Avoiding Car Payments is Easier Said Than Done

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)


"Don't be a debt slave!" "Stop Being stupid!"

We've heard similar these lines from a myriad of self-help gurus. Dave Ramsey is one of the most well known financial gurus who offers people common sense advice on avoiding the dangers of debt.  And in a general sense, I agree with most of his message. Dave Ramsey is absolutely right when he states that car loans are wealth destroyers.

He advocates that most people should avoid car payments, because most people get trapped into paying on a loan that never ends.

Dave Ramey advises people to buy a cheap car and save money. You can invest it or use the money that you save to buy a better car.

But what if the cheap car isn't actually as cheap as you think? What happens when the $1,000 car turns out to be a costly nightmare?

I saw a Youtube video by Rachel Cruze in which he advises her views to buy a $1,000 car to avoid car payments. In principle, this strategy seems frugal and wise. In reality, this strategy carries risks that she and Ramey rarely mention.


What if the car dies?

My greatest concern about the cheap car strategy is reliability.

How much money you're going to waste trying to keep that cheap car running? There's a reason why the car is only $1000. Is it because the car is ugly?

Or is it because it's unreliable and a piece of junk.

A simply solution would be to take it to a mechanic and have it inspected.

Unfortunately, a mechanic is not a psychic and can't predict when the fuel pump will die. That $1000 or $2,000 car may require a significant amount of repairs. It's not uncommon for cheap cars to possess a number of mechanical failures within a short time frame. And when that happens, you'll be stuck with the repair bill.

But paying the repair bill will still be cheaper than buying $450 per month for a car that you can't afford. Unfortunately, money is not the only factor. Another major factor is employment,
Good luck holding on to a job when your car keeps dying on you. If you live in an urban area or have a lot of family in your area, you will have secondary methods of getting to work. If you car doesn't start, you can use mass transportation (in the city).

However, if you live in a rural area, the situation will be more complicated. You can't simply jump on the bus when you live in the middle of the sticks. As of 2017, I have been living in rural Kentucky for over 3 years and I can tell you that it is impossible to hold on to a job without a reliable car.

The Dave Ramsey strategy is financially sound, but it feels incomplete. Here are some things that you should keep in mind if you employ this strategy.

Easy Vehicle
Select a low cost used car that is known for being reliable, easy to work on and has a large market for parts. This will keep the cost of repairs at a reasonable level. Hook the car up to a reader and see if the codes have been recently cleared.

Good Owner
Find a private seller and take the vehicle to a mechanic. While you're at it, ask your friends if they know someone who is selling a vehicle. If you can, try to buy that old Buick from an elderly man who retired from GM. Retirees are more likely to take care of the vehicle.

Secondary Transportation
Develop a Backup plan before something goes wrong. How a way to work that doesn't involve the cheap (I mean, low cost) car. Learn the bus schedules or get the Uber app.  I recommend joining AAA. And get the premium member if you live in a rural location, because it offers 200 miles of towing.

If you're really interested in saving money, you may want to consider living close to your job site. You could even consider carpooling with family and/or friends.

Circumstances
In 2015, my piece of junk van died and I was forced to buy another vehicle. I put $1800 down on a 2004 Chevy Suburban Z71. I didn't take it to a mechanic, but I let a knowledgeable friend examine the vehicle.

After I bought the vehicle, I had a car payment of $230. But I didn't care. I pay $600 per paycheck ($1200 per month) and had the $7200 vehicle paid off in less than six months. I was able to do this, because I didn't have to pay rent. I didn't live with my parents, but I was able to avoid paying rent and utilities. I was in a very fortunate situation.

In the last two years, I have replaced a front end part, starter, front axle seal, alternator, four tires, water pump, thermostat, coolant hose, serpentine belt and front impact sensor.

I also replaced all four rotors and brakes. Some of these costs are necessary for any vehicle and others are the result of buying a vehicle with over 230,000 miles.

I prefer to avoid debt, but sometimes our circumstances limit our options.

Simply put, you have to assess your situation, add in the variables and make the best decision that you can make.

Don't buy a new car that you can't afford, but avoid buying a used car that is unreliable. Good luck finding the happy median.

Music Review: Carly Rae Jepsen's "Emotion" & "Emotion Side B"

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift are the best pop acts in the world, but most people only know about the latter. The former produced one of the best pop albums of 2015: Emotion. Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion was a fusion of sophisticated contemporary pop and a 80's influenced pop. It was an 80's album that managed to provide the audience with music that perfectly utilized what we loved about the 80's, while giving us a fresh and unique sound.

