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BASIC LIST OF SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL
Posted by ManilasMan
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Monday, September 21, 2015
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Some people are saying we should prepare for at least 7 days, but the way things go after a hurricane, tornado, floods, loss of electricity and the fact that these disasters will continue and perhaps even get worse in coming years according to trends, one week is not enough. Some have said 7 years, but that seems too long so do what you can. Be sure to use the older stocked goods first and replace them with new. Otherwise you will end up with all old food you might not even want to eat. Always check canned tomatoes for spoilage, as even in the can they can spoil. Most other foods last a long time.
1. Water stored to last at least 7 days, at one gallon per day per person. (If you buy cases of l/2 litres - you can buy enough to last a couple of months) Recently, people are saying that water in plastic is toxic, so store water in glass if possible.
Homeland Security recommends 7 days for survival, but in recent years, some people don't have electricity or heat for
up to 3 weeks, so to be really safe - plan for at least 3 weeks.
2. A good canteen and basins to catch rainwater. Also have a good supply of water purification tablets or bleach, or plan to boil your water. The surest way to purify water is to boil it for 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: I have received arguments that boiling for longer than 5 minutes will just waste good water, but 15 minutes is
safer to kill Cryptospiridium.
3. Food, per person, for one year: (Divide by 12 for 1 month)
Wheat - 300 lbs.
Rice - 100 lbs.
Beans, Peas, Lentils, 50 lbs. each
Honey or Sugar - 60 lbs.
Salt - 3 lbs. (Get 6 lbs to be sure) (See below)
Cayenne Pepper - 1 large can
Herbal Seasonings
Dried Milk - 80 lbs.
Peanut Butter - 50 lbs.
Dried Fruit
Canned food, or dried (ready to mix) food
Oatmeal - 50 lbs.
Alfalfa Seeds - 10 lbs.
Sprouts (see below)
Canned Sardines, tuna, salmon
More recently, I am finding that any food that is freeze dried is the way to go of the future. Especially like black beans - with water dumped over them makes a good hamburger replacement for dinner. Freeze dried fruits make great smoothies or even a soda with one of those new Soda Streamers, but you need spare CO 2 cartridges as well.
We also like to treat ourselves to baby marshmallows. I could skip a meal with those. They keep forever in the plastic bags they come in, but put them in a closed container to keep the mice out.
If you have a baby, include formula and baby food. If you have pets, you will want food for them as well. Store food needs in waterproof containers, capable of also protecting against insects and mice. Use Steel garbage cans or plastic 5 gallon buckets. The vacuum sealed method is also very good. If you are storing nuts or oatmeal, they smell and taste bad after a while, so they will need to be rotated. For all storing of food, the rule is: use up the old and replace with the new.
Also, buy mice and rat traps and don't forget to use them.
NOTE; I recommend freezing nuts for storage.
4. Manual grain grinder
5. Medicines - Assemble a standard first aid kit, with a comprehensive first aid book. Also include things for headache, upset stomach, congestion, colds, such as Pepto Bismol, aspirin, Tylenol, Excedrin, disinfectants, prescription medicines; and anything else you use regularly. Include vitamins, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, sage tea for colds, mint tea, golden seal, brandy (good as medicine), herbal tinctures, hops, catnip (which helps you sleep), herbs for cooking, including dried garlic and onions, cayenne pepper, cumin, basil, and coriander and salt. After you've been eating rice and beans for a few days, they'll need lots of help to make them taste good. Add to this list things such as Colloid Silver, and perhaps even your own Colloid Silver maker. It isn't expensive to make your own Colloid Silver. Also don't forget sunscreen - nobody is safe in the sun long-term anymore.
Also learn about herbal medicines and if you have space, grow some of your own - most are perennials and once you get the plant growing, its yours for as long as you take care of it.
See: http://www.earthmountainview.com for suggestions on herbs and growing your own food.
6. Toothbrushes, baking soda or salt to brush with, a good supply of dental floss (which can be used for other things as well) and another items you need for good tooth care. Stay away from toothpaste that has fluoride in it or you will kill your brain over time.
7. Extra eye glasses
8. For a camp kitchen you need: camp stove with good supply of fuel (in wooded areas, all you need are rocks and a flat tin or grill), pots and pans, plates and bowls (unbreakable) (you can use Army surplus camp kits) cooking utensils, knife, forks, spoon, spatula, biodegradable dish soap, towels, bucket to carry water, dish pan, matches dipped in wax and stored in waterproof containers.
9. A good tent, sleeping bag for each person, extra blankets, sleeping pads, and ground cloth - and another waterproof tarp to cover your camp gear.
10. Clothing - Have clothing for all weather. Include a good warm coat and sweaters, hat for rain or shine, rain gear, a good pair of hiking boots that will take years to wear out, warm winter underwear, wool socks, summer socks (don't wear socks with holes in them as they cause blisters) (learn to darn socks) work gloves, hats, and whatever else you need for warmth and protection.
11. Hunting equipment. Hunting might be necessary for survival in some situations. Be prepared both with equipment and knowledge of how to use the equipment. First choice of a gun is a .22 caliber rifle. You can kill anything up to a deer with it. Purchase 500 rounds of .22 hollow point bullets. If you are not a good marksman, then get a 30-30 or 30-06 and at least 200 shells. A shotgun comes in handy for shooting things flying or running. The bow and arrow is still one of the best weapons. You will have to practice, and of course, you can never run out of shells. If you want to be unseen and unheard by unfriendly people, this would be a good idea. Also, take a compass with you.
12. Fishing equipment. - Get basic equipment. Include assorted sized hooks, fish lines, sinkers, etc. Fishing takes time, but if you are moving toward long-term survival, time is something you may have plenty of.
13. Wood stove. Get one with a secondary burn chamber. It uses less wood and creates less pollution. Get one with a flat top for cooking on.
14. Chain saw, extra gas and oil, spark plugs, chain, etc.
15. Bow saw and a tool to set the teeth with, extra blades.
16. Skill saw (for when you have electricity)
17. Axe, hatchet, files.
18. Spitting maul
19. Flashlights with extra batteries and bulbs; candles; propane, kerosene, or Coleman lantern with plenty of fuel, and extra wicks and mantles.
