By Angry Old American

Copyright Angry Old American May 10, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

I first posed the question of war in a series of articles beginning on October 27^th of 2021. At that time, I had not seen the world closer to war than the Cuban Missile Crises. The reader must understand that Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24^th, 2022; but never declared war. Aaccording to Vladimir Putin the attack on Ukraine is a “Special Military Operation.” Through all of Russia’s atrocities against Ukrainian civilians and threats about using nuclear weapons, nobody has declared war; neither Russia nor Ukraine. NATO and the United States have committed billions of dollars in military aid over the past two months into a Nation that is not at war. Finland and Sweden are applying for NATO membership and receiving threats from Russia; precipitated by a conflict in Ukraine, where war has not been officially declared. Is the entire world in an undeclared war?

For several years both Russia and China have been conducting Naval military operations aimed at the destruction of a US Aircraft Carrier Strike Group. Russia and China have developed covert weapons systems disguised within cargo shipping containers. They have expanded their military weaponry, and added hypersonic missiles and advanced nuclear submarines and torpedoes to their arsenals. By the end of November 2021, Pravda announced that Russia’s entire Pacific Nuclear Submarine Fleet, 24 in total loaded with the newest hypersonic nuclear rockets, had departed their dockyard in Vladivostok.

I suspended this series months ago after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Mainstream Media had jumped all over the story, complete with plenty of propagandist spin from both Russia and the West. I have used the past months to put my own home and garden in order. I can only hope that many of you have been doing the same.

We are facing the most profound set of crises in the history of our nation. Not only do we face run-away inflation, along with food, fuel and supply shortages; but government sponsored civil unrest, a new Homeland Security “Misinformation Governance Board,” a purge of the entire Republican Party, government support for mob intimidation of Supreme Court Justices (a long-standing felony), and what is shaping up as World War III and Nuclear Conflagration!

Compounding these problems, this summer’s weather forecast for the Western and Mid-Western States is “Severe Drought.” Domestic food production on farms will decrease while we face sabotage and arson of food processing plants. Chinese goods are already declining steeply with shutdowns in Shanghai and Beijing, as well as China’s ports and transportation hubs, and will come to a near halt in June. By July, what backlog we have in our own ports and warehouses are expected to decline precipitously while consumer prices skyrocket due to fuel and shipping costs. The Biden Administration has made it clear that there will be no increase in domestic oil production. Food will be further impacted by Biden’s recent call for an increase of using farm land for corn-based ethanol bio-fuels.

The recent Roe vs Wade leak is being used to incite violence toward what Biden has consistently called the Government’s #1 enemy; the White Judeo-Christian conservatives, MAGA movement and the Republican Party. Maps of Conservative Supreme Court Justices’ homes and those of their families have been distributed by the Radical Left, and though mob intimidation of Judges is a felony, it has not been condemned by any official in the Biden Administration.

Russian TV has pointed to the inevitability of Nuclear Conflict; complete with animations of hypersonic nuclear missile attacks on NATO targets in a matter of minutes from launch. They also had a computer simulation of their massive new doomsday automated “Poseidon” torpedo, the size of a conventional submarine, packed to the brim with 200 megatons of cobalt enriched nuclear explosives, detonating off the coast of Britain. The massive cobalt charge is intended to send a 500 foot tsunami toward its target, and contaminate the surrounding area for up to 5,000 years.

Meanwhile, “Anonymous US Intelligence Leaks” have been bragging about US intelligence being behind the deaths of 12 Russian Generals (9 confirmed), the downing of a Russian transport plane packed with Russian Soldiers, and the sinking of the Russian Flagship Moskva. The Russian Frigate Makarov and Vladimir Putin’s yacht were likewise claimed to be sunk by Ukrainian forces. Not a day goes by in Russia without acts of arson and sabotage. Many Kremlin Officials have pointed out that the US and Russia have already escalated from a “Proxy War” to a “Hands-on Conflict.”

Finland finished its application for NATO membership on May 10^th, 2022, with Sweden expected to follow shortly. For several days Finland, Sweden and Norway have experienced unauthorized intrusion of their airspace of up-to 50 miles by Russian private and military aircraft.

Just prior to May 9th, when Russia celebrated the defeat of Nazis during the “Great Patriotic War,” a very profound statement came out of the US Capitol. At the same time that Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, was glad-handing Ukrainian Officials in Kiev, a bill was introduced in Congress. This new bill will put American boots on the ground in Ukraine if Russia uses Chemical, Biological or Nuclear Weapons. On the 9^th of May, Joe Biden signed the Lend-Lease Act of 2022, paving the way to a blank check for military aid to Ukraine. US military support, and that from other NATO forces, have provided tens of thousands of sophisticated and very-expensive Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft missiles. So many of these advanced weapons systems have been delivered to Ukraine, that stockpiles for our own NATO military warehouses are being woefully depleted. Will we be able to manufacture new weapons of this quality during a supply-chain breakdown without components from China?

