C.A. Rudolph's Blog, page 2

Divided We Stand: Book 4 of the What's Left of My World Series

I know I'm running late on this one. I didn't post the cover reveal (here it is, by the way) and I didn' t post the pre-order when I should've. So, here's both. :)Kindle Pre-order for Book 4 is now up for grabs. Click here: https://amzn.to/2rgPkS4Back cover blurb:The decision to splinter backfires.When Lauren and the others leave the safety of the valley in search of supplies and aid, they’re trapped, captured, and tortured. Escape seems impossible…if they’re to survive, it will be only be by rescue, and not without blood on their hands and tears in their eyes.Could you watch one of your own be beaten?The group’s captors are coldblooded and ruthless, and they senselessly brutalize without pity. Despite Lauren’s bravery in the face of insuperable odds, she finds herself heartbroken. Can she still find the will to keep fighting?A friend from the past shows his face.After seeing him, Lauren knows what’s about to happen, and her captors are about to find out, as well. Payback awaits on the horizon.They stood together. Can they do the same while divided?Until now, the community had lived and fought valiantly shoulder to shoulder, in peace amongst themselves,But now, in Divided We Stand, new alliances have developed, confidants from years past have resurfaced, and new leaders emerge. With so many absent, and others now stricken with illness, a dangerous vacuum has materialized. Unless they can pull themselves back together, the valley will be more vulnerable and susceptible to attack than ever before.Can citizen defenders of a country in ruin learn to stand on their own again? Find out in the fourth book of this post-apocalyptic thriller packed with action & adventure.

FREE Audiobook! Audible's 30-Day Trial

I've been asked about this a few times recently, so here's a quick post concerning Audible's 30-day Trial Membership and the free Audiobook that comes along with it.How does it work? (Click any one of the cover images to see - unless you're already an Audible member...the link only works if you're not logged in)1) It costs you nothing unless you decide to stay. (which you should most definitely do)2) You get a free audiobook of your choice when you join.3) When you become a new Audible Listen...

Audible's 30-Day Trial and a Free Audiobook to get you started

I've been asked about this a few times recently, so here's a quick post concerning Audible's 30-day Trial Membership.How does it work? (Click any one of the cover images to see - unless you're already an Audible member...the link only works if you're not logged in)1) It costs you nothing unless you decide to stay. (which you should most definitely do)2) You get a free audiobook of your choice when you join.3) When you become a new Audible Listener, it pays the author and the narrator of your chosen free audiobook a "bounty" payment.It's a win-win-win for all parties involved. You pay nothing up front, get an audiobook to listen to, and you support your favorite authors and narrators in the process. And, since we love you for it, we keep writing and producing more books and audiobooks for you and others like you.

Enter the DD12: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction's "Dirty Dozen" Authors

Ever get picked last in gym class?Okay. Maybe you didn't. But I did. All the damn time. And it wasn't because I was ugly or wore stupid no-name-brand clothes or couldn't see for shit. It was because I sucked at sports. I still do, actually. Except for 8 ball. I can still sink those, on occasion.Just before Christmas, I was approached by author L.L. Akers to be a part of this semi-exclusive, semi-reclusive clan of ruthless authors of the apocalypse, who now call themselves the DD12 - The Dirty Dozen Post-Apoc Army. It was the end of the beginning for me. I was flattered to get the invite. Until I found out I was #12. Then, I was hurt. But I got over it quickly. We have big plans for our readers. HUGE plans.We're not Skull and Bones, or some other secret society of lunatics bidding for the ownership of the universe and rule over the planet.And we have no intention of cornering the market or tarnishing the images of other great PA authors out there. That's not our style, and I don't give a damn what you hear or what's rumored. We're just a group of some fully self-published, some hybrid authors attempting to do what's best for ourselves and for the genre overall. And we don't plan on quitting any time soon. We even took a blood oath.The team? None other than:Angery American - a name that needs no introduction. Best-selling author of the Going HomeseriesG. Michael Hopf - a USMC veteran and best-selling author of The EndBoyd Craven - lunatic and author of over thirty books. Best-selling author of The World Burns seriesSteve Konkoly - USA Today Best-selling thriller author (and all-around nice guy)Steve Bird - farmer, pilot and author of The New Homefront seriesTom Abrahams - proud Texan and best-selling author of The Traveller seriesFranklin Horton - best-selling author of The Borrowed World seriesL.L. Akers - the brains behind the blonde - author of the SHTF series and the only REAL prepper in the DD12. (well, maybe besides A. American)Chris Pike - another proud Texan, the only true lady of the group, and author of the EMP Survivor seriesMike Sheridan - my Irish brother from another mother, and author of the No Direction Home seriesand me, C.A. Rudolph - best selling author of What's Left of My World, blogger, friend, faithful companion, husband, father, and lover of all things that go pew pew pew.And yes, we do bite. We have a mailing list here: https://www.subscribepage.com/x0u9c4Join it, and you're guaranteed to be entered to win our monthly DD12 Box - chock full of at least twelve items related to survival, prepping, or whatever else we decide to punish you with. It's free, costs nothing. Just join. You can even pretend to participate. We won't notice. But it's more fun if you do.Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DD12armyTwitter here: https://twitter.com/DD12armyI'll be posting more about this and adding a page on the website specific to our group, books and other endeavors before long. Stay vigilant.