20. A good pocket knife and a sharpening stone.
21. Hammers, assorted nails, assorted screws, wrench set, pliers, wire cutters, screw drivers, pipe wrench, 200 feet of 1/4 inch nylon rope, duct tape.
22. Shovels, spades, hoes, and rakes with strong teeth
23. Charging system - wind, water, or solar - to pump water and provide electricity
24. Backpack - Waterproof. If you are forced to relocate, it may be all that goes with you.
25. Compass.
26. Up-to-date maps of the area you want to live in. This will show you land and water away from human habitation.
27. A 4 wheel drive vehicle with all the proper tools for maintaining it. Extra parts.
28. Tire chains for snow.
29. Radio. Have more than one. electrical and battery operated. Get a crank operated one. (See C. Crane company for this information) You'll want to know what's going on in the outside world.
30. Soap for laundry and bathing. Also learn how to make your own and have those supplies handy.
31. Natural insect repellent.
32. A mirror. You'll want to see yourself, but you can use it for signaling as well.
33. Extra toilet paper. Also keep old newspapers and telephone directories for emergencies. (Hint: if you need to use old newspaper, crinkle it up and straighten it out several times first -- it's much softer!)
34. Female needs - (Use cloth pads you can wash)
35. Baby diapers. (Use cloth you can wash) Older kids can go bare bottom when necessary. Indians used moss and grass when necessary.
36. A basic sewing kit (needles and threads)
37. Safety pins
38. Swiss Army knife
39. Bobby pins (you can work wonder with these) (They come in two sizes - have some of each)
40. Pencils and paper, maybe even a notebook for a diary.
41. Musical instruments (harmonica, flute, guitar) to lift the spirit
42. Crazy glue
43. Patch kit
In the survival sense, think warm clothing, think fleece.
Those fleece throws (the single blankets) are great gifts, roll up nice and compact and are very useful as blankets, capes, padding for sleeping on the ground, tablecloths or even hung up on a leanto to break the wind.
By the time everyone adds their ideas to your list we will all need a U-haul on the back of that 4 wheel drive vehicle. Hey not a bad idea to learn how to build your own trailer, all you need is a spare axle, couple of wheels, a hitch and some wood.
44. Lots of good books to read.
45. .22 ammunition - amount stored should be 5000 rounds, not 500. It is small, inexpensive, and can be used as barter material if need be.
46. .30-30/.30-06 - other calibers to seriously consider are the .308, .270, .243, .223, and 7.62x39. Many people, myself included can't handle the recoil of a .30-06 (and I don't like .30-30). There are more rifles chambered in the calibers I mentioned than I can list, and all are good. It all depends on what you can afford. The amount of ammo one should store should be a minimum 1000 rounds, not 200.
47. A sturdy, fixed blade hunting knife should always be include. You can find these from Buck, Gerber, SOG, Camillus, Uncle Henry, and many others. I prefer the Camillus Pilot/Survival or Marine Combat knives. These have been made under contract for the US military for about four decades and have stood the test of time. They are also inexpensive ($25 and $35 respectively) so if one is lost or happens to break, you don't get as upset as you would should your Gerber BMF ($240) bite the dust.
48. Many people, myself included, have not been able to master the use of a sharpening stone. But with the use of a sharpening kit, such as those by Lansky, we can bring up a very sharp edge on our knives. Great for use on kitchen cutlery as well.
49. A pocket tool, such as those by Leatherman, Gerber, SOG, et al, are much more versatile than the Swiss Army Knife and their prices are comparable to the more expensive Swiss Army Knives. In the meantime, I will hang on to my SAK until I can afford a Leatherman Super Tool. (I still have a house to run.)
50. 200' to 500' of 550# test Paracord is a great addition to your supplies, especially when the 1/4" nylon cord/rope is too thick or not the right tool for the job.
51. Boiling water may be effective, but it is not the best way to purify water. Boiling removes the oxygen content and causes it to be flat. For EMERGENCY purposes only one can use un-scented household bleach to purify water, but you should use only 1/2 teaspoon per 5 gallons of water (1 tsp should the water be cloudy). The best method is to use HTH dry chlorine (65%), which can be purchased in bulk at stores like WalMart, Target, KMart, etc. (Also a great barter item.) The amount to use is 1/4 teaspoon (0.03 ounce) per 300 gallons for a 0.5 ppm of chlorine.
Try a solar water distiller: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22Solar+distiller%22&btnG=Search
Water Wiser Solar Stills
Passive solar distillation is an inexpensive, low-tech alternative for pure drinking ... Build a Solar Water Heater: An Intregal Passive Solar Water Heater ...
www.motherearthnews.com/.../Passive-Solar-Distillation.aspx
How to make a solar water distiller | eHow.com
How to make a solar water distiller. Want to make drinkable water without a stove/fire? Here's a fun and simple solar distiller that might just come in ...
www.ehow.com
52. One can also get a complete cookset...cookpots, frying pan, coffee pot, plates, and cups...of good or better quality in the outdoor department of WalMart, Kmart, Target, etc., or a good outdoor supply store that sells camping equipment.
53. One should have two or three pairs of good hiking boots (U.S. issue combat boots are still the best and only cost $60-$80 mail order) in their closet and one dozen pair bootlaces per pair of boots (laces also come in handy for short term temporary uses, too). Should the long-term effect be much longer than anticipated, then the extra boots will be needed. Also a couple pair of good cross-trainers or running shoes would be advisable.
54.You should always have a handful of disposable lighters in addition to matches. They come in quite handy and you don't have to be a smoker to keep them on hand. They are inexpensive and take up very little room.
55. When we packed our food we used food-grade diatomaceous earth for the grains. All grain already has the eggs of insects in it - it's just the natural way. When they hatch out the diatomaceous earth either smothers them because the particles are so tiny or if the larvae is bigger or soft-skinned it dries them up.
I bake my own bread and grind my own flour. In some of the jars where we didn't use diatomaceous there is an occasional weevil and I grind it up - if folks eat animals then a bug or two shouldn't be a problem.
Diatomaceous earth is full of minerals and is a safe, non-toxic way to treat your food. You don't want to breathe it because the particles are so tiny but then, you don't want to inhale flour, either. It's real cheap, too.
We use 1/4 cup for a 5-gallon bucket of grain. We half-fill the bucket, sprinkle 1/2 the dust on, put the lid on, roll the bucket all around, take the lid off, fill the bucket with more grain to the top, add the rest of the dust, roll it around and you're done. You can do it in smaller batches, too. In gallon jars and then pour it into the bucket.
