A Must Hear Episode of FTM Daily

on April 8, 2013 at 3:59 am
Posted In: Constitution, Economy

A Must Hear Episode of FTM Daily

drone

We have had Jerry Robinson’s “Follow the Money” radio show listed on our finance links page since we began Prepper Recon. It is a very informative show that airs every Saturday and is available for free download at FTMdaily.com. Jerry Robinson is an economist and author of the book “Bankruptcy of Our Nation”.  In this week’s show he talked about three very important issues that I felt our readers should hear.

Bank of Japan

Jerry pointed out Japan’s unprecedented move to roll out a $1.4 trillion dollar stimulus over two years. This move will nearly double their current money supply. Like America, Japan has huge national debts. A favorite strategy for central banks is to simply print the money they owe. This allows them to pay off a portion of the debt with money they simply create out of thin air while simultaneously devaluing the remaining balance.

Google Glass Potential for Government Abuse

In the second segment of the FTM Daily show, Jerry speaks with Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch. Nick makes a very compelling case that Google  is providing the perfect infrastructure for a police state. He points out that the new computerized glasses made by Google are always recording everything and uploading that information to Google’s database. Under the Patriot Act, the most unpatriotic piece of legislation ever passed by a Republican, the government has full access to all of that information without a warrant. Prior to the Bush Jr. administration, our country followed a document that our forefathers handed down to guide us called the Constitution. Attached to it was 10 amendments that guaranteed us certain liberties. The 4th said:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The current administration seems very content with having this cumbersome document out of the way as well.

Unreasonable Searches and Seizures

Having eradicated the Constitution from the minds of the people, abuse of power seems to be the rule more often than the exception. In the next segment FTM Daily plays the sound recording form a police stop in Texas. Two women are pulled over for throwing cigarette butts out the window. The officer claims he smells marijuana. A female officer is called to the seen and the two women are given cavity searches. FTM Daily outlines some ways that you can respectfully refuse to consent to such outlandish violations of your rights.

It is hard to describe the amount of disgust that I felt when I heard this story. Of all the states in the union, I would have expected this behavior from Texas last. I am very disappointed. With that said, thank you very much to the officers who risk their lives to enforce the law in a manner that is consistent with the Constitution. I know it must feel like an uphill battle. And to those officers, know that you are not alone. Oath Keepers is an organization of law enforcement and military personnel who have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution in its entirety.

Please take time to listen to this very important episode of FTM Daily. Click HERE to listen or download the show.

Happy Prepping!

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Sunday Prepper Bible Study Lamentations 1

on April 7, 2013 at 5:00 am
Posted In: Bible

Sunday Prepper Bible Study: Lamentations 1

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How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Lamentations 1:1-2

The prophet Jeremiah wrote Lamentations after the prophecies God had given through him had come to pass. The word “lamentation’  comes from the word “lament” which means to express grief. Lamentations are those expressions of grief. That is basically what Jeremiah does throughout the book. He writes in a very poetic manner about the troubles that have fallen upon this once great nation that has turned its back on God. Despite the many warnings, the nation has resisted the call of God to repent. Finally, God quit calling and Israel was destroyed. The Assyrian army carried away the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Babylonians conquered and took captive the Southern Kingdom of Israel.

If you have never read Lamentations, I think you will find it to be an amazing book of the Bible. While it is terrible in the things that are described within it, it is  a beautifully poetic book. It is also an excellent historical reference to what happens to a nation when God’s patience finally wears out. I am always surprised by other Christians who do not see the need to prepare for potential troubles here in our country. I often wonder if they got a different copy of the Bible; one where God never calls nations into account for having forsaken him.

If I have the right translation, and I think I do, we are in for a rather crude awakening when God’s patience wears thin for America. But even in the darkest of trials, God’s love never wears out. In this dark time that Jeremiah writes, he still remembers God’s goodness in Lamentations 3:22 where he writes “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

If you are new to prepping or would like to learn more about how to prepare for tomorrow, please read our 7 Step Preparedness Plan. Come back every Sunday for a new Prepper Bible Study! The most important prep of all is knowing GOD. Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Have a blessed week and happy prepping!

