PRUDENT MEASURES

Original Content | 2/24/2022 | By Laz A. Mataz

[Lazamataz]

A friend on FR sent me a Freepmail, warning me to take prudent electronic measures. This is due to the recent actions in Ukraine, and our possible (hamhanded) response, followed by a likely all-out cyber war.

A cyber war could do quite a bit of damage, disrupting financial institutions and even shutting down our water and electricity. Therefore, I will take my friends post, and expand it.

Please take some prudent measures. If nothing happens, GREAT.... but if something happens, you'll think back to that time when your good ole' buddy Laz warned you, and you heeded him.

PRUDENT MEASURES BELOW:

FINANCIAL:

- Make sure you have a secure connection to your banking & investment accounts first;

- Get on your banks, investment accounts;

- Download copies of statements of each today. Complete with up to date balances, your account #’s, etc..;

- Store them on a removable USB drive. DO NOT leave them on your computer. I'd actually go entirely to paper...;

- If you do not have an SSL VPN provider, get one today. I use NordVPN;

- If you have the technical capability, run pi-hole on a Raspberry Pi 3 (or better) device OR on an existing Linux box.

- Do not “run naked” on the internet. Personal security on the internet right now is even more important than ever. Whatever you do, don’t rely on your router’s firewall or Windows Security to protect you.

PHYSICAL:

I might suggest:

- You have as large a backlog of meds as you can. I have laid up about a years worth, including insulin.

- You secure yourself as large a quantity of water as you can. I got a 55 gal plastic drum. If you don’t have that, and you have a swimming pool, you’re good... if it is filled. If not, get a bathtub waterbob (which I also have) and water purification methods. At bare minumum, lay in some 2 liter empty-soda bottles. DO NOT USE MILK JUGS, that will kill you.

- Make sure your weapon(s) are functional and sighted in, and that they are by your side.

- Hopefully you have dried, canned, or otherwise preserved food. While a cooking source is nice, for canned goods it is optional.

- If shit gets hairy, contact your neighbors to form an area-defense league. Be sensitive to when the law no longer matters. That is called the Inflection Point. When the Inflection Point occurs, be ready to kill to defend yours. And remember: More trigger-pullers always beats fewer trigger-pullers.

[1Old Pro]

If you are living so close to the edge with your finances that a fifty cent a gallon increase in gas prices will destroy you, then you need to review your life.

BS, what about spending 1000 more for my LP gas? What about goods and services that have a transportation component. And it's more than 50cents, it's 1-2 dollars.

[dead]

Freaking Russians....

[blueunicorn6]

Go buy your tanker trunk.

All those people panicking on 9/11 didn’t do themselves a damn bit of good.

[usconservative]

If you are living so close to the edge with your finances that a fifty cent a gallon increase in gas prices will destroy you, then you need to review your life.

Except it's not just a fifty cent/gallon increase. Gas is up over $1.50/gal since January of 2021 before Legit President Trump left office;

Food inflation is in the double-digits;

Heating bills have more than doubled year over year;

Electric bills have more than doubled year over year;

Don't even THINK about trying to buy a new or used car right now;

Housing prices are up over 30% year over year where I live;

Rents have gone absolutely insane;

And a whole lot more. Stop being so ignorant and narrow minded thinking it's just about gas. It's not.

[SimpleJack]

“Cigarettes, booze
and Pork Rinds.
Yup,I’m stocked up!”

Got all that plus guns and ammo.
Bring it on Putin you magnificent bastard. I READ YOUR BOOK!

[1Old Pro]

You think small.

[blueunicorn6]

“The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”

[Grampa Dave]

Get on your banks, investment accounts;

- Download copies of statements of each today. Complete with up to date balances, your account #’s, etc..;

Living forest fire country, we keep all of that data in a separate go bag. My wife is responsible for having the go bag in a safe but ready to go site. Our rxes can be scooped up and bundled with that stuff.

My responsibility is keeping the data up to date. Our CPA gets copies at the end of each qtr and tax year. His office is in a separate fire district. Our lawyer gets copies each qtr..

With our recent dry winter, those go bags are ready to grab and go.

We know of people who lost everything in the fires 3+ years ago and still are getting $crewed/delayed on payments due to them!

[Lazamataz]

Could you please add me to your ping list? Thanks

Of course, it is done.

[Big Red Badger]

Patrons pistols will
Become common place!

[Big Red Badger]

Patrons,,,ah , No!
Patton.
Who had an idea of invading
Russia.
.
God Bless ‘merica!

[moovova]

Thanks.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

FWIW.

PING!

[Sergio]

Thanks Laz, I appreciate the reminders. I need to up my water supply.

[TBP]

Thank you for these tips. Also, have plenty of food on hand.

[Man from Oz]

Please add me to your list. Much appreciated and best regards.

MFO

[jimjohn]

Oh, and it may be controversial to say this but...

If you NEED certain parts and supplies that you can only get online, order it now.

Never know when the “Asian General Store” might be closed for business.

just my $0.02

jimjohn - OUT

[jimjohn]

Mr. Laz,

Regrettably, I didn’t realize until just now that you had a ping list.

Please forgive, and add me your ‘thing’ (I ask on bended knee).

P.S. I think I owe you something. it’s sitting right here.

[Prince of Space]

Thank God we’ve been putting hubby’s cash tips aside for a couple years. We put some cash into the bank if our accounts are getting low, but otherwise we hang onto it, because you never know.

[wjcsux]

Thanks Laz. I would also recommend having some backup cash safely stored away.