An added step would be to re-open and add a small piece of dry ice to the top. (I like to put it on a piece of broken pottery to keep it from "burning" the grain.) Let the lid rest on top while the dry ice sublimates into gaseous carbon dioxide and displaces bug-breathable air. Then seal tightly.
ALSO: ..I suggest sealing your bags, boxes etc. to keep from getting damp, then freezing them for 3 days..it kills the eggs. I have done this with everything I buy..it works. I have used rice, flour, etc. that is months old (re-stocking as I use). I'm sure it will work for animal feed as well.
You can also drop a couple of Bay leaves in since most bugs hate. Bay leaves are good to use in almost any food storage situation
Another good storage trick for grains and legumes is to use oxygen absorber packs that can be purchased wherever food storage supplies are sold. No oxygen = no living things, and no oxidation of the contents or the container.
To avoid 6 legged critters, vacuum seal your food (see Tilia Foodsaver) and store in 5 gallon plastic buckets with the snap on lids. Or, store food directly in the 5 gallon buckets and pay to have the buckets nitrogen injected. Costs a couple of bucks a bucket. Either of these methods will kill existing critters and prevent future contamination.
Second to vacuum sealing, you can use zip-lock bags. Fill the bag, lower it into a sink full of water until the water is just to the zip- lock. Seal the bag. Remove and dry the bag off. The water pressure pushes a lot of the extraneous gases (air) out of the bag.
Rats can, but won't gnaw into the 5 gallon buckets unless they have a reason to, like the odor of of something yummy on the other side. Properly sealed, a 5 gallon buckets should be odorless.
Rats require 3 things to survive, food, water and shelter. Remove any one of these three things and the rat population disappears.
I have used boric acid effectively for years to keep away roaches, along with Roach Prufe. The last place I was in had ants before I brought in food. One place I had and didn't prepare very many meals, had neither roaches nor ants, but I brought in weevils from the store, and they ate everything resembling a carbohydrate.
56. MAKING DO: . Stock up on kids clothing from the 2nd hand stores, jeans, sweats, warm winter clothing, and if you can't get to a store for any reason, you should have plain white/beige muslin cloth to make longs skirts & shirts once your regular clothing is gone.....but then we will also need to learn how to make clothing out of sheep's wool and grasses. You can make strong sandals out of tires so keep a few around and learning to work leather is a good idea too. There are great leather catalogs you can send for and check them out. Get a couple of old bikes too. Also get extra tubes & stuff to fix them with. Also pick up a few "fake" furs at the used clothing stores to use for covering. Or get real fur, but probably will cost more. You can get wool blankets at the Am Vets & Goodwill stores.
57. RAISING YOUR OWN CHICKENS:
Here's a great idea for your meat chickens. You might want to consider feeding your chickens nothing but sprouted wheat if you don't free-range your birds. However, free-ranged chickens and their eggs are healthier to eat. Buy wheat and soak it in a bucket of water overnight. Drain off the water (give it to the chickens) and let the bucket sit for 3 or 4 days. Rinse the wheat twice a day. Once the little root pokes out it can be fed to the chickens and will have so much more vibrational energy (or spark of life) and nutrition than the unsprouted wheat kernel had.
Chickens fed only on unsprouted wheat will dress out to about 8 to 9 pounds each--this sounds incredible but it's really true. If you are going to raise chickens for meat it would be interesting to try this method. Chickens fed the regular way average 5 to 6 pounds on average.
The sad truth is that store-bought chicken is mushy and tasteless and of course, you get all the hormones and chemicals the chicken ate. When you taste your first home-raised chicken meat you will be in awe. Chickens raised on the sprouted wheat taste even better.
These days, anything you can get that is organic is healthier than anything you buy in a grocery store. Buying at local farm markets is preferable. Always ask if the food is organic before buying.
Even if you don't eat your chickens this idea can be considered for the "after time" when perhaps you might be scrambling for something nutritious to feed your birds.
58. MONEY? What good will money be? Greenback are usually the first thing to become worthless in a sinking society. Gold, silver and gems are what are needed after the governments all collapse.
59 - SALT:
Salt is scarce in wet climates away from the ocean. The only natural source in such places is mineral springs. Vegetarian animals need salt and animals like deer and elk and mountain goats will go to a lot of trouble to get it. Porcupines need even more sodium than most in order to survive all the excess potassium they get from eating pine bark.
Thus, to find salt in the wilderness, find out where the animals get it. I once found what seemed to be too many deer trails in a certain area of forest, and after exploring a bit found that they all converged on a mineral spring. This particular spring was not shown on any geological survey map and was pretty much trampled into a mud-wallow by the deer and elk, but in a pinch a person could dig it out and get salty water. Note it is also a good place to get deer and elk, and maybe indian arrow-heads. Of course some mineral springs have poisonous amounts of minerals like arsenic in them too, so you're taking a bit of a gamble with any non-tested mineral water.
60. SPROUTS - Don't overlook sprouting as a great source of food in time to come.
For families with financial constraints buying even very large amounts of seeds to sprout is affordable. You can live entirely on sprouts.
The seeds stay viable for many years and are packed with nutrition and living, vibrating energy for your body. This is a "living" food vs. a dead food. If you have little storage space and few dollars you may want to learn more about sprouting.
Practice now, making and using sprouts. You can do it simply: for alfalfa sprouts (the most common) just use a tablespoon of seeds, soak them in some water in a jar over night. The next day pour off the water. The health food stores have a 3- piece lid kit to screw onto any wide-mouth canning jar. After you pour off the water invert the jar on an angle upside down (I use a little dish to set it in). Rinse those same sprouts twice a day, morning and night. They don't need the sun to sprout.
After 2 or 3 days they will have all sprouted and you can set the jar in a sunny window if you wish to "green" them up for use in salads or eat out of hand. We always drink the rinse water because it's packed with vitamins and minerals. Or use this water to water your plants. Or for your pet's water.
Walton's has a sprout variety pack that's already vacuum packed and has lots of different kinds of sprout seeds. We bought ours back in 1997 and they are still sprouting great.
Some of the bigger seeds will make really big, long sprouts. They taste the best when eaten young, though. Older sprouts tend to taste somewhat bitter. A sprout can actually be eaten anytime the tiny little root appears. We usually wait a few days, though.
