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Sunday, August 23, 2009

freedom and responsibility

I work in health care and I also work in alternative health care.

I do not think the current debate about health care is going to get us anywhere because we are debating the wrong thing(s). It is the basic assumption of most that health care is a basic human right, something we all deserve to have and if I can't pay for mine, then you and all the other yous out there should pay for it. ????

Our Constitution states that we are given certain rights by God: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Food, shelter and health care are not listed. The federal government was not and is not to be in the business of supplying food, shelter, health care, education, or any other service or commodity. But we have not been diligent, and we have lost our Republic; we have slipped into a democracy. And as a democracy, the people found that they could vote themselves favors. Steal from the rich (and not so rich) and give to the poor and the illegal immigrant. Add to that mix men who knew how to manipulate coming in as wolves in sheep's clothing and our public servants selling "we the people" down the river by allowing all of our silver and gold to be exchanged for useless federal reserve notes, in direct opposition to the dictate of our Constitution. As a result, we are now about to pay the piper and it isn't going to be pretty. But I digress.

Health care costs rose to exorbitant rates because government started paying for people to get health care and if you ain't the one paying, you don't care how much something costs. It didn't take long for the providers to get greedy and find ways to abuse the system. In response to the abuse, the government came up with a set of numerical codes that were used to track people, diagnoses, and treatments to make it harder to abuse the system. Insurance companies quickly followed suit in order to protect themselves by using the exact same codes and many of the same rules as the government. But all of this paper work and tracking and bureaucratic oversight increased the cost of delivering health care by a huge margin. I remember when my GP started billing me on the basis of the diagnosis for my visit instead of how long he spent with me. Huge increase in cost. And when I inquired about the change, I was told to talk to the wind, that is the new way. I was told that for every doctor in practice, 4 more people had to work for him just to do the danged paperwork. When I was young I had an older doctor who had just one RN working with him. She made the appointments, set up the tests, gave the shots, and called you with the results. Do you know of any doctor out there today that can get by with only one employee?

Same thing for hospitals; they must employ people whose job it is to make sure everyone is assigned the correct code(s) so that the hospital gets paid as much as possible. If the code for the diagnosis does not match the treatment, you are not going to get paid. Beyond all the employees it takes to do that, experts and even consultants are hired to help the docs and hospitals to understand what is required for the paper work to be submitted properly so they can get paid. But that is not all, the powers that be can change the rules at any time concerning which code you need to use to get paid. They have a web site posted with a gazillion rules and regs that you are supposed to keep up with and let me tell you it is nigh unto impossible...

So, in my estimation, that is the real reason health care costs so dang much. If all the docs and hospitals could get rid of the their medical coders, charge leaders, and bureaucrats, the cost of health care could plummet. But that would mean you would have to go back to being responsible for paying for your heath care yourself. Just like you pay for any other service you deem you need. Novel idea isn't it.

As a prepper, start thinking about becoming responsible for your health yourself. Educate yourself so that you know when you really need to go to the doctor and when you don't. They are not going to give you an antibiotic if you have only been sneezing for 3 days. Pretend you are paying every penny for that office visit..do you even know how much a visit costs? Many people do not, they just know their co-pay etc.

Do you know basic first aide?

I have more to share but out of time,
HUP

Thursday, August 20, 2009

For beginners

I am posting an entry from survivalblog.com, James Wesley, Rawles site. If you haven't been there yet, please go and get blessed. He has seen what is happening today for years and I feel he has opened many people's eyes to see what is coming down the pike for us economically.
HUP

