We are being warned that there could be some real serious economic doom at the beginning of next month if the Democrats and the Republicans cannot agree on a deal to raise the debt ceiling.  Experts are telling us that the stock market will crash, the economy will immediately plunge into a recession, and tens of millions of Americans will not get their Social Security payments.  Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says that a U.S. debt default would begin somewhere around June 1st.  She can’t nail down the date precisely, because there is some uncertainty regarding how much tax money will come in over the next few weeks.  But what is exceedingly clear is that time is very short, and there are only four days when the House and the Senate are both scheduled to be in session before June 1st.  So the clock is ticking, and right now both sides are still far apart on any sort of a deal.

Of course the Republicans in the House have already passed a bill to raise the debt ceiling, but it is not acceptable to the Biden administration.

The Biden administration has chosen to play hardball, and so we really are facing the possibility of a nightmare scenario.  The following description of what could be ahead comes from the Washington Post…

Federal workers furloughed. Social Security checks for seniors on hold. Soaring mortgage rates. A global financial system sent reeling.

Leaders from Congress and the White House are trying to forge an agreement to lift the federal debt ceiling, with only a few weeks before the Treasury Department may no longer be able to avert an unprecedented U.S. default. If they fail, and the government can’t meet its payment obligations, economists and financial experts predict chaos.

According to the Post, there are 7 major things to watch for if a U.S. debt default actually happens…

-Stocks crash

-A sudden recession

-Federal workers in limbo

-Social Security and Medicare miss payments

-U.S. borrowing costs soar

-Economic problems spread worldwide

-The dollar drops, along with U.S. prestige

The severity of the crisis will depend upon the duration of the default.

If the federal government can’t meet its obligations for a few days, it won’t be a very big deal.

But if there is no deal for several months, things could get really crazy.  In fact, the White House is projecting that stock prices could fall by 45 percent…

Moody’s Analytics has estimated that stock prices could fall by roughly one-fifth, wiping out $10 trillion in household wealth and devastating the retirement accounts of millions of Americans. The White House has estimated that the decline could be closer to 45 percent.

That would be quite a crash.

And imagine what our country would look like if over 60 million Social Security recipients did not receive any payments for several months.

People would be going out of their minds.

The longer a debt ceiling crisis lasts, the more pressure the American people will put on their politicians.

And I think that it what the Biden administration is counting on.

Of course there are many Democrats that actually want Joe Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment in order to avoid a debt ceiling crisis altogether…

The 14th Amendment, passed by the Senate in 1866 shortly after the end of the Civil War, states “the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”

Biden says that he has been “considering” such a move, but Janet Yellen is publicly telling reporters that it would be “legally questionable”…

“I have been considering the 14th Amendment,” Biden told reporters Tuesday after meeting with congressional leaders at the White House and making little progress on the debt-limit stalemate.

Treasure Secretary Janet Yellen last week, however, acknowledged serious problems with the 14th Amendment as an answer to the debt crisis.

“There would clearly be litigation around that; it’s not a short-run solution,” she said at a news conference in Japan, adding it would be “legally questionable.”

We shall see what happens.

In the end, I don’t think that Biden will try to use a tortured interpretation of the 14th Amendment to end this crisis.

Instead, I believe that he will simply wait for the Republicans to fold like they always do.

For decades, Democrats have watched Republicans fold like a 20 dollar suit whenever some major deadline approaches.

And there are some Republicans that are already talking like they intend to fold this time around too…

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Sunday he does not think the United States will default on its debt.

Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” McCaul said he was optimistic the nation would raise the debt ceiling by June 1, noting that defaulting would embolden the country’s adversaries.

“Our adversaries look at this very closely. They look at when we’re divided. … I think they would love nothing more, particularly China, to see us default in our full faith and credit under the Constitution,” McCaul said. “I think defaulting is not the right path to go down.”

But there is one key difference now.

Kevin McCarthy is the one holding the cards for the Republicans, and he does not intend to be steamrolled like other Republican leaders have been in the past.

There are certain things that he wants, and at this moment he is saying that there will be no deal if he does not get them.

Having said that, I still expect the Republicans to fold.

I just can’t help it.

I have seen it happen time after time, and it is clear that many of them simply do not have a stomach for this sort of a fight.

So I believe that doom will be averted because the Republicans will eventually cave in and give the Democrats almost everything that they want.

However, I have to admit that there is a chance that I could be wrong about this.

Maybe Kevin McCarthy and his team are made of sterner stuff than I suspected.

If that turns out to be the case, you will want to keep a very close eye on early June, because that is when things would start to get really “interesting”.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of my articles.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post If No Debt Ceiling Deal By Early June, Stocks Crash, The Economy Implodes, And Social Security Payments Don’t Go Out appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

How To Find The Best Water Filter For Survival & Preparedness

If you have to list the most critical resources in your survival plan, water will always be in your top 3.

Just think about all the ways you use water in your daily life:

• Drinking / Bathing
• Flushing / Brushing
• Cooking / Cleaning

These are tasks we perform EVERY single day!

Now imagine, for one minute, it’s gone. Taps dry… You can’t flush your toilets. You can’t bathe. But more importantly, you couldn’t quench your thirst.

The dehydration countdown would begin. You’d be forced to find a different source of water.

And while the image of a crystal clear, pure mountain stream sounds appealing, the reality is likely far different in a survival situation.

When you’re in survival mode, you may have to consume water wherever you can find it –

• muddy puddles
• algae-filled ponds
• livestock tanks
• river runoff
• roof runoff (i.e., rainwater harvesting)

These sources can be saturated with all kinds of bacteria, viruses, and chemicals. You need a way to remove these dangerous contaminants for drinking and cooking.

You need a survival water filtration action plan.

So today, we’re going to cover the following topics in detail:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Inline Filters

The Best Small Group Filters

Best Large-Scale Filters

3 Different Types of Survival Water Filters

Filtration vs. Purification

Critical Water Filter Factors 

The Best DIY Gravity Water Filters

Water Filtration Best Practices

Your Water Action Plan

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Inline Filters

For most, the first line of defense in water treatment systems is a personal filter to care for their own needs.

Everyone should have a personal filter in their pack at all times, even if they’re traveling with a group. If your group needs to split up, you don’t want to lose anyone without access to water treatment.

With the ultra-lightweight options nowadays, there’s no excuse.

Everyone should add some water filtration insurance to their pocket or pack.

↓ Sawyer Mini Survival Water Filter Review – Can This Filter 100,000 Gallons? ↓

↓ LifeStraw Review and Field Test ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Small-Group Filters

A personal water filter alone may not be practical when you go from a single person to a group.

In this case, it’s often helpful to transition to a pump-style filter or purifier.

They are typically about the size and weight of a 1L water bottle.

This weight increase makes it harder to carry, and it’s not practical for everyone in a group to have one.