Audiobook. Live. Get it now.

You heard me right. The much-anticipated audiobook for We Won't Go Quietly is LIVE. Well, almost anyway...iTunes might be a little behind. But it's coming.Grab yours now on Amazon or Audible. Enjoy the listen. I know I did.

Off Grid Communications For When SHTF

For many folks living the preparedness lifestyle, prepping came first, and an interest in emergency communications came later on down the road; perhaps after perfecting their prepper pantries, building their bug-out bags, creating the best long-term food storage plan, or purchasing a million rounds of ammunition for each caliber of weapon they own.Now, there's nothing wrong with any of those things or deciding upon any particular route, and there's no perfect strategy, either - no ultimate rule book on how to properly prep. Ask one person, they'll tell you how to do it the right way according to them. Ask another, they'll tell you a different way while explaining how the previous advice you received was stupid and foolish and will most likely get you killed.To each their own. For this lover of the outdoors/firearm toter/survivalist turned author, communications came first. While I've pretty much spent half my life outside and had a gun in my hand since my single-digit years, I didn't really get into prepping until I became an amateur radio operator.My love for radio communications began in early childhoodwhen my brother and I got our first set of Radio Shack walkie-talkies for Christmas. See below and allow nostalgia to work its magic.That's right. The radios with the goofy 'rubber duck' antennas (a metal spring surrounded by rubber) and International Morse Code embossed on the front plastic - with a convenient keyer for those of us savvy enough to send and receive at the age of 10 or 11. Well, I wasn't one of them, but it was a fun way to annoy anyone else on the other end.The radios operated on 49.860mhz - the same frequency used for remote controlled toys, cordless phones, garage doors, doorbells, and other wireless items hitting the markets. They had very cheaply made receivers, and at times it was possible to hear truckers talking on the citizens band (over 20mhz away) and anytime someone nearby wanted to race their remote toys, it was impossible to use them. They were far from robust and our hard use easily destroyed several sets of them, and I didn't mind, either. Mom and Dad would just buy us another pair for around $20.After going through several sets of walkie-talkies, I found my way into CB radio - the venerable Citizens Band. Forty channels of amplitude modulated unpoliced craziness. At 5 watts of legal output, the range increased substantially, especially if operating with an external antenna on a base station like the one my father owned and eventually gave to me - a Royce 619.Even today, citizens band has its place. It's been around for decades and it's well established. Truckers and road travellers use it daily. Many police and fire departments still have them and you can buy amazing radios for the band nowadays at truck stops. Channel 9 is and has been the most well-known radio emergency channel; aside from maybe the Marine band's channel 16. Movies have been made where CB radio was the only means of communication - from Smokey and the Bandit to Die Hard. And what about the most popular channel ever to exist in radio to date? Channel 19. The highway channel. The trucker channel. If you own a CB, you keep it on 19 until you turn it off or switch channels to chat with someone. FCC rules exist, but no one seems to care on the citizens band. You can get away with practically anything, from cursing to gambling to running illegal amplifiers with thousands of watts of power in order to 'skip' your signal halfway across the globe when propagation allows. I remember the first time I talked to a guy in Jackson, Mississippi who called himself "Moondog." Oh yes, I forgot to mention, everyone on CB identifies with a 'handle'. When I was younger, mine was "Black Dragon," a nickname I picked up due to my love for all things ninja. Later on, I became "Nightcrawler," for no real reason.My first set of CB walkie-talkies, also purchased from Radio Shack, were hand-held bricks with six-foot-long center-loaded telescoping antennas. See below:They ran on eight AA Alkaline batteries with two 'dummy batteries, or ten 1.2 volt rechargeables, and each one weighed about three pounds. They even had a strap on the back to slide your hand into to better grip them, and from what I remember, when plugged into a wall adapter, the lights would dim in my bedroom when I keyed up.The Amateur Radio Transition9/11, and the subsequent loss of normal and public service communications caused one of the largest influxes of ham radio applications in history. Something bad happened. A terrorist attack. And the one thing people relied every day failed them - their ability to call or text someone. Who was there to fill in the gaps? Amateur radio operators. As such, thousands of people from all over started studying to get their licenses, and I was one of them. It was unprecedented. And, in December of that same year, I became a licensed ham after spending a few weeks studying for the exam. Actually, all I did was purchase the study guide from Radio Shack and memorize the question pool, but whatever. The technician exam isn't as daunting as you might imagine. In fact,you can study for it now online without purchasing anything. Check out HamStudy.org or HamTestOnlinefor more info.At the testing site, three VEs orARRL volunteer examiners and a VEC or volunteer exam coordinator, all signed my