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Meat Shortages Go Mainstream with Rations and Menu Changes: How to Keep Meat on Your Table
Meat Shortages Go Mainstream with Rations and Menu Changes: How to Keep Meat on Your Table
Chalk it up to a side effect nobody ever expected from the pandemic: meat is becoming difficult to get. Who would have expected this to result in grocery stores across the country rationing meat purchases? Who would have ever thought the COVID-19 virus would mean that places like Wendy’s would stop selling burgers altogether and that McDonald’s would cut its menu to only a handful of offerings?
Workers at meat packaging plants have been especially hard hit with the coronavirus. Almost 60% of the employees at one Tyson plant in Iowa have tested positive for COVID. Plants everywhere are shutting down for the safety of their employees and despite President Trump’s invocation of the Defense Production Act to force them to reopen, many workers have refused to return to the plants. Factory farms have culled millions of cows, hogs, and chickens because they cannot be to plants that are either closed or reducing the amount of meat they’re able to process while practicing social distancing.
Historically, the centralization of food has always ended in disaster. Unfortunately, giant CAFO operations and USDA approval have centralized our own food supply, and here we are.
Do the meat shortages mean that you have to become a vegetarian? While that is one option, here are some other ways to keep meat on the table at your house.
Buy in bulk locally
One of the best ways to acquire meat is to purchase in bulk and to do so locally. You can buy a quarter or a half of a pig or cow and have it processed into your favorite cuts. As well, you are locking in your meat price by purchasing it all at once. This way, you won’t be as strongly affected by meat inflation until next season.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
A One-Month Shelf-Stable Food Menu Your Family Will Love
A One-Month Shelf-Stable Food Menu Your Family Will Love
Now that most of the country is practicing social isolation, people are turning more and more often to their pantries to make meals from shelf-stable ingredients.
Do you ever wonder what on earth you’d eat if you had to rely solely on the items in your pantry? How could you possibly make tasty meals from these items you have stashed away? Do you imagine a future filled with cans of Spaghetti-O’s and saltine crackers?
Trust me when I tell you, you can do much better than that. Here’s a menu that you can adjust to your family’s preferences.
A one-month menu of shelf-stable dinners
If you have fresh or frozen ingredients on hand, feel free to substitute them in for shelf-stable ones. If you’re a vegetarian, a lot of these meals can be converted by simply omitting the meat or replacing the meat with lentils or beans. Tweak the meals according to your family’s preferences and allergies or intolerances.
Menu: Week One
- 5-Can Chili
- Chili Pie
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Chicken Alfredo and Pasta
- Udon Noodles in Peanut Sauce
- Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
- Mexican Pizza Pie
Menu: Week Two
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegetable Soup
- Chicken and Dumplings
- One-Pot Beans and Rice
- Spaghetti
- Bread and Gravy
- Pantry Potato Soup
Menu: Week Three
- Goulash
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- Chicken and Dressing
- Jambalaya
- Fry Bread Tacos
- Split Pea Soup
- Pasta Primavera
Menu Week Four
- Pasta Fagioli
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Poor Man’s Stroganoff
- Baked Beans with Ham and Sweet Potatoes
- Baked Bean Chili
- Southwestern Chicken and Rice
- Corn Chowder
I like to save leftovers from dinner for the following day’s lunch. Shelf-stable breakfasts are pretty simple with things like powdered milk, dried fruit, and cereal or oatmeal. You can get all these recipes and a shopping list in my PDF book, The Stockpile Cafe, for just $5.
Below, find one of my family’s favorite shelf-stable recipes.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
We Won’t Be Getting “Back to Normal.” Not Soon. Not Ever.
We Won’t Be Getting “Back to Normal.” Not Soon. Not Ever.
When will we get back to normal?
If you yearn for the days before COVID-19 swept across the planet, I regret to inform you that those days are gone.
This isn’t a warm and fuzzy blog post telling you that everything is going to be all right. If you’re looking for reassurance that “we’ve got this,” I’m afraid I can’t provide it. This article wasn’t written to console or coddle you, so if that’s what you’re seeking, you’re going to want to stop reading right now.
If, however, you want a reality check on what I believe we’re really facing, I’m not going to hold back. You’ve been warned.
We’re not even halfway through.
You may have seen some optimistic reports recently that the “worst” is behind us. It would certainly be lovely if that’s the case, but in my opinion, this ordeal is just getting started. I wrote an article previously about how long we could expect our current state of lockdown to last using the timelines of China and Italy as points of comparison, and based on that, we are 17 days in as of the writing of this article on April 8.
