"Wouldn't you like to be a Prepper, too?"

Today's "Be a Prepper" questions....

1) What will you do for drinking water if no potable water was available? (City water supply is poisoned, power outage makes treatment impossible.)

2) How would you heat your water if there was no electricity available? (No electricity means no grocery stores or gas stations.)

3) Where would you go in a Bug-out situation? (A flood, tornado, toxic spill, wildfire, roaming gangs and squatters could cause you to leave home... got gas? How about Bug-out bags for 3 days minimum?)

4) When it comes to Prepping, have you copied your important papers and sent them to a loved one far away? Has anyone sent THEIRS to YOU? (Life can be frustrating enough without having to fight with insurance companies, etc. after losing everything and, possibly, everyone).

Talk about these possible scenarios with your loved ones. FEMA says 93% of us aren't ready for ANYTHING that might disrupt our routines, expecting the government and churches to be there for them. Be not deceived!

Don't be scared... be PREPARED! 

Let me know if I can be of any help!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

WHAT'S A BUG-OUT BAG?

Do you have a Big-Out Bag in each vehicle? 
You really should!

GOFoods offers these, pre-packed with their delicious food!

From a 72-hour emergency bag to 200 servings, enough to last 2 people for 20 days!

Are YOU prepared? 

If not, it's time.

Click this GOFoods logo and remember to get your FREE Sample Pack!

Are you a Prepper? If so, ARMAGARDEN is for you! 

You may have researched the idea of 'growing your own' already and may need little convincing of the importance and the advantages of growing your own food.

I'm no expert myself. My wife and I have only been gardening one season and lost most of what we planted didn't make it (we knew going in, this was a drill). But we agree with the concept. We loved working together in the dirt and learning new things. We even joined the local Organic Gardening Club and attend each monthly meeting.

I will be gathering and sharing articles and tidbits on this Prepper-style gardening so, if you would like to be included in these gardening revelations and successes for such a time as this - and share your own - eMail me at miketummillo@me.com and type "GROW" in your Subject Bar. Your expressed interest will determine whether or not we do this so, please reply!

Looking forward to "growing" with you!

Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo

Here are 52 shocking questions you should 

answer if you are NOT ALREADY PREPPING 

for the future!

#1 Why are sales of physical silver coins breaking all sorts of all-time records?  The U.S. Mint is on pace to sell more silver eagles during the first month of 2013 than it did during the entire year of 2007.

#2 Why has Germany announced that it will be moving gold from New York and Paris to its own vaults back home?  Is this a sign of a breakdown in trust among global central banks?

#3 Why is China systematically hoarding gold?

#4 Why have billionaires such as George Soros and John Paulson been hoarding massive amounts of gold?

#5 Why are billionaires buying up so much ranch land up in Montana?

#6 Why is Russia warning that we are rapidly approaching a global "currency war"?

#7 Why has Barack Obama chosen this moment to launch an all-out attack on the Second Amendment?

#8 Why does Barack Obama want doctors to ask their patients questions about firearms?

#9 Why is there an incredibly severe nationwide ammunition shortage all of a sudden?

#10 Why has a bill been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that "would ban Internet or mail order ammunition purchases"?

#11 Why are gun control advocates such as Piers Morgan pushing for us to become more like the UK when the UK actually has a much higher violent crime rate than we do?

#12 Why was a Forbes article that made a connection between the use of psychiatric drugs and the mass shootings that we have seen in recent years almost immediately taken down from the Internet?

#13 Why does the federal government want to start putting "black boxes" in all new motor vehicles?

#14 Why are some U.S. states now using computers to predict "future crimes"?

#15 Why are "black-clad federal SWAT teams" raiding farms and ranches all over the United States?

#16 Why are we all being trained  to spy on one another?

#17 Why are highly advanced facial recognition cameras being put up all over the United States?

#18 Why have police departments all over America begun to deploy unmanned surveillance drones in the skies over our cities?

#19 Why are schools all over America beginning to require students to carry IDs with RFID microchips in them wherever they go?

#20 Why are more Americans not outraged that nearly 400 TSA employees have been fired for stealing from travelers since 2003?

#21 Why are Americans not more outraged that TSA goons are manhandling the private areas of our women and our children in the name of "national security"?

#22 Why is an elderly survivor of the Nazi occupation of Austria, Kitty Werthmann, warning that America is heading down the exact same path that she experienced?

#23 If the economy is in good shape, then why are more than one out of every four U.S. workers with a 401(k) raiding those funds in order to pay current expenses?

#24 Why does the Federal Reserve continue to insist that the economy is "improving" when it obviously is not?

#25 Why can so few Americans explain how money is created in the United States?

#26 Why has the U.S. dollar declined in value by well over 95 percent since the Federal Reserve was created?

#27 Why is the U.S. national debt more than 5000 times larger than it was when the Federal Reserve was created?

