12 Life Lessons for Patriots, Preppers, and Everyone Else

By Tim Gamble

All my links: https://linktr.ee/timgamble 

I originally wrote this essay in 2019. I think it bears repeating from time-to-time. 

12 Life Lessons for Patriots, Preppers, and Everyone Else

1. Take responsibility for your own life. A big part of this is learning to be self-reliant, not waiting around for your parents, your teachers, your boss, your friends, or even the government to tell you what to do, or to do things for you. You are responsible for your own life. Even when bad things beyond your control happen to you, you are still in control of how you respond. Your life, your responsibility. 
   
2. Be honest. In the short run, it may mean some pain, but honesty is truly the best policy in the long run. Lies have a way of making things worse, and usually get discovered eventually. Also, always keep your word. And never cheat people. Develop a reputation for honesty, integrity and good character.  
   
3. Life is unpredictable, so be adaptable. Life is full of surprises and unexpected events, tragedies, and opportunities. Developing your adaptability is the best way to deal with the unexpected. 
   
4. Get married early and stay married. This runs counter to modern advice, which says to put off marriage until you "grow up", build a career, mature and know what you want out of life. But in reality the opposite in true. Married people, especially married men, mature faster, are more responsible, work harder, and are more ambitious than their single peers. Married people tend to be happier, healthier, and live longer than single people. 
   
5. Who you know is often more important than what you know. It can be hard for modern, highly individualistic Americans to admit, but we all need people. Life is not a solo sport. Lone wolves rarely do well in the long run. Shelve your ego. Meet people. Make friends. Network. Build community. Be a part of other people's lives, and let other people be a part of your life. This will pay many, many benefits throughout your life. 
   
6. Don't compare yourself to other people. Instead compare your current self with your younger self, and always try to improve on that younger self. This will be both emotionally healthier and more effective than comparing yourself to others. Always be improving over your former self.
7. Take care of your health. Your health and fitness is immeasurably important to your life, success, happiness, well-being, and preparedness. Your physical health, along with your spiritual health, will determine your future more than anything else. 
   
8. Avoid debt. Spend less than you make. Sound advice, but how many of us really follow it? Not many, apparently, since credit card debt is at an all-time high and personal bankruptcies are surging. 
   
9. Be a builder, not a consumer. Modern civilization is set up to make you into a consumer. Corporations and the government need you to spend as much money as possible. This is good for them, bad for you. Be a builder instead. Build savings. Build a business. Build a homestead. Build a family and a life. Sure, you have to buy stuff along the way, but be smart about what you buy. Don't mindlessly consume, no matter what Uncle Sam  and his puppet masters in big business want you to do...
10. Go for quality over quantity. The one with the most toys when they die, still dies. Life isn't about accumulating stuff. Preparedness isn't about accumulating stuff, either. Be more intentional about the way you live your life. Quality beats quantity. In preparedness, the temptation is to buy everything at once, but money is always a factor and many folks end up buying cheap gear they can't depend on this way. Buy a little at a time so you can afford better, more dependable gear.
11. Take care of your stuff. Sure, it costs money to change your car's oil every three months, but it costs a lot more to replace a blown engine. Taking care of your stuff pays big dividends over the long run. 
    
12. Develop your relationship with God. This should be the number one priority of your life. Not your career. Not your spouse or your children. Not your reputation or your bank account. Take care to develop this, and all else will turn out okay. Make prayer and Bible reading a daily habit. 
    

These are the lessons I've learned in my life, usually the hard way. Had someone given me this list when I graduated high school, and I actually followed it, I would have avoided many of my mistakes, and would be in a much better position in my life than I currently am.

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Radical Actions: Spread Constitutional Literacy

By Tim Gamble

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Here is a radical idea in today's world: Spread Constitutional Literacy by giving away pocket copies of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It's an idea that I've been promoting (and doing) for many years. 

Pocket Constitutions are available from Amazon (the one pictured here is currently $1.50 each with free shipping for both prime members or when ordering 24 or more). You may also be able to order pocket Constitutions from various political and educational organizations that occasionally offer them for sale. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so ordering them through my links to Amazon will help to support this site in a small way (at no extra cost to you). 

Pocket Constitutions  make great giveaways for:

• Back-to-School 
• History and Social Studies Classes
• Halloween Trick-or-Treat
• Spring and Fall Festivals
• Campaign Events and Political Rallies
• Business Events and Promotions
• Homeschoolers
• Scout Troops
• Churches and Sunday School Classes
• Bible Study and Prayer Groups
• Clubs and Civic Organizations
• "Little Free Libraries" (those boxes in many neighborhoods)

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Will You Listen?