On May 8^th, it was further announced that the US “Use of Nuclear Force” policy had been altered to allow the President to use a “First Strike Option.” The writing is on the wall that war is escalating.

The Covid Pandemic, supply chain disruptions, global food shortages, hyperinflation, and civil unrest will most likely be compounded by another World War. This will close shipping and flight corridors through hostile territories, and further eliminate access to critical goods. China provides many components used in our military hardware, and we lack both the factories and manpower to replace these components. Much of the work done by the Trump Administration to bring US Manufacturing back to the American Homeland has been reversed by the Biden Tax Hikes. Those Factories that returned to the United State have fled once again. Building these factories will take time, and the price for that time will either be paid by our soldiers, or by civilians; as is evidenced in Ukraine.

Almost all of our computer chips now come from Taiwan. What will happen when the People’s Republic of China makes good on its threats to “Repatriate” the Island Nation? Taiwan also serves as a key strategic shipping conduit for Asian Countries through the South China Sea up to the Sea of Japan. Chinese submarines must also pass by Taiwan in order to enter the Pacific. According to the Global Times, China’s Eastern Theater Command conducted massive “Real Force” drills on both East and West sides of Taiwan between May 6^th and 8^th of this month. What sets this three day exercise apart from other operations is that it simulates an actual invasion of Taiwan. This may be a clear signal about America’s new stance on Taiwan. For many years the United States refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of Taiwan. This took a 180 degree turn last month when a US State Department webpage claimed that Taiwan was an independent nation, and not a part of China. The US Government has also sold increasing amounts of military hardware to Taiwan, which China threatens retaliation over. However, the level of military commitment to Taiwan is not written in stone, and one Political Administration after another have been pussy-footing around the Taiwan issue since the end of World War II.

It might be wise to prepare for a direct attack on the United States, through cyber-warfare against our infrastructure, sabotage or terrorist attacks launched by Communist infiltrators who recently crossed the Southern border, an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack against our power grids, or a full nuclear attack via the 24 Russian submarines in the Pacific and 26 Submarines in the Atlantic, loaded with hypersonic nuclear warheads. The Russian “Satan II” hypersonic ICBM, designed to deliver 6 nuclear warheads from each missile to the United States, was successfully tested last month. It is the hypersonic missile, capable of reaching its target in minutes that makes this conflict so challenging. If attacked, will there be time to launch our own missiles before they are destroyed?

China is also a Nuclear power, but has greater leverage by conducting economic warfare. Some have speculated that the recent manufacturing and port shutdowns have less to do with fighting Covid than posing economic pressure on the United States during the declining dollar.. Odd coincidence that Covid originated in a People’s Liberation Army research laboratory. Was Covid Biological Warfare all along?

Expect the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Iran and a variety of Middle Eastern, Asian, African, South American, and Caribbean countries to side with Russia. Expect every US infrastructure technology dependent on parts and supplies from these countries to fail in coming months.

If we are on the verge of war, do not expect the US Government or controlled mainstream media to tell you. Take a lesson from Ukraine. The Ukrainian Government refused to acknowledge a Russian invasion til AFTER it happened. Why? To assure roads were not clogged by mass evacuation that would not have prevented military traffic, to keep their stock market from crashing, to prevent the population from stocking up on much needed supplies and causing shortages, to prevent bank runs, and to prevent military aged men from leaving the country!

What can we do to prepare for War? A good place to start is with the local news.

As for local news of interest; the extended weather forecast for Del Norte calls for drought conditions to hit by August. Drip Irrigation from August til harvest time in October might be a good investment. The rest of the growing regions of California and Oregon will be dismal very soon. Get hold of food grade water collection and storage barrels. You can also clean beverage containers for emergency drinking water storage; with gallon, ½ gallon and two liter containers being the best. Check the bottom of the bottle for the “HDPE” food grade plastic recycling stamp. Have water filters on hand. The Sawyer Mini Filter is the mainstay of villages throughout third world countries and can process thousands of gallons, and you can add a one gallon gravity feed system for convenience. Consider storing chlorine pool shock; liquid chlorine will lose almost all its strength in the matter of a few years. You might be served by solar powered garden fountain pumps to transfer water from your collection barrels to your storage barrels, or to boost water pressure to your drip irrigation system.