But with a group, you can share and distribute the weight of other supplies. One person can carry the group filter while another packs more food.

This distribution helps the group to even out-pack weights accordingly.

There is a wide range of filter options on the market, from the simple sub-$100 filters to more advanced purifiers costing over $300.

It comes down to understanding your survival needs and the likely conditions you’ll encounter.

↓ MSR Guardian Survival Water Filter | Purifier Review ↓

Best Large-Scale Filters

In the world of survival, having a permanent (or even semi-permanent) camp is indeed a luxury.

But, with a good plan and essential camping equipment, it’s a great way to conserve resources and energy.

On a long trip, even a single no-travel day can feel like a vacation from the everyday routine of breaking camp.

With larger groups, one of the first resources to secure is an abundant clean water supply.

Sure, you could sit and pump gallons and gallons of water through a hand-held filter. But it’s far more efficient to set up a gravity filter.

A gravity filter allows you to do other camp chores while your water takes care of itself.

↓ Alexapure: Better Than Berkey? ↓

↓ LifeStraw Mission Gravity Water Purifier ↓

↓ MSR Autoflow Gravity Microfilter ↓

3 Different Types Of Survival Water Filters

There are 3 main types of survival water filters. Each type works best for different situations and setups.

So let’s quickly go over them in general now. Then we’ll review what we consider the best water filters for survival later.

1. In-Line Filter

In-line filters are small, portable, hollow tubes with a filter medium inside.

Think of them as a large straw where the easiest way to use one is to suck (just like a straw).

The sucking action pulls water through the interior filter medium and removes harmful contaminants. Simple but effective.

The ones we will cover later (Sawyer Mini Water Filter & LifeStraw) are both lightweight, portable, packable, and ideal for a single person on the move.

2. Hand Pump Filter

Hand pump filters are larger tubes with a filter medium inside. Since they are larger than inline filters, sucking is no longer effective.

Instead, they are built with hand pumps.

The pumping action pulls water through the filter medium to clean the water of contaminants.

Hand pump filters are larger than inline personal filters. Not too big to pack and carry but bigger and slightly heavier.

They can also process more water faster than inline filters.

So they are ideal for small to medium-sized groups on the move.

3. Gravity Fed Filters

Gravity-fed filters are systems that take up the most space to set up.

The filter itself can be small, but you need a water reservoir above the filter and a collection reservoir below it.

That’s because gravity filters are passive. You set them up and let them work via gravity while you go away and do other things.

You don’t have to suck or pump to filter the water; gravity does this for you.

Again, the filter doesn’t have to be large, but the setup is. So this type of filtration system is not ideal for travel.

Many of the popular gravity-fed systems are not mobile at all and are better suited for a countertop.

Due to the passive filtering and the setup size, gravity-fed water filtration systems are best for large groups staying put.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Filtration Vs. Purification

First, a little terminology lesson.

I’m going to be very deliberate with my use of two words.

So pay attention because they mean very different things in water treatment.

Term 1 – Filters

“FILTERS” are mechanical devices that remove particles from the water.

They’re rated by the LARGEST particle size that can pass through the filter pores.

Most filters are rated in microns (1/1000000th of a meter). So a 0.2-micron filter can safely remove the majority (i.e., 99.999%) of bacteria, protozoa, and sediments.

Term 2 – Purifiers

“PURIFIERS” may or may not remove particles. Instead, they render dangerous contaminants inactive.

Purifiers add a layer of protection against viruses. It kills viruses that could slip through all but the smallest filters.

You can purify water through UV light, chemicals, or mechanical filtration.

Also, some purifiers contain secondary treatment (usually activated carbon or chlorine).

These secondary treatments remove dissolved chemicals, taste, and odor.

Today’s article focuses primarily on water filtration; you should also check out our water purification article.

The bottom line is:

That the simplest, most cost-effective two ways to purify water are to

1. boil it or
2. add water purification tablets to it.

Critical Water Filter Factors

There are a lot of factors that go into the selection of the right filter system for you.

You have to think and plan for future use.

Remember that your needs may change as you travel, so it’s often best to have a few options.

Also, I always have backups for emergencies for such a critical resource as water.

With this in mind, here are the most important aspects to consider in your search for the perfect survival water filter.

Source Water Quality

The most important factor in choosing a water treatment system is;

“What do you need to remove from my water?”

You’ll need very little treatment near the water source (i.e., glaciers, cold springs, snowmelt).

In these locations, the water is mostly pure.

It has had little chance of becoming contaminated with bacteria and viruses.

These situations are ideal for a basic water FILTER.

But, if you’re filtering near farms, cities, or swamps (where most of us live), contamination is more likely.

Upstream human activity has probably contaminated the water to some degree.

So you’ll need more and better treatment than a basic filter.

You’ll also want to purify the water to remove viruses, chemical runoff, and bad tastes and odors.

Group Size

Another critical factor is the size of the group you plan to provide with clean water.

If you only have to supply for your own needs, you may be able to get by with a lightweight inline filter or filter straw.

They’re cheaper, lighter, and take up less space in your pack.

A personal filter no longer makes sense if this expands to a small party (2-5 people).

Instead, you’d be better served by a small pump filter.

They’re faster for filling several water bottles, and you can take turns pumping water.

Gravity-fed filters are a good option if you camp in one place for a while.

They remove much of the slow effort of water treatment.

They can provide gallons a day if someone keeps adding raw water.

The downside is they’re bulky and sometimes heavy.

But you can’t beat the convenience of water at the turn of a tap in camp.

Weight and Size

Many of our survival plans involve being mobile, even if only while we make our way to a bug-out location.

The smallest in-line filters weigh nearly nothing and can fit in the tiniest pockets.

But, as you move into larger systems, the weight and pack size can increase.

The larger pump style and gravity filters are great options for a cabin or vehicle but won’t work in a pack.

It all comes down to weighing the technology against your needs.

You must understand the tradeoffs to develop your survival water filter plan.

Price

Finally, we all know quality survival gear doesn’t come cheap.

When comparing water treatment systems, be sure to check the specifications carefully.

Two seemingly similar filters can have wildly different prices.

There’s a significant difference between a 1-micron “filter” and a 0.2-micron “purifier.”

They are different regarding function and cost, even in similar packaging.

That said, sometimes, a simple filter is all you need.

In these cases, paying more for a high-tech purifier leaves you with less for other supplies.

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Simple DIY Gravity Filter

Of course, there are those out there who want to keep costs to a minimum and aren’t afraid of DIY.

If that sounds like you, building a gravity filter from a Sawyer Mini is simple.

There are several ways to set up a gravity filter, but they almost all use the following:

• an elevated reservoir (a bucket, bladder, or tank)
• a length of tubing
• an inline filter (like the Sawyer Mini)
• a second reservoir for clean water

Seriously, that’s it!

Plumb a valve into the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket (large elevated reservoir).