By Tim Gamble

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I've heard the following story many times over the years, with slight variations each time. 

God, the Old Man, and the River

There was an old man who lived in a small town near a river. The old man was a Christian. He went to church every Sunday, and he prayed and read the Bible everyday. He was a good man, and well liked in his community.

It had been a particularly wet winter, and the spring was no different. The river that ran by the small town that the old man lived in was quite full. In fact, the only reason the river had not yet flooded was the presence of a large dam a hundred miles up river from the small town. The dam was successfully regulating the river for now, but was finally at full capacity.

The old man was watching TV one evening when he heard the bad news. The dam was beginning to fail. If the rain didn't stop soon, the small town where the old man lived was sure to flood. The weatherman came on and said that the forecast was for more heavy storms. The old man prayed "Lord, keep this town and me safe. I place my trust in you to handle this situation."

The rains were heavy the next morning when the old man woke up. He turned on the radio to listen to his favorite Christian music station. The radio announcer was giving a dire warning. The dam had failed. The river was flooding. People in the small town were being told to evacuate immediately. The old man prayed "Lord, keep this town and me safe. I place my trust in you to handle this situation."

The river began to rise. Streets in sections of the small town nearest the river were flooded. People were leaving as fast as they could. A knock came on the old man's front door. It was his neighbor checking up on the old man and asking him if he needed a ride out of town. The old man said "no." After his neighbor left, the old man prayed "Lord, keep this town and me safe. I place my trust in you to handle this situation."

Later that afternoon, the flood waters reached the old man's neighborhood. It quickly flooded the streets, and eventually became high enough to flood out the first floor of the old man's house. The old man retreated to the second floor of his house. He heard a commotion outside. It was some rescue workers in a boat searching for people who were trapped by the rising flood. They waved at him and brought the boat near the old man's bedroom window. They shouted at him to open the window, and they would get him into the boat and to safety. The old man simply shook his head. He would place his trust in the Lord. If it was His will, He would save him.

Finally, the boat had to move away from the old man's house. Soon after, the house, damaged by the flood, collapsed. The old man drowned.

The old man went to heaven. He was happy, but something concerned him. He asked the Lord, "Why did you not save me when I placed my trust in you?"

The Lord smiled patiently at the old man. "I sent you the news report to warn you the day before the flood. I sent you the radio announcement that you should flee to higher ground on the morning of the flood. I sent your neighbor to offer you a ride out of town when it was still possible to drive to safety. I sent the boat of rescue workers to save you minutes before your house would collapse."

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Your Reputation Matters

By Tim Gamble

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Are you concerned with your reputation and that of your family? Does integrity, honesty, and fairness mark your dealings with other people? Or do you smirk at such notions as being naive? 

I suggest that, far from naive, your reputation will determine your future.

Within the prepping, survival, and resistance communities, we talk a lot about food, water and other stuff we need to survive. We talk about knowledge and skills we need to survive. We even talk about the attitude we need to survive. All that is important. But there is one thing that is also important that I rarely, if ever, hear talked about: the importance of our reputation to our survival.

When I say "reputation," I don't don't mean what others think of us, but rather what they think about us. After all, we shouldn't care about what others think of us (except for God and maybe our spouse). But what others think about us, our reputation, does matter. 

The difference is important.

What others think of us is based on their feelings, and those feelings may have nothing to do with us. If someone doesn't like me because I am a committed follower of Jesus, for example, their dislike of me is based in their feelings about religion or the Bible, not me. I have no control over that, and therefore shouldn't worry if they like me or not. 

On the other hand, our reputations are grounded in what we do and say, and we do have control over that. So, if someone doesn't like me because I once cheated them in a business deal, then their dislike for me is based on my actions, not their feelings. I have earned a bad reputation.

Our reputations are important before a disaster.   

Our reputation, that we have earned through our words and actions, does have a lot to do with our success, or lack thereof, in life. It will affect our business dealings, our career, our personal relationships, and most other areas of our life. Ultimately, it will affect the opportunities we have, the money we make, and more importantly the kind of people we have in our lives. These things, in turn, can have a large impact in what preparations we can make for the future. Finally, our reputation will definitely impact our ability to form tribe or community.

Our reputations are important during a disaster. 