Meteorologists and firefighters are also forecasting more wildfires than we had last year. Expect arson to be added to the mix as our communist enemies burn us out. Keep fire extinguishers, air masks, helmets, fire repellent coveralls, sturdy boots, and extrication gloves on hand for fire emergencies.

We, as a society, have been pampered by the 911 Emergency Services system. How long will 911 continue in a long-term disaster? How far out-of-control do things need to get before emergency personnel fall away to care for their own families, friends and neighbors? When lawless California Politicians push their legal system into anarchy, what then? Will the public sit back and submit to an openly unfair system of communist oppression; or will civil war ensue? This will not be a pretty ride, and we need to prepare for both common and uncommon emergency events. Learn from history, as this is not our first rodeo!

Shop online for a good EMT quality “fully stocked” crash bag. It will cost you between $200 and $400 for a basic kit. Then consider fleshing the kit out by buying extra hemostats, military 6 inch bandage compresses, chest bandages, burn bandages, sutures, and lots and lots of antibiotic ointment, gauze bandages & sponges, and cling roller bandages. I highly recommend “The Survival Medicine Handbook: What to do When Help is NOT on its way). This book, written by a physician and his naturopathic wife, will give you all the basics and will also give old home remedies, pet medicines, and herbal alternatives for most pharmaceuticals. Remember that a majority of our medications have American patents; but are manufactured abroad. Expect the supply of drugs to disappear as supply chains collapse and war precludes access.

In case of nuclear attack, stock-up on potassium iodide to prevent absorbing radioactive contaminants. Also stock-up on apple pectin, which was used successfully after the Chernobyl nuclear accident to purge radioactive isotopes from victims. Our threat of nuclear fallout in Del Norte County is relatively slight, except for contamination coming from North Korea, China, British Columbia and Alaska. Of course, exposure to the massive tsunami and cobalt contamination from a Poseidon torpedo would not be in the mix for us.

Please familiarize yourselves with the ample recommendations for radioactive and EMP disaster preparedness on the internet. There are maps that show potential nuclear targets, though most have been removed from the FEMA website. These pages are mirrored at private sites elsewhere. This would also be a good time to download public domain government publications from the internet onto a flash drive. Civil Defense, Military, Agriculture and other Departments have a wide range of publications oriented toward disaster survival and self-sufficiency.

Don’t forget hygiene and waste disposal. An add-on toilet bidet kit will save you tons of money on toilet paper; but it only works when the water system has pressure. Blackouts will take down pumped water, so keep a squeeze bottle bidet and toilet paper on hand just in case. A bedside medical porta-potty with wood-chips, straw and lime can get you through a pinch; just make sure to keep urine and feces separate. Soil soaked in ammonia from urine can later give you ammonium nitrate once leached from the soil. Ammonium Nitrate makes a great fertilizer. Composted dung is commonly used for agriculture in most third world countries.

Stock up on heirloom seeds, and learn how to collect and store your seeds each year. Perhaps consider chickens or quail for eggs, meat and rich fertilizer. Ducks do well in Del Norte because of the moisture; though they are very noisy. Geese are mean and nasty guard animals, and are loud and aggressive enough to take on intruders. Rabbits also do well in this cold wet climate. To supplement store-bought feed, which will be in short supply, feed them silage from your garden and let the scratch for insects.

Rolling blackouts and brownouts will become common as fuel to power industrial generators becomes more scarce. An array of solar panels, and solar generators are ideal during Spring, Summer and Fall. However, having a conventional Gasoline/LP generator can be a benefit during times of low light. Try to choose solar generators with batteries that charge quickly, because you will waste less time and fuel by charging your solar generators than running home appliances directly from your duel fuel generator. Be mindful that in California, only EPA California Air Resources Board (CARB) Compliant electric gasoline/LP generators my be legally sold, purchased or used. After 2028, NO Generators other than Solar Power may be used. There is a caveat for CARB Compliant generators during a Public Safety Power Shutoff. So be sure that you are mindful of CARB Compliance.

Brief use of a quiet combustion generator to charge your solar batteries will evade detection by neighbors. Inverter generators are quieter than open frame. You can also construct a sound enclosure by placing sheets of plywood at a 45 degree angle around the generator. Doing so will cut the noise to 50% or less. Remember that “Communism is the Religion of Envy,” so there will be plenty of snitches in our midst during SHTF. Be ready for mooches and thieves when the unprepared come for “Their Fair Share.”