Then attach several feet of hose to your inline filter. Let the water drip into a second 5-gallon bucket (or bottle).

Voila! You have a simple, inexpensive gravity filter.

The greater the elevation between the reservoir and the filter, the more pressure.

Head pressure is what’s required you need to force the water through the filter element.

The good news is a few feet is usually enough, but more will help to increase the flow rate.

A simple gravity filter can filter at the same rates as the commercial version at a fraction of the cost.

↓ Sawyer Mini DIY Gravity Water Filter System ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Water Filtration Best Practices

Best practices exist no matter what type of water treatment system you choose.

Techniques you should use to make it work as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

These best practices should become simple habits when filtering and treating water.

Water Source Selection Matters

First, this is critical, don’t make your filters do any more work than they have to.

Try to find the cleanest, most transparent water available to you.

Avoid muddy water and water with visible pollution if at all possible.

The manufacturer’s filter ratings are all based on a generic “bad” water specification.

But that’s usually much cleaner than something like a stirred-up muddy puddle.

The more material you put into your filters, the faster the pores clog.

Soon you’ll notice a drop in flow rates and an increase in the effort to move water through the filter material.

Eventually, they’ll clog so severely that you won’t be able to use the filters at all.

Sometimes you don’t have any options, but this is where pre-filtering your water can help.

I keep a small piece of filter sponge, a survival bandana, and some elastic hair ties with my water filter.

That way, I always have a prefilter when I encounter silty water.

I place the sponge over the filter inlet to filter the small debris.

Then I cover it with at least one layer of the bandana and wrap the whole thing with a hair tie.

This setup creates a DIY prefilter to remove the sand, muck, and leaves before it enters the filter inlet.

The pre-filter reduces the work my filter element has to do and extends the filter’s useful life.

Avoid Cross-Contamination

One common mistake I see people make with water treatment systems is cross-contamination.

They allow raw water to drip onto the clean water end of the filter.

This means the contaminants can pass on to your next batch of treated water.

This is why most commercial filters have clear labels or color codes to determine which end is which.

Many also include protective rubber caps for both ends to reduce leakage after use.

If you’re careful not to cross-contaminate, you reduce your risk of waterborne illnesses.

Take Time To Learn Maintenance

Take the time to read and follow the maintenance instructions for your treatment system.

Many hollow-tube filters (LifeStraw, Sawyer, MSR Guardian) are susceptible to freezing.

If you leave trace amounts of water in them during sub-zero temps, they will not work again until they thaw.

Others with ceramic filters can crack if frozen.

Some need to be flushed with clean water after each use.

Others only require this if you plan to store the filter for extended periods.

Some filters need to be scrubbed instead of flushed to prevent clogging.

Other systems do it automatically.

Don’t skip them to save a couple of minutes.

Water Action Plan

As you can tell, there are a lot of options out there for water treatment.

From here, you’ll have to think about your survival water plan.

Remember, clean water is one of the most crucial elements of your survival plan.

From cooking, cleaning, and staying hydrated, everything stops without life-giving H20.

As you can tell, there are a lot of options out there for water treatment.

These are just a few brands we’ve tried, but they represent a good cross-section of the market.

We hope they show you how they work and their differences.

You’ll have a personal water filter with a massive 100,000 filter lifespan. You can also use it to create a simple group gravity filter.

It’s the easiest, most cost-effective way to cover all your bases regardless of the emergency you’re dealing with.

From here, you’ll have to think about your survival water plan.

Remember, clean water is one of the most crucial elements of your survival plan.

From cooking, cleaning, and staying hydrated, everything stops without life-giving H20.

There are many ways to ensure your plan doesn’t leave you without clean water.

And I highly recommend a good backup (or two), just in case.

If you want the most options at the best price, pick up a couple of Sawyer Minis.

That way, you’ll kill two birds with one stone.

Jason K.

Born & Raised In The Remote Woods Of Michigan

Engineering Degree From A Major University

Long Standing Member Of Mountain Search & Rescue

Offical Gear Tester For Several Outdoor Companies

Avid Outdoorsman: Backpacking, Camping, Fishing

Years Researching & Writing About Surival & Gear

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post Best Survival Water Filters To Remove Harmful Particles appeared first on Skilled Survival.

If we don’t fix this, will the retail industry be able to survive?  There has always been shoplifting, but in the old days it was at a level that made it only a minor nuisance to the big box retailers.  Unfortunately, now everything has changed.  Highly organized gangs have developed extremely sophisticated plans for how to rapidly loot our major retailers, and the best ones can be in and out in just minutes.  Those goods are then resold online or in the streets, and the amounts that we are talking about are absolutely staggering.  In fact, as you will see below, theft is now costing retailers in this country about 100 billion dollars a year.

This week, Target made headlines all over the nation when it publicly admitted that theft will cost it 500 million more dollars than it did last year…

Target said Wednesday that organized retail crime will fuel $500 million more in stolen and lost merchandise this year compared with a year ago.

Target’s inventory loss, called shrink, totaled about $763 million last fiscal year, based on calculations from the company’s financial filings. With the anticipated increase, shrink this year would surpass $1 billion.

Let’s do some math.

763 million from last year plus 500 million more this year equals 1.263 billion dollars.

Please keep in mind that this is just one chain.

As Target CEO Brian Cornell openly admitted earlier this week, organized retail crime has become a massive problem “across the entire retail industry”…

‘The unfortunate fact is violent incidents are increasing at our stores and across the entire retail industry. And when products are stolen, simply put they are no longer available for guests who depend on them.

‘Left unchecked, organized retail crime degrades the communities we call home. As we work to address this problem, the safety of our guests and our team members will always be our primary concern.

‘Beyond safety concerns, worsening shrink rates are putting significant pressure on our financial results,’ CEO Brian Cornell said on a call with reporters.

In the entire history of our nation, we have never seen anything quite like this.

Do you remember all the looting that we witnessed during the riots of a couple years ago?

Well, now the looting literally never stops, and it has become very sophisticated…

According to the NRF report, which conducted its latest assessment in partnership with global risk advisory firm K2 Integrity, these organized retail crime groups “primarily favor large national retailers and big-box retailers, and cargo shipments for booster operations.” They are also more likely to target everyday consumer goods rather than luxury products. Based on an analysis of 116 groups, 81% exclusively stole general consumer goods.

These groups have also been planning out their booster operations in advance by studying store layouts, camera and exit locations, understanding the types of anti-theft precautions and knowing the different store policies for stopping suspected thieves, the report said. Boosters are known as the individuals who are paid to commit theft on behalf of these groups.

In 2020, theft cost U.S. retailers 90.8 billion dollars, and that number increased to 94.5 billion dollars in 2021…

Last year, a survey from the National Retail Federation, an industry group, found that so-called “shrink” — or losses attributed to theft, fraud or employee error — amounted to $94.5 billion in losses in 2021. That was up from $90.8 billion in 2020. And the survey found that retailers reported a 26.5% increase in organized retail crime, on average.

