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10 Best Survival Food Kits That Last A Lifetime

Best Survival Food Kits

Today I’m only going to recommend survival food kits from companies that I’ve personally reviewed, taste-tested, and purchased with my own money.

I believe every adult should own several survival food kits.

Why? Because having a survival meal on hand for when times get tough is just plain smart.

FEMA recommends at least three days’ worth of food for emergencies.

But I consider 3 days “an absolute bare minimum.” It should ONLY be a starting point…

To be resilient to life’s inevitable shocks and uncertainties shocks and uncertainties, you must arm yourself with more than just “the bare minimum.”

How? By researching.

Read articles like this to find the best survival food kits for YOU.

It sounds simple, but here’s the problem. There are thousands of emergency food kits on the market today. The market is flooded with them.

It seems like all food companies are marketing and selling emergency food kits nowadays. But not all kits are worth your hard-earned money.

Some are great, some or ok, but many are not worth a damn…

And that’s why I wrote this survival food article. To help you invest in some of the best survival food kits without all the hassle. To give you guidance and confidence to ensure you get a great deal on your next survival food kit purchase.

So today, I’ll be sharing everything I know about survival food kits.

**Note: If you want our top recommendations, feel free to SKIP AHEAD HERE.

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 Is A Survival Food Kit Anyway? 

In the broadest terms, a survival food kit is simply a collection of non-perishable foods to help you survive an emergency.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Survival food kits come in all different sizes, preparation methods, and price points. They also come in all sorts of different container options – from bags to buckets.

Now once you start digging into the details, there are many emergency food kit options to consider. So, let’s start breaking all these options down in a helpful way.

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.

Freezed Dried Mixed Vegetables

Best Survival Food Kit Features (plus things to avoid)

First off, not all survival food kits are created equal. Much of the quality of a survival food kit is in the way the food is prepared AND how it’s sealed.

Preparation Options

The best survival food kits are prepared using a technique called freeze-drying.

Freeze-drying is a process by which nearly ALL the moisture is removed from the food. It’s done by way of using low temperature and sublimation.

Freeze-dried foods are ideal for survival food kits. Why? Because less moisture equates to an extremely long shelf life. We’re talking about the shelf life of multiple decades.

Plus, the process of freeze-drying allows the food to retain its original texture better.

This allows you to store the food dry, but by adding it back into some boiling water, the food reconstitutes. The dried food will absorb the water and return to a taste and texture similar to the original food.

What About Dehydration?

Dehydration is another food preservation option. But dehydration won’t remove nearly as much water, and the food won’t reconstitute as well.

So while dehydration is OK, it’s not the best.

What About MREs?

MRE’s meals are food items packed and sealed in mylar bags to extend the shelf life of the food inside. And sure, MREs have a longer shelf life than fresh foods but not nearly as long as freeze-dried foods.

For comparison, MREs typically have a stable shelf life of anywhere from 1 – 5 years. But freeze-dried foods are shelf-stable for up to 30 years!

Sealing & Storage Options

Once you have some food prepared, there are several food storage options available.

Mylar Bags

Mylar bags are a staple in emergency food storage.

They were originally known as BoPEt film. This film was invented by Dupont in the mid-1950s and quickly used by NASA ever since – that’s why they are also sometimes called “space blankets.”

They’re basically thin bags made of special foil that is “unbreathable.” That means that once sealed; tiny air molecules cannot pass through it.

This has one major advantage – keeping moisture and oxygen OUT.

Food won’t spoil if it’s kept in an environment where organic material (mold) cannot grow. Organic materials need a few ingredients to begin growth, 2 of them being moisture and oxygen.

Without moisture and oxygen – mold cannot do its thing.

So, with a mylar bag, you’re putting in super dry freeze-dried foods and sealing them up. No moisture can pass through the mylar bag walls, keeping harmful moisture out – until you’re ready to eat it.

But here’s the deal: toss an oxygen absorber or two into the bag with the food. These little packets will absorb any oxygen within the bag. Leaving the inside of the bag without enough oxygen for mold to grow.

But mylar bags by themselves are NOT enough.

Why? Because hungry vermin can chew through these bags. And that’s where thick food-grade buckets or tubs come into play.

Thick Plastic Food Grade Buckets / Tubs

To protect your survival food from vermin, you need to put the mylar bags of food into buckets.

Bucket storage can also provide a few other benefits.

First, the food becomes stackable. You’ll have to store the survival food kit bags without buckets or tubs on open shelving. But they can take up a ton of usable space.

Instead, you can stack them from floor to ceiling with hard plastic buckets or tubs. This saves a ton of space in your pantry or basement.

Another benefit of plastic buckets is that most of them have a robust carry handle.

Now, most people don’t plan to move their survival food kits often. But remember they last decades. So, who knows what may happen over the next few years – let alone decades?

You might move to a new house, or you might want to move the buckets to a different location within your home. And if you’re forced to bug out with a vehicle, a bucket with a handle makes this process much easier.

Affordability / Price

Of course, with most things in life, you get what you pay for…

But with survival kits, careful shopping can pay off big time. For example, there are often bulk discounts to be had. And sometimes, you can get a “free” sample kit to try a certain brand out.

But you must be careful. It’s easy to focus on only the price, but there’s a lot of misinformation within the survival meals space.

Everyone is jockeying to be the “best deal” or the “best food,” or they add extra incentives to get you to buy.

And sometimes, these deals and incentives are perfectly fine. But make sure you’re confident you’re not getting duped. Price is a very important variable but not the ONLY one.

The bottom line is IF you understand what you’re getting, you can choose the RIGHT survival food kit for YOU. And it may just become one of the best investments you’ll ever make…

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Family First Food Planning Guide. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

dirty poor hands out

A Survival Food Kit Is The Best Investment You’ll Ever Make

Here’s the deal, the future is uncertain, and history is full of horrific disasters…

Whether a disaster is due to severe weather or countries deciding it’s a good idea to destroy each other…

Regardless of the event – it’s a fact; the future is uncertain.

That’s why survival kits are so important to basic prepping. They’re something resilient people embrace and take seriously. They’re something the fragile masses tend to ignore, or worst, assume bad things will never happen to them.

And the more survival food kits you own, the more resilient you become. Why? Because while 72 hours is better than nothing – disasters don’t follow such protocols.

72 hours will work for MOST emergencies BUT not all…

Recent history is full of massive famines that lasted much longer than “72 hours”:

  • Great Famine – Ireland (1845 – 1853) – 1.5 million dead
  • Vietnamese Famine of 1945 – 2 million dead
  • North Korean Famine (1994 – 1998) – 3 million dead
  • Russian Famine of 1921 – 5 million dead
  • Bengal Famine of 1943 – 7 million dead
  • Bengal Famine of 1770 – 10 million dead
  • Soviet Famine (1932 – 1933) – 10 million dead
  • Chalisa Famine of 1783 – 11 million dead
  • Chinese Famine of 1907 – 25 million dead
  • Great Chinese Famine (1932 – 1933) – 43 million dead

I don’t know about you, but I’m unwilling to roll the dice on starvation. It’s a horrific way to die!