Imagine a grid-down scenario - let's say after an EMP event. We will be trying to survive in a chaotic world filled with other people. Our reputation will affect the willingness of others to trust us, to help us, and to cooperate with us. Will our neighbors see us as good folk, trustworthy enough to barter with or even to cooperate with for mutual security and assistance? Or will they see us a untrustworthy, even dangerous, and to be avoided?

Our reputations are important after a disaster.  

At some point the disaster will be over. Law and order will once again be established. A government or some sort of authority will form. And we will be held accountable for our actions during the disaster. Our reputations that we earned during the disaster will affect our place in the newly established society.

Am I being naive?

Some preppers and survivalists like to brag about the lengths they will go to survive. Some even claim to be willing to do terrible things such as shoot innocent people because they may potentially become a threat at some point, or even to just steal their stuff.  They sneer at anyone objecting to their lack of morality, accusing us of being naive, and even weak. 

I don't think so. In fact, I suggest that they are the ones being naive in thinking that their behavior during the crisis will not have consequences at some point as things begin to calm down. The fact is our actions – good, bad, or indifferent – do have consequences, both immediate and in the future. 

What reputation do we want to have?  

I'll answer that question for myself: I strive for a reputation of integrity, fidelity, competence, and strength. 

      Integrity. More than just honesty, although that is an important part of it, integrity is the unwavering adherence to a moral code. I want people to know that they can trust me to be honest, and that I will always strive to do the right thing.

     Fidelity. More than just loyalty, although that is an important part of it, fidelity is faithfulness - living up to your obligations and duties. I want people to know that I will keep my word, that I will always do what I say, and they I am dependable and reliable. 

     Competence. Competence is having the knowledge, skills, ability, judgment, and wisdom to be effective in all aspects of life. I want people to know that not only do I intend to live up to my word and obligations, but that I also have the ability to do so.

     Strength. Physical strength, as well as arms and armament, can be a part of this, but by strength I am especially referring to is strength of character, as well as to drive and determination. I want people to know not only do I intend to live up to my word and obligations, and have the ability to do so, but I also have the strength and determination to accomplish my purposes.

From a survivalist point-of-view, having a reputation for the first three should make people want me on their side - promoting cooperation, community, and assistance. A reputation for the last should make me a less interesting target for the bad guys, or others hoping to take advantage of me, my family, and my tribe.

Reputation Matters. 

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College Is No Longer A Measure of Success

By Tim Gamble

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For several generations now, college has been considered absolutely essential to success in America. That is no longer true, as many people have pointed out in recent years. 

As political correctness and woke ideologies have taken control of college campuses, academic standards have drastically inclined. A college degree is no longer as impressive today as it was 25 or 30 years ago. Something many employers have figured out. Even degrees from so-called Elite schools such as Harvard are no longer the guarantor of success they once were. Worse, this sharp decline in the value of a college education has coincided with a staggering increase in the cost of getting that declining education. 

College is no longer a good idea for many people. Many folks will be more successful without college. It is a shocking statement, but true, in my opinion. 

"If you want to get ahead in life, you have to go to college" is old advice that is no longer valid. It is simply is not worth going into tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get a degree in gender studies or 18th century French poetry. Education is a good thing. Massive debt is not. And neither is political indoctrination.  Colleges and universities are cesspools of wokeness, anti-capitalism, and anti-Americanism. They intentionally seek to destroy traditional values and religious beliefs.

Spending tens of thousands of dollars on college isn't the only way to get an education. In fact, in most cases a better education can be achieved with much less expense. 

Consider vocational training at a trade school or local community college (much more affordable and useful, with less indoctrination) while working a real job. 

If you do have your heart set on a career requiring a college degree, make sure it is a good-paying career (accountant, doctor, lawyer, veterinarian, etc.) and get your degree as cheaply as possible without going into debt. This probably means going to a local community college to get the general curriculum courses, then transferring to a relatively affordable state university to finish your major. It may even mean taking some time of from your studies to work and save money to pay for your studies.

Just something to think about.

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23 Action Steps to Defend the Second Amendment

By Tim Gamble

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Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

1) Know Your Rights - We have a natural (God-given) right to self-defense, and this includes the tools needed to defend ourselves. This unalienable right is recognized and guaranteed by the Second Amendment to U.S. Constitution. Guns are a very useful, even necessary, tool of self-defense. They are also great for hunting, providing food, recreation through shooting sports, and collecting. But their primary function, as enshrined in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers, is for self-defense, against both bad people and bad governments. 