The lockdown of Wuhan is expected to last 77 days. If our own timeline continues to echo that of China, then we’re not even halfway there. We have at least 2 months left and this doesn’t include any new clusters when the lockdowns are totally lifted or any second waves. We’ve barely begun living in our current state of purgatory and this will continue (and most likely worsen) for quite some time.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
What Will the Future Bring? Here’s How to Survive the Uncertainty
What Will the Future Bring? Here’s How to Survive the Uncertainty
We live in a very different world than we did back in January when the calendar turned to 2020 and everyone was anticipating the great things they’d accomplish in the brand new decade.
Only 3 months ago, we all had futures we imagined…
- Kids graduating from high school or college
- A vacation we were planning
- A new job we were striving toward
- Retirement so close you could practically smell the beach where you’d spend your golden years
- The health and fitness goal you were finally going to achieve
- A positive lifestyle change you were planning to make
- A relocation to a new destination
- The advancement of your relationship, whether it was a new one or one you’d been in for a while
- A summer road trip
- Getting a new pet
- An empty nest and what you were going to do with that newly vacant bedroom
- A new family member
Three months ago, we all had dreams, goals for the future, or at least some idea of what the upcoming year would hold for us.
I’ll bet none of us even considered on New Year’s Eve that we’d spend the first half (at least) of the year dealing with a deadly pandemic. Heck, I sat on a balcony in a little seaside village in Montenegro, toasting the new decade with a friend and some Jack Daniels, watching fireworks over the Adriatic Sea, and planning what European destination I’d be heading to next.
It probably never crossed anyone’s mind that there’d be some crazy new virus that nobody had ever heard of which would leave us under the equivalent of house arrest for months. Few of us imagined that suddenly, over the course of just a few weeks, more than ten million Americans would suddenly become unemployed.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
It’s Only a Matter of Time Until COVID-19 Lockdowns Lead to Civil Unrest and Violent Crime
It’s Only a Matter of Time Until COVID-19 Lockdowns Lead to Civil Unrest and Violent Crime
(March 31, 2020) The United States of America is basically closed for business, leaving citizens jobless, broke, and without options. We’re facing restrictions on movement the likes of which our nation has never seen. The stores that are open have never fully restocked after the “panic buying” of previous weeks, leading to shelves barren of things like meat, flour, toilet paper, and rice.
It’s only a matter of time before these issues combine to become the flashpoint that leads to an explosion of civil unrest and violent crime.
The financial situation
Unemployment skyrocketed, with 3.3 million claims last week, and the Fed estimates that number to climb to a whopping 47 million due to the virus. Many of these jobs may not come back after the Covid-19 virus has run its course through the nation – businesses small and large are going to be defaulting on their April rent payments, and many simply won’t be able to catch up later.
So far, a lot of people in the area where I’m staying seem to be treating this break of business like a surprise staycation. It’s nice to see families out walking together, playing games, and spending time with the people they love.
But this happiness may be shortlived. Despite generous government-mandated disaster pay, unemployment, and stimulus checks, the money may not arrive in time for former employees, self-employed people, and gig workers to pay their personal bills. And when the money does arrive, for many folks it isn’t going to be the same amount they were earning before the shutdowns. Most people don’t have emergency funds, so things will be dire in short order.
Of course, this affects landlord, mortgage companies, utility companies, retail businesses…the list could go on and on.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
The Covid-19 Economic Crisis Will Change Everything: Short Term and Long Term Effects
The Covid-19 Economic Crisis Will Change Everything: Short Term and Long Term Effects
Whether you think the global pandemic is “just the flu” or you realize it’s the real deal, one thing is difficult to debate – many Americans are already feeling the economic pain being caused by the outbreak and the measures taken to stop it.
Unemployment claims skyrocketed this week as businesses laid-off employees in an attempt to weather the storm. More than 281,000 people filed for unemployment and those numbers would have been even higher if the influx of claims had not crashed the systems in several states.
In a news release, the Department of Labor said:
During the week ending March 14, the increase in initial claims are clearly attributable to impacts from the COVID-19 virus. A number of states specifically cited COVID-19 related layoffs, while many states reported increased layoffs in service-related industries broadly and in the accommodation and food services industries specifically, as well as in the transportation and warehousing industry, whether COVID-19 was identified directly or not. (source)
At the same time as employees are filing claims, businesses are trying to figure out how to stay afloat. Restaurants are switching to carry-out only. Bars are closed. Retail sales are down unless the business happens to be selling vital supplies like medications, food, and the new gold standard, toilet paper and Lysol wipes.