I've listened to "Emotion" for months and I still love every song on the album. Frankly, any song on the album is better than anything I'm hearing on pop mainstream radio. Now, there are some standouts that I must mention.

"Run Away With Me" is a catchy, rhythmic and incredibly fun confession of love. Much of the album projects a theme of a young woman who isn't afraid of reaching for love. Sometimes it complicated, sometimes its simple, sometimes its messy.

Songs like "Boy Problems" and "I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance" are the kinds of songs I can dance to all night. The albums strike s a great balance of dance pop songs with clever lyrics and chill ballads.

The song "All That" represents everything that I love about ballads. The song is honest and beautiful. The song makes me feel like I'm watching a women strip down and bare her soul.

What's fascinating is how naturally and authentic the music comes across. Many singers pipe out love songs, but it's obvious that the songs were entirely written by someone else.

"Emotion Side B" continues where "Emotion" left off. Actually, it expands the range of "Emotion" without deviating too far from the themes of A side albums. The song "Store" incorporates the beautiful melodic contemporary/80's sound of sounds like "All That", but switches up the sound with a more high energy tempo.

The brilliance of the song is that it tells the story of a woman who clearly cares for her lover, but also includes lyrics such as "I'm just goin' to the store. You might not see me anymore, anymore. I'm just goin' to the store". The is playful, soulful and funny.

I'm not going to discuss every song on the album. But I will tell you that both "Emotion" and Emotion B" are some of the very best pop creations that I've heard in years. I highly recommend both "Emotion" and "Emotion Side B".

MUSIC REVIEW: Jason Derulo's "Everything is 4"

Review by Reginald Kaigler

Jason Derulo's 2015 album "Everything is 4" seem crafted for the pop charts. Many of the songs can be play in nightclubs as originals or as a remix of some kind. Many of the songs make my head rock, but there isn't much substance. In a year that has given up albums such as Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly", I expect more from hip hop (and pop).

At times, Jason Derulo's music shines as bright as his "So You Think You Can Dance" persona. When he sings, he projects a charisma that pulls you into the music. The album is more pop than r&b and is perfect for a drive to work. His song with JLo is a wonderful, breezy pop track ("Try Me") that's worth replaying over and over.

Many of the songs are catchy and upbeat, but a few songs seem awkward and immature. For example, his duet with K Michelle in "Love Like That" feels silly and forced. Listening to him sing about sleeping with his best friend's girlfriend feels insincere.

His duet with Julia Michael in "Trade Hearts" is a joy to hear. It's a beautiful duet that belongs on the Top 40 Charts. It also makes me want to break out and dance one of those breath-taking Mia Michaels' contemporary dance number, except I have no dancing abilities and I would probably look like a flopping whale.

By the way, Mia Michaels is a choreographer on the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance".

Anyway, Derulo proves that he can still carry his own weight with "Cheyenne". The song "Painkiller" is awful. The lyrics in the song are tasteless and pedestrian. The tracks "Pull Up" and "Get Ugly" almost demand that you get off your ass and dance. Overall, the album is a strong effort. "Everything is 4" deserves a score of 7 out 10. If you enjoy "Want to want Me", you'll enjoy the album.

When Will the Economy Collapse?

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Every once in awhile a stranger pops up in the comment section of my youtube channel and asks, "When will the collapse happen?" It always strikes me as a very strange question to ask given the current economic environment. After all, Rome wasn't built in one day and it didn't collapse in one day either. It was process that spanned over decades. Granted, I thought we would have entered the final phrase much sooner, but history is our best guide.

Many of the same problems that plagued the British Empire, Roman Empire and the Soviet Union are present in the current American Empire. Over-expansion, unnecessary (and damaging) wars, excessive spending, devaluation of the currency, rising poverty, over-the-top cronyism, extreme corruption in government, breakdown in law, lack of respect for leadership and decaying infrastructure are all classic signs of empire decline.

There are plenty of examples of these issues in the U.S. We currently have a record 90.6 million Americans not working, 47.7 million of food stamps, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have cost us trillions without any meaningful results, both the TARP bailout, IRS scandal and bank scandals highlighted the increasing corruption and fraud, the income gap between the top 1% and the lower 50% is growing to record levels, we have no hope of paying back the $17 trillion federal debt, credit card debt is near $1 trillion dollars, student loan debt is even greater at $1.2 trillion, our mortgage debt is $7.78 trillion and total household debt in $13 trillion.

Detroit and Flint were among the wealthiest cities in America with vast industrial sectors that fueled the great American middle class. Now, Detroit is bankrupted, tens of thousands of good paying automotive and industrial jobs have left the cities and the country. We have major U.S. cities like Chicago and New Orleans with less than 10 days of cash on hand. New York City and Philadelphia have dangerously low reserves.