And sure, the odds are unlikely any of us will experience a starvation-level disaster in our lifetimes. But even at low odds, it’s not impossible.

How much are you willing to bet that you are right? Your life?

It’s crazy that people are willing to spend thousands of dollars on home and car insurance. But avoid buying something more important, “food insurance.”

When you buy car insurance, you’re taking the side of the bet that says, “I’m betting I’ll have an accident in the next 6 months”. Your insurance company is taking the other side of the bet “that you WON’T have an accident in the next 6 months.”

And the insurance company is usually right – that’s how they make money. But even tho they are usually right, you’re still unwilling to take that gamble.

Because if you lose, it could mean some serious financial hardship…

But with starvation – it’s not a financial hardship we’re talking about – it’s a slow, horrible, painful DEATH!

That fact changes EVERYTHING.

It makes it so you must do everything possible to protect yourself from even tiny odds. Because while the odds are small, they are not impossible, and the downside is much too great.

People “think” they’re good at calculating the odds of things (we’re not). But we’re even worse at seeing the real downside of black swan events.

There are smallish bad events (like a car wreck, hail damage, etc.). But then there are life-shattering bad events (like mass starvation).

When the downside is starvation, it trumps the “odds” every time.

And here’s the deal. Putting money down on “food insurance,” a.k.a. survival meals, are a one-time investment. One that will last most of an adult’s entire lifetime (30 years).

As opposed to car insurance, an investment you must regularly pay (monthly or yearly).

So, in contrast, you can spend a one-time investment on survival food and get a lifetime of starvation protection! Sign me up!

And if it pays out? It’ll be the BEST investment I’ll ever make, and it won’t even be close.

If a stock you buy goes up 10% per year for 30 years, it’s a fantastic investment. You have more money to spend on more “stuff” you don’t really need. Woo-hoo!

But, IF your “one-time survival food kit investment” pays off, YOU get to avoid STARVATION!!

So which investment has a better payoff?

This is why I don’t understand why EVERYONE doesn’t invest in survival food kits.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Family First Food Planning Guide. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Survival Food Kits On The Market Today

Now you know what to look for in a quality survival food kit. And I sure hope you’re now properly motivated as well.

So let’s shift our focus to the best ones to buy.

Because the number of choices is overwhelming, making it a difficult selection process to narrow down. But that’s what I’m here for. I will share with you what I believe are the BEST survival food kits on the market today.

Note: I’m going to share only survival food kit brands that I’ve personally reviewed, taste-tested, and invested with.

Valley Food Storage

Valley Food Storage is the first survival food company I bought food from several years ago. And I’ve been very pleased with their products.

Go here if you want to check out my taste test, or watch my review video below.

They have a wide range of kit sizes. Everything from a small starter kit to a 1-year survival food kit.

All their kits come in hard plastic stackable buckets. So, they exceed all quality marks and are a great company I highly recommend.

You can’t go wrong with Valley Food Storage as your survival food kit company of choice. Here are a few of their most popular kits by the length of supply:

*Note: All time estimates (1 month, 6 months, etc.) are based on 1 adult’s average daily calorie needs.

72-Hour Survival Food Kit

If you’re starting out, you’ll want to check out Valley Food Storage’s 72-Hour Survival Food Kit.

It’s an ideal starter survival food kit at an affordable price and will provide nourishment for most short-term emergencies.

They use thick mylar bags with wide seals at the top. This helps to ensure the bag remains closed to moisture and oxygen until you’re ready to consume.

VFS Starter KitsStarter Kits

These starter kits are the perfect place to start building your food stockpile. They are especially good if you’re on a budget, and the larger kits are a little bit out of reach right now.

The food pouches are sealed inside hard plastic, stackable buckets.

These buckets help to ensure the food remains dry, provide excellent protection from vermin, and allow you to stack the buckets.

There are breakfast buckets, hurricane kits, blizzard kits, on-the-go kits, plus more to choose from.

VFS 3 Month

1 Month Freeze-Dried Food Kit 

This one-month food kit includes the same quality mylar pouches that are in the 72-hour kit. But there’s one major difference: buckets.

The food pouches are sealed inside two hard plastic, stackable buckets.

These buckets help to ensure the food remains dry, provide excellent protection from vermin, and allow you to stack the buckets.

VFS 3 Month

3 Month Freeze-Dried Food Kit

Now we’re starting to develop serious resiliency to a food crisis.

This 3 Month’s Kit will provide enough calories to keep someone well-fed for about 3 months. Again, this kit uses excellent mylar pouches and buckets.

And these use the same high-quality ingredients as all Valley Food Storage freeze-dried survival meals.

VFS 6 Month

6 Month Freeze Dried Food Kit

Six months’ worth of food sure seems like a lot, And for most emergencies, it is.

But if you take resiliency seriously, then it may be worth it to you to store this much.

Again, the same quality pouches, food, and buckets – just a whole lot more of them.

VFS 1 Year

1 Year Freeze-Dried Food Kit

Of course, if you’re extremely motivated, you increase your level of resiliency by stocking a year’s worth of freeze-dried food.

A year’s worth of food is my own personal target, and yes, it’s overkill 99% of the time.

But if you get unlucky, you’ll be sure glad you made this investment!

Click here to get a FREE 3-pack of survival food (+S&H)FREE 3-Pack of Survival Food

If you’re looking to test our Valley Food Storage before investing in a large food stockpile, click here to get a FREE 3-pack of survival food from Valley Food Storage. All you need to do is cover the very reasonable S&H.

Supplies are limited, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

This 3-pack sell on Valley Food Storage’s website every day for $60.00 shipped, so getting it today for only S&H is a steal of a deal.

Click here to claim your FREE 3-pack of survival food (+S&H).

Legacy Food Storage

Legacy Food Storage Bulk Survival Food KitLegacy Food Storage is another quality survival food company. One I’ve personally reviewed and tested.

They also use a combination of freeze-dried food, mylar bags, and food buckets. This helps ensure their food kits stay shelf-stable for decades to come.

Their survival food kits start out at 60 servings all the way up to 4320 servings.

You can’t go wrong with Legacy Food Storage regarding quality food and price. They also offer the “lowest cost per lb” of food and free shipping.

Here are a few of their most popular kits by “the total number of servings”:

60 Servings / 120 Servings / 240 Servings / 360 Servings / 720 Servings / 1440 Servings2880 Servings / 4320 Servings

They also have a few gluten-free survival food kits as well:

120 Servings / 240 Servings / 360 Servings

MOUNTAIN HOUSE

Mountain House Food KitMountain House freeze-dried food pouches are popular in the backpacking scene. Why? Because freeze-dried food weighs a whole lot less than fresh foods – and they keep better!