The Covid-19 pandemic is causing an economic crisis that will have both short-term and long-term effects. This will challenge your adaptability skills, but I want to stress something: life will be different, but that doesn’t mean life is over. Here’s what you need to know.
Recession or Depression?
This is just the beginning of the economic crisis bearing down on us. As social distancing measures become more widespread, less and less money will be in play – both earned and spent.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
The Cost of Covid-19 Quarantine: Would You Be Financially Prepared?
The Cost of Covid-19 Quarantine: Would You Be Financially Prepared?
As the world tries frantically to contain a rapidly spreading outbreak of Covid-19, schools, public venues, tourist attractions, and workplaces are being closed in an attempt to keep even more people from contracting the illness. Quarantines and self-isolation protocols are also being instituted across the globe for those who may have been exposed.
Of course, everyone knows that millions of people in China have been in lockdown for more than a month. People are told to stay home, many businesses have ceased to operate, and Chinese New Year celebrations simply didn’t happen this year. China’s debts are all coming due now, at the worst possible time as the financial loss for the country has been astronomical. For example, car sales are down 92% and Lunar New Year celebrations and travel that usually earn a billion dollars were canceled.
And that tourism hit affects far more than just China. In 2017, Chinese outbound tourists spent $258 billionaround the world. The airline industry is bracing for a $29 billion dollar hit. All in all, this virus could end up costing the global economy more than 1.1 trillion dollars, a number that is practically unfathomable.
While the numbers cited here are outrageously large, obviously, these losses aren’t only going to affect “the economy” and “the businesses.” They’re going to have devastating effects on normal folks who just want to go to work, pay their bills, and keep living their lives normally.
A great deal has been written about the economic hits on a global scale as well as the shortages we could soon expect as production in China grinds to a halt, but what about simply being able to pay your rent when your workplace or business is ordered to shut its doors?
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
When US Hospitals and Military PUBLICLY Brace for a Coronavirus Pandemic, You Should Pay Attention
When US Hospitals and Military PUBLICLY Brace for a Coronavirus Pandemic, You Should Pay Attention
If you trust the numbers coming out of China (I don’t) it appears that they’re getting their coronavirus epidemic contained. Yesterday they reported the lowest number of new cases in ages, with 349 newly confirmed patients, in a dramatic drop of more than 1300 fewer cases than Tuesday.
Xinhuanet, the official Chinese government propaganda news outlet reported:
NHC spokesperson Mi Feng made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing Wednesday, citing the epidemic data in the province over the past week.
The daily count of newly cured and discharged cases in Hubei, excluding the capital city of Wuhan, has exceeded the number of newly confirmed cases for four consecutive days as of Wednesday, said Mi.
He also noted that the number of newly confirmed cases has decreased significantly since Feb. 13 in areas besides Wuhan, and the increase in the cumulative number of confirmed cases has remained flat. (source)
Of course, there’s plenty of evidence that China has toyed with the numbers all along, so it’s difficult not to take this “good news” with a grain of salt.
Particularly when hundreds of potentially infected people disembarked the Diamond Princess yesterday to make their ways home to 50 different countries via a wide variety of public transportation options.
And particularly when our own government is busily (and visibly) preparing for the potential of a massive outbreak in the United States.
We didn’t even see these kinds of preparations when we were being warned by the CDC to get ready for an Ebola outbreak back in 2014. Mercifully, we dodged the bullet on that one but it certainly wasn’t because of well-thought-out protocols and procedures. The entire thing was handled so poorly that it could have resulted in disaster. Perhaps we learned from that?
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
The Dystopian Horror of Life Under Quarantine in China
The Dystopian Horror of Life Under Quarantine in China
The coronavirus is rapidly spreading through China despite efforts to slow it down and the lengths that the Chinese government is going to appear to be nothing short of dystopian. Millions upon millions of people have been quarantined or isolated, but the spread of the virus appears not to have slowed down.
Of course, the problem is, China has been so secretive we’re left to rely on leaked videos and desperate messages from anonymous sources to find out what’s actually happening. So while I believe the stories in this article are probably true, it’s important to note that it is impossible to vet these sources thoroughly.
China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has ordered a crackdown on anyone who is caught undermining efforts to contain the virus.
He also said that officials would take aim at those who resist epidemic prevention and control efforts, including by spreading false rumors. (source)
It wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to think that someone sharing information that Mr. Xi doesn’t want out could be accused of “spreading false rumors.” Anyone leaking information from China could potentially face dire consequences – and if they aren’t punished their families might be. With this in mind, it’s no surprise those who are sharing videos with the rest of the world want to remain anonymous.
