Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #49
Fellow Patriots,
Good morning!
Thanks to everyone for stopping by to read this week's Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #49. We are living through interesting times indeed. Stay grounded and calm. We will get through this period of troubled times in our great nation. We may or may not like or agree with steps being taken because it disrupts our lifestyle. Just keep in mind, most will not heed government guidance or directions which puts citizens further at risk. Be smart my Patriot friends. Social distancing is your best bet. Ms. Lucy would probably tell you this is my mode of operation daily without the virus going on.
Just a heads up. With the current virus outbreak within the US of A, my daily workload at my day job has increased which takes away from my available hours for researching, writing, and posting to the website. I will do my best to keep in stride. I just ask for your patience through this period.
1-31 March Madness HFS Donation Drive - 53% of $4,000 goal reached after first week. We are approaching the last week of the HFS donation drive and I want to thank those who donated to the HFS mission. Ms. Lucy and I appreciative your generosity to support our efforts through the HFS website and support mechanisms. I am very humbled by your kind words sent with your donation. It is very warming to read individual accounts of how HFS has helped change mindsets and/or helped get them better prepared for understanding and obtaining resources to be self-reliant.
I apologize that I didn't include a way for folks to use snail mail to send a check. If you wish to send a check instead of a digital donation please message me and I will share the address. Thanks for your consideration.
Time is precious so let's move ahead .......
HEALTH ALERT: The Coronavirus awareness level should have increased during the recent weeks. Like I have said previously, there is no need to panic but folks should remain ALERT to their news and surroundings as well as guidance from the national leadership. The daily numbers continue climbing and we expect this to continue. Be smart and flexible in everything you do if you depart your home or when visitors come to your home. Ask yourself, who has your visitor been exposed to in recent days? The virus is invisible before symptoms occur so you can't see the threat. The best advice is to maintain social distancing. Like we used to tell our troops in the military, "adapt and adjust" to the daily picture to keep yourself safe. This is not going to go away anytime soon. Many stores are running low or out of basic supplies and we are early in this process. The longer this goes the harder it will be for those who didn't prepare to find needed resources.
TRAINING: The scheduled Preparedness 101, 102, and 103 training for Huntsville, AL to be held on March 24th and March 28th has been placed on hold until further notice. As much as we wanted to conduct the training, the safety and health of all personnel is a higher priority. We discussed possibly doing a virtual training or prerecorded training, however the Prep 103 class involves the attendees and is a group effort. Once things settle down we will reschedule and notify personnel in the area of a new date, time and location.
I would like to welcome our new preparedness readers from multiple locations in West Virginia, as well as Greenville, S.C., Eastern VA, the Philippines, the United Kindgdom, Oregon, and South Dakota. Welcome aboard my Patriot Sisters and Brothers.
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
NOTE: Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and authors of this site are not responsible for hurt feelings or thin skinned readers. We do our best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. We take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay.)
Thoughts for the week -
I was on the road last week across TN, VA, and WV. I would like to say it was a week of rest but you know better. I posted the Saturday Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #48 Friday evening from Charleston, WV, where I spent most of the weekend. It was great to see family and have about 36 hours with them. There is something about the mountain air that is very special. The event on Saturday was great. The number of attendees was down a bit over Coronavirus fears but the event pressed ahead. It was great to spend time with fellow Mountaineers, both young and old, who came out to for the day. Several vendors cancelled and one briefer also decided to keep social distancing. My brother-in-law had to step up and put together a brief to fill the void and provided an excellent message. His message was on preparedness and family. He went on to share part of his preparedness steps to include growing a large garden, raising cows and chickens, and hunting deer and turkey. After the brief we discussed his ability to access different water sources and filter it. My brother-in-law has always been a great mentor of young men by spending lots of time being a Christian role model, discussing and exemplifying the example. He took them camping, fishing and hunting as youth. They helped with the garden and animals. Through the years as the youth turned to men, the bond of trust and loyalty has been built. This includes my BIL and SIL's four daughters. Today, when my BIL needs a hand or help, support from his family and friends comes from all directions. As life progresses forward, my BIL can depend on the "team" to stand together and support one another.
Next...