It will be fun to learn about sprouts and a great comfort again, if folks want very much to prepare but don't have a lot of money.
61. CONTAINERS - You can get 5 gal. sturdy plastic containers at the bakery shops as well as smaller sizes. Fill EACH one with things such as Medical supplies, clothing, food, ammo, survival books, reading books, Classic books, tools, etc....and don't forget all the family pictures. There is a process where you can put a picture on a piece of metal & it will last for hundreds of years.
62 - more ideas from a reader:
Regarding water: chlorine treatments do not kill Cryptosporidium oocysts. the best way to rid water of these is boiling. Some say 5 minutes, but bringing water to a rolling boil should be enough to kill any organisms in it. Better to live on water with "less oxygen" (which can be re-added by shaking a half-full jug of water for a few minutes) than suffer the effects of an infection.
Also, if you have squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, or other small, rat sized mammals, a few rat traps could prove invaluable. They are more effective that a dead fall trap, and much lighter (and squirrel with barbecue sauce is dang tasty). Peanut butter is the perfect bait. Also, a high power pellet gun is fairly silent, and will be effective on creatures up to small dogs (when you get hungry they start looking tasty) also works as a deterrent for larger dogs (expect packs of wild dogs in really bad times). Ammo is cheaper even than .22 rounds. Find out about tularemia and bubonic plague (still exists in many parts of North America, especially on small rodents) and how to protect yourself from them. Remember the best way to extract maximum calories from meat, and ensure that it is safe to eat is to boil the heck out of it, split the bones and boil them too, eat the marrow, brains, heart and liver (kidneys are your option: not worth the trouble on smaller animals). As such, expect soup to be your best friend when times are tough.
A few cheap plastic tarps can be invaluable They can serve as makeshift tents, floors, ponchos, camouflage (if they are the right color; can be achieved with spray paint), rain catchers, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum, ad nauseum, ad absurditum.
First aid: expect medical services to be limited in very bad times. learn the basics of first aid, long term wound care, and as much general medicine as possible now. An extensive first aid kit (see the STOMP portable hospital at www.cheaperthandirt.com as an example) including many bandages (sturdy cloth is best, they can be boiled and reused if necessary) and perhaps some powdered antibiotics, such as tetracycline and erythromycin (in an emergency fish or livestock antibiotics could be used, learn the indications, contraindications and dosages well or you might kill yourself dosages for humans are the equivalent for pigs).
Lastly, remember that if you are planning on traveling somewhere, others will either be there already, or also traveling there (expect mass migrations in rough times). figure out ahead of time how you would like to interact with them (and expect tensions to be high when resources are scarce).
Even more lastly, as the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy says: "don't panic." Keep your wits about you and think creatively, and you will survive.
Hello, my name is Brett, from Rochester, Michigan. Great page love everything I read so far. I would like to add some tips for your readers...
Electrical and silver bearing solder and a good awl paired with any flame is great for repairs on watches, eye glasses, hunting and fishing gear, obviously electronics. Also good for making fishing weights and lures themselves (poured over a bare hook/bobby pin & shaped by tool or stone, polished with blue jeans or wool)
9 volt batterys kept in individual waterproof bags, a dozen at least. Accompanied by (not stored together) steel wool will light fires on the wettest of days. Also a few sterno petroleum jelly fuel cans are great for fire starting, not the whole can at once but just a 1/2 tsp will light a good fire in wind and rain.
Also safety gear, such as shin, knee, elbow pads and a good rafting/skateboard/bike helmet is great for doing anything dangerous or rugged (forest gathering, hunting, exploring) safety glasses are cheap $3- or less per pair. And save your most precious of senses. Life jackets are good knee savers when working/planting near the ground. Good for makeshift Pillows and seat cushions.
Bottle caps (metal) are great tools and have 100s of useful uses from fishing lures to de-scaling fish, cleaning, digging, place in chicken areas like lots of little bowls and will collect rain/dew for birds. Think bowl shaped bobby pins.
I save anything that resembles a tool or simple machine. Also old electrical appliance cords, great copper in side, makes great binding rope. Conducting agent, individual wire can be used for sewing/emergency suture.
ADDED IDEAS FOR FIRE STARTING:
Having matches and lighters are Prepper 101. But what if they get wet? Store strike anywhere matches in a Mason Jar with a sand-paper lid. Opt to not cut a hole in the top (for easy dispense of matches) to keep matches dry. Add a lighter or two inside as well.
So now we have matches but what about a fire starter. Kids need warmth you know. And we need to cook! Take a Ziplock Freezer Bag (they are the strongest), fill with a bunch of cotton balls and a canister of Vaseline (throw in some extra folded freezer bags ~ they will come in use over and over). Fluff open your cotton ball, dab on a bit of Vaseline and it's a sure-fire fire starter. While you're at it pop some Chap-stick into the bag which works just like the Vaseline and great for kiddo's chapped lips.
Good quality trash bags can save the day for your kiddo's. Ponchos, sleeping bags, a water container, even a mattress if stuffed with leaves. For more ideas see the source listed above.
Scared kid's need light. Maybe all night long. Keep a few can's of Crisco handy as well as some wicks for an 'Everlasting Candle.'
Leave it to Martha Stewart to come up with a stylish and practical way to store seeds for your garden. Sure the stuff in the #10 cans are good, but don't you want something fresh? Simply add a couple tablespoons of untreated cat litter to a few layers of tulle and make a moisture-absorbing sachet to keep your seeds lasting for years.
But stocking up on Bounce is smart for a whole other reason. Mosquito's. Bounce Dryer Sheets when rubbed on the skin or even hanging out your little one's pocket will deter mosquito's. And if we're really using them in a bad situation I for one don't want those nasty things sucking on my kid's after landing on who-knows-what kinda dead animal. Don't settle for the off brands, Bounce is the strongest and the other's are reported to not work!
Vodka. Yep. And not so you can drink and be merry but for many other reasons that a Prepper Mom should know. Vodka can be used as a wasp killer, to make refreezable ice packs, lower a fever and disinfect blisters, cure an ear infection and stop a poison oak rash...just to name a few. An Honorable Mention use is for bartering purposes. You might need to trade a 1/5 of vodka for some diapers, ya never know!