This is another survival food brand I’ve bought from in the past and have reviewed.

Most survival food kits have a 25-year guarantee, but Mountain House has upped their “taste guarantee” to 30 years! That’s the longest guarantee I’ve ever come across in the survival food kit space.

Mountain House offers survival food kits in pouches and buckets. But my one gripe is they don’t sell large quantities in buckets – so if you want to stock up, you’ll need to buy more single buckets.

The bottom line is: Mountain House is not the cheapest, but they are one of the best. You can buy survival food from them confidently; they’re a fine choice.

How To Build A DIY Survival Food Kit

Now, you may be thinking…. hey, maybe I can do this myself.

And you’d be right; you ABSOLUTELY can.

But if you want to make your own freeze-dried foods, you’ll have to invest in a home freeze-dryer machine. But freeze dryers are pretty expensive. They cost way more than your typical countertop appliance (like a food dehydrator).

A small freeze dryer will cost you at least $1600 or more. For some people, that’s no big deal, but for many, that’s a huge hurdle.

Now, you could use the freeze dryer to start your own small survival food kit shop. Or you could get a few friends to “share” the cost. Both of those options can help you make your own survival food kits.

But you’d still need to buy mylar bags, silica gel desiccants or oxygen absorbers, and food-grade buckets.

So, at the end of the day, most people find it a better deal to buy their freeze-dried food from a reputable company.

Your other DIY option is NOT to freeze-dry your survival food kits. Instead, focus on storing dehydrated foods. And this can work OK IF you plan to rotate the “survival food” over time.

If you consume what you make and replace it often, you can create a rotating stockpile of survival food. But again, this adds another layer of hassle, complexity, and organizational skills.

So, if you’re up for it, you should absolutely DIY your survival food stockpile. But either way, it’s going to be an investment in TIME or MONEY – you get to choose.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our Family First Food Planning Guide. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Final Thoughts

Every year, you buy life insurance and PRAY you never have to use it. And generally, we’re OK with this setup.

Well, the same goes for food insurance. You buy it and HOPE and PRAY you never need to use it!

And at the end of 30 years, if the food is still sitting there on the shelf, you get to eat it and enjoy it. Because nowadays, freeze-dried survival meals taste great.

So, no matter what, an investment in survival food kits will never be a waste!

And one final thing to remember – there are no do-overs in survival. Woulda, coulda, shoulda won’t fill you or your family’s bellies in times of crisis.

Remember: Prepare, Adapt, and Overcome,
“Just In Case” Jack

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.

The post 10 Best Survival Food Kits That Last A Lifetime appeared first on Skilled Survival.

What In The World Is Going On At Asbury University?


Are we actually witnessing a full-blown revival right here in the United States?  For more than a week, there has been a non-stop prayer and worship awakening happening at Asbury University in Kentucky.  Day and night, thousands of young people are gathered in the chapel to worship  God, repent of their sins and read from the Bible.  We haven’t seen anything like this in a long time, and videos from the awakening are being viewed on social media by millions of people all over the world.  Amazingly, at this point these gatherings have created so much buzz that even the mainstream media is being forced to acknowledge what is going on.  For example, the following comes from an NBC News report

The growing event started as a routine chapel service at Asbury University, a small Christian college in Wilmore, Kentucky, according to university employees. At the tail-end of the meeting, a couple dozen lingering students assembled informally in a gathering that’s been going now for seven days straight, 24 hours a day.

“The first day we had a very ordinary service, I would call it unremarkable,” said university President Dr. Kevin Brown. Following a morning service on Feb. 8, a multicultural gospel choir sang on stage. Some students stuck around afterward, and by evening more and more had trickled into the sanctuary creating something special, said Brown.

Within just a few days, news of the gatherings started spreading like wildfire on social media, and people started driving to Asbury from all over the country.

According to Charisma News, the line to get into the meetings is now “nearly a half mile long”…

The revival at Asbury University is now in its 10th day as thousands of people continue to make the spiritual pilgrimage to this town in hopes of encountering more of God.

The revival is now officially in overflow mode with the line of people to get inside stretching nearly a half mile long.

Thankfully, so far the people at Asbury have not allowed outsiders to come in and take control.

Instead, what is taking place appears to be quite “raw” and quite authentic.  Nick Hall’s account of what he experienced when he visited Asbury was published by Fox News

In an age of sensationalized encounters, what’s happening at the Hughes Auditorium is incredibly simple, humble, and ordinary.

There isn’t a single ‘known’ figure on the platform. It’s students leading the way alongside a few campus ministers. It’s raw worship, Bible reading and exhortation, and repentance.

Confession broke out numerous times, the crowd would listen and speak out, “The blood of Jesus forgives me.” The altars were full night and day, wet with tears, from young and old. It was multi-ethnic, multi-racial, and multi-generational.

What a wonderful thing.

In addition to the thousands that get to be there in person, tens of millions have tuned in to watch the gatherings in Asbury on social media

On TikTok and Instagram, videos hashtagged “Asbury Revival” are racking up millions of views. At the time this article was published, the hashtag #asburyrevival had 24.4 million views on TikTok.

And it appears that the movement is spreading.

At this point, similar gatherings have erupted at several other Christian universities

Just 249 miles to the south, a revival at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee is well underway. Local news reports indicate the Lee revival has now been ongoing since Monday.

There are also reports of spontaneous prayer and worship among the students at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, and at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama.

In addition, it is being reported on Fox News that thousands of students have been giving their lives to Christ at major universities all over the nation…

We saw over 2,000 students repent of sin and turn to Jesus last week through events at the University of Georgia, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, Iowa State, and North Dakota State.

I’ve been doing evangelism for 20 years. I was trained by and traveled with both Billy Graham and Luis Palau. These are the highest percentage of responses to the healing, redeeming message of Jesus that I’ve ever seen. Could this be a revival?

So will this last?

We will see.

I think that one troubling sign is that officials at Asbury University have decided to make some really big changes

As the Asbury University revival moves into its 10th day on Friday, school officials have announced a more structured schedule beginning Monday. Services will move to an off-campus locations starting with the Feb. 24 evening services.

One way to kill a spontaneous movement is to start imposing “structure” on it.

And I believe that it is a massive mistake to move the gatherings away from the university.

The university is where the students are.

Time will tell whether this movement can be sustained or not.

But for now, let’s enjoy the authenticity and the purity of these gatherings while we still can…

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

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 published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd 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 What In The World Is Going On At Asbury University? appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

Hydroviv Water Filter Review for 2023: Survival Gear Hands-On

One of the key pillars to being prepared is having a good water plan. Water is key to life and clean water is key to good health. I have a lot of experience with water filters and have been experimenting with different water filtration methods for years both at my house and in the field. …

The post Hydroviv Water Filter Review for 2023: Survival Gear Hands-On appeared first on Survival Cache.