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Jericho

on April 5, 2013 at 5:27 am
Posted In: Book Review

Jericho

index

Jericho is a television show from 2006. The story is about a small town in Kansas that goes through the trials and tribulations of living in America after a series of nuclear attacks have erased several US cities including D.C. We just started watching it again for the third time. It is certainly one of my all time favorite shows. It is a TV show and not particularly accurate from a prepper’s view. I watch it more for the entertainment value than for the preparedness content. The latter is minimal but it can get the prepper creative juices flowing. The character development and the story line is fantastic. It is very palatable for non-preppers and can be a great bridge to get conversations started with reluctant friends and family.

In the first episode of the first season, Jericho is near enough to see the mushroom cloud that destroys Denver. The loss of electrical infrastructure in Denver causes a cascading failure of the grid. From there, the situation deteriorates rapidly. The town’s people of Jericho begin to hoard gas within hours of the attack. Law enforcement is stretched to the limit and we see the early stages of civil break down.

The second episode deals with the fallout from Denver as it moves over the town. The town leaders work frantically to get people into a safe location to ride out the fallout. Later episodes deal with many realistic situation even if they are stylized for TV. We see the two Green brothers risk their lives in  the next town over to try to obtain antibiotics for their dying father. We see representatives from the town trade with other towns  through barter networks. We see the town that has to fight off a rouge private security firm that has run out of legitimate employment options and turned to piracy.

As bad as things are in Jericho, we constantly hear stories of the horrors in other towns and cities. FEMA camps are poorly run and seldom have adequate provisions to meet the needs of the occupants. The US Government fractures into six different regional governments who struggle for power.

If you have never seen “Jericho” give it a shot. Your local library may have all the seasons on DVD. It is also available on Netflix or you can purchase it from Amazon through the link below. I can’t imagine a prepper that would not at least find it entertaining.

Happy Prepping!

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Bitcoin Rising

on April 3, 2013 at 3:43 am
Posted In: Economy

Bitcoin Rising

Bitcoin

Bitcoin seems to be the water cooler subject du jour. It has had a dramatic leap in value over the past 3 months. Bitcoin has risen from $15 to $141 since January. If you are asking “what is Bitcoin?”, you are not alone. While it has grown in popularity in many circles, it is rarely mentioned by the mainstream media.

chart

Bitcoin is a crypto-currency, an alternative currency that uses cryptography to control its creation. Bitcoin is decentralized and currently not subject to the control of any nation or government. This makes Bitcoin very attractive to users who want to purchase goods and services anonymously. Bitcoin can also be transferred across borders without the normal headaches of sending large amounts of cash from country to country.

The growing popularity of Bitcoin has brought about a Bitcoin exchange. While it is decentralized and can be traded anywhere by anyone, Mt. Gox handles 80% of Bitcoin exchanges. Bitcoins are now available through ATM’s in some countries. They can be bought and sold with cash or credit cards through the ATM machines. Bitcoins may be stored in virtual wallets which can be accessed through an application on your smart phone.

Bitcoin is as unrestricted as the internet. Bitcoin is not subject to government controls. The only way to restrict the use or transfer of Bitcoin is to restrict all internet traffic within the region or country. To do so would require the types of control used by China to restrict internet access to its citizens. Once those controls were put in place, they would only be effective in that region. It is conceivable that all the countries in the UN would pursue a joint initiative to clamp down on the use of Bitcoin. As its popularity grows, so does its threat to the currencies of central banks and taxing authorities. The UN has been looking for an excuse to get involved with regulating the internet. Bitcoin would make a great talking point in their effort to push that agenda.