The final number for 2022 is expected to be somewhere around 100 billion dollars, and the final number for 2023 is expected to be way above 100 billion dollars.

For a while, major retailers tried to weather the storm because they had invested so much money in these stores.

But now retailer after retailer is shutting down locations in the cities where organized retail crime is the worst.  In fact, even Walmart is now shutting down stores in the most troubled areas…

Walmart decided to shut 17 of its stores across nine states after CEO Doug McMillon warned in December that theft was the highest it’s ever been around the country and if it did not slow down, stores would have to close.

And the company announced on Tuesday it would be shutting half its Chicago stores, mostly located on the crime-ridden city’s south and west sides, because they are losing tens of millions each year.

So where do we go from here?

That is a very good question, because conditions in many of our major cities just continue to get worse and worse.

For example, an 83-year-old Vietnam veteran says that he actually felt safer walking the streets of Saigon than he does walking the streets of Portland…

‘I felt safer when I was walking around in downtown Saigon when I was in Vietnam than I do here in Portland,’ 83-year-old Vietnam veteran Armand Martens told Fox 12 Oregon about a homeless camp where people were using drugs and setting fire to properties.

Martens told how his neighbors have been terrorized by squatters who set up camp next door to their home and even set their property on fire.

So far, more than 2,600 businesses have left downtown Portland.

We aren’t just talking about a handful of businesses that have decided that it is time to look for greener pastures.

What we are witnessing is literally a “mass exodus”, and that is because Portland now resembles a Mad Max movie…

Real estate developer Dustin Michael Miller told ‘Fox & Friends First’ that he’s moving his company out of Portland after his office was targeted in a rain of bullets in an incident he described as ‘absolute madness’.

‘It’s not uncommon to see homeless people running around the city with axes and machetes, and it’s just a common thing that nobody does anything,’ Miller said. ‘You call the police, and it’s very rare that they show up.’

Of course the exact same thing could be said about many other large cities.

Happy Days star Scott Baio has admitted that he has decided to sell his home and leave Los Angeles for good because the city has literally become “unlivable”…

The actor said he has been ‘forced out’ of his $3.85million home in Woodland Hills, LA, because the city has become ‘unlivable’, citing the homeless doing drugs on the sidewalk in the middle of the day, crime being ‘out of control’, and ‘graffiti on everything’.

‘Between the homeless defecating on the sidewalk, doing drugs on the sidewalk in the middle of the day, illegal aliens all over the place, law means nothing, crime is out of control, graffiti on everything… all of my tax dollars, I don’t know what they go for,’ Baoi said.

This is our country now.

We have been eagerly embracing evil for decades, and as a result we now have evil all around us.

I wish that I could tell you that things will be much better a couple years from now.

But I can’t do that, because it isn’t true.

In fact, as economic conditions deteriorate it is likely that the looting will go to an entirely new level.

Decades of very bad decisions have brought us to this point, and now we are paying a very great price for our foolishness.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of my articles.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post Theft Is Now Costing Retailers In The United States About 100 BILLION Dollars A Year appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

Have you “seen the light” yet?  As Christianity has declined in the United States, other faiths have moved quickly to fill the void.  In previous articles, I have written about the explosive growth that witchcraft and Satanism have both experienced in recent years.  But Christianity’s main rival in the U.S. is neither one of them.  Today, “woke” ideology and the backlash to it are constantly in the news.  Our politicians are defined by their adherence to it, virtually all of our corporations are very careful to show public submission to it, many of our entertainers have become rabid proponents for it, and our public schools are being transformed into indoctrination centers for the cause.

As a result, we now have millions upon millions of young people that have a remarkably consistent set of core values.

Unfortunately, those core values are pretty much the opposite of the core values of the people that once founded this country.

Throughout much of our history, most Americans derived their core values from religion, and that is still true today.

You see, the truth is that there is much that is “religious” in the “woke” movement.  It has its own rituals, practices, flags, songs, mantras, gatherings and evangelists.

Of course there are also heretics, and “cancel culture” has emerged as a way to punish those heretics.

In this new environment, either you will be “awakened” willingly or you will suffer the consequences.  I really like how Michael Vlahos described the “new national church” that is now evolving all around us…

What does it mean to be woke? First and foremost, “woke” is a religious signal that you have heard the Good News and Seen the Light. Awakening means both witnessing revealed truth and experiencing spiritual transformation. Today this has taken the form of a collective enunciation: Of a new national church, reformed and transformed, to replace the original American sect, which is wicked and corrupted.

In simple, practical terms, the Church of Woke is pledged to the destruction of Racism, Patriarchy, and Heteronormativity.

We are supposed to be a very tolerant society, but there is no tolerance in this new religion…

In the woke religion, Christian beliefs about justice and truth are supplanted with contemporary doctrines of equality, LGBTQ+, aggressive feminism, anti-capitalism, cultural shame, historical national sin, legacy guilt, claims of privilege, intersectionality, micro-aggression, critical race beliefs, BLM, compelled speech and inclusion of all self-identities; but there’s no tolerance for those who challenge the woke faith. The woke spirit takes a young person who desires to do good and shifts them into a hating machine, an angry, bitter person.

Let me ask you a question.

If you encounter an angry person in the street demanding that you change your ways, is that individual more likely to be a Christian preacher or a radical “woke” activist?

I think that we all know the answer to that question.

Many of those that are “woke” believe their “gospel” with a fervor that would make the most extreme Islamic jihadists blush.

If you do not agree with them, you are “evil” and you are part of the problem.

According to Vivek Ramaswamy, we have now reached a point where “wokeness” actually “meets the Supreme Court test for religion”…

“Wokeness” has become so pervasive across America’s institutions from schools to corporations that author Vivek Ramaswamy argues it meets the Supreme Court test for religion.

“Wokeness is a secular religion. It isn’t a religion based on God. It isn’t a religion that offers a path to redemption, but it is a secular religion nonetheless,” Ramaswamy, author of Woke, Inc. tells CBN News.

Meanwhile, the influence of Christianity in our society continues to wane.

According to a brand new survey that was just conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, only 16 percent of us still consider religion to be the most important part of our lives…

A survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) shows that only 16 percent of Americans say religion is the most important part of their lives — down from a fifth a decade ago.

Meanwhile, about a quarter of Americans say they used to follow a different religion to the one they currently practice — a share of the population that keeps growing.

Church attendance has been declining for decades, and the percentage of Americans that identify as Christians “has been steadily dropping”…

The number of Americans who attend church once a week fell from 19 percent in 2019 to 16 percent last year, says the survey of some 6,600 adults across all 50 states.

Only 64 percent of Americans identify as Christian nowadays — that percentage has been steadily dropping.