False Flag? Russia Claims Ukraine is Plotting A “Provocation”

Russia is accusing Ukraine of plotting a “provocation” in the form of radioactive contamination. The Defense Ministry in Moscow has warned that Norway is also one of the co-conspirators of the plan.

Russia says that the false flag will accuse of them of contaminating Ukraine with radiation from the Chernobyl exclusion zone. according to a report by RT. The West along with Norway’s help will allegedly attempt to pull off this scheme. Norway was also named for helping the United States destroy the Nord Stream pipelines.

Author Of Bombshell Nord Stream Report Says It Was “Not Hard To Find”

A statement from the ministry on Tuesday asserted that Kyiv will accuse the Russian military of breaching safety protocols when it controlled the Chernobyl nuclear power plant last year. It will be claimed that Russian troops spread radioactive materials across Ukraine and looted the containment and control facilities, the ministry added.

The Chernobyl site, infamous for the 1986 disaster, was under Russian control between February 24 and April 28. In September, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on nuclear safety in Ukraine, detailing its visits to the exclusion zone amid the armed conflict. -RT

The World Health Organization recently asked ruling classes to prepare for “nuclear contamination” and reports have surfaced that Ukraine is storing Western weapons at nuclear power plants in order to blame Russia for a nuclear emergency if their weapons get destroyed.

Ukraine Is Storing Western-Supplied Weapons At Nuclear Power Plants

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, these accusations against Moscow will form a part of the propaganda campaign by NATO and Ukraine to sway global public opinion in its favor next week, when the Russian military operation is set to enter its second year. The claims will be based on falsified or misleading evidence, the statement said. It added that Norwegian nuclear safety experts were involved in assessing the supposed radiation contamination of Kyiv Region.

Keep your eyes and ears open and continue to use your discernment. Never put anything past any ruling class and make sure you are as prepared as you can be for whatever the masters have planned to keep the slaves in line.

13 Numbers That Show How Dramatically We Have Failed America’s Children


The kids are not okay, and it is time for us to face the truth.  As long as I have been writing, surveys have shown that the mental health of our young people has been steadily getting worse.  But now we are learning that things really took an enormous turn for the worse during the pandemic.  As you will see below, one expert is warning that the number of kids that are dealing with mental health issues “has increased exponentially since the pandemic”.  The facts that I am about to share with you are likely to make you very angry.  Our system does not work, and millions upon millions of young people are having their lives ruined as a result.  The following are 13 numbers that show how dramatically we have failed America’s children…

#1 One recent survey found that 40 percent of U.S. parents “worry their children struggle with anxiety or depression”.

#2 During the pandemic, suicide became the second leading cause of death for U.S. children between the ages of 10 and 14.

#3 Suicide is also the second leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 15 and 24.

#4 According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 46 percent of U.S. kids between the ages of 13 and 17 have experienced cyberbullying.

#5 40 percent of U.S. high school students “felt so sad or hopeless” in 2021 that “they were unable to do their regular activities”.

#6 According to the CDC, “more than 95% of children and adolescents in the U.S. spend much of their daily lives in school”.

#7 At 23 schools in Baltimore, not one single student is proficient in math.

#8 At 30 schools in Illinois, not one single student can read at grade level.

#9 At 53 schools in Illinois, not one single student can do math at grade level.

#10 According to the CDC, nearly 20 percent of all adolescent female students experienced sexual violence in 2021.

#11 According to the CDC, nearly 60 percent of all adolescent female students “experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” in 2021.

#12 According to the CDC, nearly 25 percent of all adolescent female students “made a suicide plan” in 2021.

#13 The proportion of adolescent female students that actually attempted suicide in 2021 was 60 percent higher than a decade ago.

There is nothing “normal” about these numbers.

The mental health of our young people has been declining for years, and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics is telling us that the number of kids and adolescents dealing with mental health issues “has increased exponentially since the pandemic”

“I would say over the last 10 years, since I’ve been practicing as a general pediatrician, I have seen a shift both in the amount of patients and of all ages dealing with anxiety and depression. And their parents being concerned about this is a key issue,” said Dr. Katherine Williamson, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Even before the pandemic, we were seeing skyrocketing numbers of kids and adolescents dealing with mental health issues, and that has increased exponentially since the pandemic.”

We told our leaders that the incredibly sick and twisted mandates and restrictions that they were forcing upon our young people were going to have very serious mental health consequences.

And that is precisely what has happened.

But of course we must also acknowledge that the mental health of our young people was steadily deteriorating long before the pandemic ever came along.

It has become clear that no matter how much money we pour into our schools, it isn’t going to make things any better.

In fact, to me it is quite apparent that our absolutely pathetic system of public education is a big part of the problem.

If you want your teens to hate life, just put them into a public high school.

Having said that, I want to stress that having strong nuclear families is even more important to the mental health of our young people.

Unfortunately, the traditional family unit is under attack like never before, and in many cases it is being replaced by “new arrangements”…

Alysia and Tyler Rogers were already parents to two children, now ages 7 and 8, when they embarked on a romantic relationship with married friends Sean and Taya Hartless.

The two couples, originally from the US, moved in together as a polyamorous foursome in 2020 and the following year, Alysia and Taya delivered babies seven months apart.

Neither woman knows who biologically fathered the kids, with Alysia maintaining they will help the children discover that down the road if they ever want to.

I don’t even know what to say about all of that.

Unfortunately, a smaller percentage of U.S. children are being raised in a traditional home with a traditional father and a traditional mother than ever before.

And that has very serious implications for our future.

As we all get older, we are going to need the next generation to take care of us.  According to the Washington Post, it is being projected that the number of elderly people in the United States will grow very rapidly in the years ahead…

That represents 55.7 million people, an increase of 15.2 million (38 percent) of people 65 and above since 2010, compared with just 2 percent growth in the under-65 population. It also reflects a consistent increase in the nation’s older population since 1900, when there were 3.1 million Americans 65 and older (4 percent of the population).

The report projects a climb to roughly 80.8 million residents 65 and older by 2040, more than double the number in 2000. It also predicts a doubling of the number of even older residents by 2040, with the count of those 85 and older expected to grow from 6.7 million in 2020 to 14.4 million by 2040. In 2020, there were nearly 105,000 residents 100 or older.

When we are all old and gray, we will be depending on the next generation to be the leaders of tomorrow.

But thanks to our failures, the next generation is going to be incredibly messed up.

Our society is being “fundamentally transformed” right in front of our eyes, and that is really bad news for all of us.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

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 published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd 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 13 Numbers That Show How Dramatically We Have Failed America’s Children appeared first on End Of The American Dream.

Why Is The Mainstream Media Being So Quiet About One Of The Greatest Environmental Catastrophes In U.S. History?