CSCE, or certificate of successful completion of examination. After that, I had to wait for the FCC to assign my call letters in order to be an official 'ham'.In the interim, I started looking for a radio, and that was a completely unique journey all to itself. Here's what I got:My first ham rig; an Icom IC-T7H HT or 'handie-talkie'. A 5-watt, MIL-spec, easy to use portable radio.The sequential call sign issued to me wasKG4QVU, a horrible mess of letters both spelled out and spoken phonetically. Go ahead, try it. Kilo-golf-four-quebec-victor-uniform. Gross. Six months later, I couldn't take it anymore and I applied for and was granted my vanity call sign I still own today, W1CAR - the last three letters in the suffix being my initials.In late 2003, I upgraded my license, passing the then required five word-per-minute morse code test and the general exam on the same day, thereby allowing me the privilege to transmit on amateur radio frequencies below 30 mhz.Initially, I wasn't 'radio active'. In fact, I was suffering from the worst case of microphone fright ever before seen. I hated how my voice sounded and I was a complete newbie...and I did everything I could to stay away from keying up. But, eventually, those feelings subsided. The more I listened, the more I learned. I found a more experienced mentor, someone referred to within the hobby as an elmer, and had him show me the ropes. I got more involved in random conversations and something known as roundtables, where a large group of hams talk to each other (one at a time, radio isn't full-duplex, meaning only one person talks while everyone listens) and when the person or station transmitting is done talking, he must pass the mic to the next one in line, if he can remember who the person is. Along the journey of becoming more involved, I found my way intoradio nets. A net is a regularly scheduled on-the-air gathering of amateur radio operators on the same frequency organized for a specific purpose - whether it be passing and relaying messages, discussing common interests, dealing with emergencies and severe weather events, or simply a regular gathering of friends for conversation.Some nets are informal, while others are formal or directed. Directed nets have a net control or NCS that manages the net for a given session. The NCS calls the net to order, directs the participants, keeps track of the roster of check-ins, and orchestrates the net until closing. Stations are allowed to go direct with each other, but only after given permission by net control.I started out merely as a regular check-in, but it wasn't long before I became a net control station for our local traffic net - the Northern Virginia Traffic Net, or NVTN, and eventually wound up being nominated as the Net Manager.Traffic nets operate primarily to relay formal written messages into and out of a local area, both as routine and emergency public service, and are a component of the National Traffic System of the Amateur Radio Relay League. The NTS is fairly dated and the messaging format is obsolete and rarely used during emergencies, having been replaced by Incident Command System instituted by FEMA post-9/11. However, the format carries with it a strict protocol and a specific set of rules for how it must be verbally transmitted over the air, and in doing so, keeps the radio operator sharp and able to send and receive messages accurately and efficiently. Here's an example of an ARRL radiogram used in NTS nets:And this is what it sounds like(the .mp3 doesn't match the radiogram to the right)Traffic nets have their use, but aren't the only type of directed radio nets out there. As such, I soon found myself immersed in another, more intense version.On April 22, 2002, I was travelling home from Hagerstown, MD on the interstate. The weather was bad that day. It was incredibly windy, the skies were dark and storms were popping up everywhere. The most popular amateur radio repeater in the area (and perhaps the the east coast) was, and still is Wes Boxwell's 147.300 WA4TSC machine in Bluemont, Virginia. (click here for more on repeaters) It was where the NVTN mentioned above met each night at 7:30pm, where I made most of my acquaintances in the hobby, and was also where the SKYWARN severe weather net would activate in the event the National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia requested it. On that day, an F4 tornado ran a 24 mile swath through southern Maryland, ripping the town of La Plata to shreds. A net control station was keeping it all together while receiving hundreds of panicked yet professionally divulged eye-witness damage reports from mobile and portable amateur radio operators at the scene and near the path of the tornado. I was beyond impressed; so much, in fact that I not only became a SKYWARN spotter, but soon became a net control station. And, after dealing with my own high-speed low-drag severe weather events such as the President's Day Blizzard and the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, which spawned a massive tornado outbreak across Virginiain which we took hundreds of reports, Ieventually made my way up the ranks into leadership as the SKYWARN Amateur Radio Coordinator for the National Capital Area SKYWARN Amateur Radio Support Group. WX4LWX is the call sign for the amateur radio station at the National Weather Service office in Sterling, Virginia. I designed the badge using some very shoddy software and a majestic photo taken by NASA of Hurricane Isabel.Hurricane Isabel was the costliest, deadliest, and strongest tropical cyclone in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. It