What it’s like in Wuhan
One citizen journalist, Chen Qiushi, is reporting from inside Wuhan. You can follow him on Twitter here. To see the translations, simply click on a Tweet and the option to have it translated to English is available.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Permanent Record: A Book Anyone Who Uses the Internet MUST Read
Permanent Record: A Book Anyone Who Uses the Internet MUST Read
Most of us recall the day in 2013 when the outrageous invasions into our privacy by the NSA were suddenly brought to light. Soon it was discovered that a young man named Edward Snowden was the person who had blown the whistle on the things he’d seen while working in the Intelligence Community for the National Security Agency.
The articles, while thorough, don’t show the entire gamut of just how deeply invasive the NSA actually is. Nor do they fully convey Snowden’s decision to go public.
In his recently released book, Permanent Record, he gives you insight that is too deep to be covered in newspapers.
It’s an excellent read.
The book is very well-written in a conversational style. Snowden digs deep and discusses his despair to discover how some of the programs he created were being used. He paints such a vivid picture of his angst, I felt discomfort for him. Who among us would really be able to give up everything in the attempt to right an egregious wrong?
Snowden’s job put him in a unique position to see the abuses of which most of us were blissfully unaware. Even the most paranoid among us probably didn’t fathom exactly how much information was being stored about us.
His personality shines through on the page. He was in his late 20s, in a relationship with a woman he truly loved. He was on the fast-track to success, and he was making money hand over fist. And still, the things he saw during the dark hours of his work shift in “The Tunnel” preyed on his conscience until eventually, he felt that he had to act.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
No Power, No Running Water, No Toilets: Millions of Americans Are Living in Third-World Conditions
No Power, No Running Water, No Toilets: Millions of Americans Are Living in Third-World Conditions
Scattered around the nation, there are parts of the country in which millions of Americans are living without the basic amenities that most of us take for granted.
I’m not talking about high-speed internet or frivolous things. I’m talking about electricity, flushing toilets, and clean running water.
But this isn’t a problem that only exists in one state or to one demographic. It’s happening across the nation more and more. Let’s take a look.
Millions are living without running water.
A new report says that more than 2 million Americans in West Virginia, Alabama, Texas and the Navajo Nation Reservation in the Southwest are living without clean running water or indoor plumbing. They’re drinking from polluted streams. They’re carrying buckets of the same water home for washing. They’re urinating and defecating outside with no wastewater treatment.
Race and poverty are the strongest predictors of water and sanitation access, according to the study. Native American families are 19 times more likely than white households to lack indoor plumbing, while black and Latino homes are nearly twice as likely. Meanwhile, federal funding for water infrastructure is just a small percentage of what it used to be, the authors wrote.
“Access to clean, reliable running water and safe sanitation are baseline conditions for health, prosperity, and well-being,” DigDeep CEO George McGraw and US Water Alliance CEO Radhika Fox said in a statement. “However, they remain out of reach for some of the most vulnerable people in the United States.”
The 2 million figure includes 1.4 million people with homes who lack access to hot and cold running water, as well as a sink, shower, bath or flushing toilet. (source)
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Winter is Coming: Here’s Your Vehicle Emergency Kit Checklist
Winter is Coming: Here’s Your Vehicle Emergency Kit Checklist
“Still … in this world only winter is certain.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire)
If you happen to be a Game of Thrones fan, you know the Stark Family motto: “Winter is coming.” It’s inevitable and sometimes dangerous. Many parts of the US will experience an active winter season, with everything from snow, rain, and wintery mixes in store. While winter isn’t technically here yet, the first storm of the year can sneak up on you. Now is the time to double-check your preparations and be certain that you are ready for anything, well before the first snowflake falls.
Many of us spend far more of our waking hours away from home, busy with work, school, or chauffeuring our kids to their various activities. Because of this, a vehicle emergency kit is vital. In recent winters, there were two notable situations during which a well-stocked kit would have been beneficial. During one scenario, a freak snowstorm struck the Atlanta, Georgia area. Because weather like this is such a rarity, the area was completely unprepared, officials didn’t have the experience or equipment needed to deal with it, and traffic gridlocked almost immediately. Hundreds of people were stranded as the freeway turned into a scene reminiscent of The Walking Dead, with bumper-to-bumper vehicles at a standstill. Those without food and water in their vehicles went hungry, and many people ran out of gas as they tried to keep warm. No matter how comfortable you are with winter driving, in a situation like this, you are at the mercy of others who may not be so experienced.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
25 Cozy Ways to Prep Your Home for Winter
25 Cozy Ways to Prep Your Home for Winter
As they say on Game of Thrones, “Brace yourselves. Winter is coming.”