The share of ‘nones’ — those without any religious affiliation — has meanwhile risen to 27 percent.

What we are witnessing is a shift of seismic proportions.

Over the past few years, unprecedented numbers of Americans have either switched to a new faith or have decided that it is time to walk away from religion completely.

Among those that have made a switch, approximately 30  percent say that it was due to “negative religious teachings about or treatment of LGBTQ+ people”…

About 30% said negative religious teachings about or treatment of LGBTQ+ people forced them to change.

Wow.

Of course support for the LGBTQ+ agenda is one of the core tenets of the new “woke” religion.

And once June starts the entire country will be spending an entire month conducting gatherings, parades and celebrations to show how fervently they support “pride”.

The transformation of America is virtually complete.

Our entire society has been turned completely upside down, and if we stay on the path that we are currently on there is not going to be a future for our nation.

But at this point the environment in the U.S. has become so extreme that we are not even allowed to have a debate about such things.

There shall be no deviating from the new orthodoxy, and those that attempt to do so are likely to get brutally canceled.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of the latest updates.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post America’s New “Woke” Religion appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

Skilled Survival’s Karambit Knife Buyers Guide

Interested in Karambit Knives? You’ve come to the right place.

The karambit is one of the best blades you can wield in a fight.

It’s unique, it’s powerful, and it’s deadly.

But, like most things in life:

“Not all knives are created equal.”

Some are worth your money, but a handful are complete rubbish.

That’s why today, I’ll rely on my Engineering, Gear Testing, and SAR Mountain Rescue background to cover the following:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Karambit Knives For Sale

History Lesson Behind This Blade 

What’s A Karambit Anway?

Best Karambit Knife Uses

How To Fight With A Karambit

Best Karambit Knife Features

Sharpening This Blade Type

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Karambit Knives On The Market Today

Once you’re ready to jump into the karambit knife market, you have plenty of models to choose from:

Folding Karambit Knife

Some folks want a compact karambit knife.

A knife you can keep hidden and folded in your pocket.

But for this setup to work, the folding mechanism must be strong.

Why? Because it’s the natural weak point.

This is why folding knives are usually more expensive than fixed-blade knives.

But they’re more compact and less conspicuous, a big bonus in EDC situations.

↓ Thoughts On The Spyderco KaraHawk ↓

↓ Fox Knives Folding Karambit Overview ↓

↓ CRKT Provoke Review ↓

↓ Smith & Wesson ExtremeOps Karambit Budget Beater Blade ↓

Fixed-Blade

As appealing as folding knives seem, they come with a critical path of failure.

For this reason, many people prefer a full-tang fixed blade knife for hand-to-hand combat.

This robust, one-piece build removes this weakness.

↓ Blade Show: New Mide Year CRKT Knives ↓

↓ Karambit Neck Knife – Tactical, Practical, And Affordable ↓

↓ Schrade Double Edged Review ↓

↓ CS Karambit, ‘Steel Tiger’ Review ↓

A Brief Karambit History Lesson

It’s a fact of human nature that conflicts arise.

And every culture develops particular weapons to defend itself.

Most modern weapons (i.e., firearms) tend to have a similar design.

But if you look back at the traditional bladed weapons of a culture, it’ll tell you a lot more about what makes them unique.

For example:

In the jungles of Southeast Asia, humans are not at the top of the food chain.

Both leopards and tigers hold dominance in pockets of pristine habitat.

These big cats hold a place of reverence in dense jungles and the minds of native people.

So it’s no wonder that one of the area’s most storied fighting knives takes the shape of a tiger claw!

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

What’s A Karambit Anyway?

It’s a compact fighting knife with a distinct forward sweeping blade that ends at a point.

The blade shape likely developed in Western Sumatra.

It may have stemmed from modifications to a small handheld farm tool.

Why? Because a similar tool was used to cut and rake roots, thresh, and plant rice.

It’s similar in design to a small sickle but with a more open hook to the blade.

Once invented, it spread throughout Southeast Asia over the coming centuries.

It became a common and popular weapon for the peasant class in the region.

Karambit Knife Uses

Despite its humble beginnings, the karambit developed into a fearsome fighting tool.

One with a reputation for being brutally effective.

This type of knife is the main blade of choice in many warrior cultures of the region.

It’s also commonly used in Filipino & Indonesian martial arts.

It’s still considered one of the deadliest melee weapons of all time.

The unique design has made it a favorite for hand-to-hand combat instructors.

Many believe it has a more intuitive striking ability than alternative fighting knives.

The karambit might be your best choice if you’re looking to win a real knife fight.

The forward sweep of the blade is reminiscent of a tiger’s claw.

It hooks and digs into an enemy rather than slicing along the skin.

The sharp point focuses all its striking energy on one spot.

This design helps it penetrate deep through clothing, armor, and tissue.

And once it penetrates the surface, the blade will naturally dig even deeper when a victim tries to pull away.

Stop and think about THAT!

This automatic “deepening of the blade” results in devastating injuries, especially if the attack focuses on the body’s weakest points.

Here’s a video slicing through meats to show how much damage these knives can inflict!

↓ A Close Look Inside Karambit Flesh Damage! ↓

Beyond the distinct forward-curved blade, these blades often include a large finger loop in the handle.

Adding the finger loop allows for a solid grasp of the knife with either hand.

And many blade masters have taken advantage of this by learning to fight with one in each hand.

Also, many work in both upward and downward grip positions.

Most feature “enclosed” finger loops (as opposed to open ones).

This closed-loop design helps to keep the blade secure in these different grips.

This loop can wrap around either the index or little finger, depending on the vertical orientation of the hold.

This “locked-in” grip allows for powerful cutting strikes from any direction.

It also allows for a protected “hammer” strike, using the metal loop as a striking point.

Many include a small point as a part of the loop; this makes a downward hammer blow deadly.

With a blade so focused on fighting, it’s less versatile than other knives for daily tasks.

For example:

Ordinary camp chores (i.e., food and firewood prep) are more complicated.

Why? Because it’s tricky to use the sharpened curved edge for such delicate peeling and slicing tasks.

And it’s not made for chopping or batoning wood either.

However, it works brilliantly for cutting rope, vines, and other tough-to-slice items.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Fight With A Karambit Knife

Fighting with a karambit blade takes serious training.

And intense training is necessary even if you have previously trained with other slicing blades.

Why? Because the fighting styles are so unique.

So if you want to master this fighting style, it’s best to seek a professional.

Look for someone who specializes in fighting with these blades.

Perhaps a martial art instructor familiar with Filipino methods.

But you can start with some basic training instructions online.

And even purchasing some training blades (rubber blades with blunted tips).

First, you must learn the various grips…

Here’s a brief overview of one to get you started:

Reverse And Forward Grips

The Reverse and Forward grips are the most common.

But others allow for more reach or to disorient your opponent.

Paul Ingrahm has produced some of the best instructional videos recently.