caused shoreline damage to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia where major flooding occurred. Other lasting effects, the ones I remember most, caused by the high extratropical winds Isabel brought hundreds of miles inland, lasted long after Isabel dissipated. The winds toppled trees and the trees took down hundreds of power lines, teaching many of us living in the northern Virginia area one particularly important lesson - how do we live without electricity for an extended period of time?It's estimated that nearly six million people lost power in the wake of Isabel, and while some of us went without electricity for days, others went without it for nearly three weeks. Generators quickly disappeared from the shelves, but so did gas cans. Gas stations that still had power were inundated with folks with voracious appetites for gas to feed their generators, if they found themselves lucky enough to have one. To make things worse, some people made the decision to steal them. Gas prices increased and some stations ran out. Demand quickly overtook supply. People left their homes in search of refuge elsewhere. Businesses shut down. Power companies and co-ops from all over the nation shuttled in to help with the relief and repair efforts.How many people were prepared for this? Not as many as you might think. But the amateur radio community was there, manning shelters and setting up portable stations to provide communications support in areas that were powerless or otherwise blacked out. They were self-sufficient too, bringing with them loads of gear, batteries, antennas, food and water. And, one thing became clear to me very quickly just over a year after becoming a member of this society: these guys were ready.But ready for what? Obviously, they were communicators - highly skilled ones at that. They understood propagation and antenna theory. They had radios and radios required power...so at the very least, they had batteries, chargers, generators and fuel to run them for a while. I guessed they probably had solar panels and charge controllers and the like. But was that it? Was that all they prepared for?Turns out, it wasn't. Most hams - and I do want to clarify - MOST hams, not all, were also downright soldier of fortune-level survivalists or were otherwise into preparing for just about anything, up to and including the end of the world as we know it- something we all now refer to using the term prepping.And they liked guns - really liked guns. And I soon realized this was exactly where I belonged. Why hadn't I done it sooner?So, I began my journey into preparedness by following their example and using their advice as a vehicle, and it continues on still today. I won't go too far into it here...I think it would be improper to divulge the location of my bunker of semi-perfect SHTF supplies to the masses; we hardly even know each other. Plus, there's already a plethora of information out there about how to prep. You don't need my help on that...I am far from being an expert. But, if you want to know more about amateur radio; whether regarding the hobby in general or specific questions about my journey into it, please email me or stalk me on Facebook. I've been in the hobby for 16 years now and I'm happy to answer questions and offer advice.I will say that looking back, one of the biggest mistakes I made in life was falling behind and losing track of the amateur radio hobby. I sold off a lot of the radios and gear I once owned due to financial difficulties and I'm finally getting back to where I once was. One thing is for certain - radios weren't cheap then, and nothing about that has changed.No, I didn't own a car with a thousand antennas and the roof of my house didn't have strange looking horizontal beam antennas draped everywhere, but the station I once had was formidable. I had the capability to transmit on every frequency from 160 meters to 440mhz, utilize every mode from CW (morse code), to SSB voice, to PSK-31 and MFSK-16, and every useful form of propagationwith multiple antenna arrays. I was very active in support comms during times of emergency and preparations for emergency communications in my local area, and while not very active today, I still retain a membership with Virginia ARES / RACES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service / Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.Communications prepping todayThere's no doubt about it, there are plenty of options out there now in regards to communications - more so than ever. They're cheap, too. Fred Mason even introduced them to the folks in What's Left of My World. The Baofeng portable radiois something you can pick up for about $25 capable of transmitting on all VHF and UHF ham frequencies, and although not type accepted for use on the bands, can also transmit on FRS, GMRS, MURS, marine, public service (police, fire and rescue), and a host of other frequencies. That being said, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I've purchased several styles of these radios, and if you don't have a computer, cloning cable and programming software to go along with them, they absolutely suck to work with; and that can put you into a major bind if the shit ever does hit the fan. Also, I've never met anyone locally who knows how to work on them should something ever go wrong with them. If you buy these and rely on them, buy a lot of them. That's the best advice I can give you.Of all the options available to us, true amateur radio is by far the most prodigious. It allows you the most legal power (2000 watts if you can afford it and power it), touts the