One of the best ways to brace yourselves for the onset of cold weather, winter storms, and potential power outages is to prep your home for the season. And this is one of the nicest parts of prepping – quite a few of the cozy touches that you add to be more prepared are also delightful and decorative.
When summer begins to fade into fall, it’s the best time to begin preparing for the advent of winter weather. None of these tasks are particularly difficult, but they can be a little time-consuming. Waiting until the last minute usually means that you’ll end up fighting the crowds who have also rushed to the store or that you’ll be going without something that could have made your power outage a lot more comfortable.
25 Ways to Get Cozy
Here are a few ideas that will make you snug and safe during the cold months that lie ahead.
- Check your windows and doors. Make sure that they are in good condition and fit well. Drafts will not only make you uncomfortable but will let heat escape from the house. Now is the time to replace them if necessary.
- Reduce the draftiness of your windows. If you can’t afford to replace your windows (or if you are a renter) you can still do several things to reduce the drafts from older windows. Caulk gaps between frames and brickwork and replace any damaged panes. If you live in an older home with single pane windows, apply window insulation film to help make them more weather tight. Finally, purchase or make fabric draft stoppers to place at the bottoms of your windows.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Is Walmart Working With the Govt. to Distribute EVERYTHING When the SHTF?
Is Walmart Working With the Govt. to Distribute EVERYTHING When the SHTF?
In conspiratorial circles, it’s long been rumored that Walmarts across the country would become FEMA camps after an epic disaster. Some folks even suggested that once you were in the camp, you would not be able to leave. Sort of like those old roach motel commercials.
If you’re not familiar with it, here’s the Wikipedia link for a general overview of the FEMA camp theory. And here are 16 mindblowing facts about Walmart and its arguable quest for world domination.
While the FEMA camp theory has some holes in it, a long-time employee of Walmart contacted me to tell me about a direct link between Walmart and the government. We’ll call him Frank. (I generally hate those “unnamed source” articles, but occasionally the option to reveal a source just isn’t there.)
Some people will dismiss this article because I promised not to disclose the gentleman’s name or the store where he works. That’s totally up to you.
Now, according to what Frank told me, it looks like Walmart’s world domination plan may not have anything to do with housing people after all.
The italicized text is Frank’s own words.
The connection between Walmart and the government
So where do I start? I still work for Walmart, but I’m not sure for how much longer. I’ve been employed by them for 25+ years, but may not survive the next restructuring.
I have seen many things and have witnessed a clear connection between Walmart and the government. Remember after the tragedy of September eleventh all the Walmart TVs had the “if you see something say something” commercials playing 24-7. That’s an example of those connections I was talking about.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
SLOPPY: CDC Shuts Down Military Lab Studying Ebola, Plague, etc. Amid Fears It’s GETTING OUT Through Wastewater
SLOPPY: CDC Shuts Down Military Lab Studying Ebola, Plague, etc. Amid Fears It’s GETTING OUT Through Wastewater
We may not have to wait for a traveler from the Democratic Republic of Congo to visit the United States for an Ebola outbreak. It just might be brought to us by our own military along with the plague and other horrifying germs.
The laboratory at Fort Detrick, the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, has been sent a cease-and-desist order by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention after a second inspection showed sloppy handling of deadly germs and viruses.
The CDC inspected the military research institute in June and inspectors found several areas of concern in standard operating procedures, which are in place to protect workers in biosafety level 3 and 4 laboratories, spokeswoman Caree Vander Linden confirmed in an email Friday.
The CDC sent a cease and desist order in July.
After USAMRIID received the order from the CDC, its registration with the Federal Select Agent Program, which oversees disease-causing material use and possession, was suspended. That suspension effectively halted all biological select agents and toxin research at USAMRIID, Vander Linden said in her email. (source)
At this time “no infectious pathogens, or disease-causing material, have been found outside authorized areas.” The New York Times reports that the CDC could not provide more specific details due to “national security reasons.”
What was USMRIID doing wrong?
The laboratory, which is located in Frederick, Maryland, studies different deadly bugs for biological warfare purposes. They have failed inspection specifically by the Federal Select Agent Program, which oversees the possession, use and transfer of biological select agents and toxins that could potentially pose a severe threat to public, animal or plant health.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