What Divides You from The Sheeple? Plenty!
Nearly every week, I get at least one frantic e-mail from a new SurvivalBlog reader, stating that they feel woefully under-prepared. The gist of these e-mails is: "I'm behind the power curve! How can I possibly get prepared in time?"
Fear not! Just by reading SurvivalBlog and taking some small, gradual steps at preparedness, you are miles ahead of your sheeple neighbors. And even with just modest preparedness measures, you have already substantially increased your chances of surviving most scenarios.
As I see it, here are your advantages:
AwarenessMost people are clueless. They have a naive Pollyanna outlook. But SurvivalBlog readers see the Big Picture, and plan accordingly. Because you are constantly aware of current events, you won't be one of the Generally Dumb Public (GDP) masses that invariably gets petrified in a crisis. Instead of just sitting there glued to a Crackberry, you will be taking concrete, meaningful action. While others spin in circles like beheaded poultry, you'll be busy helping to get things back to normal.
Skills and KnowledgeUnlike the folks that absorbed in the mindless American Idol television culture, you've spent your available time in taking hands-on training, and reading up on practical and tactical skills. You've also assembled a home library of useful references.
NetworkingMost of you have teamed up with like-minded relatives, friends, church congregants, and neighbors. Meanwhile, your average suburbanite doesn't even know the names of all of the neighbors on his block, much less know their skill sets.
ToolsYou've bought the best tools you could afford, for all foreseeable eventualities. Whether it is your Hi-Lift jack or your Glock, you've done your homework and acquired the most appropriate and durable gear. Meanwhile, your neighbors have frittered away their funds on jet-skis, Beanie Babies, Hummel figurines, and big screen plasma HDTVs.
Planning You've developed both "stay put" and "Get Out of Dodge" plans, plus a few alternates. You keep your bugout bag and even your passport handy.
LogisticsUnlike the sheeple--who aren't prepared for even a three day power failure--you have your beans, bullets, and Band-Aids stocked away, in depth. While your sheeple neighbors are flocking to the grocery store, where they will most likely find only empty shelves, you'll be sitting pretty. And while they are pondering their two gallon gas can for their lawn mower--their only stored fuel--you have laid in enough to not only be ready for a crisis, but you cane even pick and choose your time to re-stock, when their are dips in fuel prices.
LocaleA minority of highly motivated SurvivalBlog readers have taken my advice and relocated to safer regions. I hope that more of you do the same!
CommunicationsYou already have your commo and band scanning gear up and running. While most folks will be completely ignorant when the power grids and phone systems go down, you'll be coordinating with your Group, and keeping track of where the malo hombres are moving, and where they might be heading next.
Capacity for CharityThere is room in the hearts of most SurvivalBlog readers to dispense copious charity. We consider it our duty. And more than just the willingness to dispense charity, most of us just as importantly also have the capacity--namely, the requisite materiel. If you can't spare it, then you can't share it. As I often tell journalists in phone interviews: I don't look at my food storage as a three year supply for one family. Rather, it is a one year supply for three families.
The Bottom LineTo wax a bit metapohrical, SurvivalBlog readers are what the actuarial accountants would call "low rate qualifiers"--meaning that because we have minimized our risks and maximized our potential life spans we'd qualify for the lowest possible insurance rates. There are no absolute guarantees, but your chance of achieving room temperature at an early age is far, far below that of the average man. Pat yourself on the back, and then redouble your efforts to get squared way.

http://www.survivalblog.com/2009/08/what_divides_you_from_the_shee_1.html

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Prepping

I am glad to see so many people waking up and smelling the coffee. Eyes are finally being opened by jobs being lost and benefits being terminated. By the ptb pushing legislation through without a thought about reading it or having to answer those they supposedly represent. By our congress critters think they are the untouchables and can walk all over us, the common people.

The great nation that we once were is going..going...almost gone. Our dollar is hardly worth the paper it is printed on, and we are now a debtor nation. And it does not look like we will be able to dig ourselves out of the mounds of debt any time soon. As people wake up and see this fact, they realize that they alone are going to have to support and be responsible for themselves because the state is not going to be in the business of being the sugar daddy it has been; it is no longer reliable, and really does not care about them. Actually it never did, but that is another post.

So the newly awakened are starting to store up food and think about how to take care of themselves in the case of storms, disasters and loss of jobs. It is sad that this is a new way of thinking because it was not that long ago that every American took pride in living in the land of unlimited opportunities. In America, hard work pays off! Yes, work hard and be diligent and you will reap a reward! You were rewarded for saving your money. But those days are gone. Your savings are being robbed slowly now, but soon the inflation will start with a vengence and you will be left with nothing for your hard work, diligence and foresight. And if you are thinking that you will be fine because you have quite a tidy sum in savings, please think again. If a bank holiday is declared you will not be able to retrieve your money! If your bank fails, you may not have ready access either. And btw, the FDIC is about broke too from bailing out so many failed banks.

My advice is to buy any tangibles now that you have been thinking about. The prices on some things have been falling and may continue for a bit, but it will not be long before the necessities will cost much more than they do now. And I don't count on employer's matching the inflation rate so that their employees can make a go of it in these hard times.

Are you ready? Can your survive a job loss? A hurricane? A flood? Being quarentined due to the flu?

Don't delay. We may not have too long before our paper dollars will be worth more providing fuel for heat than food for the belly.