One of the most asked questions I received or took part in during the WV event was about sourcing water. Several folks who live a preparedness lifestyle still worked to resolve pulling water and filtering it. In three cases, the individuals have a water source but have not identified a way to set up a system to routinely pull the water with technology vs manual labor to carry it to the holding area. We discussed using a washing machine pump to pull the water or a free flow system. In another case we discussed using a small solar panel and a battery, a timer, and so forth, to run the pump on schedule to pull water as needed. I shared another process where water tanks are used for the collection point from rain gutters. A water hose is connected to then flow the water out of the collection tank. If this plan is for year round use you may wish to trench and burry the hose to prevent freezing. The water hose is then stretched to a raised box filled with mulch. The hose is connected to PVC pipes designed in a snake pattern on the floor of the raised box and then covered in mulch at least 8 to 12 inches in thickness. You will connect a second hose or tubing on the end of the PVC tubing coming out of the box. This is where your water flows out and will then be pulled, on demand, to your destination. You can use a washing machine pump or some other style pump to pull the water to your end point. The mulch provides a source to heat the water running or resting in the PVC tubing. It may not be as warm as your hot water tank, but it will be warm enough to get a nice shower, do laundry or wash dishes.
Next ...
A person recently commented to me that I should be enjoying the uptick in the need for Preparedness because of the Covid 19 - Coronavirus outbreak. I explained it has been busier but being prepared has nothing to do with the virus. We simply prepare 24 x 7 as a way of life to protect our family. I believe it was very important to explain, these are not things or events we wish to happen. I don't recall anyone that I am associated with who would wish bad on others or the nation. They simply see what many believe is ahead and make preparations and adjustments to shield and protect their self and family. Being prepared is a way of life for many of us. Isn't being prepared also being responsible?
Next...
As we go through the Coronavirus drill it reminds me of my first trip to Africa in 1998. I was in Eastern Europe working and recalled back to England to do a quick 72 hour flip to launch to Africa. Unpack, laundry, repack, get briefed, and ..... get shots. Lots of shots. All at one time. One of them was the "gamma goober" shot, as we called it, and several others. So we launched and my soreness went with me. I remember a specific part of the brief (medical) discussing what to watch for to identify possible infected people. As the security advisor and team lead to protect the mission and our people, my head was always on a swivel looking, watching, asking questions, and getting updated information. We could see visible signs of infection on some of the local people. Stay clear, don't touch, avoid direct contact.... Then we get in our embassy provided vehicle, with a driver, and he is infected. We are rolling down the road, trapped in a vehicle, with an infected driver working for the American Embassy in the country. My first thought was "Houston, we have a problem." This was a visible threat we could see on most infected people. Today, with Coronavirus the threat is invisible to us. We do not know when an infected person is standing around us. We do not know what the unknowing infected person has touched or sneezed on. The mother of the newborn pushing her grocery cart through a store with her new pride and joy smiling in the baby seat. Every smiling shopper who passes the glowing mother and infant could be infected. The infected people may not feel symptoms or be aware they are carrying the infection. This is the big difference we face today with the C - Virus. You won't see it coming at you until you possibly have the infection. Be safe!!!
Next ...
As we attempt to remain calm and not eat all the Oreo cookies in one setting, I'm looking at the current gold and silver prices. The DOW is tanking daily which is the time gold and silver should be rising. Anyone else notice silver has priced out at $17.50 per ounce a month ago and closed out at $12.13. During past disastrous events where the dollar has been stressed, did silver not increase? What is different now? Isn't it interesting how over the past year there has been major efforts go to a single monetary system. The B.R.I.C.S. (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) nations have pushed this agenda for ten years. What a perfect set up to roll in the concept of a single currency or digital system. Have a global pandemic, crash the global financial systems, and then roll out the new system. Is it just me, or is anyone else monitoring this total package to see things that do not seem to be functioning in the normal reactionary mode? Just saying...
Okay, the world awaits us, let's move ahead.
Preparedness News -
1. From Shepherd Farmer Geek - Survival Blog - https://survivalblog.com/change-masks-part-1-shepherdfarmergeek/ - This article provides some excellent information and advice on masks care and maintenance.
Part 1 - https://survivalblog.com/change-masks-part-1-shepherdfarmergeek/
Part 2 - https://survivalblog.com/change-masks-part-2-shepherdfarmergeek/
2. From Off Grid Survival - https://offgridsurvival.com/stock-market-crashes-covid19/ - Yea, sure, don't panic...we are told...as our retirements are crashing down the drain. This is a great time to ask yourself the question...what is more important, your savings and retirement or your preparedness resources you need while maintaining social distancing.
3. From Selco Begovic - The Organic Prepper - https://www.theorganicprepper.com/selco-pandemic-accept-it/ - Good read and perspective coming from a man who lived through and survived the Bosnian conflict.