As Bitcoin is mined through a cryptographic process, computers are given complex algorithms to solve. When solved, Bitcoins are  awarded to the miner. People with home computers that mine Bitcoin often join mining groups to combine the efforts of their computers. A single home computer is generally not equipped to ever be able to mine enough to reach the 50 Bitcoin threshold in which they are awarded. Some people purchase sophisticated computer hardware for the sole purpose of mining Bitcoin. With current prices, this option is becoming more cost effective.

Bitcoins do offer a level of safety against loss of value from over creation by central bankers. The algorithmic process keeps those limits secure. However, we must remember, anything that can go from $15 to $141 in 3 months can also go from $141 to $15 . Don’t bet what you can’t afford to lose.

I should also mention the picture at the top of the post. It is and isn’t a Bitcoin. Bitcoins exist only in cyber space. They don’t have a physical form. The Bitcoin in the picture is a physical vehicle in which you could own a Bitcoin. It is similar to a gift card. It represents an amount of currency in an account. It has a code on the outside which can be used to verify the amount in the account and an interior  code which must be accessed by breaking a seal to obtain the credits online.

 

Two recent interviews on podcasts that I listen to frequently are accessible through the links below. They each take a side on Bitcoin.

Click HERE  to listen to Chris Duane take the “con” side of Bitcoin on The Financial Survival Network with Kerry Lutz.

Watch the video below to listen to Jon Matonis of The Bitcoin Foundation take the “pro” side of Bitcoin on The Gold Money podcast with Andy Duncan.

As for myself, I will probably watch from the sidelines and keep stacking gold and silver. I prefer to wait for the kinks to get worked out on new technology. While I may be missing a great investment opportunity, it is also possible that another crypto-curency will emerge as the leader. Are you old enough to remember when Yahoo was the dominant search engine? People used to pay for AOL e-mail accounts. Now, you rarely hear of anyone that has one at all. Technology changes so fast and industry leaders often emerge long after product trial periods.

Happy Prepping!

 

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Prepper Recon News Update

on April 1, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Posted In: Potential Threats, Prepping

Prepper Recon News Update

Kim Jong Nut

Kim Jong was observably upset when Denis Rodman turned down his offer to stay another week.

kim cry

We have had an exciting news cycle over the last couple of weeks. The two top stories have been Kim Jong and Cyprus. First, let’s get Kim out of the way. North Korea’s young lunatic dictator, Kim Jong Un has turned the “crazy” knob all the way to “10”. He has threatened to launch an attack against mainland America despite the fact he has no missiles capable of reaching further than Alaska. This fact has not caused the Pentagon to disregard the threats as hollow. Reuters has reported that US assets are being repositioned to the region. A physical attack may be unlikely, but we should remember the recent cyber attacks on South Korea. There is no evidence of who launched those attacks, but North Korea is suspected. If such an attack can happen to South Korea, it can happen to us. Being prepared for such an event is always prudent. With the present language from North Korea, it is imperative that you be able to survive without banks or systems of support for several weeks. The attack on South Korea’s banks lasted only 7 hours, but hackers are always perfecting their dark art. We must also be aware that any country with the technology to get a satellite into orbit has the ability to put a nuclear warhead on that satellite. The proper sized nuclear warhead detonated at the proper altitude could cripple US electronic infrastructure via an EMP. Read our EMP Threat Assessment for more info n EMPs.

 

The Cyprus Template

cyprus flag

Cyprus will use the template created by America in bailing out the big banks.They will take 2 “too big to fail” banks and roll them into 1 even “too bigger to fail” bank. With the false sense of hope it has created here, why wouldn’t they. The other terms of the bailout are that savers with amounts above the insured limit of 100,000 euros will take a hair cut of up to 60%.  Cyprus is a tiny nation that only represents a fraction of a percent of Euro Zone GDP but the ripple effects could be colossal.  The bailout agreement was dictated by the Troika which is representatives or the IMF, ECB and Euro Zone finance ministers. They have made it clear that the days of bailouts with out austerity are finished. The risk is that contagion of confidence loss could spread through out other European countries that anticipate needing help to stabilize their economies. For example, depositors in Spain and Greece know that they are likely to need additional bailouts in the future. The depositors in those countries may decide to withdraw their money from the banks to avoid confiscation similar to Cyprus. This run on the banks would trigger a cascading failure within the banking system. Once these types of failure begin, they are impossible to curtail. If depositors suspect that Cyprus will be the new template for Euro Zone bailouts, a bank run is inevitable.