The NSA's increasing, obsessive, expansive, paranoid surveillance programs just shows how desperate the U.S. government has become. The American leadership (if you want to come it that) has become so incompetent that the mainstream media can't even attempt to protect it without losing all credibility. The Affordable Care Act is being exposed as anything but affordable.

The law is fundamentally flawed because it is created with a series of unsupported assumptions. The plan requires more Americans to get a government approved health insurance plan. The problem is that many Americans don't want health insurance, others can't afford it and the law actually encourages the very people the system needs most to withdraw from the system.

Why would a young, healthy adult pay high premiums for a health insurance plan they will not likely use? They could save money by avoiding insurance and simply get insurance when they get sick. Young and healthy Americans will simply take the 1% fine and avoid paying for the pricy government plans, which means many of the new health insurance users will be the older and less healthy Americans. As a result, there will be less people contributing to the system and more users using more services. This will destroy both state and federal deficits. But don't worry, the federal government will just have the Federal Reserve create more money. This will cause the current record $17 trillion federal debt and the $50 trillion debt in liabilities to grow at an even faster rate.

The employee mandate forces businesses to provide insurance for all employees who work over 30 hours. So how will businesses respond? They will layoff full-time workers and replace them with part-time workers. No surprise here.

So by this point is should be obvious that the system is collapsing. The Federal Reserve's money pumping scheme clearly didn't help the economy recover. Existing home sales for Sept 2013 when down 1.3%. The unemployment rate is down, but that's because millions of Americans have given up and dropped out of the workforce. Is that a sign of an economic recovery? In September 2013, the labor-force participation hits 35-year low. Sure, many of the record 90.6 million Americans not working are high schoolers, college students and retired folks, but let's get real. The jobs are not there.

So this brings us back to the question: When Will the Economy Collapse?

A friend of mine had a cabin in Northern Michigan. We went up north and discovered a huge tree with a massive crack leaning over his cabin. Now, anyone who looked up could tell that the tree was going to collapse and slash the cabin. Nobody knew the exact hour and minute, but it was clear that it was going to happen. Needless to say, we hired someone to safely cut the tree down before it collapsed and destroyed the house.

Well, look at the economy as a large bridge severely damaged by an earthquake. Let's call the earthquake, the Federal Reserve. Although, there were many entities that damaged the bridge. Nevertheless, the mayor calls an engineer out to examine the bridge. After a few hours, the engineer's verdict is dire. he declares that the damage to structure of the bridge is catastrophic. He tells the mayor and his staff how they can put in some temporary structures to keep the bridge up.

The mayor then asks the engineer, "If we can't get the equipment, how long do we have until the bridge collapses?"

The engineer sighs, turns to the mayor with a heavy look and says,

"I can't tell you the exact second the bridge will collapse, but you need to call the fire department, alert the federal government and evacuate the area."



Not Looking for Work: Labor-Force Participation Hits 35-Year Low
September existing home sales fall 1.9%
The Ten US Cities With Less Than Ten Days Of Cash On Hand
It's back with a vengeance: Private debt
How the $1.2 Trillion College Debt crisis is Crippling Students, Parent and the Economy
American Household Credit Card Debt Statistics: 2013

The American Recovery

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

We have nearly 50 million Americans on food stamps, but who cares? Welcome to the recovery.

The exact number of Americans collecting food stamps was a record 47,791,996 as of December 2012. That's 23,064,554 households.

Nearly 50 Million Americans on food stamps.

The story I have for you today is not only a painful sign of the times, but harbinger of things to come. When a Laney Supermarket closed down, so many desperate people showed up to get free food that the police almost had a riot on their hands. After enduring the mad rush, the police threw the food into the trash.

After the owners of the grocery store lost the property to the bank, they offered the food to a local church, but members didn't showed up. And that's when everything went south. Hundreds of people showed up to get the food. Apparently, the owners didn't care if the people grabbed the food. The police probably didn't care either, but the bank refused to release the food. Instead, it was taken to a landfill.

The people complained about the bank and frankly, I thought it was wasteful. But watching the news reporter interview the stereotypical, desperate, black, single, mom was unbearable. I know people are struggling (so am I), but having kids that you can't take care isn't going to make it better.

What happened at that grocery store was a snapshot of what's really going on in this country. The rich are the only ones experiencing a recovery. The middle class and poor are getting buried.

It's so sad to see what the country has become.

Nigel Farage: "Get your money out while you still can."

