Uncategorized

The snow didn’t fall very deep here but there is a thick layer of ice under that’s extremely slick… thankfully, it wasn’t as bad here as they were forecasting, and the power stayed on so no need to fire up my generator or favorite portable power bank. Weather forecast is 4-6 degrees tonight with a windchill factor of below zero…

M.D. Creekmore 🥶

It looks like my videos are either being suppressed by YouTube… or maybe they just suck. Honestly, I’m not sure right now. My last two uploads have barely crawled to a couple thousand views, while most of my earlier videos were hitting ten thousand or more on average.

So I’m scratching my head. If my videos really do suck, I want to know why — but please be nice about it. Tell me what you think I could do better in the next ones. Do I need to run around half-naked, scream into the camera, or just act ridiculous to get the clicks? (lol)

Anyway, today’s video isn’t doing worth a crap either, so if you’ve got a few minutes, go watch it and then leave your feedback in the comments here on the website (not on YouTube). I’d appreciate your thoughts.

👉 Watch the video here

Thanks for being part of this journey,
M.D. Creekmore

In 2019, a hundred dollars at the grocery store filled up a cart. Today, that same list costs nearly a hundred and forty. And it’s not just food — even deodorant has doubled in price.

The experts tell us to buy stocks, gold, or crypto to beat inflation. Wall Street wants you trapped in their system. But there’s a forgotten strategy that actually works — and it doesn’t depend on banks, brokers, or digital tokens.

🎥 I break it all down in this video — watch here:
👉 They Keep Raising Prices… Here’s How I’m Fighting Back

The Alpha Strategy: A Forgotten Inflation Hack

Back in 1980, John Pugsley published The Alpha Strategy: The Ultimate Plan of Financial Self-Defense. His idea was simple but brilliant:

• Protect your wealth with tangible assets. Everyday goods you’ll always need — food, tools, clothing, household supplies.

• Stockpile as financial defense. Buy tomorrow’s necessities at today’s prices and preserve your purchasing power.

• Question traditional investments. Stocks, bonds, and even silver coins can be manipulated, taxed, or confiscated. Real goods are always in demand.

• Mitigate risks. Yes, goods can spoil, go obsolete, or get stolen — but Pugsley explains how to manage those risks.

Inflation in Action

Just look at the past few years:

• Laundry detergent → up 36% since 2019.

• Toilet paper → part of a grocery basket that’s up 37%.

• Eggs → up 16–25% in a single year.

• Old Spice deodorant → from $4 to nearly $8.

• Rice and dried beans → reported to have nearly doubled.

If you’d stocked up back then, you’d be sitting on shelves of goods at pre-inflation prices while everyone else is paying through the nose today.

Why I Add Silver

Silver has held value for thousands of years. You can only stockpile so much gear, but silver lets you retain wealth in a compact form — and it gives you a way to barter outside their system.

It’s not about buying groceries with silver. It’s about holding an asset that beats paper or digital money, which can be created out of thin air.

Take Action

If you want to dig deeper into this, grab a copy of The Alpha Strategy here 👉 The Alpha Strategy: The Ultimate Plan of Financial Self-Defense

And here are some tools I personally recommend for getting started:

• 🪣 Gamma Seal Lids

• 🔒 FoodSaver V4400 Vacuum Sealer

• 🥤 Food Grade Buckets

• 📦 5 Gallon Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers

⚠️ Disclaimer

This post and video are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research and consult with a qualified professional before making investment decisions.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

By Joel Skousen, Author of the Secure Home and Strategic Relocation

A few days ago Mr. Creekmore asked me to do a write-up on how-to make a manufactured home more secure. As Mr. Creekmore pointed out this is the type of housing that many of his readers live in but is also generally the least secure. And yes, I know that modern manufactured homes are made much better than they were a decade ago, they are still not up to the standards of a specifically designed survival retreat.

The main advantage with choosing a manufactured home is that you can literally have a large 1500 + square feet home set-up and ready to move into in under two days. And with a few modifications you can have a suitable home / survival retreat at far less the cash outlay, of a specifically designed and built secure home.

Most manufactures homes are put in without a basement underneath,  the rock layer under a lot of areas is going to make it difficult and costly to put in a true basement shelter anyway, this is a common issue along the Cumberland Plateau of Eastern Tennessee – which is my highest recommended area east of the Mississippi  but you can apply these ideas to other homes in other areas as well.

The home / retreat that we will talk about today, is a modern double wide manufactured home on a permanent foundation, that sets on five slightly sloping acres. There is a large deck built along the backside of the home, overlooking a large creek that runs along the backside of the property there is also a pouch on the front of the home.

The rock layer under the property would make it difficult to put in a true basement shelter, although the sloping land provides some good alternatives to a buried basement.  An alternative would be to build a secure shelter under the rear deck – the  deck could be temporarily dismantled and a concrete foundation built underneath for a secure shelter including a concrete ceiling for fallout resistance.  Then the deck could be put back again on top of the new safe room–eliminating the normal post support system.