THE LATEST READER SUGGESTIONS WERE:
A COMPLETE SEWING KIT WITH MANY TYPES OF NEEDLES, THREAD AND WIRE YOU CAN SEW WITH.
SEVERAL ROLLS OF DUCT TAPE, ELECTRICAL TAPE, WRAPPING TAPE
Magnifying glass - for starting fires. Works quick as long as tinder is small (crunched up leaves, shaved wood. etc.) I can have a fire going in 30-45 seconds on a bright day. Will save matches. It could also serve as help if someone would need stitched up from an accident, splinters, etc.
You mention tarps which is great. I also have a roll of clear plastic from Lowes (any building supply) that is 24" x 100' and when unfolded is 12' wide. Would be good for cutting into sections for rain water catching plus could provide (cur correctly) rain proof ponchos.
The most important thing to sustain life is water. A Berkey water filter shhould be added to your supplies. Also a couple of the inexpensive UV light purifiers. Stocking up on the 5 gallon water storage containers that can be moved much easier than a barrel.
NOTE: A brand new cabinet for water storage is near the top of the page at http://www.greatdreams.com/survival.htm You can build it easily yourself.
Bathtub water bladder for an emergency also.
NOTE: What surprised me when I looked up magnifying glass on my own website, I found a spirit message that said: "There will be no sun". yikes!
SPIRIT MESSAGE 15 - THE TUNING
www.greatdreams.com/spirit_message15.htm
Apr 19, 2002 – Some will think they can use a magnifying glass to start a fire. I beg to differ. There will be no sun when the earth is covered with thick clouds for ...
ANOTHER LITTLE NOTE: IF YOU ARE KEEPING RECORDS ON YOUR COMPUTER: DON'T KEEP IT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET, BECAUSE THE WINDOWS PROGRAM CAN WIPE YOU OUT IN SECONDS BEFORE YOU EVEN KNOW IT. AND HACKERS CAN ALSO GET INTO IT. KEEP YOUR RECORDS DISCONNECTED FROM THE INTERNET.
Syria adamant demands that Israel surrender the Golan Heights!
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Isaiah 17: Destruction of Damascus
In the last days, the Bible tells us of a horrible series of events that will take place in the lands of Israel and Syria. One of these events is the disappearance of Damascus as one of the premiere cities in the world. The oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet, Damascus has witnessed at least 5,000 years of human history, and some historians believe the city actually dates back to the seventh millennium BC. In fact, Paul was on the road to Damascus when Christ first appeared to Him, an event that transformed not only his life, but the course of human history.
In the very near future, Damascus will once again play a major role in human events. The prophet Isaiah provides us with God’s commentary on a future conflict between Damascus and Israel, and in so doing, he reveals certain prophecies which have been partially fulfilled in the past. However, the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah 17 remains in the future. The current existence of Damascus, which will one day cease to be a city, as well as the historical absence of the coalition of nations prophesied to attack Israel and be destroyed by God, is proof that Isaiah 17 prophesies events yet future.
This is what God revealed to the prophet Isaiah:
“This message came to me concerning Damascus: ‘Look, Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted. Sheep will graze in the streets and lie down unafraid. There will be no one to chase them away. The fortified cities of Israel will also be destroyed, and the power of Damascus will end. The few left in Aram will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 17:1-3 (NLT)
These opening verses paint a bleak picture. The city of Damascus will become a heap of ruins, utterly destroyed. Few, if any, buildings will be left standing. The once great city will be devoid of human life and will become home to all manner of wildlife in the absence of humans to chase them away.
According to these verses, the cities of Aroer, which are located on the northern bank of the Arnon River just east of the Dead Sea, will also be deserted. However, the passage doesn’t say they will be destroyed in the same manner as Damascus, just that they will be deserted. It may be that people simply flee these cities out of fear.
In addition, many of the fortified cities in northern Israel will also be destroyed. Those few who remain in Aram, 38 miles south southeast of Damascus, will share the fate of these northern Israeli cities.
“‘In that day the glory of Israel will be very dim, for poverty will stalk the land. Israel will be abandoned like the grain fields in the valley of Rephaim after the harvest. Only a few of its people will be left, like the stray olives left on the tree after the harvest. Only two or three remain in the highest branches, four or five out on the tips of the limbs. Yes, Israel will be stripped bare of people,’ says the Lord, the God of Israel.” Isaiah 17:4-6 (NLT)
The breadth and scope of destruction is clearly illustrated as God describes the Israeli landscape as stripped bare of people. Only a small fraction of people either choose to stay in the land or else survive what is a massive holocaust, leaving only a few inhabitants who struggle in poverty.
“Then at last the people will think of their Creator and have respect for the Holy One of Israel. They will no longer ask their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or burn incense on the altars they built.” Isaiah 17:7-8 (NLT)
As a result of this event, the people of Israel will once again turn to God Almighty. Currently, the nation of Israel is predominantly secular in nature. Other biblical passages infer that this will change as the prophesied rebuilding of the Temple in the last days indicates a spiritual resurgence among the Jews of Israel. Nevertheless, this passage clearly indicates the people of Israel will turn away from all false idols and gods.