 By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

My favorite British political leader, Nigel Farage, appeared on RT and said what everyone was thinking.

"Do Not Invest In The Euro-Zone," he warns, "you have to be mad to do so... as it is now run by people who do not respect democracy, the rule of law, or the basic principles upon which Western civilization is based." 

Farage is the leader of the UK Independence Party and his warning shouldn't be ignored.

"Get your money out while you still can."

So Cyprus has become the FIFTH eurozone country to need a bailout. The EU can't let any of these countries fall, because if they do, the entire system will collapse.

After the proposal to steal money out of bank accounts, what do you think people will do in Cyprus as soon as the banks open? What would you do?


BANK RUN!

I said it many times and I will say it again: These countries need to have an organized default. Why make things worse with a bailout.

Cyprus Disaster is Worse Than You Think!

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

The Cyprus Bailout is the result of years and years of escalating attacks against taxpayers all across the world. This bailout is in reality a grand theft. The European Union is offering the island nation a supposed 13 billion euro bailout that will come at the cost of having bank accounts taxed 9.9%. Small accounts will be taxed 6.7%, while people with larger savings will lose at least 9.9% of your money. This is never happened before. And you can beg your bank account that it will happen again. I think this is a test run for something bigger.

This is why bailouts don't work.

1. Bailouts are essentially legalized theft. A transfer of wealth from one group (usually taxpayers) to a privilege group (usually bankers).
2. Bailouts prevent failed leaders and ideas from failing. This encourages the group to continue the behavior that led to failure in the first place.
3. Bailouts punish the successful companies and groups by stealing from them and destroying true competition.

So for all of you Americans who shrug your shoulders at this disaster, don't forget that TARP didn't solve any of your problems. it only made things worse.

Don't think it can't happen here. 

Resistance in Cyprus Grows to Europe's Bailout Plan

Trader Jim Sinclair told King World News that the Cyprus disaster is much worse than what the media is presenting.

 Sinclair: 

 “If people believe that $13 billion is the total of this bailout, they are out of their minds.  $130 billion is not the true total of even the Russian deposits in Cyprus banks.  One important Russian businessman, in his various business enterprises, would have $100 billion on deposit himself.  10% of all deposits in Cypress could be $500 billion or more because Cyprus is the banking entity for Russia, not Switzerland or Grand Cayman.

 If this is true, how in the hell can the Russians let the EU steal their money? This is going to get ugly.
 
Sinclair - Cyprus Disaster Is Much Bigger Than Being Reported

Obama Drone Terror! U.S. Can't Pay off DEBT!

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Face Reality: U.S. Can't Pay off DEBT

I recently interviewed financial and precious metals expert Dr. Lee Warren and a viewer commented that the doctor was incorrect in claiming that the federal debt could not be paid off. The viewer claimed that if taxes were increased by 5% across the board, the deficit could be solved in 10 years.

Well, let's take a closer look at that claim. The United States has been running huge deficits since 2000. Essentially, the federal government is spending more money than what it is collecting from tax dollars.

If the gov had 2.4 trillion in revenue and 3.7 trillion in spending in 2012, how is a 5% tax increase going to help?

First, you would have to assume that a tax increase would lead to a significant inflow of cash for the federal government. You would have to assume that the big increase in taxes would have no effect on business activity and would only encourage growth. Two assumptions that are not backed by any evidence.

But let's say that raising taxes somehow lead to a huge tax increase.

Let's assume revenue doubled to 4.8 and spending remained at 3.7 trillion. That's 1.1 trillion surplus every year. We have 16 trillion in debt, if we had 1.1 trillion surplus years for 10 years, we would still owe near 5 trillion dollars and that doesn't  even include the medicare social security liabilities.

The real liabilities of the federal government are Social Security, Medicare, and federal employees' future retirement benefits, which already exceed $86.8 trillion, or 550% of GDP. That's 550% of the entire economy in one year. That's translates into five years of the total production and services of the entire economy just to pay off the debt.

What this means is that the entire system is insolvent and there is no way to save it. The sooner people face that reality, the easier it will be to start to prepare for the inevitable collapse.

Historical Federal Receipt and Outlay Summary
Cox and Archer: Why $16 Trillion Only Hints at the True U.S. Debt

 Obama Drone Terror

So not only is the empire crumbling, the emperor has gone mad. The Obama White House recently declared that it was legal for the federal government to use drone strikes to kill American citizens as long as the government believed the target was an operational leader within Al-Qaida or a related group even if there was no evidence or intelligence of an active plot against America.

Essentially, the White House is ignoring Due Process and declaring that it can kill anyone.