#28 Why isn't the mainstream media in the U.S. discussing the fact that the U.S. dollar is in danger of  losing its status as the primary reserve currency of the world?

#29 Why don't more Americans know about the quadrillion dollar derivatives bubble?

#30 Why did the U.S. national debt grow during the first four years of the Obama administration by about as much as it did from the time that George Washington took office to the time that George W. Bush took office?

#31 Why is the middle class in America bringing home a smaller share of the overall income pie than has ever been recorded before?

#32 If the U.S. economy is producing a healthy number of good jobs, then why are we spending nearly a trillion dollars a year on welfare?

#33 If the U.S. economy is not collapsing, then why has the number of Americans on food stamps grown from 17 million in the year 2000 to more than 47 million today?

#34 If America is still an economic powerhouse, then why have we lost more than 56,000 manufacturing facilities since 2001?

#35 Why are we losing half a million jobs to China every single year?

#36 Why were one out of every ten homes sold in the state of California last year purchased by Chinese citizens?

#37 Why has the percentage of men with jobs in the United States fallen so dramatically?  Back in 1950, more than 80 percent of all men in the United States had jobs.  Today, less than 65 percent of all men in the United States have jobs.

#38 Why are so many Americans poor today?  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 146 million Americans are either "poor" or "low income".  Why is this happening?

#39 Why does the U.S. government have a website that teaches immigrants how to sign up for welfare programs once they arrive in the United States?

#40 Why has the number of gang members living in the United States risen by an astounding 40 percent just since 2009?

#41 Why does approximately one out of every three children in the United States live in a home without a father?  Can such a society prosper in the long run?

#42 Why are our supermarkets being flooded with genetically-modified foods when a whole host of studies have shown that they are potentially dangerous to human health?

#43 If the economy has "improved" during the Obama years, then why are hunger and poverty still absolutely skyrocketing in the United States?

#44 Why are more than a million public school students in the United States homeless?

#45 Why are more than 50 percent of all children in Detroit living in poverty?  Detroit used to be one of the greatest cities in the entire world.  How did such prosperity turn into such desolation?

#46 Why did a violent riot break out at an event where government-subsidized section 8 housing vouchers were being handed out in a suburb of Detroit earlier this month?  Is this the kind of unrest that we can expect to see all over the country when things get really bad?

#47 Why are cities all over the United States making it illegal to feed the homeless?

#48 Why is the UN trying to take control of the Internet?

#49 Why have global food supplies sunk to their lowest level in nearly 40 years?

#50 Why is global power concentrated in so few hands?  According to the Swiss Federal Institute, a network of 147 mega-corporationscontrol 40 percent of all the wealth in the world, and in a previous article I described how just six obscenely powerful corporations completely dominate the media industry in the United States.  Is it good for such incredible power to be concentrated in the hands of so few people?

#51 Why is DHS purchasing 1.6 billion rounds of-ammo , enough to fight the Iraq war  for 20 years?

#52 Why is Dept Of Homeland Security Purchases 2700 MRAPS Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles for use on American streets That can  withstand IEDs, mine blasts, and 50 caliber hits to bullet-proof glass? ?

5 Reasons for Bugging Out... even if you 

don't want to

One of the most hotly argued points in the prepping community is whether it is advisable to “shelter in place” or stay in your home or bug out when there is an emergency.  Many preppers would readily choose to shelter in place to be close to their emergency supplies.   Staying put would also be easier if you have no bug out retreat or destination.  I say it really depends on the type of disaster you are facing, so there is no definite answer to the shelter in place versus bugging out question.  Even though we would all rather stay at home, there are five reasons you may have to bug out:

1.  Natural disaster in your immediate region.   When hurricanes approach, people are asked to evacuate if they are in the direct path of the storm.  We’ve seen from previous disasters that in some cases, people in the worst hit areas who decided to stay put and become stranded and drowned.

2.  Fire approaching.  If you live in an area prone to wildfires, and one is headed in your direction, you will be asked to evacuate.  Authorities go around the neighborhood announcing the threat and give residents about 15 minutes to pack up belongings and head out.

3.  Industrial accident causing chemical spills, poisonous emissions or nuclear disaster.  We’ve all heard about the recent anniversary of the Fukushima, Japan earthquake and many of the areas affected have still not recovered.

In Houston, certain neighborhoods that are close to industrial sites have been affected by chemical spills and noxious gases.  In some cases, these neighborhoods have been evacuated.  Residents are able to return only after the “all clear” has been issued.  If you live in an area that can potentially be affected by these short term emergencies, have your go-bag ready and in a handy place at all times.