Knowing that this will happen, we must ask: why does it happen? The answer is found in the verses that follow:
“Their largest cities will be as deserted as overgrown thickets. They will become like the cities the Amorites abandoned when the Israelites came here so long ago. Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you – the Rock who can hide you. You may plant the finest imported grapevines, and they may grow so well that they blossom on the very morning you plant them, but you will never pick any grapes from them. Your only harvest will be a load of grief and incurable pain.” Isaiah 17:9-11 (NLT)
The devastation that overshadows Israel will come about because Israel has “turned from the God who can save them.” All the hard work performed prior to this event will be lost. Those who have been distracted by the things of this world will be disappointed, for they have forgotten God, and by putting faith in the things of this world, they will ultimately be disappointed. Their only harvest will be “a load of grief and incurable pain.” This grief will be brought to a climax when, in the midst of their suffering, the nation of Israel faces an imminent invasion:
“Look! The armies rush forward like waves thundering toward the shore. But though they roar like breakers on a beach, God will silence them. They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind or like dust whirling before a storm. In the evening Israel waits in terror, but by dawn its enemies are dead. This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God.” Isaiah 17:12-14 (NLT)
While Syria and Israel lie in ruin, the enemies of Israel will view her suffering as an opportunity to invade, their ultimate goal to destroy her forever. However, God has a different plan in mind, and He will destroy these invaders Himself. A more in depth illustration of this attack is foreseen in Psalm 83:
“O God, don’t sit idly by, silent and inactive! Don’t you hear the tumult of your enemies? Don’t you see what your arrogant enemies are doing? They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’ This was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you – these Edomites and Ishmaelites, Moabites and Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, and people from Philistia and Tyre. Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Do to them as you did to the Midianites or as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River. They were destroyed at Endor, and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil. Let their mighty nobles die as Oreb and Zeeb did. Let all their princes die like Zebah and Zalmunna, for they said, ‘Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!’ O my God, blow them away like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind! As a fire roars through a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze, chase them with your fierce storms; terrify them with your tempests. Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Make them failures in everything they do, until they learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.” Psalm 83 (NLT)
So how do we know that Psalm 83 describes the same scene envisioned in Isaiah 17? Let’s compare the two. Here’s how the intentions of Israel’s enemies are described:
Plunder & Destruction
“This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God.” Isaiah 17:14 (NLT)
Destruction
“They devise crafty schemes against your people, laying plans against your precious ones. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.’ This was their unanimous decision.” Psalm 83:3-5 (NLT)
Plunder
“for they said, ‘Let us seize for our own use these pasturelands of God!” Psalm 83:12 (NLT)
Here’s how the fate of Israel’s enemies are described:
“They will flee like chaff scattered by the wind or like dust whirling before a storm.” Isaiah 17:13 (NLT)
“O my God, blow them away like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind!” Psalm 83:13 (NLT)
From the description of their fate alone, it is reasonable to conclude that the armies of Isaiah 17:12 are the same nations who sign a treaty against the Lord in Psalm 83:5-8. Below is a list of those nations and their modern geographical equivalents:
Edomites = Jordan / Parts of the West Bank
Ishmaelites = The Arab people
Moabites = Jordan / Parts of the West Bank
Hagrites = Jordan / The Arab people
Gebalites = Lebanon
Ammonites = Jordan
Amalekites = Southern Israel / Gaza
Philistia = Gaza
Tyre = Lebanon
Assyria = Syria / Parts of Turkey and Iraq
The Descendants of Lot = Jordan
By studying the geographical history of these ancient people and places, we can uncover which nations they currently compose. According to Psalm 83, in the aftermath of the destruction of northern Israel and Damascus, Israel will be invaded by armies from Jordan, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. All of these locations are heavily populated by the enemies of Israel today.
An Expanding War?
But are the nations cited in Psalm 83 the only nations involved in this attack? It’s quite possible that additional conspirators are named in the Book of Ezekiel. Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83 might well foreshadow the war of Gog and Magog.
In Ezekiel 38-39, an enormous coalition of nations, “a vast and awesome horde” – will roll down on Israel “like a storm and cover the land like a cloud” Ezekiel 38:9 (NLT). This prophesied future war in Ezekiel has many similarities to Isaiah 17:12-14. Both prophets foresee a time when enemy armies rush toward Israel while she awaits unprepared. Both prophets foresee God’s instantaneous destruction of Israel’s enemies. And in both scenarios, the marching armies intend to plunder and destroy the people of Israel:
Destruction
“You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence!” Ezekiel 38:11 (NLT)
Plunder
“But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, ‘Who are you to rob them of silver and gold? Who are you to drive away their cattle and seize their goods and make them poor?’” Ezekiel 38:13 (NLT)
Plunder & Destruction
“This is the just reward of those who plunder and destroy the people of God.” Isaiah 17:14 (NLT)
Could the events predicted in Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83 be a catalyst for the war of Gog and Magog prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39? Although it is not a certainty, the possibility can not be completely ruled out.
Today’s Headlines
Looking at today’s geopolitical landscape, it’s not difficult to envision the scenario outlined in Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83. Syria has been adamant in its demand that Israel surrender the Golan Heights, threatening war if Israel fails to comply. Meanwhile, the summer 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah has apparently convinced leaders in Damascus that Syria can be victorious in a conflict with Israel by simply overwhelming the tiny nation with rocket attacks. From a greater perspective, it has convinced the entire Islamic world that Israel isn’t the militarily invincible nation they once thought.
Syria’s rocket technology is far more advanced than that deployed by Hezbollah, and Syria is known to possess chemical weapons, including the highly lethal VX and Sarin gases. If Syria miscalculates and attacks Israel with these weapons, the Israeli response will be swift and devastating. Israel is armed with nuclear weapons, and if its survival is put in question, it will not hesitate to use them.
If this happens, a mortally wounded Israel will become an irresistible target for her enemies. The surrounding Muslim nations will see an opportunity to destroy her, while Russia will see an opportunity to seize the upper hand in the oil rich Middle East.
Today, the most virulent enemies of Israel reside in the very places named in Psalm 83 – Hamas in Gaza, the Palestinians in the West Bank and Jordan, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Syria leadership and its Axis of Evil partners in the city of Damascus.
As of this writing, the conditions are ripe for the fulfillment of Isaiah 17 and Psalm 83, paving the way for the rapture of the church and the beginning of the tribulation. In light of such developments, we should zealously preach the Gospel of Christ to all who will listen. For the hour is late, and the return of Christ is near.
Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship between bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com
Lesson: Laziness and Lack of Critical Thinking
Posted by ManilasMan
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Sunday, September 13, 2015
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Dan Holliday, Recruiter, Traveler, Runner, CrossFitter, Philosopher & Lover of History; Bil...
When I took an American History course (shit, 10 years ago), my history professor focused an interesting amount of her time on the myths of history and how the myth itself becomes so important that we actually need to focus on the myth. As she explained it, those myths take on meaningful, relevant and important role in the development of our culture. One area of focus that garnered immediate reaction from the class —some of which was anger— was the "Edison Invented the Light Bulb" myth.
She went into great detail pointing out just how much of a massive dick-hole Edison was, how he sued people out of business, how he slandered people. He was as crooked as the day was long. One of the angry students asked her [paraphrasing as best as I can], "What business is it of yours to destroy the legends of these people? We need great historic men to respect and if people like you tear them down, then we don't have anybody to respect."