longest range (miles line-of-sight to worldwide depending on the band, choice of antenna, propagation considerations and solar/atmospheric conditions), has the most power options (12vdc can be ran from anything from an AC to DC power supply, hundreds of different types of batteries, and solar arrays), is supported by the most popular brands (Alinco, Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood), has thousands of third party accessories available for power and antenna options, and that's just the beginning. Sure, you're going to pay a lot more for name-brand radios and gear, but like I said earlier, you get what you pay for. My first radio, the Icom IC-T7H I purchased in 2002 still works today and has all the original memories I programmed into it over fifteen years ago. The Nicad batteries that came with it died a long time ago, but I have a few aftermarket AA packs to keep it alive. Whatever works.Today, in addition to working towards solidifying a plan to keep my family in contact in the event the unforeseen occurs, thereby periodically purchasing the latest and greatest gear, I spend most of my time researching field expedient means of communication - that is, stations that can be moved from place to place and assembled in a jiff; remaining as mobile as possible. You know, in case we actually do have to bug out someday.Currently, I'm working with a Yaesu FT-817ND - an all-band, all-mode portable radio used for backpacking and other outdoor activities. I want to be able to grab it and go, and have enough battery power sitting there to run it for a day or two before needing to recharge. The internal battery it comes with, for lack of a better word, sucks. It's rated 1400mAh, and that's pathetic considering there are aftermarket options available now rated over twice that capacity, constructed of better, lighter materials.So, first, we dump the stock internal battery and go with something like this.The FT-817 is capable of operating on an external power source, and there are hundreds of options out there, each having their merit in some form or fashion. For the sake of portability, I want capacity coupled with light weight. It also has two antenna ports, one front and one rear. The front port is meant to attach an included VHF/UHF antenna and operate while on the move, even though, if you want the antenna to work well, it's best to keep it away from your body (which absorbs your signal like a sponge) and give it its missing second half, or counterpoise. The rear port is meant to be used for attaching an antenna for the lower bands for HF or high frequency operation, although the antenna ports are switchable via the radio's menu system. I do carry a portable antenna for this purpose, but it's not the best choice for operation because small antennas aren't efficient on the lower bands. For this purpose, I also carry a couple wire dipoles constructed with ultralight materials and small-gauge cable that I can string up between trees and whatnot. And, as dipoles go, they usually don't work on all bands unless without an antenna tuner, and for that purpose I chose the Elecraft T1. As far as backup power goes, I'm currently researching solar options.Basically, a field expedient setup requires that many things be taken into consideration. It is a form of prepping, afterall. Antenna systems must be easy to construct, erect, and repair, and repair materials must be easy to come by. Radio equipment has to be robust and able to take a beating, and if not, backup options are crucial. Power has to be redundant and renewable - nearly all amateur equipment runs on or has the capability of running on 12 volts dc, meaning batteries will become a primary source of power somewhere along the way, and typical lead-acid batteries are cumbersome and must be handled with care. Charging (and overcharging) flooded batteries causes outgassing of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen, and hydrogen is highly explosive. Newer technologies such as lithium ion and the newer, safer lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 are much better options, weigh incredibly less, but cost more. A 12vdc battery will eventually discharge and will require recharging, but if the grid is down, how will that be possible? Lead-acids are easy to recharge, while newer technologies require specific voltages, cell balancing, and timing. You could use your car along with a charging cable, charger and cigarette lighter voltage or DC to AC inverter, but you might need the fuel in the tank for transportation, so it's not wise to waste it on charging batteries unless you're doing both simultaneously. Generators are an answer, but they require fuel as well, and fuel is a finite resource. Solar and photovoltaics are fantastic options, but the best solar gear is prohibitively expensive, and so are the right batteries for storing power solar power, especially long-term. The sun only shines for a portion of the day - you could run your station with the proper solar panel / controller setup during the day, but at night you'd need to run it from stored power. And how much stored power do you need? How much do you intend to operate off your solar setup? Do you know how to calculate it?What if all those options fail? The generator; your auxiliary power source dies or you run out of fuel. Your solar panel; the emergency power source short-circuits. Do you have a backup plan for your backup plan?I try to illicit thought in my books by telling a story. So, that's where I'll leave you here, to think it through or at least begin to. Feel free to discuss - as usual, I'm all ears.

