President Barack Obama said a year ago.




Debka file