See, he made an emotional argument. He needed the myth of X to be what it was NOT because it was true, but because his idealism depended on that thing being a slogan, a rallying cry for something he felt was of greater value than "the truth". My history professor actually agreed, slightly, with him. But only slightly. She pointed out, as I frequently do, that people are lazy and people want history to be easy, approachable and quick. They want our good guys to be all good and our bad guys to be all bad.
The danger as she, and I explain to you now, is that this creates a cyclical human experience whereby the lessons of history are forgotten and we fail to use discretion as we should. Instead of freaking out when we learn the truth about a thing, we need to understand that all subject matters are nuanced, complex and not just casually approachable. Everything, every human, every company, every event is highly complex and detailed. That is why it's lazy to hold Hitler up as "all evil" and Lincoln up as "all good".
It makes us lazy. And behind that laziness and lack of critical thinking, danger almost always approaches us. It sneaks up on us before it's way too late. That, right there, is the DANGER of saying, "Monsanto is evil!"
It employs this massive human fallacy of wanting things quick and easy. "What's the one sentence solution to X?" "Doctors hate him because of this one trick!" "Lose weight by avoiding this one food!" "Get rid of inflammation and diabetes by eating this one basic superfood every day!"
Monsanto is the rallying cry for a bunch of idealist, zealots who depend on that mantra in exactly the same way religious zealots shill the holiness of their deity or theological cause. It 100% mimics the techniques of the anti-vaxers as well. They employ the exact same techniques:
Here's the truth. Once we marry ourselves to an ideal, a cause, a thing, we become completely incapable of actually critically thinking about it. We lose touch with reality. Our emotional "buy in" prevents us from being objective and honest with ourselves. We perceive attacks on the idea as an attack on ourselves. We employ all sorts of fallacies and zealotry.
Does this sound familiar? Does it remind you of the tactics religious people use? Of course it does.
Now, there are certainly some studies done that show potential for danger in certain GMO crops. But the zealot / "bias confirming" individual sees those as the most important studies, all the rest (the, LITERALLY, thousands upon thousands done all over the world) that show that GMO's are safe, don't count. They are discounted.
The stories about how evil Monsanto is are elevated to gospel. People who doubt them are attacked. People who approve of them are deemed good. But as the actual, verifiable facts show, Monsanto is just a company. It is a mixture of good and bad (and there are things I don't like that they do), but Monsanto is no more evil than Google or Facebook or Microsoft or GM or Kroger. As a human organization it does things that we might not approve of, but the massive attention it gets is bloated by uninformed, fact-denying zealots who see their cause as righteous and any "white lie" told to destroy Monsanto is ultimately good and just.
Now, does this imply the opposite (that Monsanto is good, great or amazing)? No. We do not do "false dilemma fallacies". This only means that the "Monsanto is evil" claims are unsubstantiated. It means that we leave Monsanto in the very critical realm where skeptics leave things: neutrality. There is now a Social Meme that has taken on a life of its own ("Edison invented the light bulb", "Paul Revere rode!"; "Columbus was a great man!"), and to tear it down means incurring wrath. Monsanto might be evil, that's 100% possible, but it remains unproven and wholly unsubstantiated by empirical, original source (not propaganda) materials we have to examine.
But that's not enough. This mantra prevents the zealot from admitting that they were wrong. Like with anti-vaxers, is so humiliating, that the The Backfire Effect and Confirmation Bias further reinforces those beliefs more strongly to assuage the shame and buttress the idealism. It is a new religion and to oppose it means personal, profound attacks. As a skeptic, I reject all idealism that cannot be substantiated by strong evidence. Anti-Monsanto people may not be chopping heads off in the desert, but they're employing the same formulaic mental mechanisms that not only permit that vile behavior, but in the end, permit all sorts of human horrors.
Being a skeptic is hard. It means that EVERYTHING is doubted. Every cause. Every idea is inspected. And when an uncomfortable truth comes out, they take the unpopular stance, because the truth matters more than idealism. But that's hard and, in fact, far too hard for most people on Earth. We all need a religion, apparently, and those who find the older ones distasteful have seemingly latched on to this bullshit as a perfect substitute.
And this whole thing. . . right now, comes to you from me: the guy who wrote 15 answers here on Quora on how evil Monsanto was. I deleted every one of them one year ago (this month, 2015-February) because of a challenge (by Ryan Carlyle) that was posted to me and I post it to you: using ONLY original source, scientific and empirical evidence that is filtered to you through not ONE propaganda website, find anything to substantiate that Monsanto meets an acceptable standard of "evil". If you standard of "evil" is "capitalism" or "makes general mistakes that all companies do." Then so be it. Then all companies are evil.
But if your standard is pragmatic, then you will quickly conclude thatMonsanto is not shown to be evil (though, ALL auto manufacturers might well be -- but that discussion is for another time). BUT IT STILLCOULD BE. We may get strong evidence that proves me wrong and shows Monsanto is evil. But that strong evidence doesn't exist. Monsanto remains in that neutral territory where we watch their behaviors with unwavering criticism. (They're a company after all! They deserve the scrutiny of all of us)
I also submit to you (and openly taunt you and challenge you) do the same thing I did. Most people are married to their slogans and cannot let them go. It's too painful. It's too hard. It hurts to say publicly, "I was totally wrong. Everything I believe is suspect and subject to change at any time." Their social circles are built around those ideals. So even when the zealot finds out they are wrong, they still cling, because it means abandoning too many of the ancillary things that are important to them. If you're a skeptic, then spend ONE MONTH truly arguing against your cause.
But you won't. Not one person anywhere has taken me up on this challenge: using only court documents and original source materials, find evidence that Monsanto is evil. And no, Wikipedia doesn't count.
She went into great detail pointing out just how much of a massive dick-hole Edison was, how he sued people out of business, how he slandered people. He was as crooked as the day was long. One of the angry students asked her [paraphrasing as best as I can], "What business is it of yours to destroy the legends of these people? We need great historic men to respect and if people like you tear them down, then we don't have anybody to respect."
See, he made an emotional argument. He needed the myth of X to be what it was NOT because it was true, but because his idealism depended on that thing being a slogan, a rallying cry for something he felt was of greater value than "the truth". My history professor actually agreed, slightly, with him. But only slightly. She pointed out, as I frequently do, that people are lazy and people want history to be easy, approachable and quick. They want our good guys to be all good and our bad guys to be all bad.