We Won't Go Quietly

Book 3 of the What's Left of My World Series Is LIVE on Amazon. Here's the links: Kindle: http://amzn.to/2C1A9R7Paperback: http://amzn.to/2BLnh4EAudiobook is coming very, very soon. So, sit tight and prepare yourself for the ride.

*** Cover Reveal for Book 3 ***

Without further adieu, here it is.WE WON'T GO QUIETLYBook 3 of the What's Left of My World SeriesCover by Deranged Doctor DesignFeatured on the cover: Darja Filipovic of Deranged Doctor DesignBlurb: Coming soonPreorder: Coming soonExpected publishing date: December 2017Audiobook: Coming January 2018 with narration performed by Kevin Pierce

Natural Disasters. Natural Disasters Everywhere. Is it time to start preparing?

(x-posted in part on my Facebook page)An ice storm in mid-January.An EF3 tornado in New Orleans--the strongest ever to strike the town.A tornado outbreak in April and May. Flooding followed.California's drought, and then significant flooding.A summer heat wave.Severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in West Virginia.Wildfires in California, Montana, Oregon, and Washington state.Hurricane HarveyHurricane IrmaHurricane JoseHurricane KatiaEarthquakes.Solar Eclipse.The list goes on. It's only September.The United States has been battered this year by the 2nd highest amount of natural disasters ever to occur on record. With all the natural disasters that have happened recently, and taking into mind that it's evidently not over yet, I know many folks out there have become concerned and are now learning how to prepare for such things if they haven't already. It's not always the 'end of the world' stuff we write about that can initiate that thought process...sometimes it can be as simple as a hurricane making landfall, or a power outage that lasts a little while longer than you expected it to after a thunderstorm. Anyone living in a climate that occasionally allows a winter storm to manifest knows very well what happens to the grocery stores the night before it hits.Of all the tangents one can prioritize in the complex world of prepping, perhaps the most daunting subject concerns food and food storage. With so many options out there, it's hard to know which direction to follow.Now, this isn't a sales pitch. Our family has been through this conundrum as well. We've taken several avenues over the years; all functional, all expensive (some prohibitively), and none of them were as close to being consummate as the one I'm about to discuss.If you've read or listened to Kevin Pierce voice the Prologue in This We Will Defend, then you may have seen or heard the brand name 'Thrive' mentioned. As I've said before, while the story is fictional, most things mentioned and included within it are not.Thrive Life is a freeze dried and dehydrated food company that's gone out of their way to make their products stand out from the rest. The company was founded in 2005 as "Shelf Reliance." Their chief product was a food rotation system and their mission was helping folks around the world learn how to always keep food items in their stock and in turn, become more self-reliant. A year later, they began offering their own premium food line and changed their name to Thrive. In 2013, they became Thrive Life. You might have even seen consultants selling Thrive at prepper shows, festivals or hamfests.We started purchasing Thrive freeze-dried/dehydrated products last year and my wife became an independent consultant soon after. It just made sense to cash in on a product that we enjoyed and believe in. After all, it's food-something we all require.The foods Thrive offers are extensive...and above all things, absolutely delicious-which is probably the chief complaint concerning the foods in anyone's long-term food storage. I assure you, as far as taste is concerned, I've never had better. Thrive wins the taste challenge by miles.In addition to selling Thrive Life products, we subscribe to their monthly "Q" food rotation plan and have purchased their "piece of mind" long-term storage products. Most of their freeze-dried options have a 25-year shelf life. Most dehydrated options fall between 4 and 8 years of shelf life. All of the products I've tried are very tasty-especially their freeze-dried coconut bites. :)There are enough products in Thrive's inventory that you could easily replace nearly every single grocery item you buy on a daily/weekly basis, thereby always having the foods you need on-hand. You use what you need and only what you need when you need it, and you don't throw food away.As far as cost is concerned, it's the same as any other food storage brand that I've found. Some items are pricey, some are not, and sales on certain items run almost all the time. I will affirm that even the most expensive items will pay for themselves by the time you're done using them. And the cost only reflects the amount of the product you're purchasing.If you've already gotten all your ducks in a row concerning long-term food options, good on you. You're one of a few. I still suggest you take a moment and check out what Thrive has to offer. Those of you who haven't and are looking for peace of mind, you should definitely take the tour and consider adding them to your list of options. You won't be disappointed.In addition to the clickables above, I've added links to my wife's consultant page on Thrive's website, and also a link to her new page on Facebook. You can access Thrive's website through both and see what they have to offer or even contact her with your questions. If you're interested in purchasing, you can, of course, go through her or find a consultant in your area.Again, this post wasn't meant as a sales pitch. In light of what's been occurring lately, I just felt it prudent to get the word out about a product that in my humble opinion, doesn't get half the consideration it deserves. There's never a bad time to start preparations for bad times.https://www.thrivelife.com/stefanierudolphhttps://www.facebook.com/ThriveLifeStef/