The Numbers

Last weeks unemployment claims stood at 366,000, while Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased at a 2.0 in the fourth quarter. Remember, the commerce Department claims that GDP only dropped 0.1% in the fourth quarter. Expect a revised number, the economy is contracting.

BLS: PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS

Guns

I told my viewers to consider buying a rifle before the election. Before there was a crisis and the guns flew off the shelves and become unaffordable. Unfortunately, the day has come for millions of Americans. AK pattern rifles that sold for 600 bucks is now at 900. If you didn't prepare by storing guns and ammo, I don't know what to tell you. Hopefully, things claim down as more supplies arrive, but you can't afford to abandon your other emergency preparations. Good luck.





 

Another Gun Free Zone FAILURE!

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

Sadly, we can add one more nation to the long list of failures for the so called gun free zones. These are areas that government officials have declared gun free areas. In other words, no law abiding citizen is allowed to bring a firearm into these areas. Predicatively, these are also the areas that mass shooters choose to kill people. Recently, a man used two handguns and a 223 rifle to shot and murder 20 children and 6 adults at an elementary school in Connecticut.

So do gun free zones actually work?

Let's see...

Columbine gun-free zone!
Virginia Tech gun free zone!
Amish school gun free zone!
Sikh temple shooting!
Aurora Theater gun free zone!
Oregon Mall gun free zone!
Connecticut school gun free zone!

We don't need more gun control. There's not need in trying to restrict the gun rights of good people, because the bad ones will never obey the law. We need to empower more good people to stand up to the bad ones by removing gun free zones.

Anti-Gun Laws Could Get People Killed During COLLAPSE

 By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

There's foolishness and then there's Illinois. Remember Chris Rock's comedy piece about fighting crime by making people pay an insane amount for bullets? If not, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinklemay seems to have taken the idea and run with it. Preckwinkle is proposing a new set of taxes on firearms and bullets. The proposal calls for a nickel per round tax and an additional $25 tax for each firearm. Preckwinkleis convinced that this will lower crime and raise more tax revenue. After all, we all know criminals don't steal ammo. What's fascinating about this idea is that we know that it will not work. Chicago has some of the most extreme anti-laws in the country. Law abidding citizens are not allowed to carry firearms, yet the city has had 409 homicides this year alone. Granted, it's not as bad as the early 90s, but most of the crime is coming from gangs, not the average Joe at a shooting range.

Official proposes bullet tax to curb Chicago crime

But this anti-gun foolishness has sparked a rather gloomy thought in my mind about how these people will fair if law and order breaks down. What would happen to these anti-gun proponents in a full-scale collapse scenario? I'm not survivialist, but I think it's safe to say that by not preparing for a situation that requires self defense is setting oneself up for failure. Let me be frank, criminals don't care if you're anti-gun. If society breaks apart, people will become desperate and dangerous. A Glock 17 or a Sig Sauer maybe the only thing that prevents a single mother from getting raped or a married man from being stabbed to death by home invaders. I don't care if you like guns. I don't cars or cellphones, but I need a cellphone and car for my job. When it comes to guns, people will have to do what it takes to survive.

These anti-gun laws are setting people up for failure. It's conditioning people to not protect themselves and that is simply irresponsible. Why make it harder for law abiding citizens to protect themselves? I strongly recommend everyone buy a gun legally, learn how to use it, store it safely and legally carry it everywhere you can. If you're a single woman living by yourself, you maybe targeted by a predator. If you're a cute college girl living on a GUN FREE ZONE campus, remember you'll be a very attractive target for a predator.  After all, you're not supposed to have a gun. If you're living in a upper middle class neighborhood 20 miles outside of a city, the desperate city-dwellers people may target you before they focus on their broke ass neighbors.

People tell me all of the time to get out of the city, but what they don't realize is that most of the desperate people in the city will be looking for suburbanites with resources.

After all, many people will assume that a family with three late model cars will have food. The funny thing is that if society collapsed tomorrow and the lights went out, there would be millions of upper middle class citizens with 50 inch TVs, 60,000 dollar cars, 300,000 dollar houses and less than a week of non-perishable food.

No matter how you feel about guns, if you're serious about helping your family survive, you can't ignore the need for a gun. Don't like the TV shows like "The Walking Dead" convince you that if there's a social breakdown, you will be able to pick up a firearm and shot with the marksmanship of a Navy Seal. If you get a gun, make you know how to use it. You don't want your first shots to happen during a crisis. And forcing law abiding citizens to take on an additional tax burden may put good people in a bad situation. 


