Russian President Vladimir Putin is proving to be a masterful geopolitical player with ever move he implements to counter tired, predictable and toothless sanction efforts imposed on him by corrupt and morally bankrupt Western countries.
For more than a decade, Putin allowed Europe to become heavily dependent on food, energy and other vital commodities supplied by Russia, knowing that with each passing year he would eventually be in a position to withstand any punishing actions against him if not dictate terms outright once he began to reconstitute the former USSR by force, which has long been a vision of his.
When he began positioning more than 100,000 men and battalions of heavy military equipment around Ukraine last fall in anticipation of an invasion — which happened in late February — even then the Europeans continued to do business with Putin, if for no other reason than by that time, they had little choice.
Germany, for instance, was not only reliant on Russia for natural gas, the country was building a gas pipeline with Russia even after then-President Donald Trump warned Berlin not to do so and after he reminded the German government, then led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, that it made no sense to build up NATO as a bulwark against Russia only to provide Moscow with tens of billions of dollars in revenue and put Putin in the driver’s seat during any future emergency.
Trump, of course, proved to be right: After Putin invaded, Russia hesitated at first to cut off its gas supply from Russia, at least until the country could find new sources, while at the same time keeping its other trade lanes open with Moscow that were still permitted even under a newly imposed sanctions regime.
Now, even those carve-outs are collapsing and are putting the Europeans in the position of not being able to purchase enough food to feed the continent, per The Consul, which noted that Putin has signed a decree declaring that Russia would no longer sell vital raw materials to countries that it considered ‘unfriendly.’”
The report adds:
These include most of the nations of the West. This step is a complete disaster for the European Union. It is basically signing a death warrant for all European economies. It is feared that European economies might not survive this draconian action. A year from now, the standard of living of all Europeans will be substantially lower than what it is today. It is the right time now for all Europeans to consider what is about to come and how will their lives be affected by this decree. If you are a middle-class resident of European Union, then a year from now you are mostly likely to become very poor and probably unemployed.
A number of economists, the report continues, have estimated that the Europeans have just committed “financial suicide” via the imposition of sanctions on Moscow.
The sanctions essentially amounted to “total economic warfare” against the Russian Federation and were implemented under the guise that they would lead to a collapse of the Russian economy. The West’s corrupt, predictable leaders assumed that Russia was a bigger version of Iran and with nuclear weapons, and while Iran is too small to be self-sufficient, Russia is not too small and can take care of its own needs.
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Russia grows much of the world’s food; Russia produces a sizeable portion of the world’s energy, nearly all of which is powered by fossil fuels (even factories that churn out solar panels and windmills); Russia manufactures its own military equipment; Russia has a vast intellectual class and is able to innovate; Russia has an industrial capacity; Russia has a mining industry from which to draw resources to power its manufacturing, etc.
The EU and the U.S. have exactly the same capabilities and in many cases, superior capabilities, but those economies have been hampered by left-wing climate change fearmongering fools and Marxists who convinced their leaders to put most of their resources off-limits. So while the U.S. and the EU could theoretically out-produce Russia, in practice they can’t because they refuse to do so.
And Putin knew all of this before he sent one tank or one soldier or one helicopter into Ukraine.
Europe needs Russia, not the other way around. And the Europeans are about to learn this the hard way.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
