Author: Daisy Luther

It’s Independence Day! The 4th of July! Burgers! Picnics! Fireworks! That’s what it’s all about, right? Go, America! Actually, no, there probably weren’t any hotdogs cooking on the grill on Independence Day in 1776. When the founding fathers of our nation signed the Declaration of Independence, they probably weren’t wondering if the beer was cold yet, if Ben was going to burn the burgers again, or whether Thomas remembered the lighter for the fireworks. They were thinking about freedom. The whole purpose of the gesture was that these men were tired of bowing down to someone who did not have their … Continue reading →

With all of the ridiculous new regulations, coddling, and societal mores that seem to be the norm these days, it’s a miracle those of us over 30 survived our childhoods. Here’s the problem with all of this babying: it creates a society of weenies. There won’t be more more rebels because this generation has been frightened into submission and apathy through a deliberately orchestrated culture of fear. No one will have faced adventure and lived to greatly embroider the story. Kids are brainwashed – yes, brainwashed – into believing that the mere thought of a gun means you’re a psychotic … Continue reading →

A red flag sign of an emotionally abusive relationship is when the abuser goes to great lengths to make the abused party seem “crazy” or “ridiculous.” This is actually just an attempt to maintain power in the relationship and the behavior worsens when they sense that their victim is breaking free. They humiliate, demean, and “tease” the victim in an effort to remain in control.  This is the classic pattern of a bully, whether it’s in a romantic relationship, a workplace relationship, or a parent/child relationship. Apparently this is also how a dying multi-billion dollar industry behaves in an attempt to shame … Continue reading →

A red flag sign of an emotionally abusive relationship is when the abuser goes to great lengths to make the abused party seem “crazy” or “ridiculous.” This is actually just an attempt to maintain power in the relationship and the behavior worsens when they sense that their victim is breaking free. They humiliate, demean, and “tease” the victim in an effort to remain in control.  This is the classic pattern of a bully, whether it’s in a romantic relationship, a workplace relationship, or a parent/child relationship. Apparently this is also how a dying multi-billion dollar industry behaves in an attempt to shame … Continue reading →

Nothing warms my prepper’s heart more than a good disaster movie that supports my hypotheses about a specific event, and the recent movie San Andreas was no exception. Okay, sure, there was some pretty unrealistic stuff like when The Rock was driving a boat through post-tsunami San Francisco and just happened to find his daughter that he was looking for. The last time I went to San Francisco, my daughter and I had trouble finding each other on the first floor of Forever 21, for crying out loud. But, when you only have two hours for a movie, you have to … Continue reading →

Are you truly prepared for a water emergency? How long could your family survive if the water stopped flowing from the municipal supply and none was available at the store? If the answer is not “indefinitely” then you need to check out my new book, The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide: Harvest, Treat, and Store Your Most Vital Resource. This comprehensive book contains life-saving information about how to: Store fresh water Collect rainwater Purify water from lakes and rivers Dig a well for groundwater In addition to harvesting water, you’ll gain the tools to keep large stores untainted for long periods … Continue reading →

One day, you’re just moving through life with everyone else in your office or at your church, and then, for whatever reason, the reality of how tenuous our current lifestyle is, hits you squarely between the eyes.  You realize that electricity and grocery stores and transportation are all things that you’ve been taking for granted and that these things could actually disappear. Maybe you’re concerned about a natural disaster. Perhaps you saw something on the evening news. It could even be a job loss that puts these things out of reach. But whatever the reason, suddenly, you know in your … Continue reading →

When disaster seems imminent, there’s one vital decision that preppers have to make: bug in or bug out?  The lyrics from the chorus of a song by The Clash sums it up – you’ve got trouble either way,  but one way will be worse than the other. Because this song is now stuck in my head, I thought it should be stuck in your head, too. Should I stay or should I go now? Should I stay or should I go now? If I go, there will be trouble And if I stay it will be double So come on … Continue reading →

One of my favorite parts of spring is scrubbing down the entire house, throwing open the windows so the breeze can come through, and hanging rugs and bedding outside.  Maybe it’s weird but I just love spring cleaning. However, what I don’t love is the expensive, chemical-laden cleaning products from the store.  That’s why I spend some time making my own, from simple, non-toxic ingredients. I order most of my basic supplies However, what I don’t love is the expensive, chemical-laden cleaning products from the store. Many of the chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis never … Continue reading →

If the scene in Baltimore, Maryland this week gives you a sense of deja vu, flashing back to the fall when Ferguson, Missouri was under siege, then this should be telling you something. There’s a distinct pattern when society breaks down, and as our society becomes more desperate, poverty-stricken, and lacking of moral compass, this trend will become more obvious. Note that the “lacking of moral compass” part doesn’t just refer to the thugs rioting and looting, but also to the cops who think that their badges give them permission to behave like street thugs, too. Here’s the pattern: An … Continue reading →

Sometimes I think that the next Revolutionary War will take place in vegetable garden battlefields, all across America. Instead of bullets, there will be seeds.  Instead of chemical warfare, there will be rainwater, carefully collected from the gutters of the house. Instead of soldiers in body armor and helmets, there will be backyard guerrillas, with bare feet, cut-off jean shorts, and wide-brimmed hats.  Instead of death, there will be life, sustained by a harvest of home-grown produce.  Children will be witness to these battles, but instead of being traumatized, they will be happy, grimy, and healthy, as they learn about the … Continue reading →

Do you enjoy saving a buck more than most people?  Do you have a black belt in frugality? Here are 20 surefire signs that you are embracing your cheap side.  How many things on this list apply to you? You take it as a personal challenge to see how long you can go without spending money. The game is even better if you have a spouse or friend with whom you can compete. You don’t let food go to waste. You have an ice cream tub in your freezer nearly full of odd bits of leftovers, awaiting their reincarnation into … Continue reading →

Maybe you’re brand new to prepping and not sure where to start. Maybe you aren’t really interested in emergency preparedness but your well-meaning in-laws keep sending you links to websites about the topic.  Maybe you go to those websites and you see so much doom and gloom that you immediately exit. Maybe you say to yourself, “Holy cow, no!  I’m not one of those crazy Doomsday Preppers!”  (Maybe you’re the in-law sending the articles!) If any of the above apply, then this post is for you.  It’s chock-full of links, supplies, resources, and information for those who are new to … Continue reading →

Every flu season, many medical personnel, hospital staff, and educators are faced with a choice: get the flu shot or get fired. Most folks cave to the pressure, because in an economy like the current one, you can’t really afford to lose your job. Finally, a nurse from Hackettstown Regional Medical Center in New Jersey has won a lawsuit after being terminated for refusing the toxic injection. A Warren County nurse was unfairly denied unemployment benefits after she was fired for refusing a flu shot without claiming a religious or medical exemption, a New Jersey appeals court ruled today. The three-judge panel wrote that … Continue reading →

If you read between the lines on a recent report from American Express, it looks like more Americans are veering away from the traditional bank savings accounts: A majority consumers say they’ll keep their savings at a local bank (57% vs. 55% in 2014) but more than half of those who keep their savings in cash plan to hide bills in a secret location at home (53%). This means that 43% of the people who are saving money are not putting it in the bank.  This is good news for those of us who wish people would wake up and … Continue reading →