When thoughts of the shit hitting the fan begin to hit *really close to home

This blog post was inspired by my home town's newspaper, the Winchester Star, that ran an article July 22nd entitled "Local officials plan for hypothetical massive power outage." See below. The article begins with: "What would happen if power went out in Winchester and Frederick County for two years?" and then goes on to explain that some local officials--a group of 15-18 representatives made up of local law enforcement, fire/rescue, emergency management, communications and information technology departments, and private sector citizens who work in manufacturing, distribution, agriculture, and electrical utilities--who are now referring to themselves as the 'Joint Committee on Long-Term Electrical Power Outages' have been tasked by the U.S. Army War College (how quaint) to come up with all possible scenarios and create contingency plans for helping people survive such an ordeal. Ok. That piqued my interest. Because that is one hell of a major undertaking. Even for a relatively less-than-urban population such as ours, it's damn near gargantuan in scope. But I'm ready to hear these fellas out. They gotta know something, right? "We're trying to brainstorm every possible scenario and come up with ideas so we're ready for whatever," Winchester Communications Manager Amy Simmons said.Sorry. I LOL'd at that. There's...no way, Amy. I'm sorry, but there isn't. You can be 'ready for whatever' by preparing for the worst but even if you do, there's no way you'll know what the worst will be because the worst is guaranteed to be unprecedented. You should do a little more reading. But, I digress.The Army War College is apparently doing this very thing for DOD installations nationwide and as a part of this project they supposedly selected my home town as a guinea pig for what they refer to as a "community strategy to be shared with other localities across the country." The scenario presented is an act of cyberterrorism that has shut down the power grid east of the Mississippi from Canada to the Gulf. There will be no electricity in the eastern United States for two years.Now, I'm not going to pick apart this whole article, but I will address some of the finer points that are mentioned and address some of those quoted within the article--some whom I believe say things that are logical and sensible and other things that are completely ridiculous. My biggest beef with this is that for some reason, all of a sudden everyone seems to be just jumping on the f'n SHTF bandwagon; but more on that later.The committee is currently meeting twice a month as a six-person panel. The reason? The scope of work and the size of the panel made it too difficult to get everyone scheduled. So, currently in attendance we have:Winchester Emergency Management Coordinator Lynn MillerWinchester Communications Manager Amy SimmonsWinchester Emergency Management Technician Jason PaganFrederick County Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Chester LauckFrederick County Public Information Officer Karen Vacchio, andprivate-sector rep Bryan Laird of cybersecurity firm MBL Technologies of Arlington, VA.Almost reads like one of the post-EMP meetings in One Second After, except no police chief, no mayor, and no hero professor. Once a framework is laid out, they will resume the larger meetings once a month and work on these so-called contingency plans. Now, the one thing they do admit is that government services won't be able to fix everything, and I personally acknowledge that and thank them for their candor. But they follow up that statement by saying that they wish to "take away some of the scariness." They want to be as prepared as possible to offer support and services during "tumultuous" times.I got news for you: you can't accomplish that now--during normal, peaceful, orderly times."It may seem like an impossible situation, but if we never talk about it, we have no chance for survival," Simmons said. "Starting the dialogue and crafting any level of plan gets us one step closer to helping our community when they needs us most." She goes on to say, "Even though it's going to be horrible, how can we help at least a little bit? How can we make it easier for people to survive?"Mrs. Simmons needs to be visited by the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic catastrophe. Which community is she talking about? Winchester is a three day walk from one of the most populated areas in the country. Sweetheart, if the east coast loses power, our community needing help is going to be the least of our worries, I assure you. Start thinking of how many people will exodus the metropolitan area (than can in no way possible sustain their numbers) and head westward to the land of plenty. The article continues on and points out how vulnerable our power grid is, but doesn't point out that it's been like this for about...oh, say three or four decades. It mentions that it is susceptible to glitches and attacks by hackers, EMPs, conventional weapons, natural disasters, and more. No shit.And I love this...I always love when major news outlets post this type of information for all to see. The article mentions this quote from the WSJ's Rebecca Smith, "...the U.S. could suffer a coast-to-coast black -out if saboteurs knocked out just nine of the country's 55,000 electric-transmissions substations on a scorching summer day."Like the one we're having now. And yesterday. And the day before. We've all known this for years. And nothing has ever been done about it. A memo by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff concurs that in such a scenario, "the entire United States would be down for 18 months, probably longer."Then the article hits home and starts pointing the minor details of the collapse that will follow a blackout; just like most post-apoc books I've read; and written.Cellphones won't work anymore; and you won't be able to charge them. No communication, no internet. Refrigerated foods will spoil. Traditional gas and water pumps won't work. Medical equipment will stop running. Electronic commerce halts. And, according to Mr. Miller, "People will become desperate--some very quickly. You're going to have people who take advantage of the innocent, and you're also going to have people who protect what they have. Our society as we know it will change very quickly."Ok. Unlike Mrs. Simmons, Mr. Miller might have read a few post-apoc books. As the article moves forward though, it seems Mr. Miller wants to first concentrate on networking and setting up a communication protocol, which I can't completely disagree with. He wants to push info out about what is being done as far as recovery efforts (yeah right) and where people can go for meds, food, and things they need to sustain life. But the thing is, especially initially, the power is going to be off, and people are going to wonder why, and every car, truck and gasoline powered vehicle is going to be on the road because NO ONE wants to be home anymore when the power is out. I have a family member who can't stand to be home if the power is out for more than an hour. Most of those cars that hit the road won't have a full tank of gas. And when that gas runs out, they're going to be stranded. And no one is going to help them. There's some desperation starting right there. Gas pumps won't work either. So how's that going to play out? Just a thought... Maybe we should prioritize public safety instead, and lock this mother down. Let's talk about short-term first, shall we? How are we going to