The mainstream media spends an enormous amount of time lecturing us about fake environmental issues, but now that one of the greatest environmental catastrophes in U.S. history has occurred they are being strangely quiet about it.  What we are witnessing in East Palestine, Ohio is so horrifying that it is truly difficult to put it into words.  One hazardous materials specialist is claiming that authorities “basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open”.  Unfortunately, that is not an exaggeration at all.  When they decided to conduct a “controlled burn” of vinyl chloride from some of the wrecked rail cars, they knew that it would “send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air”

About 50 cars, including 10 carrying hazardous materials, derailed in a fiery crash in East Palestine at about 9pm on Friday, February 3.

Houses were evacuated after vinyl chloride was slowly released from five of those cars. Authorities then ignited the gases for a ‘controlled release’ of the highly flammable, toxic chemicals in a controlled environment, creating a dark plume of smoke.

Officials warned the controlled burn would send phosgene and hydrogen chloride into the air. Phosgene is a highly toxic, colorless gas with a strong odor that can cause vomiting and breathing trouble and was used as a weapon in World War I.

Read that last sentence again.

Phosgene was literally used as a chemical weapon during World War I, and now countless people living in Ohio and Pennsylvania will be breathing it in for the foreseeable future.

In essence, we have unleashed a weapon of mass destruction on our own people.

It turns out that vinyl chloride has also been proven to cause “increased risk of liver cancer and other cancers”

Vinyl chloride is associated with increased risk of liver cancer and other cancers, according to the federal government’s National Cancer Institute.

The effect was studied in PVC pipe makers, who breathed in vinyl chloride and developed rare liver cancers, said Ruth Lunn, who studies carcinogens at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

So how many people are ultimately going to get cancer and die because of this disaster?

On top of everything else, we are now being told that “ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene” were also being transported in some of the rail cars that derailed

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to Norfolk Southern stating that ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene were also in the rail cars that were derailed, breached and/or on fire.

Caggiano says ethylhexyl acrylate is especially worrisome. He says it’s a carcinogen and contact with it can cause burning and irritation in the skin and eyes. Breathing it in can irritate the nose and throat and cause coughing and shortness of breath.

Nobody should be anywhere near this wreck.

But authorities are telling residents of East Palestine that it is perfectly safe to return to their homes and that there is absolutely nothing to be concerned about.

A massive cover up of epic proportions is in progress, and only a few brave leaders such as Marjorie Taylor Greene are speaking out about this…

Perhaps they think that because most of the people that live in East Palestine are poor they can get away with treating them like dirt.

And that may have worked in the past.

But now we live in the age of social media, and a lot of Americans want to make sure that this catastrophe will never be forgotten.

Because the truth is that these chemicals are going to be affecting the health of local residents for decades.

One hazardous materials specialist raised a lot of eyebrows when he said that authorities “basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open”

Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials specialist and former fire department chief, said he was ‘surprised’ residents were allowed to return home so quickly before all of their homes were tested.

‘I would’ve far rather they did all the testing [first],’ he said. ‘There’s a lot of what ifs, and we’re going to be looking at this thing 5, 10, 15, 20 years down the line and wondering, ‘Gee, cancer clusters could pop up, you know, well water could go bad.’

He added: ‘We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open.’

So many people are going to die because of this.

And it is being reported that large numbers of chickens and fish have already died after being exposed to the chemicals…

CBS Pittsburgh reported that hundreds of fish have turned up dead in Leslie Run, approximately five miles away from the site of the derailment. While the EPA has acknowledged that fish are dying, it stressed that well water remains safe to drink.

Amanda Breshears, who lives 10 miles away from East Palestine, said upon going to feed her hens and rooster days after the derailment, she found them all lifeless.

“My video camera footage shows my chickens were perfectly fine before they started this burn, and as soon as they started the burn, my chickens slowed down and they died,” she told WKBN. “If it can do this to chickens in one night, imagine what it’s going to do to us in 20 years.”

What a nightmare.

And this nightmare is not going to end any time soon.

Shockingly, a movie about this exact type of disaster in this exact area of Ohio was released late last year

Pretty crazy, eh?

Sometimes it feels like we are actually living in a movie.

As I keep telling people, we are now living in a time when we will be facing one major disaster after another.

Global events are starting to spin out of control, and there is so much chaos all around us.

Unfortunately, what we have been through so far is just the tip of the iceberg.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

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 published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd 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 Why Is The Mainstream Media Being So Quiet About One Of The Greatest Environmental Catastrophes In U.S. History? appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

Actually, Hordes Of Highly Sophisticated Unidentified Aircraft Have Been Flying Over U.S. Territory

Things are starting to get really strange.  First, a “Chinese spy balloon” was shot down off the coast of South Carolina after it had traveled across much of the continental United States.  Then, another “unidentified object” was shot down over Alaska.  Subsequently, at the request of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a third “unidentified object” was shot down over Canada.  And now we have just learned that a fourth “unidentified object” has been shot down over Lake Huron.  In addition, a congressman from Montana is reporting that there is an “unidentified object” flying over his state.  On top of everything else, China is telling us that an “unidentified object” has been flying near the Chinese port city of Qingdao.  All of a sudden, these sightings have become the biggest news story in the entire country, and I think that it is likely that there will be even more sightings in the days ahead.

But let’s put all of this into perspective.

The only reason why most people are freaking out about this story is because the mainstream media is freaking out about this story.

If the mainstream media was ignoring this story, they would also be ignoring this story.

We have been trained to believe that a story is important only when the mainstream media tells us that it is important.

If millions of Americans want to get excited about some balloons, that is fine.

I will get excited with them.

But the truth is that hordes of highly sophisticated unidentified aircraft have been flying over U.S. territory for years.

Let me give you some examples.  Starting in December 2019, large groups of “unidentified drones” were repeatedly spotted flying over northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska

A formation of unidentified drones, some in groups of 30, have been reported flying high above a corner of rural northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska, usually from 7 to 10 p.m. By some accounts, the drones have wingspans of 6 feet or more.

“They can sit there and hover. They can descend very fast. They can take off very fast,” Wyatt Harman, who chased the drones as they flew above his land in Washington County, Colorado, told the “TODAY” show.

He and his girlfriend, Chelsea Arnold, said they pursued the lights for about 15 miles, driving as fast as 70 mph.

These drones were very large and could fly at extremely high speeds.

Pretty soon, there were also sightings in Kansas.  At the time, multiple witnesses reported seeing formations of up to 50 drones flying in very precise “grid formations”

Meanwhile, neighbouring Nebraska and Kansas were also dealing with their own mysterious drone swarms. From December 2019 to January 2020, residents of the three states were perturbed by multiple sightings of numerous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with wingspans of up to 6ft flying between 6pm and 10pm in grid formations. On the same night that Iovinella was receiving calls, a Nebraska deputy reported seeing 30 to 50 drones in the sky. Witnesses were alarmed by the size and speed of the vehicles. “It got to the point that we were fixing to take up arms,” says Mike, 39, from Lindon, Colorado, who wishes to retain partial anonymity.

To me, a large fleet of highly sophisticated drones flying at very high speed is a lot more alarming than a few high altitude balloons.