Action Steps:

A) Read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
B) Get a "pocket copy" of both (various organizations often give away such copies).
C) Read the article "The Six Things Americans Should Know About the Second Amendment" by Richard W. Stevens.
D) Check out the Biblical Self-Defense website.
E) Learn the laws of your state and locality regarding firearms, self-defense, and concealed-carry & open-carry. Your local gun store should be able to help with this step. 

[Why know State Laws if the Second Amendment is clear? Because politicians and government officials don't always follow the Constitution, and it is difficult to defend the Second Amendment from a jail cell.]

2) Work to Change Unconstitutional Laws and Excessive Regulations

Many states and localities have passed legislation that violates the Second Amendment and/or otherwise restricts our inalienable right to self-defense. We must work diligently to change these laws and to prevent new restrictions. This takes time, effort, and awareness. The cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. 

Action Steps:

A) Know the positions of political candidates regarding guns and self-defense. Do not vote for candidates that do not fully support the Second Amendment or that favor restrictions, even so-called "commonsense" restrictions, on guns and self-defense. This is especially important in state and local elections!
B) Make your voice heard. Pressure your politicians at all levels to be pro-Second Amendment, and to resist all gun control efforts. Many politicians end up voting in the direction they feel the greatest pressure. We have to make sure we out-pressure the Elites. The Elites are very good at this, and have the support of the main stream media and academia. We have to be better than them. Write, call, email, and visit your elected officials often. Attend town halls. Write newspaper editorials. Be outspoken. 

C) Here's how to contact federal, state, and local government officials: click this link. 
D) Many gun rights organizations provide legislative alerts and suggested actions to take. Join their email lists and/or follow them on social media to stay informed of these opportunities. (A list of some of these organizations is in step #3 below.)

3)  Join Forces with Others Defending the Second Amendment

There are many organizations defending the Second Amendment. Here are a few you should consider joining. 

Action Steps:

A) Gun Owners Association (GOA) (Twitter, Website, YouTube)

B) National Rifle Association (NRA) (Twitter, Website, YouTube)
C) National Association for Gun Rights (Twitter, Website, YouTube)
D) The Second Amendment Foundation (Twitter, Website)
E) Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (Twitter, Website) 

4) Know the Facts

Over the years, many politicians and activists have been caught reciting facts and statistics that were highly distorted or even completely made-up. Opponents of the Second Amendment have no qualms about lying to get their way. It is crucial that we know the real facts and statistics so that we cannot be mislead, and so that we can correct the record and prevent others from being mislead.

Action Steps:

A) Visit and explore the Gun Facts website
B) Download and read the free GOA ebook Gun Facts 6.2 (link opens a .pdf) - if someone knows of a newer version of this book, please drop a link to it in the comments section below. 

5) Promote Gun Ownership

Action Steps:
 
A) Own guns and enjoy them. 

B) Encourage others to own guns, and to pursue hunting and shooting hobbies. The more people who own and enjoy guns, the harder it will be for the Elites to take our guns away. 

C) Invite a gun-wary friend, neighbor, or co-worker to go hunting or shooting with you. Get to them before the Elites do.

6) Schools and Zero-Tolerance

Schools have enacted zero-tolerance policies that go way beyond banning the actual weapons from schools. School kids have, and are, getting suspended, expelled, and sometimes arrested for such absurdities as merely using the word "gun", drawing a picture of a gun, having one of those green plastic army men with a gun, biting a pop-tart into the shape of a gun, having a toy "bubble gun" or water pistol that looks nothing like a real gun, and even holding their forefinger and thumb into a gun shape while playing on the playground (no more playing cowboys and Indians, or even cops and robbers).

School officials are smart enough to understand the difference between a half-eaten pop tart that is sort of in the shape of a gun, and a real gun. They intentionally overreact to such an incredible extent not to discourage guns on campus, but to instill a deep-seated fear of guns into students. The Elites know that if the current generation of students are afraid of guns, it will be easier to ban guns once they grow up.  

Action Steps:

A) Fight these absurd zero-tolerance rules in your kids' schools. Stand up to administrators who think your kid should be arrested for biting a potato-chip in such a way that it vaguely resembles a gun. Point out the absurdity of pretending that the tiny plastic gun that the green plastic army man is holding is the same as the real thing. 

B) Make sure you are voting for school board members who respect the Second Amendment, as well as the rest of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. This is absolutely crucial. 

C) Teach your kids to respect guns, not to fear them. Teach them how to use guns safely. Take them shooting and hunting. Check out the NRA's Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program for kids. Ask at your local gun store about other age-appropriate gun safety programs in your area. 