HUP

Sunday, August 9, 2009

My goal

I found out how actors really felt when you hear them say, “but what's my motivation” when I was a part of a night of entertainment put on by a wing and a prayer. Just a few of us from work putting in some evenings with a director who was hired to help us do a benefit and raise some money. He kept telling me to act a certain way and I tried to do as he requested, but he did not take the time to tell me why my character was to act as he was directing and being such a bit part, etc., I did not venture forth and inquire. And as a result, I acted as he directed me a time or two, but I could not continue to do as he asked; his direction did not “connect” with how I saw my role in skit and I could not continue to do what made me feel uncomfortable, or unnatural. My point is, I couldn't just be told what to do, even by someone I respected, I could not permanently change my acting (behavior) just on his direction alone; it had to come from inside me, from my own well of motivation. I needed to understand the reason for what he was telling me to do and make it my own. Once the motivation was my own, I could consistently perform.

Many of us in the prepper movement have had some aha moments. The point in time where we saw things differently. And our behavior changed. We acquired a new motivation. I firmly believe that in order to permanently change behavior, you must change on the inside first, i.e. in your thinking. I have pondered over things in my life, not quite understanding something, but not knowing how to get the answer I desired. Sometimes it was because the answer was obvious to most people, so they did not talk about it, but alas, I am not most people. Regrettably the simplest thing is just not simple for me at times. Other times I realized that I, more often than not, tend to ponder things on a much deeper level than most. I need to know the whys behind the hows. I do not do well with people who just do a job because that is how they were taught to do it, akin to a monkey doing things by rote, and never think about what they are doing or why they are doing it. A “just get it done, off my desk, off my check list and let me move on” mentality. When asked why they do a task, they do not have a response, and often do not think one is necessary. It is the way we have always done it, or it was the way I was told to do it suffices for them.

Dear reader, not only do I want this site to be one that helps people move into becoming prepared, I also want to make you think. What is motivating you?

And now let me ask you and important question. Who owns you? Seriously, who owns you? “I am no one's property!” you may answer in disgust. But is that really true?

A second question. Are you free? We are taught that we are, but are we? And what is freedom or liberty? One answer that I like is the ability and/or availability to determine how to spend my time and the ability to make my own choices. Of course, my liberty ends where yours begins.

Let me tell you about an aha moment I had while doing a history lesson with my kids that was about China. I remember thinking about the poor Chinese people, who we do not consider to be free, having to rent their land from the government and all of a sudden I thought about my property taxes. Hmm. I can buy any land that I can afford and convince the “owner” to sell to me, but I cannot get out of paying property taxes. In fact, right now, many places are being sold at sheriff sales across the country because of the failure to pay the property taxes. So who really owns my land? Am I not also renting it from the government? But I get services that I can't live without you say. Police and firemen to come to my rescue, paved and snow-plowed streets, etc. But what if I would rather own my own land free and clear in lieu of the “services.” Can I opt out. Nope. Nada. Tisn't allowed. I have no choice in the matter.

And one more question for you today. Who is responsible for you? I am assuming you are an adult with full mental capacity. I assume you will say that you are responsible for yourself. But is that how you live? Or do you depend on the government to feed, or clothe, or protect, or deliver, or defend you if you fall into need? If you do, ask yourself if you are making a wise choice in allowing yourself to become dependent on the government. Read a few things written about the people who lived through Katrina. It might change your thinking. Live through a blizzard here in the north woods.

Now on to another aha moment for me. It was when I saw just how many taxes we pay and leaned how many hours of my life go to just paying taxes. Almost half of my year (and if you work and get paid in frn's so is yours) is spent working to pay taxes. That is half of my time on the job is not spent not working for gain for me, but for the government. The state, if you will. I am working for wages for the state so that the state can take my hard earned wages and spend it on policing me, making sure I pay my taxes, give it away to stupid science experiments or other things I do not approve of at all.

I have concluded that I am not free, I am a slave. And it is the state that “owns” me. I only have as much freedom as they allow me. If I do not pay them rent, they will kick me off their land and not refund the money I have invested in their land. If I do not work for them (pay my income taxes) they will throw me in jail and remove even the veil of freedom that they hide behind.

We do still have a memory of what it is to be free here in this country, but we no longer really are. And as the state tightens the screws as the dollar falls, more people are waking up to the reality that we no longer are the land of the free, but God willing, we will find that we still are the home of the brave.