 

Five Things Single Mothers Can DO Before SHTF

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

As most of us know, there is no shortage of gun talk in the prepper community. After all, one of the best important emergency preparations is self defense. But when if you are not apart of a specialized prepper group with years of food supple and a mountain of guns. When if you're just a regular Joe or Jane? When if you're a single woman or a single mother living by herself? How should a single mother approach prepping?

Obviously, I am not a single mother so my perspective is limited. However, I was raised by a single mother so I think I can make some observations. Because most single moms are working on a more limited budget, they will forced to be extremely economical. This means that they must identify the best deals on large quantity of food for their children, but they must also find a way to secure their homes if there are riots. I am not an expect in home defense or guns, but I have learned a thing or two after prepping for 3 years. Here are 5 things I think every single mom should do right now.

1. Secure Your Doors (and Windows)
Start by buying good locks for your doors, putting locks on the windows and removing hiding spots around your house such as enormous bushes. Buy a 2 x 4 wood piece that is 4 to 5 five long, two high quality metal brackets and screws. Put the brackets on each side of the door and place the wood in the brackets to make the door harder to kick in. The idea to give yourself more time to respond to a home invasion during SHTF (shit hits the fan.) You can put these items aside and use them if things get too bad. View my video below for more details.




2. Acquire a Firearm (Legally) and Carry It
Research the local laws and see if you can legally own a semi-auto handgun. Most states offer a CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) permit so you can carry it at all times (except in gun free zones.) The process usually involves taking a 4 hour NRA gun course (100 to 150 dollars) + 100 rounds of ammo), bringing the certificate to the county (or state) office, paying 100 to 120 buys for the paper work, getting your fingerprints recorded and receiving the permit 5 to 8 weeks later. Felons are obviously unqualified.

Using a firearm correctly can save your life. But don't just get a gun, learn how to use it and practice as much as you can. At least once a month. You may want to take additional classes. You may also consider getting a safe and teaching your children about the importance of gun safety.

3. Connect With Other Single Mothers
Look for other single mothers in your neighbor and start talking about the things that matter to you. Get coordinated with family members. It may not be a bad idea to live near your brother. That isn't always possible. It may help to have your brother do some yard work, just to show the neighbors that you are not alone. You may not know it but predators notice when a woman is "doing it all by herself." When the SHTF, he may decide to take advantage of the situation if he thinks that men won't be around. Think of it as a show of force.

4. Get A Dog
Not a cat, because although I love cats, if a rapist enters you house, a cat will not help you. A cat will not attack the man or even warn you. A lab can be a great family dog, loving to the kids, warn and help protect you. If you are allergic, you can find non-allergic breeds.

5. Find A Natural Healer
There may not be access to hospitals during a SHTF situation, so knowing a natural healer may help your children if they get sick.




 

Police Warn "Enter Detroit At Your Own Risk!"

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

“Enter At Your Own Risk” is what the Detroit Police union is telling visitors about the city of Detroit. The Detroit Police Officer Association (DPOA) held a political rally warning Michiganders that the city is becoming more dangerous. The union warned that the department is "grossly understaffed", while the homicide rate continues to soar. Detroit Police Officer Association (DPOA) Attorney Donato Ioriotold the press that the police force is shrinking as more officers exit the city.

Enter At Your Own Risk: Police Union Says ‘War-Like’ Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors

Frankly, I don't blame them. Many cops simply can't afford to work in Detroit. They pay is dropping, but the cost of living is raising.

I live 60 miles north of Detroit in a city that shares more than a few similarities with Motown. Like Detroit, my home town (Flint, Michigan) is a decaying industrial city littered with abandoned buildings, burnt out homes and a struggling economy. Both Flint and Detroit have extremely high crime rates. They are consistently ranked as the most violent cities in the country every year. In 2011, Flint was ranked the most dangerous city in America, even beating Detroit. Flint had the second-highest murder rate and the highest rates of aggravated assault, burglary and arson in the country.

Most Dangerous Cities In America Based On Analysis Of FBI Statistics>

The state police added detectives to help Flint police officers, but the problem seems to be bigger that staffing. It's bigger than manpower. I travel to Detroit quite often to visit family members. I've brought family members to Belle Isle, Greektown, The Detroit Zoo (in Royal Oak), The Detroit Institute of Arts. I've even toured the neighbors where I grew up (in Detroit) and other locales. So unlike most commentators bashing Detroit, I've been inside the city.

I've seen the good that the city has to offer. But when it comes to crime, I think Detroit is experiencing a social and moral breakdown. The government is corrupt to the core, the tax base can't support a decent education system, too many drug addicted zombies are willing to kill for almost nothing, too many young people have embraced a thug culture of degeneracy, criminals have become emboldened the citizens' fear and too many incompetent people are having too many children and not installing good values in the youth.