keep the outsiders at bay? The rest of the article reads like a typical blackout book, which is not surprising, even though it misses some important points. It talks of "runs on grocery stores" (looting) and "depleted inventories" and "concerns for employee safety" (riots).Home generators would run until they couldn't. It mentions that refueling would be difficult; but doesn't say that in reality, it would be impossible because the price of gas would skyrocket and it would soon disappear not long after. It would be next to impossible to pump out of the ground and anyone with the capability would monopolize it, or die trying. Public safety and emergency management would most like put it on lock down anyway, and that in itself would cause people to become particularly pissed off.He mentions that the timing of the power outage would greatly affect the outcome, which I tend to agree. In the heat of summer it would be uncomfortable and you'd see people with respiratory ailments or heart problems have difficulty surviving. In the winter, it would be a whole other scenario. Not many people know how to heat their homes anymore without some form of electricity leading the way. Even a gas furnace needs electricity to run the blower motor.Mr. Miller points out that as the 'weeks pass' that the community's well-being would be contingent solely on the welfare of transportation systems. If shipments of fuel, food, water, and medicine kept coming, we would 'endure'. However, if the network were down due to fuel shortages, supply interruptions, etc, the scenario would be much more 'grim'.Ok, I'm sorry. If the entire US east of the Mississippi was without power, the last place on earth anyone would give a flying flip about would be Winchester and Frederick County, Virginia. Forget supplies. Forget transportation, fuel, food, medicine--forget everything. We're not getting it. Without electricity, everything gets crazy in hours, and everything stops in days. Stop kidding yourself, Mr. Miller. I get it. You're trying to paint a pretty picture for the article. And, we'll be desperate because Shop 'n Save is out of avocados and ginger beer. But there are 27,284 people in Winchester, 83,200 people in Frederick county, and 8.3 million in the entire state of Virginia--all of whom are dealing with the same exact issues as the other 170 million people east of the Mississippi. How else can I say this? It will be desperation on a mass scale, and it will start with the people who are 100% dependent on the system. Once the system fails them, they will lose their minds. And after that happens, anarchy, chaos...pretty much the worst parts of the Bible all rolled into one. We should stop with the downplaying now.Now, let's ask ourselves some questions: How many members of law enforcement are in Winchester? What's the ratio of law enforcement members to the general population of our area? How long will it be before the local government is overrun? Do you still intend to "help out just a little bit?" Shall we continue to ponder the hard questions?Mr. Miller may answer with, "We'll just call in the National Guard for assistance." To which I'd respond with, "You mean the ones dealing with the millions of other people losing their minds right now? Or the ones who've already said to hell with this and went home to their families?"The rest of the article is both semi-realistic and completely unrealistic. In fact, it's inspired me to contact the group and investigate whether or not I can liaise with them at some point from a research point of view. At the very least, it could help promote the post-apoc genre. :)Here's what I sent:Mrs. Simmons, While I don't normally read the Winchester Star, the article was forwarded to me by my mother yesterday concerning "Local officials plan for long-term massive power outage." And, while I'm not what would be considered a professional or an expert in the field of power outages or emergency management, my mother sent the article to me predicated on my experiences--as a firm believer in self-sufficiency, (a 'prepper', as many are now referred), a ham radio operator and former emergency and severe weather communications coordinator, and as an author. In the past seven months, I've self-published two books on Amazon. My first book, What's Left of My World, became a post-apocalyptic science fiction best-seller in its first thirty days on the market--something I'm very proud of. While I won't waste your time giving you a full synopsis, the story takes place a year after an electromagnetic pulse takes down the power grid (and as well, every electronic device) on the east side of the Mississippi, strangely enough. I did my share of research before and while writing this book, and I just released its sequel last week, and so far things are going very well. Regardless, I've learned a wealth of information over the years about this sort of thing; both in researching "grid down" scenarios and in networking with other authors who write about similar scenarios. My reasoning for sending you this message is in part out of morbid curiosity, and as well, partially wanting to explore the possibility of offering another viewpoint. I would love a chance to sit in on or in some way, shape, or form be a part of one or more of these meetings in the future; even if simply from a research point of view. I'm certain the information would be invaluable. Obviously, I won't take offense if my request is declined, but I had to ask. The topic is one that I'm very well-versed in. And while I believe a cyber attack is definitely a plausible threat, it's most definitely not the worst-case scenario. It's prudent to plan for the latter. I await your response. Sincerely, Chad "C.A." RudolphHere's what I received in response:Hi Mr. Rudolph. Thank you for your email and your interest in our long-term power outage planning project. I will take your inquiry to the committee and discuss it further. There may be a time in the near future where we invite you and others to be a part of the effort. Kindest regards, Amy SimmonsWell, so much for that. I know when I'm being blown off. And that's okay. It's probably for the best for both of our worlds. The ruling class can continue to rule and we can continue to prepare for what we know will eventually come. I think her response speaks volumes; to exactly how government types treat anyone with any knowledge who isn't "one of them."The bottom line is, not a single person in that group has any idea what they're dealing with should an event of that magnitude strike. With that being said, the questions they're pondering aren't hard enough, and the situations they're assuming aren't grave enough. Something like that would be nothing short of hell on earth for a small town like ours, and the inner populous would be enough to cause it, much less what we'd have to endure from the outside. Winchester has several major thoroughfares running directly through it, including one of the busiest trucking interstates (I81) in the country. Without power, without fuel, without the technology we've all grown to love that's made life so much easier and comforting for us all, we would devolve. The first and only thing Mrs. Simmons and Mr. Miller need to concern themselves with in an event like this is real estate. Because, they're going to need a metric shitton of it in order to find room to bury all of the bodies. Because if they don't we'll have another problem on our hands entirely--sanitation and widespread disease outbreaks...some of which haven't been seen in over a century. Good luck.