Everything will skyrocket in price as shipping and trucking are impacted by fuel shortages. Indeed, they already have. Get what you need while it is available. Make your list of necessities, and prioritize the things most critical to your survival. What you cannot afford can be made with junk. Find websites that describe how to build your survival items from commonly discarded household trash. Just like using beverage bottles for water storage containers, there are plans for making “Hobo Stoves” from tin cans, “Alcohol Stoves” from aluminum beer or soft-drink cans, “Jet-Stoves” from cinder-blocks, garbage cans can be buried to serve as a quick root cellar refrigerator. A wide variety of other contraptions can be fashioned from the items around us. Regular empty jars from store bought foods can be safely used for preserves, as long as you save the lids, and they are properly sterilized, handled, and not “pressure canned” during processing. These jars can also be used for fermenting. If you are on a tight budget, find what you can make yourself first, and then spend your money on those things that are beyond the resources of your environment, and your experience and skill to make.

Don’t overlook home security, surveillance and defense. There will be plenty of bums in search of the things they need; and will figure that you owe it to them just for breathing. Once local food pantries run dry; shoplifting, pilfering, burglaries, and home invasion robberies will become common place. Cities will see riots, looting, arson and vandalism akin to the summer of 2020. This trend is especially true in California’s pro-criminal environment where lawlessness is tolerated.

Be wary of who you let into your home, as most thieves and burglars end up being people we know. Join or start a neighborhood watch group and keep a close eye on the security of those on your block; especially the disabled and elderly who will make easy targets for criminals. Keep a camera with date-stamp handy and photograph suspicious vehicles or people.

A common trend in big cities is for criminals to rob victims in parking lots, or following their victims to their homes after leaving banks, jewelry stores, malls, or even the supermarket. Practice “situational awareness” and don’t take your safety for granted. We have a new generation of cross-border criminals and cartels that are much more brazen than their domestic counterparts. Kidnap for ransom, murder for hire, kidnaps of women and children off the streets to feed sex trafficking rings, and other crimes common below the border have migrated to North America. Another criminal fad imported from Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela is the use of motorcycles with no license plate to conduct speedy robberies and murders, all the while shielded by a full-face helmet for anonymity.

Keep weapons for personal and home defense. Never leave home without at least one form of self defense and alert; such as a taser, pepper spray, cane, whistle or alarm. A firearm with a Concealed Carry permit is even better. Be mindful that firearms often fail to engage attacks within 20 feet. The riot-gun has been a longtime favorite for home defense.

Harden your doors against home invasion robberies. Deadbolt locks, extra long screws for the door frame, bottom door wedges, and a pair of 2×4 inch door blocks will keep your door from being kicked-in. A loud door or home panic alarm with visual flashing light can scare a criminal away within a minute or so. Consider a door video surveillance camera; but remember that if it is a wireless camera that connects to a phone, criminals can see everything that you do. Burglars have been known to monitor such wireless cameras online to determine when their victims are out of the house. Consider a “Hardwired Surveillance System.” Keep adequate plywood stored to cover broken windows and kicked-in doors.

When addressing criminal predators; we must not forget to add our Governments to the mix. America has descended from a Republic that protects human rights, to a Democracy which supports mob rule directed by those who scream the loudest. Sad to say, but like most self-serving opportunists, there is a tendency of officials to embrace control and distribution of scarce resources “In the name of fairness and equality.” One need only look at the distribution of food in Shanghai to understand the folly of such mad schemes. The powerful rulers get the freshest, desirable, and bountiful allotments. In exchange for privileged treatment, high-ranking bureaucrats are extended concessions to confiscate and distribute these resources. In Shanghai, food is pilfered and hidden for resale by the distributors; much of it rotting in warehouses. Meanwhile, the people starve while locked down in their homes. I expect the same thing will happen in Del Norte, the State of California, and perhaps the entire United States.

The Good-Ole-Boys will always get fat at the expense of the little guys. That is why our vote in the June Election is so important. There are fine candidates that will fight the system as it erodes around us. There are also corrupt and self-serving scumbags seeking a chance to get, or keep, their hands in the government cookie jar. Weigh their merit, and choose the best you can.

It is also important that we all practice independence and self-sufficiency skills in order to survive the coming challenges.

As for me, I am signing off again to attend to my own needs. Time is short, and there is much to do. I hope that this article has given a few of you the incentive to prepare. There will still be time. World Wars do not happen overnight, and these wars are fought for years; even decades. The best time to start preparing is now. I have earlier articles that give many more tips for those on a fixed income, homeless and just plain broke. You can survive anything if you just use your head. It all starts with a plan. The only difference between a desperate act and a deliberate act is preparation. Keep the faith.