I have family in the Detroit suburbs and in the city who are afraid to enter many parts of the city. And some family members' fear of being out at night resembles Robert Neville fright in the 1971 classic film "The Omega Man."

So how can I respond to this threat? Should I avoid the city at all cost. I don't blame you if you decide to never visit. But I will walk a different path. I have family in Detroit and I already live in a dangerous city. My plan is to continue enjoying the jazz festivals that Detroit has to offer. I'm going to visit the Detroit Opera House and visit Mexicantown. I'll walk through Downtown Detroit the same way I walk through Flint: armed with my Glock 21 (45 ACP). I have a Concealed Pistol License and am I want to live as peacefully as I can. But I refuse to be a prisoner in my home. 

I refuse to let the bad guys keep me away from Detroit. I will walk through Detroit with a great sense of awareness and learn to survive. Because as the United States declines economically and politically, millions will be too desperate, too drugged out or too spiritually drained to care about morality. 

Whether you know it or not, Detroit is coming to a town near you. 






The Other Side of Detroit: GREEKTOWN



The Other Side of DETROIT: The Detroit Institute of Arts


The Other Side of DETROIT: The Detroit Zoo (Royal Oak, MI)

Water is the Most Important Aspect of Prepping

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

The moist air is thick and heavy. The city's asphalt streets sizzle. Another scorching hot day in Flint, Michigan. But this heat wave is just the beginning of 2012's second temperature surge. The first heat wave knocked out power systems across the Eastern U.S. and left thousands of temperature records along the waist-side. This summer has been one for the record books. But it has also awaken my core survival instincts. For the first time in my journey as a prepper, I realized that my priorities were not correctly aligned. For too long, I have endulged my fascination with firearms to the point that I have failed to see what represents the greatest threat in a crisis situation: dehydration.

In all likelihood, I will die of dehydration before I am forced into a gun fire. And since I already have six guns, how can I justify buying another one when my water preparation is so weak.

Although, I have 6 five gallon containers filled with tap water, four cases of bottled water, a Katadyn Water filter and several packs of purifying tablets, an honest assessment of my supplies would force me to conclude that this would not be enough for a family of three to survive on for very long. This summer of unbearable  heat has forced me to re-examine how prepared I really am for a situation were I would have to produce my own clean water.

Let's keep in mind that many modern water systems rely on electric pumps to force water to millions of homes. If the electrical system is compromised, then millions of Americans may find themselves in a situation were they will have to boil, purify or filter their own water.

So I've decided to take action. A friend on youtube suggested I build a sand bio filter to remove germs from the water in the nearby creek. The concept is brillantly simple. You use fine sand in a 55 gallon barrel to filter viruses and harmfully substances from the water. But the top level of water serves as a natural bio system by using good bacteria to destroy bad bacteria.

It's a good idea, but it's not for me. Filling a 55 gallon barrel would be problematic for an urbanite such as myself, because it would be very difficult to move. So I've decided to invest in a Berkey Water system. It's light weight and it uses a carbon filter to remove virtually any harmful biological organism. I've also decided get some water containers that are not clear. The idea is to protect the water from the effects of sunlight. I'm also going to expand into trapping rainwater.

There's nothing wrong with owning a lot of guns, but if you don't have any water, your body will break down very fast. Water makes almost everything easier. You need water. I need water and more of it. In an emergency situation, I will need water to cook food, washing my body, stay hydrated, prevent infection and possibly keep someone's body temperature down. So I'll still buy another pistol this year, but not before I make sure I can filter hundreds of gallons of water.

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

The Dow Jones is over 13,000 and the talking heads on television are declaring the U.S. economy to in a recovery. But over 46 million Americans are still depending on food stamps, the weekly jobless claims are starting to decline and unemployment is still stubbornly high despite the Labor Department's attempts to official push millions of unemployed into the non-labor force category. And recently, the factory orders fell off of a cliff in March.

The GDP numbers were obviously a big disappointment. The first quarter of 2012 had an unusally warm season, which made individuals and companies buy specialty items much earlier than usual. This should have really boasted the numbers, but all the labor department could come up with is an anemic 2.2%. Which means there's going to be significantly less growth in the second quarter. Essentially, the purchases that are usually made in the second quarter have already been made for the first.

Factory orders Dropped 1.5% in March
46 Million Americans on Food Stamps
GDP Growth

So it's refreshing to see a clip of someone on CNBC telling it like it is. Boston Properties CEO Mort Zuckerman pulled no punches with his analysis.