Quite frequently, unidentified drones appear to be very interested in national security targets of a highly sensitive nature.  In fact, from March 2018 to April 2021, there were “four reports of unidentified airborne vehicle intrusions at sensitive U.S. government nuclear laboratories”…

Freedom of Information Act requests by the Washington Examiner have returned four reports of unidentified airborne vehicle intrusions at sensitive U.S. government nuclear laboratories between March 2018 and April 2021. In each case, security officers failed to identify the operator of these apparent vehicles or their intent.

U.S. military bases and ships that belong to the U.S. Navy are also common targets.  For example, last year footage of a very alarming incident in which a drone swarm flew very close to the USS Zumwalt in April 2019 was released to the public

New footage from the U.S. Navy shows a drone swarm of unknown origin flying over the USS Zumwalt, a highly sensitive “stealth destroyer” in the waters off California in April 2019.

The video, obtained by The War Zone via the Freedom of Information Act, features a sailor describing a set of lights from six drones above the USS Zumwalt as he filmed the encounter

Of course that was not just an isolated incident.

According to an “interim report” that was released in June 2022, there were 144 incidents of unidentified aircraft flying near U.S. military targets over a period of 17 years…

Sightings of what appear to be aircraft flying without discernible means of propulsion have been reported near military bases and coastlines, raising the prospect that witnesses have spotted undiscovered or secret Chinese or Russian technology.

An interim report released by US intelligence officials last year counted 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characterise the nature of the incident.

But that wasn’t the end of the story.

Many more incidents were later added to that report, and ultimately the grand total reached a whopping 510 incidents

The March 2021 date represents the end of a preliminary assessment period by ODNI that spanned 17 years, during which there were 144 UAP reports. Since that date, another 119 incidents that took place before March 2021 but weren’t included in the preliminary assessment were also reported — bringing the total number of reports to 510 as of late August 2022.

So I am glad that there is finally an uproar about the lack of security in the skies above our heads.

Because vast hordes of drones have been regularly violating U.S. air space for a long time.

And in case you are wondering, yes, drones can deliver weapons of mass destruction.

Unfortunately, our leaders continue to move us even closer to cataclysmic conflicts with both Russia and China, and the death and destruction that such conflicts could cause would be unimaginable.

So let us hope that our leaders will decide to reverse course and start pressing for peace while it is still possible to do so.

Because if we stay on the path that we are on, eventually someone will make a mistake that will not be able to be erased, and then millions upon millions of people will die.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

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 published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd 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 Actually, Hordes Of Highly Sophisticated Unidentified Aircraft Have Been Flying Over U.S. Territory appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

After The Worst January Job Cuts ‘Since The Great Recession’, Here Are 12 Major Layoffs That Have Already Been Announced In February

It appears that the tsunami of layoffs that started late last year is starting to accelerate.  January was a horrible month for job losses, and major layoff announcements are coming fast and furious here in February.  But of course the Biden administration would have us believe that everything is just fine.  Last week, the government told us that the U.S. economy “added 517,000 jobs” in January.  But as I discussed in a previous article, that wasn’t what actually happened.  The raw, unadjusted number showed that the U.S. economy actually lost 2.5 million jobs last month.  That is a terrible number, but after the bureaucrats in Washington were done with their “adjustments” it magically became a gain of 517,000 jobs.  If you want to have faith that their “adjustments” are appropriate, good for you.  But other sources also confirm that things have really taken a turn for the worse.  For example, Challenger, Gray & Christmas just issued a report that concluded that last month “was the worst January for job cuts since the Great Recession in 2009”

U.S. companies announced roughly 103,000 job cuts in January, the highest monthly total since September 2020, a Thursday analysis found.

Last month was the worst January for job cuts since the Great Recession in 2009, according to a report from employment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Around 40 percent of last month’s job reductions came in the tech industry, where Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Salesforce announced plans to lay off thousands of workers. Many of the companies said they grew too quickly in recent years and must cut costs to boost profitability.

So many large companies announced staff reductions last month, and that trend has definitely continued this month.

The following are 12 major layoffs that have already been announced in February…

#1 Disney has decided to tell approximately 7,000 employees to hit the bricks…

“We will be reducing our workforce by approximately 7,000 jobs,” CEO Bob Iger said during the company’s first quarter earnings call. “While this is necessary to address the challenges we’re facing today, I do not make this decision lightly. I have enormous respect and appreciation for the talent and dedication of our employees worldwide, and I’m mindful of the personal impact of these changes.”

#2 Yahoo has announced that it will be laying off “more than 20% of its workforce”…

Yahoo will lay off more than 20% of its workforce by the end of 2023, eliminating 1,000 positions this week alone, the company said in a statement Thursday.

#3 Ebay was doing quite well, but now they have decided that 4 percent of their workers are no longer needed…

Ebay on Tuesday announced plans to cut 500 jobs, or about 4% of its workforce, according to a filing with the SEC.

#4 Affirm is yet another tech company that has recently made a decision to conduct mass layoffs…

Affirm announced it’s cutting 19% of its workforce Wednesday. The news came as it reported second quarter earnings that fell below analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines.

#5 As the U.S. housing crash deepens, JPMorgan Chase has concluded that now is the time to “cut hundreds of mortgage employees”…

JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut hundreds of mortgage employees this week, adding to job losses across the industry as home-lending businesses continue to be hurt by elevated interest rates.

#6 GoDaddy just let their workers know that they plan to “reduce the size of our global team by about 8%”…

Today, we are announcing a plan to reduce the size of our global team by about 8%. This will come as difficult news for many valued and respected GoDaddy team members.

#7 Micron is one of the biggest private employers in Idaho, but now it intends to “reduce its global headcount by about 10% over the next year”…

Micron has begun laying off workers, a spokesperson for the company told the Idaho Statesman.

The news marks the beginning of the company’s plan to reduce its global headcount by about 10% over the next year. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra announced during a quarterly conference call with investors in December that the company is taking significant steps to reduce costs and operating expenses as demand for its principal products wanes.

#8 GitHub has become yet another victim of the downsizing trend in the tech industry…

Microsoft-owned GitHub is laying off 10% of its staff, the company confirmed to Fortune.

#9 Nomad Health just laid off approximately 20 percent of their entire corporate workforce…

Nomad Health, a healthcare staffing startup, laid off around 20% of its corporate workforce this week, according to four terminated employees, as the surge in travel nurses and other temporary healthcare workers ignited by the pandemic cools down.

#10 Zoom is giving the axe to approximately 1,300 workers…

Zoom on Tuesday said it will lay off about 1,300 employees, or approximately 15% of its staff, becoming the latest tech company to announce significant job cuts as a pandemic-fueled surge in demand for digital services wanes.

#11 Boeing was supposedly going to be hiring more workers, but instead the company just announced that thousands of positions in finance and human resources will be eliminated…

“We expect about 2,000 reductions this year primarily in Finance and HR through a combination of attrition and layoffs,” Boeing confirmed Monday.