The new safe room underneath the rear deck looks like it’s just part of the foundation underneath the home.  People don’t normally assume there is anything but crawl space under a manufactured home on a slope.  If they should peak inside one of the vents around the perimeter, that’s just what they will see–concrete walls surrounding a sloping dirt floor.

Now, we have to find a way to get into the shelter in private without going outside.  You don’t want to have a door visible from the outside or even from the crawlspace.  The best way is accomplish all this is to build an access through the crawl space descending through a closet floor in the Master Bedroom (preferably) or another convenient room with a closet close to the under-deck shelter.

Build a narrow crawl-space hallway out of block from this trapdoor to the opening into the shelter.  This way, if any one sees this from the normal foundation vents or from the original crawlspace opening, they’ll just think it’s part of the central support foundation for the house.  But this enclosed block hallway will allow you to get to the shelter and conceal the entrance to the shelter.

Use wall to wall carpeting in this room and closet to conceal the trap door entrance.  If you leave a corner of the carpeting over the trap door loose (not tacked down), it can easily be picked up and give you quick access to the door in the floor.  Attach the carpet loosely to the trap door with a short string so that when you close the trap it after going down into the crawl space, the carpet will flop back into place and cover the entrance.

You can’t really reinforce the walls and windows in a manufactured home as we would in new construction, but here are some key things you can do:  1) reinforce the front and back door jambs with a metal strip so that the door latch and dead bolt are set into metal, not just wood.  2) Put a wooden rod in the base of the sliding glass door so that if the flimsy lock is pried open the door still can’t be slid open.  Also put a loose-fitting square road above the sliding door so it can’t be lifted up and out of the track.  3) Put in a solid core door with dead bolt on your master bedroom door and keep it locked at night.  This ensures anyone who breaks in won’t be able to sneak up on you while sleeping.

For sliding window security, about the best you can do is apply the same type of blocking sticks to them like sliding glass doors.  If double hung or casement windows, the locks are usually sufficient, but on all glass (once you’ve secured the doors) you’ll need some anti-penetration resistance since hardened doors force intrudes to concentrate on windows.  Use a clear film like Shattergard on the inside so that if broken, the intruders still won’t be able to get inside.  Do this with any sliding glass doors as well.

As far as security systems the sky’s the limit on what you can spend.  In the moderate level, I like the ELK systems that allow you to monitor the home and cameras with an internet connection from you phone or Tablet.   If you want to monitor the outdoor approach to your home (tough for any security system because of false alarms from animals) many high-end camera systems now have “analytics” built in that can monitor the changes in the camera view and detect changes with great precision.

For the budget minded, there are a lot of inexpensive wireless systems that allow you to put sensors on all windows and doors without intrusive wiring changes.  Even cheaper, for less than $30 you can buy a stand alone area detector that will create an electronic trap zone inside your home.  Place it in a central location or hallway that any intruder will have to pass through when they break in.  This will trigger the built in alarm which often will scare intruders away as they assume the alarm may have triggered a call to an alarm company or police.  You can put them in out buildings as well to alert you when you have an intruder rummaging through your tools.

Lastly, if you can’t afford a full-blown basement level shelter, you can build a mini-safe room using your master bath or closet.  Just take down the sheet rock and replace it with plywood and then refill the wall space with ½” gravel.  Replace the door with a metal door and jamb with deadbolt.  Just a 3.5 inch normal wall now becomes bulletproof to even military rifle rounds.  I developed this system years ago and it has given hundreds of people a low tech option for security that didn’t exist before.

Details on gravel wall construction and all the other security recommendations I’ve mentioned plus much more are found in my 700 page Secure Home book—it’s designed for the do-in-yourselfer, so it will save you a lot in money and time.  The appendix has listings of hard to find preparedness equipment and sources for security and alternate energy too.   My High Security Shelter book may also be useful to you and is different from the Secure Home.  It’s an architectural plan book for placing a concealed Safe Room in an existing basement—the cheapest alternative for those who already have a basement.

New video is up: Everyday Carry in Appalachia — My No-Nonsense EDC
Simple, reliable gear that actually earns pocket space—knife, light, pepper spray, holster, and a few rural must-haves. No paid sponsors—just what I use and would recommend to family.

Watch here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ywiexPO2E

Question for you: What’s the ONE item you’d add (or remove) from this EDC—and why?

I don’t recommend Berkey anymore. They’ve had quality-control questions and still don’t hold a recognized performance certification. Independent lab tests are fine, but that’s not the same as third-party certification that also audits manufacturing. When it’s my drinking water, I want both published data and a recognized cert.

I do recommend ProOne for home use and Sawyer for camping and emergencies. I don’t own every filter on the market (no one does), but I do own and use a ProOne daily. I also own a Berkey, a couple of Sawyers, and a few LifeStraws. I don’t recommend the LifeStraw straw for most people.

Quick Picks

• Home/Countertop: ProOne gravity unit (Big+ size for families). Reliable day-to-day, good capacity, straightforward upkeep.

• Field/Travel/BOB: Sawyer Squeeze. Small, fast enough, and proven for bacteria and protozoa when used and maintained correctly.