He’s an expert instructor at the Kali Center or Luke Holloway at Raw Combat International:

↓ Karambit Basic Flips & Grips ↓

Once you understand the different grips, tackle each one slowly.

Make sure you’re comfortable with each style of attack and defense before moving on.

Many of these knife drills need a partner to master.

A partner allows you to perform repetitions until they become second nature.

After you have mastered basic moves, there are plenty of advanced strikes to tackle.

Many of these advanced moves prove deadly in combat.

Most of these involve short, high-energy strikes.

Attacks look more like boxing than a traditional knife fight.

This setup is due to the frequent use of the reverse grip, which allows you to “punch” the hooked blade forward.

Here are a couple of combo moves to get a sense of what’s possible:

↓ 3 Devastating KARAMBIT Techniques ↓

Best Karambit Knife Features To Look For

As with any other critical gear, it pays to invest in quality.

A Quality Blade Material

The steel chosen for a knife blade is the most critical part of the entire knife.

You can’t have to good knife if its steel is poor quality.

But there are plenty of different “high-quality” steels on the market.

So you’ll have to choose between two main steel types:

1. High-carbon

It’s easy to sharpen to a fine edge but requires maintenance and corrosion prevention.

2. Stainless steel

It needs very little maintenance and holds an edge well, but it’s hard to sharpen and can be brittle.

So your steel preference depends mainly on your skills and diligence in maintaining your blade.

There is no right answer; just make sure it’s a high-quality metal.

A Quality Handle

The handle should be comfortable with either forward or reverse grips.

And the finger ring should comfortably fit over your index and little fingers.

Some people like a handle with molded finger position slots to help with the proper grip and finger placements.

It shouldn’t be too snug, which may prevent you from changing grips.

Quality Construction

Ensure the blade and handle are securely connected.

And any extra design features (pocket clip, folding mechanism, etc.) are well-constructed.

Full tang is always more robust than partial tangs or a folding knife with hinges.

But, on the other hand, a folding knife is more convenient to carry.

Blade Length & Angle

A karambit’s shape is always forward sweeping.

But there are variations in blade length and angle:

• Longer blades are more deadly in combat but more challenging to carry and conceal.
• Shorter blades have less reach but can fit comfortably in a pocket.

You should also consider whether you intend to carry the blade concealed.

And whether you want a folding knife to carry in a pocket or a fixed blade that needs a sheath.

A Cautionary Note

Over the years, I’ve encountered several blades that claim to be karambit.

But their swept-back design is *NOT* and does not function (or fight) the same way.

These may be fine blades. But they are fundamentally different.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Sharpen This Unique Blade Shape 

Due to the inward curving blade, you can’t effectively sharpen it with a flat stone or pocket knife sharpener.

Instead, it requires a curved surface, such as a diamond honing cone or a gouge sharpener.

This video shows how to sharpen a forward sweeping blade using a rounded whetstone and strops.

↓ Sharpening Method For Recurve Knives ↓

When you decide to sharpen your karambit blade, work slowly at first.

Ensure you have the proper technique down and you’re not causing damage to the edge in the process.

Once you’ve successfully sharpened the blade a few times, it will become muscle memory.

You’ll quickly settle into an efficient sharpening technique.

And there’s nothing more satisfying than putting (and keeping) a razor-sharp edge on ALL your bladed tools.

Final Thoughts

One thing that separates humans from nearly all large land predators is the lack of claws.

But with a karambit knife, you can rectify that oversight.

You can give yourself a devastating claw-inspired hand-to-hand combat weapon.

It’s a weapon that’s incredibly versatile and deadly (if you know how to use it).

Sure, it will never match the camp utility of a survival knife or bowie knife.

It’s an invaluable tool to have in your self-defense weapon arsenal.

Jason K.

Born & Raised In The Remote Woods Of Michigan

Engineering Degree From A Major University

Long Standing Member Of Mountain Search & Rescue

Offical Gear Tester For Several Outdoor Companies

Avid Outdoorsman: Backpacking, Camping, Fishing

Years Researching & Writing About Surival & Gear

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post Best Karambit Knives For Inflicting Devastating Wounds appeared first on Skilled Survival.

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The post Fighting Blades: Today’s Best Fighting Knives Give No Quarter appeared first on Ballistic Magazine.

Minnesota preppers face many of the same threats as anyone else in America: civil collapse, EMP, natural disasters, etc. However,…

This article %Minnesota Preppers – What You Need to Know% appeared first on %Survive Doomsday – Modern Survival%.

Finding The Best Solar Powered Water Pumps For Emergencies

Solar water pumps are a modern technology that’s exploding in popularity.

And why not –they’re solving an age-old problem – moving water without grid power.

These devices allow folks to live and farm in remote locations.

Places previously inhabitable due to the distance and cost to connect to the grid.

Solar power is a technology that helps make society more resilient and less fragile.

Solar provides more personal freedoms, liberties, and independence.

That’s why it’s time to embrace and support the solar revolution.

And solar power water pumps are a wise way to get started.

So today, I will use my Mechanical Engineering Degree, Gear Testing & Preparedness background to cover the following:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Solar Powered Water Pumps

What’s A Solar Powered Pump?

Best Solar Water Pump Uses

Types Of Solar Water Pumps

Solar Water Pump Pros & Cons

Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

Best Solar Powered Water Pumps On The Market Today

↓ Solariver Solar Water Pump and Panel Kit ↓

↓ Solar 12V Submersible Well Pump Installation ↓

↓ How To Setup AEO Solar Water Pump ↓

What Is A Solar Powered Pump?

Honestly, the name explains it all.

But we still need to understand exactly what a solar pump is and why you need one.

We all know it takes a pump to get water from the ground.

Solar-powered pumps are essentially pumps that generate power by using photovoltaic panels.

These panels capture the sun’s renewable energy and convert it into either:

• Direct current (DC) or
• Alternating current (AC) using an inverter

This power then rotates the motor to produce the pumping action.

And the radiated thermal energy from the sun is free and abundant (when the sun is shining).

Hence, a solar panel water pump runs independently of grid or diesel power.

And that’s a BIG DEAL in a remote location.

Now, most solar power pump kits have several parts, including:

• Solar panel
• Charge controller
• Water pump
• Water storage tank
• Fuse box

↓ How To Install A Solar Off-Grid Well Pump System ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Uses & Benefits Of A Solar Water Pump

Your survival skillset should include way more than just combat and medical training.

It also should consist of your ability to supply your family with food and water.

Here on Earth, historically, we’ve had an abundance of water.

That fact may be in jeopardy soon, and we need it to live.

If trends continue, things are looking bleak.

Why? Because without it, we’re toast.

Still, for many of us today, accessing water is relatively easy; turn the tap, and it pours out.

You don’t have to think about it in a public system, but it’s a different story in rural areas.