#12 Do you remember when Dell computers were still popular?  Unfortunately, the tide has turned and now Dell has been forced to get rid of 6,650 workers…

Dell Technologies Inc. is eliminating about 6,650 roles as it faces plummeting demand for personal computers, becoming the latest technology company to announce thousands of job cuts.

I could go on and on if you would like.

There are countless other firms that have also just announced significant layoffs.

We truly have not faced economic conditions like this since the Great Recession, and a recent Gallup survey seems to underscore this point…

Reflecting on their personal financial situations, 35% of Americans say they are better off now than they were a year ago, while 50% are worse off. Since Gallup first asked this question in 1976, it has been rare for half or more of Americans to say they are worse off. The only other times this occurred was during the Great Recession era in 2008 and 2009.

Unfortunately, we are still only in the very early chapters of this new crisis.  As I have been warning for years, things will eventually get much worse.

Our leaders have been making incredibly bad decisions for decades, and now we are going to get to suffer the consequences of those bad decisions.

This generation was handed the keys to the greatest economic machine that the world has ever seen, but we wrecked it.

Now the chickens are coming home to roost, and most Americans are completely unprepared for what is coming next.

***It is finally here! Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

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 published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse BlogEnd 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 After The Worst January Job Cuts ‘Since The Great Recession’, Here Are 12 Major Layoffs That Have Already Been Announced In February appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

The Guns of Yellowstone’s Origin Story, 1883

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Since debuting on the Paramount Network in 2018, Yellowstone has become one of the most popular TV series. The “neo-Western” chronicles the trials and tribulations of the fictional Dutton family. The Duttons own the largest ranch in modern-day Montana. The incredible land incites conflict with an Indian reservation, land developers and even 21st century “progress.” Yellowstone initially drew mixed responses from critics. But it steadily gained an audience, with recent season drawing comparisons to The Sopranos, The Wire and even Game of Thrones. Yellowstone has steadily gained an audience. Recent seasons drew comparisons to such beloved TV series as The Sopranos, The Wire and even Game of Thrones. It’s massive success rates an examination of the guns of Yellowstone’s 1883.

The Guns of Yellowstone’s 1883

Tim McGraw’s James Dutton seen holding a Single Action Army “Civilian” Model revolver that is likely a non-firing Denix replica.
Tim McGraw’s James Dutton seen holding a Single Action Army “Civilian” Model revolver that is likely a non-firing Denix replica. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Part of Yellowstone’s success has been its ability to cross genres. It’s an action-packed modern Western meets evening soap opera, built around a highly dysfunctional and at times estranged family group. Set in the modern day, with all of life’s modern problems, it is still at times an over-the-top romp that makes for good “escapism” TV.

Yet, even its most hardcore fans may question why the series lead, ranch owner John Dutton—a perfectly cast Kevin Costner—fights so hard to maintain his ranch. Throughout four seasons, the senior Dutton struggles to fend off land developers and others hell-bent on acquiring the land by any means, including at times (spoilers) offering a king’s ransom.

Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) is seen holding the anachronistic Winchester Model 1885 High Wall—fitted with a Hi-Lux Optics Malcolm 6X, 30-inch-long telescopic rifle sight.
Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) is seen holding the anachronistic Winchester Model 1885 High Wall—fitted with a Hi-Lux Optics Malcolm 6X, 30-inch-long telescopic rifle sight. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

The answer lies in the Paramount+ original series, 1883, the first of at least two planned prequels that tell the story of Dutton’s ancestors and the sacrifices they made, and the prices paid, to find the perfect land to call their own. To say that the Dutton family has paid with blood is an understatement, to say the least.

On The Oregon Trail

Where the original Yellowstone takes place almost entirely in Montana–apart from those occasions when some unlucky individual takes a ride to the “train station” on the Wyoming border–1883 takes place almost entirely away from Big Sky Country. It actually begins outside Fort Worth, Texas 18 years after the American Civil War as Tennessee native James Dutton (Tim McGraw) arrives in town to meet his family and begin the journey to Oregon. His welcome to the frontier certainly sets the tone for what is about to come—with a gang of bandits confronting him just before he even rolls into town.

1883 is thus not about the founding of the ranch, but rather the journey to get to the land where the Duttons will eventually build it. Explaining more would spoil the secrets, but suffice it to say that by the end of the 10 episodes, the importance of the location comes into focus.

A close-up of James Dutton’s revolver reveals that it is an Uberti 1873 Cattleman Old Model in charcoal blue.
A close-up of James Dutton’s revolver reveals that it is an Uberti 1873 Cattleman Old Model in charcoal blue. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Whether series creator Taylor Sheridan had this particular backstory in mind when he began developing Yellowstone isn’t clear, but the prequel fills in the blanks perfectly. 1883 also centers on the motivation that drives James Dutton’s clan—the family patriarch, who was scarred from his time as a Confederate officer at the Battle of Antietam, followed by his captivity in a Union prison camp.

Elsa Dutton, the 18-year-old, headstrong daughter of James, played by actress Isabel May, serves as the narrator, describing even the darkest events as just another part of the adventure. The Duttons endure no shortage of hardship and loss, and misery certainly loves company as they’re joined in the journey with a wagon train of German and Eastern European immigrants also looking for a better life in Oregon. The cross-country trek is nothing like the classic “edutainment” video game series The Oregon Trail.

LaMonica Garrett as Thomas—his Schofield revolver is seen in his holster. (
LaMonica Garrett as Thomas—his Schofield revolver is seen in his holster. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Today, a cross-country road trip involves the U.S. highway system, with plenty of rest stops and colorful attractions. By contrast, in the 1880s there was barely a trail, and a distance that could be covered in a couple hours today took a week or longer, not to mention that the route was often frequented by bandits. Then there were hostile Native Americans, wild animals including rattlesnakes and even the elements to contend with. Clearly, this was well before the time anyone would dare say “getting there is half the fun!”

Handguns

With Yellowstone set in the modern day, characters can be expected to carry Glock handguns and AR-15s, but 1883 is all about those classic firearms that were commonplace on the frontier in the post–Civil War era. Sam Elliott, who plays Shea Brennan, a Pinkerton agent and former captain in the Union Army, and Marshal Jim Courtright (Billy Bob Thornton) are just two of several characters who seemed to favor the Single Action Army “Civilian” Model revolver.

Series creator Taylor Sheridan as Charles Goodnight is armed with a Colt Single Action Army “Civilian” Model.
Series creator Taylor Sheridan as Charles Goodnight is armed with a Colt Single Action Army “Civilian” Model. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Other notable “six-shooters” that make an appearance in the series include the iconic Single Action Army “Artillery” and Single Action Army “Cavalry” models, while Colt 1860 Army “Avenging Angel” and Colt 1860 Richards Conversion revolvers receive their moments of screen time. Most of the revolvers appear to be Uberti replicas, while a few Denix non-firing replicas are present in moments that don’t involve shootouts.