• What I skip: Berkey (no recognized performance certification), LifeStraw straw (awkward format for real-world use).

How to Choose (so you don’t buy the wrong thing)

Start with your water and your use-case.

• Municipal water: You care about taste/odor, chlorine byproducts, and the occasional “boil water” event after a main break. A quality gravity filter handles the day-to-day; keep a backup like tablets or boiling for rare virus concerns.

• Well water: Think sediment, minerals, metals (like iron, lead), and sometimes bacteria. A gravity unit is a good countertop solution; consider testing your well annually so you know what you’re targeting.

• Surface water (creeks, ponds, backcountry): You must address bacteria and protozoa at a minimum. A hollow-fiber filter like the Sawyer Squeeze does that. For viruses, plan to boil or chemically treat if you’re in higher-risk regions or after disasters.

Questions to answer before you buy:

• How many people are you supplying?

• How dirty is the source water (do you need to pre-filter)?

• Do you need portability, or will it live on the counter?

• How much daily volume do you actually use?

Why I No Longer Recommend Berkey

No recognized performance certification. Plenty of companies publish test results; a formal certification goes further by verifying claims and auditing production. That matters to me for something I drink from daily. If you already own a Berkey and plan to keep using it, at least test your water before and after a couple of times a year so you know what it’s actually doing.

My Home Pick: ProOne Gravity (Big+)

This is what sits on my counter. Day to day it’s been solid: dependable flow, easy to refill, and straightforward maintenance. The company publishes lab data and has a recognized listing, which together give me more confidence than most countertop gravity options.

Real-world tips from daily use:

• Break-in: Discard the first several liters until any initial carbon fines are gone.

• Placement: Keep it on a stable surface with a bit of height so you can fit cups and bottles under the spigot.

• Prefiltering: If your source water is cloudy, let it settle or pour it through a clean cloth or coffee filter first. That keeps the main elements from clogging early.

• Element care: If flow slows, gently scrub the elements per the manual. Don’t use detergents.

• Capacity: For two people, a Big+ is comfortable. For a family, fill morning and evening and you’ll stay ahead of demand.

My Camping/Field Pick: Sawyer Squeeze

For a packable, simple setup, I keep a Sawyer Squeeze in the truck and in my kit. It’s a 0.1-micron hollow-fiber filter that knocks out bacteria and protozoa when used properly.

Practical field tips:

• Backflush often: Flow rate is everything. Use the syringe or a squeeze bottle to backflush after murky sources.

• Protect from freezing: If the filter freezes wet, the fibers can crack. In cold weather, keep it in a pocket or inside your sleeping bag at night.

• Gravity mode: Hang the dirty bag and let the Squeeze run as a mini gravity system at camp while you do other chores.

• Pair with treatment if needed: For suspect water where viruses are a concern, filter first, then chemically treat, or just bring it to a rolling boil.

Why I Don’t Recommend the LifeStraw Straw (for Most People)

The tech works, but the format is awkward in the real world. You’re hunched over a stream or limited to sipping through a bottle. It doesn’t easily fill a pot for pasta, a kettle for coffee, or a bladder for hiking. A squeeze or gravity setup is simply more useful.

“Tested To” vs “Certified”

• Tested to a standard usually means a lab ran the protocol and published a report.

• Certified to a standard means an accredited body verified performance and also audits manufacturing and labeling.
  I look for both: readable lab data and a recognized certification or listing when it applies.

Water Testing: When and Why

• New setup: Test your source water once so you know your baseline.

• After changes: If your water utility has a major incident, or you notice changes in taste/color, test again.

• Well owners: Annual bacteria and metals testing is money well spent.

• TDS isn’t safety: TDS tells you dissolved solids, not whether water is safe. Use appropriate tests for microbes, metals, or chemicals depending on your situation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Not priming/breaking in carbon-based elements and then complaining about taste.

• Letting hollow-fiber filters freeze and trusting them afterward.

• Running silty water straight into a gravity unit without prefiltering.

• Never backflushing a squeeze filter and wondering why it’s slow.

• Using hot water in systems not designed for it.

• Storing filters wet and sealed for long periods. If you’re shelving gear, follow the manufacturer’s directions for storage and drying.

What I Own and Use (for Transparency)

• Own & use daily: ProOne gravity unit (Big+).

• Own & use outdoors: Sawyer Squeeze.

• Own but don’t recommend: Berkey (no recognized performance certification), LifeStraw straw (impractical format for how I use water).

If You Only Do One Thing

Get a solid countertop gravity filter for home and a compact field filter for your pack or vehicle. That combination covers day-to-day life, boil-water notices, road trips, and short-term emergencies without breaking the bank or overcomplicating your setup.

Sources

Affiliate — ProOne Big+ I use
Affiliate — Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System
Berkey on not being NSF certified (company FAQ)
“Top Berkey Complaints” page (company site)
NSF/ANSI 42/53/401 standards overview
ProOne Big+ product page (system listing details)
ProOne G2.0 microbiological test report (PDF)
Sawyer Squeeze microbial efficacy testing (PDF)
LifeStraw personal straw product page (performance data sheet under Resources)

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.