There is no infrastructure outside of cities, so families dig wells on their properties.

You must use a pump to bring the water to the surface.

If you have electricity, then you use an electric pump.

You may have a large homestead or farm connected to the grid where you need water in a remote area on the acreage.

However, you need something for those areas so remote electric power doesn’t reach.

Your solar water pumping system will give you access to your water.

It can pump water anywhere on Earth where the sun is shining without external power.

You can extract water from wells, rivers, ponds, streams, or any other available water source.

Then you can:

Farm Anywhere

As long as the sun is out, you can access water without worrying about electricity.

Even if you have power on your homestead, you may need to pump water to the back 40 without electricity.

Get Off The Grid

Often municipalities add chemicals to tap water.

So if you don’t want to drink it or feed it to your plants, you’ll have to:

• filter the incoming water exceptionally well
• or get off the water grid altogether

Solar pumps can help you leave chlorine and fluoride behind.

Be Portable

Relocating one of these pumps is fairly easy because it’s not hard-wired.

Take it with you from farm to cabin to camping and back.

It Keeps Working When The Power Goes Out

You don’t have to worry about a power failure with these water pumps.

With the right solar pump and setup, your water will keep flowing.

You can even store power in batteries if the sun isn’t shining.

Operating a solar-powered pump is economical too.

Why? Because of its low maintenance and operating costs.

And since there’s no internal combustion engine, there’s less environmental impact.

They are clean and quiet and deliver water when you most need it.

If you want some inspiration – check out the excellent video below:

↓ Two Simple SOLAR Powered Irrigation System For Off Grid ↓

4 Types Of Solar Water Pumps & Pros/Cons Of Each

Depending on your needs, options vary.

You can get small units for running a birdbath or a larger unit for farm irrigation.

So let’s cover the 4 main types of solar-powered water pumps:

1. Surface Pump

These solar pumps are ideal for shallow water in streams, ponds, or storage tanks.

The pump will sit out of the water and lift water, providing irrigation pressure.

These are useful for moving large quantities of water at slow speeds.

PROS

• Work best with large amounts of surface water
• They are easy to maintain and move around

CONS

• Will not function in deep water

2. Submersible Pumps

A solar-powered submersible water pump can stay submerged below ground level.

They work great in wells, lakes, rivers, cisterns, and tanks.

They’re for continuous OR intermittent operation.

And you can use a gravity-fed holding tank to access water at night.

Submersible pumps work well for larger applications and are scalable.

So they can provide water to farms for crop irrigation and livestock.

PROS

• Can maintain water at higher levels for more extensive water needs
• Can use multiple pumps to supply farms and buildings

CONS

• Installation and maintenance costs are higher

3. DC Pump

A solar-powered DC pump has a motor that runs on direct current, so there are no batteries and no need for an inverter.

This type of pump works well in small to medium applications.

They run on smaller solar panels than AC pumps because of their higher efficiency levels.

PROS

• It uses half the energy as an AC pump
• More cost-effective for deep wells as it doesn’t need large bursts of power

CONS

• They’re usually more expensive than an AC pump

4. AC Pump

You will get decreased efficiency when you use an AC pump.

Why? Because the inverter takes direct current produced by the solar panels and converts it to AC.

They’re more complex systems in general.

But they’re also more affordable than DC pumps because they’re produced in larger quantities.

PROS

• It is less expensive to buy an AC solar pump
• Has higher pumping output

CONS

• They use more energy because of the inverter

Watch this video to learn more about the pros/cons of AC vs. DC solar-powered water pumps:

↓ How To Run A Well Pump On Solar ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our #78 Item Complete Prepper Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Solar Water Pump Advantages & Disadvantages

Operating a water pump using the sun’s power seems like a no-brainer.

Why wouldn’t you want to use renewable energy?

Full disclosure:

We generally love off-grid applications for surviving and thriving.

And we want to bring the best solutions to your prepping plan.

But ALL equipment has its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

1. No Fuel Costs

Your solar panel water pump uses available sunlight to power it.

All you need are solar panels, and the energy falls out of the sky.

Fuel adds cost to your homestead operation, and you don’t want to buy fossil fuel.

2. Less Labor

With an automated system, there is no manual irrigation needed.

You can hook up a watering system without electricity.

There is also less maintenance, especially with solar surface pumps.

You can often fix them with standard tools you already own.

3. Easy On The Environment

A solar water pump produces no pollutants because it uses renewable energy.

There is no fuel to transport and spill either.

These pollutants affect not only the air but also your soil.

Solar irrigation can solve the problem of dry spells and droughts when rain is scarce.

Solar pumps are the solution to reduce environmental damage to your homestead.

Disadvantages

1. Water Won’t Pump In The Dark

Solar panels are excellent when the sun is shining.

Those rays convert into electricity, but not when it’s cloudy or at night.

When the sun isn’t available, it can be a problem, but you can get around this in a few ways.

First, you can store energy in batteries.

It’s more expensive, and they usually don’t hold much lasting power.

Secondly, you can use a water catchment system. It can be a pond or a water storage tank, but it is important to store water when needed.

Plan your water needs around your solar water system’s limitations.

A good plan can help minimize or eliminate these problems.

2. It’s Expensive To Get Started

There are significant upfront costs to set up a solar pump system.

You need everything from the pump to the solar panels (and wiring).

In time, it will balance out and become cheaper to move water.

When you sit down and put paper to pen, you’ll see how fast a system like this will pay for itself over time.

Fuel costs rise while solar prices fall, so it pays to use solar-powered water well pumps over time.

Again, this solution is a game-changer for off-grid locations.

↓ Installing Off-Grid Submersible Solar Water Pumps ↓

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Final Thoughts

We all know access to water is essential for life. We need it to survive, and plants need it to grow.

Plus, if you have livestock, they need a reliable supply of abundant water.

Pumping water from rivers, streams, and wells without electricity is vital for survival.

Your off-grid camp or homestead should utilize as much solar power as possible.

Prepare, Adapt & Overcome,

Cofounder Of Skilledsurvival.com & TheResilientLife.com

Born & Raised On A Rural Farm In The Midwest

Mechanical Engineering Grad From A Major University

Engineer With A Major Food Manufacturing Company

10+ Years Researching, Writing, & Teaching Preparedness

Mission: Help Folks Stop Living A Life Fragile To The Future

P.s. Are you ready for the tough times ahead?

Find out now by taking my short Readiness Score Quiz – it’s absolutely free.
Once complete, you’ll know exactly where you stand on the “fragile” vs.” resilient” spectrum.

So click here to start the Quiz….And don’t worry; the questions are so easy a 3rd grader could answer them.

Click on the image to begin the Quiz and find out once and for all if you’re part of “The Fragile Masses” or “The Resilient Few.”

The post Best Solar Powered Water Pumps For Deep Wells appeared first on Skilled Survival.