I am not a financial adviser and only speak for myself. I think it is prudent to keep some cash outside of the banking system. This should be kept in a secure location such as a safe that is bolted to the floor. I also believe in keeping some percentage of my liquid assets in precious metals such as gold, silver and copper jacketed lead. For the gold and silver, I use JM Bullion. If you shop around, you will find they have the lowest over spot price of any online dealer. Use coupon code PR5 at check out and get $5 off your order of $300 or more. For the copper jacketed lead, Lucky Gunner always had something in stock and ready to ship. To get ready for whatever may come our way, read our 7 Step Survival Plan.

Happy Prepping!

 

 

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Sunday Prepper Bible Study- Jeremiah 18:7-10

on March 31, 2013 at 10:44 am
Posted In: Bible

Sunday Prepper Bible Study- Jeremiah 18:7-10

nyc

 “If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”

Despite this warning from God through Jeremiah to the people of Israel, they did not turn back to him. They did not change their evil ways and they did not try to follow God’s laws. The Bible as well as history books tell us that Israel was destroyed by the Babylonians shortly after this warning.

Prior to this invasion, Israel had been the very definition of prosperity. As they enjoyed their prosperity, they forgot from Whom it came. They quit worshiping the God who had made them so prosperous and worshiped idols from other cultures. They turned their affections to objects of wood and metal rather that the God who loved them so much.

You may be thinking to yourself “this sounds familiar”. Indeed it does. Not only has America turned from her Christian principles on which she was founded, but our government has completely rejected God. America has banned God from the classroom. We can no longer teach our children the truth of creationism. We are forced to teach them the lie of evolution. We are not even given equal time with the lie to allow them to choose for themselves. Our children are no longer allowed to pray in school. We have banned God from the courtroom. We have stripped the 10 Commandments from every courtroom in America. We have replaced his laws with our own laws. We have assumed the role of God for ourselves.

Deuteronomy 28 tells the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience of God’s laws. If you look around at how we have abandoned God’s laws and made up our own rules, you quickly see how far from The Bible we have turned. Read Deuteronomy 28 and 29. It is hard for me to understand how anyone who believes the Bible can read that section and not see the need to be a prepper. It is some pretty hard prophecies for the nation that turns its back on God. For those who don’t believe the Bible, consider that the prophecies of Deuteronomy and Jeremiah have already come true for one nation. The history books are chock full of information on the invasion of Israel by the Assyrians and the Babylonians.

Despite all of our recent hardships, I see little evidence that America is ready to turn back to God and accept his laws. This doesn’t leave God much room to bless us. He has stated in The Bible that a nation such as ours would be cursed. He cannot bless us and maintain the integrity of His word. We are the ones who must change, His laws and ways are steadfast and eternal.

If you are new to prepping or would like to learn more about how to prepare for tomorrow, please read our 7 Step Preparedness Plan. The most important prep of all is knowing GOD. Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Have a blessed week and happy prepping!

 

 

 

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The Dollar’s Demise

on March 29, 2013 at 4:41 am
Posted In: Economy, Potential Threats

The Dollar’s Demise

dollar

The dollar has had a pretty good run lately as investors flee the chaos in Europe. How much longer will it last? After several years in the rumor mill, the BRICS countries have officially announced the formation of the BRICS bank. This is in keeping with the global trend for nations to slowly distance themselves from the dollar. The trend has accelerated in tandem with the Federal Reserve’s determination to devalue our currency at a record pace.