"We have the most stimulative fiscal and monetary policy in the history of this country and here we are three years into the recession and it's not ended. I think we may be heading for an even weaker economy this year than people expect." 

He was right about the European economy, too. I especially enjoyed his analogy about the man who jumped out of a 25 story build and yelled, "Nothing's happened yet!"

Right now, I'm focusing on creating secondary income. I want to be as versatile as possible, because I think things are going to get very interesting this year. Don't be surprised when the economy gets worse.

What Women Should Do During SHTF

By Reginald Kaigler (DEMCAD)

How would an average single woman fare in the event of a society breakdown? Let's say that there was a situation that caused a major panic, bank runs, riots, chaos in grocery stores, a massive influx in home invasions and much worse. How would a single woman protect herself in such a scenario? I've always wondered how a female could ever be anti-gun, especially when most women are physically smaller and weaker than 50% of the population. Given the fact that most violent predators are men, if attacked, the average woman would most certainly be facing an opponent with superior strength and weight.

So listening to a woman rant against guns has never made any sense to me. But I want to address the women who are sensible enough to protect them. Rather you are a man or a woman, you can be attacked at almost anything. Being a 300 pound, 6'2" man doesn't make me immune to attack. Anyone can be attacked, so we must try to be prepared at all times, so when a crisis happens, we'll be better suited to adapt to the changing circumstances. Here are the principles I try to practice.  

1. Situational Awareness
This means being aware of our surroundings at all times. Something that I have failed to do at times. Too often, strangers on bikes have been able to surprise me while I was walking down the street, enjoying tunes on my mp3 player. But living in a dangerous city like Flint, Michigan means that I could only be seconds away from an attack at all times. I have to keep reminding myself to not let the music distract me. In a society breakdown, predators will take advantage of the chaos by targeting vulnerable women (an men). I would recommend that if there are riots in your town, stay off the streets. Rushing to Walmart to buy more food may not be worth the risk of leaving your home unattended. This is why we prep, so we don't have to be in the panicky mob fighting for food.  

2. Following My Instincts
Have you ever had a bad feeling about something or a strange place? Well, that's your animal instinct warning. it's the same instinct that allows a deer to sense danger. I used to watch nature shows with my mother when I was a kid and I remember the lions targeting the dumbass prey that was separated from his pack. There's a lesson to learn. Under normal conditions, I walk by myself a lot. During a society breakdown, I would avoid such practice. It would be unwise for a woman (or a man) to travel alone. Remember, the overwhelming majority of women don't carry a gun, so targeting a lone woman during a crisis would be ideal for a predator.  

3. Act Quickly! Don't Depend On Some Guy!
How fast you react could be the difference between living and dying. If I were a woman, I would assume that no man would be coming for my rescue. it sounds silly, but a lot of women (and men) think that some government agency or a man will come through in a crisis. Ladies, you are responsible for your own lives. Too many women have been programmed to expect men (and government) to do certain things for them. I asked my sister on several occasions if she wanted to go to the gun range and learn how to shot. I remind her respond at Hurley Medical Center. "No, but I'm a girl. That's for you guys." Ladies, this type of foolishness could cost you dearly.  

4. Lock and Load
I highly recommend you consider taking a CCW (concealed carry weapon) permit class and carrying a pistol. If not a pistol, pepper spray, a knife or a stun gun. But you better be ready to use them. And keep in mind that all of these tools require training. I should also add that pepper spray may not stop the assailant as fast as you want. A 12 Gauge pump action shotgun will go a long way in discouraging a rapist. And please, please, don't put labels/signs on your car and home that single you out.

5. Don't Get Singled Out

Do you really need big brushes in front and around you home? it could give a burglar excellent cover when attempting to break into your home? And how much privacy do you really want? A privacy fence keeps noisy neighbors from watching you, but it also provides cover for the burglars.

In the video below, two men try to enter a woman's house by kicking down the door. Fortunately, it was a well made door and she also had a gun for protection. But I suspend that her privacy fence was one of the things that attracted the criminals in the first place.





6. A Dog is A Woman's Best Friend 
Nothing will discourage a burglar as fast as a German Shepard or a Rottweiler. You don't need a pit bull to scare a rapist away from your home. A Golden Retriever will bite the hell out of a creeper. Dogs have been used by humans for warning and protection from predators for years. A dog can save during normal conditions and also during the worst. Bottom line, a woman should be prepared for dealing with threats in a scenario where emergency 911 operators aren't able to send the police. I am not a security expert, but my common sense dictates that you should watch the nature/wildlife documentaries and avoid doing what the lamb does. You know, the one that ends up as the lion's dinner.