4.  Infrastructure has widespread damage.  If you live in an area that was hit by a disaster and has no electricity or water, with no estimate on when the fix will be made, you may want to get out and stay with relatives or friends for a while if you can.  If there is no water for a long period of time, sanitation will become compromised.  Similarly, if you live in an area where it gets hot or cold enough to endanger your health, and there is no power to make the house liveable, then you will be forced to leave the area.

5.  Post disaster, widespread looting/crime with no law enforcement available.  If you decided to stay put during a disaster, but later find that there is no longer any “rule of law” being enforced in the area, then it will become too dangerous to stick around.  You may want to stay and defend what’s yours but if there is a risk you become overrun by a greater number, then you must consider bugging out.

No one wishes for any of these situations to happen, but the possibility exists.  The choice whether to stay put or bug out is entirely personal and will change according to circumstances.   Picturing various scenarios and what you would do in each one will help you make your own decision when the time comes.

Have you prepared a Bug-Out bag for YOUR vehicles? Perhaps you already have! You can buy these ready-made online or start making your own. You can do an awful lot of Prepping at your local dollar store. A 72-hour plan is a good one. In the meantime, photocopy all those important papers and mail to someone far away, just in case your house is destroyed with all its contents.

Funny thing about Prepping is you hope you'll never have to implement your plan.

You DO have a plan, right?

5 Things That Will Be Useful if the SHTF

1.  Aluminum Foil

A few rolls of aluminum foil will serve you well in an emergency situation.  You can use foil to fashion cooking utensils or to line your pots and pans before cooking so that you do not have to waste precious water cleaning up. If you do cook on you pans directly, a crumpled up piece of foil can be used as a handy scrubber to remove the crusties. You can even use foil to create an impromptu Faraday cage. 

There are a lot more uses for this handy stuff such as wrapping stones in foil, heating them by the campfire, then using them to heat up your blanket or sleeping bag before going to bed.  Once you put a mind to it, you will wonder why you had not thought of including aluminum foil in your survival kit before now.

2.  Disposable Eating Utensils

Unless you live near a lake or stream, chances are that water is going to be precious.  Even a 55 gallon water barrel or two will only go so far and you will want to reserve that water for drinking and cooking.  Paper plates and disposable utensils (forks, knives and spoons) are the answer and will only set you back a few dollars.

3.  Laundry Equipment and Supplies

You are going to need to have tools and supplies for hand washing and drying your clothes.  Sure, you can wear a shirt and pants for a few days without worry but hopefully the undies and other unmentionables will be clean.  And who wants to wear dirty socks?

You are going to need a tub and plunger (don’t discount using a plumber’s helper if that is what you have) or better yet, an old-fashioned washboard.  You can fashion a clothes line out of rope or purchase a dryer rack.  But have you thought about clothes pins? 

And for washing, how about a bar of Fels Naphtha washing soap?  It is light weight, portable, and does not take up a lot of space.  Nothing beats a bar of soap for rubbing, scrunching and stain removal.

4.  Cooking Grate

Depending on your facilities and the number of mouths to feed, cooking over an open fire may be a real possibility.  Even if you are using a rocket stove – either homemade, an Ecozoom, Solo Stove or other type – an open fire may still be needed for grilling freshly caught fish or game or for long term simmering if stews and chili’s made with your stored food items.

5.  Sanitation supplies

Funny how people forget about the basics.  In addition to a supply of TP, how about some old tee-shirts cut up into squares to use “there” when nothing else is available?  In addition, you will need some feminine supplies for ladies and diapers for the little ones.  And, if the sewer or septic system in inoperable, you are going to need a buckets and some large heavy duty plastic bags to use as a liner so you have someplace to do your business.

The Final Word

As you look over this list, it may occur to you that many of these items are already available in your pantry, closet or basement storage area.  And if not, none are overly expensive.  Even the cooking grate can be improvised from an oven rack or you can purchase one at a second hand store.

The moral of today’s article is that when and if the time comes, it will be comforting to have the basics covered so that you can spend time worrying about the important things such as your safety, security and the health of your loved ones.

For the next few days, why not walk around your home or apartment and seek out items that will be useful in an unconventional manner in an emergency.  

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

DHS Insider Update: "It has begun!"

OK, so it has begun. All across the globe, things are changing at a record pace and it's now impacting the finances of individuals worldwide. 

How long until it impacts YOU?

How long do you have to PREPARE?

After reading this report, my advice - which I've been encouraging folks to start doing for several years now - is to get gold, junk silver, bulk foods, invest in FOREX and consider getting some Iraqi Dinar because it looks like that baby's about to actually happen ( even if it RV's at one cent, you'll get $250 for about a $25 investment; the Vietnamese Dong will do you even better).

Do you care enough about your friends, neighbors, church family and associates to let them know? A simple act such as forwarding this message could spare many people tremendous hardship. at the very least, give them the opportunity to pray about it and make an informed choice.

Grace and blessings,

Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work
miketummillo@me.com