In a recent article from CNBC, Vladimir Putin is quoted on the BRICS Bank as saying “it must work on market principles.” Ronald Regan would be shocked to hear the Russians seeking a free market solution the the command and control style banking of America and Europe’s Central Banks. It is like we have stepped into a parallel universe. Well, we should not expect the strangeness to end there.

Brazil and China reached an agreement ahead of the BRICS summit to settle trade in there own currencies rather than the US Dollar. This move also solidifies the international  trend to move away from the dollar. China and Russia recently made a similar agreement. As more and more countries quit using the dollar to settle trade, the demand for US dollars will fall. This will occur at the same time that dollar supply is rocketing into the stratosphere at the rate of an extra $1 trillion dollars annually. It doesn’t take a PHD in economics to guess the effects of these two market forces working together.

If you have not paid attention to previous warning signs, these are worth heading. The combination of increased supply and reduced demand of dollars at the worst possible time will likely trigger outrageous inflation as the dollars value dwindles to nothing. I am not a financial adviser and only speak for myself, but I am securing a portion of my wealth in gold and silver. I use JM Bullion as I find them to offer the lowest price over spot of any company that I know.

In addition to the disturbing trend in the dollar, I expect the crisis in Cyprus to shake the confidence in all fiat currency as well as the banking system at large. Confidence is the glue that is keeping this ten mile high house of cards standing. Without it, the slightest breeze will bring it all down.

If you are new to prepping or would like to learn more, read our 7 Step Preparedness plan. It will help you build a foundation in readiness so you can be more prepared for everything from a tropical storm to the end of the world as we know it.

Happy Prepping

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A Law That May Affect the Survival of Millions of Americans

on March 27, 2013 at 4:59 am
Posted In: Constitution

A Law That May Affect the Survival of Millions of Americans

life

While the mainstream media is debating the finer points of the Supreme Court justices comments on the gay marriage debate, one state is actually doing something that our Constitution has tasked our government with doing. North Dakota’s governor signed a bill Tuesday that will make it illegal to abort a child with a detectable heart beat. This will make North Dakota’ abortion laws the toughest in the nation. The law will go into effect on August 1st. North Dakota will also vote on a law that defines life as beginning at conception.

It is hard to claim to be a free nation when we do not defend the liberty of all of our citizens. Unfortunately the liberty of the unborn has been pushed aside. They are not recognized by law as being human therefore they have no rights. If that sounds familiar, it is because our country has already had this argument before. Prior to the emancipation proclamation, blacks were not considered full humans and were therefore denied their God given right of freedom. It seems the only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.

I am familiar with the women’s right to do with her body what she will. But the most basic principle of liberty is that your liberty ends at the point that the next person’s liberty begins. One person’s convenience can not justify the execution of another. That is just not using common sense. Every liberal I talk to says they wouldn’t do it but they don’t want to tell someone else how to live their life.  So we can’t tell murderers they can’t kill people because that is overstepping our boundaries as a society? There is no difference.

Another people group were also not consider to be human not so long ago. Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler decided Jews were not entitled to their God given right to live. Despite the fact that many people thought it was OK to try to eradicate an entire race, it was still wrong. Popular opinion does not dictate morality. The short movie “180” draws a parallel to to the Holocaust and the millions of lives that have been snuffed out through abortion.It is incredibly insightful. Please take time to watch it regardless of what side of the issue you stand.

180 The Movie. about 30 minutes

I hope you will share this movie with as many people as possible. If we claim to be just, we must stand up for those who have no voice.

I started this post off with talking about the Supreme Court debate on gay marriage. While I am a Christian and believe that marriage is defined by God as being between a man and a woman, I am also a Constitutionalist who thinks that the government has absolutely no business in my marriage or anyone else’s. My marriage is between my God, my wife and myself. Government has so overstepped its boundaries that we now need their judgement to tell us what we ought to think about everything. Government has no authority over marriage so it does not matter what they say. Quit concerning yourself with their opinion and stand up for something that matters.

Happy Prepping!

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