The US State Department has warned that Pyongyang will be in violation of international law if it launches a military spy satellite, the State Department says. The U.S. says that a potential North Korean satellite launch would violate international restrictions placed on the DPRK.

The statement came after North Korean media revealed that Kim Jong-un had visited a facility where a spacecraft is being developed. During a press briefing on Wednesday, State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said the launch would breach “multiple UN Security Council resolutions” on North Korea’s ballistic missile program, which also cover rockets used for spacecraft.

On Tuesday, Kim met with scientists, technicians, and senior officials as he inspected the country’s first military reconnaissance satellite. The North Korean leader approved an unspecified “future action plan” in preparation for the launch, according to the Korean Central News Agency. “The successful launch of a military reconnaissance satellite is an urgent request… and the government’s top policy priority to strengthen our national defense capabilities,” Kim said after the inspection, adding that North Korea would continue to advance its space program.

The U.S. ruling class is very unhappy that North Korea continues to ignore them.

“We have been very clear that we urge the DPRK to refrain from further threatening activity and call on Pyongyang to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy,” Patel was quoted according to RT. “In terms of actions, we of course continue to have a number of tools at our disposal to hold the DPRK accountable. You have seen us take those steps and we will continue to do so.”

Pyongyang has insisted on its right to develop its military capabilities while the U.S. claims it has the right to sanction the regime. North Koren argues that its weapons, which include its nuclear arsenal, are solely for defensive purposes, and it has cited what it sees as an aggressive U.S. military posture on its border.

Tensions between Washington and Pyongyang have soared in recent months, with the DPRK carrying out a flurry of weapons in a tit-for-tat retaliation for several rounds of joint U.S.-South Korean wargames

If you wanted to destroy the middle class, one way that you could accomplish that goal would be to flood the system with money.  Of course that is precisely what we have witnessed over the past few years.  Our leaders have pumped trillions of new dollars into the system, and the wealthy have gotten much, much wealthier.  But meanwhile, the rest of us have seen the cost of living rise much faster than our paychecks have.  As a result, we are getting poorer and the middle class is shrinking.

Over time, our capitalist economy has steadily evolved into a system where almost all of the wealth and almost all of the power are concentrated in the hands of giant institutions.

Collectively, big government and big corporations run virtually everything, and this system of “corporate socialism” funnels tremendous amount of wealth into the pockets of a very small minority of the population.

If you are in that club, life is good.

But if you are not in that club, life can be a struggle.

The gap between the rich and the poor has steadily grown, and now it is larger than it has ever been before.  Even U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders acknowledges that we have a massive problem on our hands…

Today, half of our people are living paycheck to paycheck, 500,000 of the very poorest among us are homeless, millions are worried about evictions, 92 million are uninsured or underinsured, and families all across the country are worried about how they are going to feed their kids. Today, an entire generation of young people carry an outrageous level of student debt and face the reality that their standard of living will be lower than their parents’. And, most obscenely, low-income Americans now have a life expectancy that is about 15 years lower than the wealthy. Poverty in America has become a death sentence.

Meanwhile, the people on top have never had it so good. The top 1% now own more wealth than the bottom 92%, and the 50 wealthiest Americans own more wealth than the bottom half of American society – 165 million people.

Of course Sanders believes that even more socialism is the answer, but more socialism is never the answer.

Centralizing wealth and power leads to widespread poverty.  We have seen this same pattern over and over again all over the globe.

Decentralizing wealth and power leads to boundless prosperity like we saw in early America.

Unfortunately, our current system is what it is, and the middle class is being absolutely crushed.

Earlier today, I came across a tweet from Mike Cernovich that really resonated with me…

I made $10 an hour as a part timer worker in Home Depot style store. $12.50 on weekends. This was 1990’s in small town. Would be $19 an hour today and $24 on weekends.

I checked and same job TODAY is $12.50 an hour.

This is what inflation has done to the working class.

This is what so many of the “working poor” are facing today.

Wages for many jobs have not moved much at all over the years, but the cost of living has been absolutely soaring.

Cernovich also pointed out that a couple of decades ago hardly anything that we bought on a regular basis “felt expensive”…

Gas was often 99 cents / gallon. Gallon milk was 99 cents to $1.29.

This was in 1997-2000 era.

Nothing felt expensive other than “nice stuff,” luxuries.

Daily living, groceries, sure you had to budget but it didn’t feel like it does now.

Isn’t that so true?

I remember that time well.  I could fill up an entire grocery cart for just 25 dollars, and that even included an entire cake.

Yes, I really liked to eat cake in those days.

But now if you fill up an entire cart with food, you will feel like you are making a house payment when you get to the register.

Needless to say, house payments are also much higher than they used to be.  In fact, it is being reported that the average existing home actually costs approximately 93,000 dollars more than it did in 2020…

You read that right—existing homes cost around $93,000 more than they did in 2020. No wonder so many people feel like they can’t afford a house!

And newly built homes are even more expensive. In fact, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates new homes will cost around $425,786 in 2023. Out of 132.5 million American households, 96.5 million of them won’t be able to afford that median price.6 So even if we see a ton of new houses being built, 7 out of 10 households will have a tough time paying for one.

93,000 dollars!

In the old days, you could get a really nice home for 93,000 dollars.

But now the American Dream is out of reach for millions upon millions of families.

At this stage, many hard working families don’t even make enough money “to cover their most basic needs”…

More than a third of US families that work full-time do not earn enough money to cover their most basic needs, including housing, food and child care, a new study shows.

Researchers at Brandeis University found 35% of American families do not meet the “basic family needs budget” — the amount needed to afford rent, food, transportation, medical care and minimal household expenses — despite working full-time year-round.

And thanks to inflation, it is getting worse with each passing month.

According to one recent survey, approximately 70 percent of all Americans openly admit “to being stressed about their personal finances”…

Some 70% of Americans admit to being stressed about their personal finances these days and a majority — 52% — of U.S. adults said their financial stress has increased since before the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, according to a new CNBC Your Money Financial Confidence Survey conducted in partnership with Momentive.

A lot of you out there are in the same boat.

You are working as hard as you can, but it seems like there is never enough money at the end of the month.

That is because the game is rigged.

Our system has been so corrupted that now almost all of the economic rewards are being funneled to those at the very top of the food chain.

Meanwhile, the middle class is being absolutely eviscerated, and poverty is spreading like wildfire all over the nation.

Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.

About the Author: My name is Michael and my brand new book entitled “End Times” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book I have written six other books that are available on Amazon.com including “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. (#CommissionsEarned)  When you purchase any of these books you help to support the work that I am doing, and one way that you can really help is by sending copies as gifts to family and friends.  Time is short, and I need help getting these warnings into the hands of as many people as possible.  I have also started a brand new Substack newsletter, and I encourage you to subscribe so that you won’t miss any of my articles.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is definitely a great help.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

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