My Initial Comments: For a number of years, I have read a fair number of Mike Adams' (aka "The Health Ranger") posts on his website, and have enjoyed some of them. In fact, some of his posts do in fact contain some useful information that all of us can use or follow. However, I just sometimes wonder just who these people are, and just how they have risen to the level of popularity and respect among a wide mass of readers. While I don't know Adams personally, I really am not sure what qualifies him to be so well-respected among the Infowarrior and truther communities. Further, he writes very authoritatively about health issues, political issues, economic issues, social issues, and etc. And to be fair, some of what he says is truth. I also know that some of what he says is outside of his realm of knowledge and experience, and within the realm of my own experience. Under those circumstances, it is easy for me to discern what is truth and what is poop! In some cases, he will exagerate the truth, thereby blowing the truth out of proportion.
Considering the wide range of topics that he covers, and the level of media support that this guy gets, I am truly in awe of him. Infowars posts nearly every one of his blog entries regardless of what topic he chooses to cover. Many other notable websites do just the same. This guy only follows twenty-some people on Twitter, while he currently has nearly 44,000 followers (me included) at the time of this writing. To me, it is a real mystery as to how the Health Ranger has gained the level of respect that he has, while putting out information, that in my view, is truthful in some areas, and misleading in many other areas.
In my humble opinion, I feel the best and most qualified persons to cover the topics that he covers should at least have a track record in some of the following professions: medicine, emergency medical services, Masters or Ph.D in economics/politics, herbal medicine (high level training...maybe he has this), former military (Special Operations Forces - in particular), former law enforcement, former intelligence services, experience living in post-collapse societies, etc.
Other notable people like Paul Craig Roberts or Wayne Madsen, whether you agree with them or not, do have a professional track record of accomplishment. Roberts served in Pres. Reagan's cabinet, and Madsen held high level positions in US Navy Intel as well as in other organizations like EPIC and (ISC)2. It's hard not to have at least some respect for them one way or the other.
Enough of this rant, I will just do a short evaluation of some of the Health Ranger's points that pertain to survivalism given the current times that we are living in. My comments are highlighted in blue ink below.
26 things to get done before the global debt collapse
See a holistic dentist and get the mercury removed from your mouth.
Sounds like a good thing to do, but for those who have had previous dental work in this past, and are unable to pay what would likely be thousands and thousands of dollars for such type of treatment, this is probably not going to work for many ordinary people. Must be wealthy or must have an affordable dental insurance plan.
Buy some hardcopy books so you have something to read when the power grid fails.
A great idea. I agree.
Move your money out of the big globalist banks.
A good idea. I agree. Although, I should emphasize that the term - "globalist" is a bit too broad and does little to identify who really owns the big banks. Zionists Jews are the predominant owners. Adams will never mention that point. Those who know God's Word can better understand just WHY this is the case. Those who do not read God's Word cannot possibly understand just how powerful Zionism truly is in this world! Those who remain blind to Zionism effectively remain as spiritual slaves to the wicked one who is currently the "god" of this world - Satan!
Bury
your gold and silver. Use an appropriate container to protect from
moisture and don't forget to tell someone else where you've buried
things, just in case you don't make it.
Useful idea, as long as this idea is combined with many other options.
Get the heck out of the city and learn some country living skills.
This is the one I love to pick at! So many well-meaning patriots and truthers have bought into the Rawlesian and Skousenian concept that one who is to be prepared MUST move to a rural retreat 250+ miles away from all large cities! Never mind the fact that 82%+ of the people in the United States live in urban areas, and have no rural skillsets! Never mind that most of these urbanites are just not fit for rural living. And yet, the Health Ranger, Alex Jones, and others are telling us that this is what we SHOULD do! Never mind that once you are in a rural area, personal privacy (and anonymity) become much harder to obtain. Never mind the fact that you may not even be able to make enough money to even pay your property taxes (in your rural retreat)! The list goes on and on. Certainly, there are pros to living in rural retreats as well. However, most people are just not fair game for that type of living. In my book, I debunk the rural retreat concept for those who are not a fit for that lifestyle and I provide real solutions that you can use in a large urban environment that you can use without having to leave your higher paying city job.
Pay off as many assets as you can so you have a clear title to anything you don't want the banks to seize.
Good advice!
Get right with God or whatever spiritual focal point you practice.
Ah ha!! This is a tricky one! The position of "spiritual tolerance" that the Health Ranger offers is what makes him so palatable to such a wide audience. This is truly the secret to making bigger money! The more people you can please, the greater audience you will have, and the more money you will make! Alex Jones uses this formula too! Why do you think he has so many listeners that will drop a half-million dollars in his bucket over a three-day "money bomb?" Getting "right with God" is not the half-ass measure that Adams suggests. It means seeing through the clouded vision of 'spiritual political correctness!" Buddhists, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism are all false religions based upon prophets or key HUMAN figures. None of them can offer more than HUMAN wisdom. Sadly, most Christian religions have also fallen, and are driving people away from Jesus the Christ! However, the good news is that underneath all of the deceptions in the world, there is a "God in the flesh" and His name is Jesus. He is still alive and in Heaven. In today's world, He has left us with His Word - the Holy Bible. There is only one way to know God, and that is via Jesus Christ. The Jews deny this fact and have been cursed ever since. The Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims could care less, and the Health Ranger (a Buddhist himself no doubt) will certainly not move you any closer to Christ, because he will not tell you what I am telling you! This issue is SOOOO IMPORTANT, and so many survival writers gloss over it like it is nothing more than a trivial point.