Rifles & More

With the story set nearly entirely on the frontier, the show features no shortage of lever-action rifles. Such archetypal firearms as the Winchester Model 1866 “Yellow Boy,” Winchester Model 1873 carbine and Winchester Model 1873 Short Rifle all feature prominently in 1883. Meanwhile, the Winchester Model 1873 Long Rifle appears in a number of action sequences.

A number of characters, including the Duttons and several pioneers, carry double-barrel shotguns. A Colt Model 1878 and Rossi Overland each make appearances.

LaMonica Garrett as Thomas with his Winchester Model 1866 “Yellow Boy” Rifle.
LaMonica Garrett as Thomas with his Winchester Model 1866 “Yellow Boy” Rifle. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Despite the show’s armorers paying close attention to details, and mostly getting it right, a few out-of-place weapons make an appearance. These include a Winchester Model 1885 High Wall. The High Wall began production after the Duttons settled in Montana. However, it does wear a period-correct Hi-Lux Optics Malcom 6X, 30-inch-long telescopic sight, a replica of the Malcolm scopes first produced in the mid-1850s. A Winchester Model 1892 also stands in for the Winchester 1873.

During a sequence set at Fort Casper, Wyoming, a sentry carries a Remington Rolling Block rifle–a weapon adopted by the U.S. military and produced by the Springfield Armory. However, eagle-eyed viewers have noted that the weapon in 1883 has three barrel bands, while the U.S.-produced models would have had only two. This suggests the screen version is likely a Spanish or perhaps even Egyptian model. Additionally, another sentry carries an anachronistic Trapdoor Springfield Rifle Model 1888.

A Lakota warrior with a Winchester Model 1873 Long Rifle. (Photo Cr: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
A Lakota warrior with a Winchester Model 1873 Long Rifle. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Civil War Guns

For the flashback sequence of the Battle of Antietam, a number of period-correct firearms make an appearance, including the Sharps carbine and Enfield Pattern 1853 rifled musket—weapons used by both Union and Confederate forces during the war—as well an Enfield Pattern 1861 Musketoon, the short-barrel version of the Pattern 1853 rifled musket. That would seem to be an odd choice for a Union infantryman, however, as most were issued to artillery and cavalry units.

Sam Elliott in a flashback to the Battle of Antietam.
Sam Elliott as Shea of the Paramount+ original series 1883. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

A bigger issue with the scene–in addition to the appearance of the expected Springfield Model 1842 .69-caliber muskets and Springfield Model 1861 .58-caliber Minié-type rifled muskets carried by Union forces–some of the men carry the anachronistic Springfield Model 1863 instead. Few viewers may have caught the small differences between the two—the earlier model had a curved hammer and conventional priming, while the latter model featured a straight hammer and screw-retained barrel bands.

Given the show depicted the 1862 Battle of Antietam–the deadliest one-day battle in American military history–the inclusion of the particular rifle musket becomes inappropriate. A proper setting change to the Battle of Gettysburg or the Battle of the Wilderness, following the debut of the Model 1863, resolves the issue.

More To Come

Paramount+ originally gave the green light to 1883 as a limited series prequel. Meanwhile, flashbacks in the main Yellowstone series offered a few important moments from the Dutton family’s history. The first run completed the family journey to Montana. But the show proved such a hit, in February the streaming service ordered additional episodes. Paramount+ stopped short of calling the order a renewal or a second season. But it appears the story continues for James and Margaret Dutton.

And that won’t be the end of it either, as a second prequel has also been ordered. Titled 1932, it will follow another generation of Duttons during the time of Western expansion, Prohibition and the Great Depression. It never seems to get easy for the family, as their land seems to have come at a considerable price.

Billy Bob Thornton as Marshal Jim Courtright is armed with a Single Action Army “Civilian” Model (Photo Cr: Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
Billy Bob Thornton as Marshal Jim Courtright is armed with a Single Action Army “Civilian” Model. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

ALL-STAR CAST

As with other modern prestige TV series, 1883 comprises a big-budget affair. It brings a high-profile cast, including the aforementioned country singer Tim McGraw and his real-life wife Faith Hill as Dutton’s long-suffering yet loyal wife Margaret. Sam Elliot and LaMonica Garret star as Pinkerton agents charged with leading the expedition.

Notable guest stars further added to the storytelling and included Tom Hanks as Union Army General George Meade in a flashback following the Battle of Antietam. Hanks’s wife Rita Wilson played a kindly storekeeper in the frontier town of Doan’s Crossing on the Texas-Oklahoma state line. Indigenous (Oneida) Canadian actor Graham Greene appeared in the season finale as a Crow elder who directed James Dutton to Paradise Valley, the eventual location of the Dutton Yellowstone Ranch.

Among the notable cameos was one by Tom Hanks, who appeared as Union General George Meade in a flashback to the Civil War.
Tom Hanks as General George Meade of the Paramount+ original series 1883. (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

Billy Bob Thornton also starred as Fort Worth’s real-life Tarrant County Deputy Sheriff “Big Jim” Courtright, who had earned a reputation for keeping the peace in the notorious “hell’s half acre”—the town’s red-light district. Though Courtright was no longer marshal when the series takes place, this is an accepted historical liberty.

An almost expected cameo came when series creator Taylor Sheridan—who had previously played the recurring character Travis Wheatley in Yellowstone—appears as another historical figure, Charles Goodnight, “the father of the Texas Panhandle,” who earned a reputation for hunting cattle thieves.

Location, Location, Location

Beyond the question of why the ranch is so important to the Dutton family is why the journey to Montana began in Fort Worth, Texas. The quick answer is that while series creator Taylor Sheridan grew up in Montana, he has an affinity for the Lone Star State. It also had the right feel.

In many of the Fort Worth scenes, filming actually took place in the neighborhood around West Exchange Avenue and North Houston Street. The production converted these streets to match the setting of the show. The area received a rustic makeover prior to filming. Most of the early episodes of 1883 took place at locations across Texas, not far from Weatherford, where the Yellowstone creator currently lives.

Sam Elliott as Shea Brennan in the Paramount+ original series 1883
Sam Elliott as Shea Brennan in the Paramount+ original series “1883.” (Photo by Emerson Miller/Paramount+)

The city is home to the Bosque Ranch Headquarters, a real-life ranch and media production facility that served as one of the primary on-set filming locations for the original Yellowstone. A few other scenes for 1883 filmed at the famed 6666 Ranch. Later episodes filmed in Montana, including Livingston, Clyde Park and Paradise Valley.

For the cast and crew, the change of scenery came at a price. According to past interviews with series star Sam Elliot, temperatures in Texas exceeded 100 degrees during filming. In Montana, temperatures dipped down into the teens. The situations very likely mirrored the conditions faced by travelers in 1883.

This story originally ran in the Winter, 2022 issue of Guns of the Old West. Get your copy today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.

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