People are waking up and they are ceasing to practice self-administered cranial-rectal endoscopy (a phrase coined by another patriot - thanks Mr. H) and we need to be here to help them as they see the light. We need to see reality and study the founders and the ideas and philosophies that inspired them to pledge to see freedom delivered to the people of this great land. And we need to call on God for direction even as they did. With God's help, we will restore the republic.

Blessings,
HUP

Saturday, August 8, 2009

The Ladies did a great job

Kymber worked together with some of our other lady hosts and did a radio show today that you can go an listen to....

Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/James-Talmage-Steven for the show.

Great job Ladies!

HUP

Friday, August 7, 2009

Sat 8-8 Yahoo! Its the Ladies turn

Got this from Kymber:
Myself, Phelan, Ernie and Prepared in TN are going to be on the Family Preparedness Guide Radio Show tomorrow...I have put up a post on the CPN about it. Would you mind to re-post it here so that we can get as many listeners as possible?Here is the link:

http://canadianpreppersnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/08/ladies-will-be-on-family-preparedness.html

It will be at 1pm our time here in WI, 2 EST.

I know the gals will do a great job!

Blessings,
HUP

Thursday, August 6, 2009

On the move

We have an accepted on our house, and we were blessed by still making a profit. Now it just needs to pass the inspection, FHA and the appraisal....prayers appreciated!

Would love to rent and get a foreclosure, but dh only wants to move once. We have to be out by late Sept. Would love to leave the cold tundra and go south, but job and clients are here, but if God wills....

Tip for the day, check out soapstone stoves. From my research they hold the heat for 8 -12 hours and burn very efficiently. No technology needed. I hope to get one soon as they are on sale until Sept 15 at Woodstock Soaptstone Co.

HUP

Monday, August 3, 2009

Hello again

I know it has been too long since I have updated this blog. I wonder if there is even anyone still out there checking in, can't say I expect there to be as it has been so sporadic.

Life happens. And the blog was left in the dust as other things had to be tended to.

My dear number one son has taken a wife and it was a beautiful ceremony and a beautiful day, only supassed by his beautiful bride. They certainly were/are the happen couple.

And now we have finally gotten a serious offer to purcase our house; we will consult with a lawyer tomorrow. And then I will be consumed with finding some where else to reside...somewhere that is bigger than a postage stamp in the middle of a bunch of other postage stamps. Where there are not as many freedom-stealing regulations and prohibitions. Somewhere that is off of city utilities I hope. And somewhere that we can accommodate some family if the need arises and I image that it will. I wish I had the funds to go out to Idaho and join forces with some other like-minded people, but hubby's job is here and he is not the adventurous type.

And my new career is taking off. It is such rewarding work. But for now I am working at the old job and on the new career so there has not been much time to blog.

But I still want to encourage the newbies and wake up the "don't get its" and enlist the seasoned preppers here in the cold state of Wisconsin. I was starting to get my plan together for a "meet up" and now I just don't know.... if...I can eek out the time...perhaps we should just wing it....
I know some folks who could come and speak off the cuff and we would all be blessed, so it is still possible. Actually mid September may be a better time for many, after the harvest is in don't ya know.

Lately I have been hopping mad over the audacity of certain companies trying to say that only they should have the right to produce seed for food...who the h do they think they are! BUT if they heat the pan too fast more frogs are gonna jump out, praise God and tell the .gov to take a hike right out of our lives...oooooh that would be so cool. Take this regulation and shove it, I aint your slave no more...(sung to the tune of take this job and shove it)

Anyway, I will try to update as often as possible. I have so much to say, but so little time to get my thoughts together so that they are coherent. So maybe I will just have to ramble a bit and post "spelling dosen't kount"

Been encouraged tho to hear many say that they absolutley will not let anyone force the flu vaccine on them, whether there is a law that permits it or not. Thank God~

There are heavy metals in those vaccines and they cause more harm than good if ya ask me...I prefer a different kind of heavy metal for this household. And I can share if needed, to a select few.

If there is anyone in WI that would like to post to this blog your wonderful insights and share your expertise, please email helpuprep@gmail.com

God Bless,
HUP
Wisconsin Preppers Network Est. Jan 17, 2009 All contributed articles owned and protected by their respective authors and protected by their copyright. Wisconsin Preppers Network is a trademark protected by American Preppers Network Inc. All rights reserved. No content or articles may be reproduced without explicit written permission.