Wrap up needed apologies or forgiveness. Don't allow regrets to burden you in a time of crisis.
Useless advice because the topic of apologizing and forgiving goes a bit deeper than that which most humanists and Buddhists understand. Apologizing has more to do with "confession" and admitting to the fact that you have wronged someone, not merely just saying "I'm sorry!" The only way I forgive someone that has wronged me is when they have confessed their wrong to me, not when they just say they're sorry. Certainly, I never hold emotional grudges against anyone regardless, but "forgiveness" (i.e. wiping the slate clean) comes only when there is a confession of sin, PLUS an an effort to make proper restitution. Many liberal Christians will disagree with what I have said. However, I am a conservative believer, and I believe that confession + restitution = an appropriate forgiveness.
Make
color copies of all your important documents, then store them in a safe
place. (BTW, a bank's safe deposit box is NOT a safe place. Those will
all be looted.)
Useful point. I agree, but not all banks will necessarily be looted. That is a blanket assumption that should not be assumed across the board.
Get off prescription meds. Any dependence on prescription drugs is a death wish in a
collapse scenario.
Useful perhaps in some circumstances! But, perhaps hazardous in many other cases. If you are already totally dependent upon prescription meds, than getting off of them now could possibly lead to a premature death. Be very careful with this Health Ranger advice. If you are currently not on any meds, then I say do all that you can to NEVER go on meds.
Stock up on diatomaceous earth (DE) to protect your garden vegetables. The stuff stores forever.
Nice if you live in a suburban or rural retreat, useless just about anywhere else!
Stock up on extra glasses or contact lenses if you might need them.
Useful suggestion.
Get fit, you'll need to be more fit if you hope to survive.
Common sense. I discuss this in my own book. And no, I do not advocate spending boring hours in the gym either!
Take
out some cash and start saving nickels. Why? Because nickels are
actually still worth a nickel in terms of what they're physically made
of.
Sound silly. Sounds like a silly "nickel and dime" tactic! If you really have that many nickels saved up right NOW, why not go to a coin shop and buy some pre-1964 US dimes or quarters! Now, that is real money! Where in heck did this one come from?
Learn to use shortwave radio, or better yet get a radio operator's license.
This is a useful suggestion.
Learn and practice basic gardening skills.
Useful in a surburban or rural retreat, useless in most urban areas! I explain the solution to this issue in my book.
Learn how to raise chickens, goats or other small animals.
Useful in a rural retreat, useless everywhere else!
Buy a premium-quality set of basic gardening tools, even if you don't yet garden.
Useful everywhere except in urban areas.
Get
training on how to use your firearms. When you really need them, there
won't be time to practice. If you want to practice on your own, buy the
new book by Joe Nobody, entitled, "
The Home Schooled Shootist" and start using it.
Yea, get some firearms, but don't go overboard. I discuss this in my book. Can't speak to Joe Nobody, as I've not read his books.
If
you own rifles, sight them all in and use threadlock on anything that
might work itself loose in a firefight. You don't want your gear falling
apart when you need it most.
Get training on your weapons and learn how to maintain them.
Plant some figs, aloe vera or other
low-maintenance food-producing plants. Do it now to give these plants
as much time as possible to start producing food.
Useful in rural retreats, useless everywhere else. Fig trees can take a good several years to fully grow and to be "fruitful" and you may NOT have that long to wait! In Tucson, AZ, fig trees grow nicely. In Boston, MA, you may not be so lucky.
Stock up on salt, colloidal silver and other hard-to-get items that you'll routinely need.
Useful perhaps, but seek doctor's advice if you have not ever used colloidal silver.
Spend more time outdoors to get used to sunlight exposure.
Useful suggestion that should be common sense.
Store away an
emergency seed kit.
Rural areas - yes. Urban areas - no. The exception is sprouting seeds. Other types of seeds in urban areas are about useless under many circumstances.
Get a reliable guard dog who can help provide protection for your family and property.
Useful, but dogs are not entirely dependable, and should not be your only security. Rather, dogs should be a portion of your security strategy.
Buy
extra pairs of socks. You can never have too many pairs of quality
socks. And you absolutely do not want to have to make them yourself
later on.
Common sense that I learned in the Military!
My Final Comments: All people need to use discernment in all that they read... this blog post included. I should add; however, that every statement that I make is backed upon a premise that I have seen or read in the Bible (God's Word). Without God's Word, it is very hard to see through the BS that the world gives to us on a silver platter. Be particularly aware of all those common faces in the "truther movement" - Alex Jones, Mike Adams, and the list goes on. Those who are highly-endorsed with a high volume of readership/listenership should automatically raise a "red flag" among the readers/listeners!
Blessings,
Jason