The danger as she, and I explain to you now, is that this creates a cyclical human experience whereby the lessons of history are forgotten and we fail to use discretion as we should. Instead of freaking out when we learn the truth about a thing, we need to understand that all subject matters are nuanced, complex and not just casually approachable. Everything, every human, every company, every event is highly complex and detailed. That is why it's lazy to hold Hitler up as "all evil" and Lincoln up as "all good".
It makes us lazy. And behind that laziness and lack of critical thinking, danger almost always approaches us. It sneaks up on us before it's way too late. That, right there, is the DANGER of saying, "Monsanto is evil!"
It employs this massive human fallacy of wanting things quick and easy. "What's the one sentence solution to X?" "Doctors hate him because of this one trick!" "Lose weight by avoiding this one food!" "Get rid of inflammation and diabetes by eating this one basic superfood every day!"
Monsanto is the rallying cry for a bunch of idealist, zealots who depend on that mantra in exactly the same way religious zealots shill the holiness of their deity or theological cause. It 100% mimics the techniques of the anti-vaxers as well. They employ the exact same techniques:
- Slogans: "GMO is evil!" "GMO is killing us!"
- Unsubstantiated assertions: "Do you know that Indians have been committing suicide because of GMO crops!"
- Ad Hominem attacks: "You're obviously too stupid to see the evidence!"
- Straw man arguments: "What? Are you working for Monsanto? Are they paying you to say this?"
- Hot buttoning: "Monsanto is evil and you're defending this evil company!"
- Hysteria / Hyperbole: "Fine. You're going to die and all the biodiversity is going to be destroyed by this GMO business!"
- Outright lying: "Monsanto has sued farmers out of existence for false reasons!"
- Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc: "Well, ever since we started using GMO, [insert bad thing here] has been on the rise!"
- Cherry Picking: "Monsanto has sued farmers for X." (never explaining the full legal details)
- Confirmation Bias: "I read on XYZ website how people who eat GMOs are complaining about X diseases now.¨
- Anecdotal evidence: "My friend/cousin was sued by Monsanto." Or, "Since I switched to all organic, I feel better."
Here's the truth. Once we marry ourselves to an ideal, a cause, a thing, we become completely incapable of actually critically thinking about it. We lose touch with reality. Our emotional "buy in" prevents us from being objective and honest with ourselves. We perceive attacks on the idea as an attack on ourselves. We employ all sorts of fallacies and zealotry.
Does this sound familiar? Does it remind you of the tactics religious people use? Of course it does.
Now, there are certainly some studies done that show potential for danger in certain GMO crops. But the zealot / "bias confirming" individual sees those as the most important studies, all the rest (the, LITERALLY, thousands upon thousands done all over the world) that show that GMO's are safe, don't count. They are discounted.
The stories about how evil Monsanto is are elevated to gospel. People who doubt them are attacked. People who approve of them are deemed good. But as the actual, verifiable facts show, Monsanto is just a company. It is a mixture of good and bad (and there are things I don't like that they do), but Monsanto is no more evil than Google or Facebook or Microsoft or GM or Kroger. As a human organization it does things that we might not approve of, but the massive attention it gets is bloated by uninformed, fact-denying zealots who see their cause as righteous and any "white lie" told to destroy Monsanto is ultimately good and just.
Now, does this imply the opposite (that Monsanto is good, great or amazing)? No. We do not do "false dilemma fallacies". This only means that the "Monsanto is evil" claims are unsubstantiated. It means that we leave Monsanto in the very critical realm where skeptics leave things: neutrality. There is now a Social Meme that has taken on a life of its own ("Edison invented the light bulb", "Paul Revere rode!"; "Columbus was a great man!"), and to tear it down means incurring wrath. Monsanto might be evil, that's 100% possible, but it remains unproven and wholly unsubstantiated by empirical, original source (not propaganda) materials we have to examine.
But that's not enough. This mantra prevents the zealot from admitting that they were wrong. Like with anti-vaxers, is so humiliating, that the The Backfire Effect and Confirmation Bias further reinforces those beliefs more strongly to assuage the shame and buttress the idealism. It is a new religion and to oppose it means personal, profound attacks. As a skeptic, I reject all idealism that cannot be substantiated by strong evidence. Anti-Monsanto people may not be chopping heads off in the desert, but they're employing the same formulaic mental mechanisms that not only permit that vile behavior, but in the end, permit all sorts of human horrors.
Being a skeptic is hard. It means that EVERYTHING is doubted. Every cause. Every idea is inspected. And when an uncomfortable truth comes out, they take the unpopular stance, because the truth matters more than idealism. But that's hard and, in fact, far too hard for most people on Earth. We all need a religion, apparently, and those who find the older ones distasteful have seemingly latched on to this bullshit as a perfect substitute.
And this whole thing. . . right now, comes to you from me: the guy who wrote 15 answers here on Quora on how evil Monsanto was. I deleted every one of them one year ago (this month, 2015-February) because of a challenge (by Ryan Carlyle) that was posted to me and I post it to you: using ONLY original source, scientific and empirical evidence that is filtered to you through not ONE propaganda website, find anything to substantiate that Monsanto meets an acceptable standard of "evil". If you standard of "evil" is "capitalism" or "makes general mistakes that all companies do." Then so be it. Then all companies are evil.
But if your standard is pragmatic, then you will quickly conclude thatMonsanto is not shown to be evil (though, ALL auto manufacturers might well be -- but that discussion is for another time). BUT IT STILLCOULD BE. We may get strong evidence that proves me wrong and shows Monsanto is evil. But that strong evidence doesn't exist. Monsanto remains in that neutral territory where we watch their behaviors with unwavering criticism. (They're a company after all! They deserve the scrutiny of all of us)
I also submit to you (and openly taunt you and challenge you) do the same thing I did. Most people are married to their slogans and cannot let them go. It's too painful. It's too hard. It hurts to say publicly, "I was totally wrong. Everything I believe is suspect and subject to change at any time." Their social circles are built around those ideals. So even when the zealot finds out they are wrong, they still cling, because it means abandoning too many of the ancillary things that are important to them. If you're a skeptic, then spend ONE MONTH truly arguing against your cause.
But you won't. Not one person anywhere has taken me up on this challenge: using only court documents and original source materials, find evidence that Monsanto is evil. And no, Wikipedia doesn't count.