7) Men, Get Your Woman Into Shooting

Men, get your wives and girlfriends into shooting. The more women who get into hunting and other shooting sports, the more secure the Second Amendment will be in the future.

Think about it. Wherever mothers go, there go their children. The more that children are exposed to responsible gun ownership, and the safe and fun use of guns, the less fearful they will be of guns, despite the anti-gun indoctrination in our schools.

The long-term future of the Second Amendment is being determined in the fight for the hearts and minds of children. The anti-gun activists know that the more fearful children are of guns while they are young, the more fearful they will be when they grow up. Then those fearful future adults - who will be voters, politicians, judges, bureaucrats, school administrators, teachers, and in other positions of influence - will be easier to convince to do away with the Second Amendment and accept complete gun confiscation (the ultimate goal of gun control).

Action Steps:

A) Men, Get Your Woman Into Shooting. The best and easiest way to stop the intentional spread of the fear of guns into children is to get their mothers into guns. Take your wife or girlfriend to the shooting range. Take them hunting. Get them into guns. And the message will seep down to their children.

Suggestions:

I'm not a woman, but I do have some commonsense suggestions for how to get your wife or girlfriend into shooting: 

• Be patient. 
• Make it fun. 
• Don't be a jerk, talk down to her, or make it into some macho thing. 
• The purpose is to get her into shooting, not to show off your skills or to impress her with your manliness.
• Don't take over and try to make decisions for her. 
• Let other people help - you're probably the wrong person to teach her how to shoot, no matter how good you are. 
• Take a class together. 
• Don't "take her" shooting or hunting, instead go shooting or hunting together (an important difference, especially to a woman). 
• Let her progress at her own pace.

I would love to get suggestions from women on how to get women into shooting sports. Please leave suggestions in the comments section below.  

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5 Warnings About Bank Safe Deposit Boxes

By Tim Gamble

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Bank safe deposit boxes may seem like the perfect place to store important documents, plans, and even valuables. And in many cases this may be true. However, here are five considerations to think through carefully before deciding to do so.

First, you won't have 24/7 access to the documents and other items in your box, as banks are generally closed at night, and on weekends and holidays. Also, in some circumstances, banks may not open during normal business hours due to inclement weather, natural disasters, or "bank holidays" during financial disasters. It is generally recommended that items that may need to be quickly accessed NOT be stored in a safe deposit box, such as passports, medical directives, living wills, etc. 

Second, if you are forced to suddenly bug-out for whatever reason, it is highly doubtful you'll have time to swing by the bank to collect your documents and valuables on your way out of town, even if the bank is open. 

Third, your documents and other items in safe deposit boxes are NOT insured by the government (FDIC does NOT cover the contents of safe deposit boxes). The contents may or may not be insured privately by the bank. You'll have to read your agreement closely to find out if your bank maintains private insurance on the contents, and what exclusions and limitations may apply. It is also worth noting that "The bank cannot be held responsible for anything that may happen to your safety deposit box, nor the items contained within the box," according to legalmatch.com. In other words, the bank cannot be held legally liable if the contents of your safe deposit box are somehow stolen, lost, or damaged. 

Fourth, law enforcement and government officials will have access to your safe deposit box. According to legalmatch.com, "Government regulatory or enforcement agencies may obtain a court order to access your safe deposit box in some circumstances. An example of this would be if they have “reasonable cause” to believe your box contains illegal or illegally-obtained items. Safe deposit boxes may be frozen, similar to a bank account, until the matter has been resolved." 

Fifth, be aware of what happened in Argentina during their financial crisis. Banks were closed by the government for an extend period of time. When they reopened, bank customers found that their safe deposit boxes had been emptied out, either by corrupt bank employees or corrupt government officials (or both, working together). In most cases, those bank customers had no recourse and never recovered their stolen items. 

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Encryption 101 - Part 2 (An Easy and Free Encryption Method)

By Tim Gamble

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Part 1 was posted yesterday, and is a general introduction to encryption for the non-techie.

--The following information is specifically for Windows systems--

Encryption Software

There is a lot of encryption software out there, much of it you have to buy. For years, I used Rohos software, which has both a paid and free version. The free version has less bells and whistles and you are limited, last time I checked, to two gigabytes of encryption (which actually should be plenty for most folks). Rohos worked very well for me, and it does let you create a hidden partition to hide your encrypted data (but that is not really necessary, in my opinion). I haven't used Rohos in years, so things may have changed. 

An Easy, Free Alternative 

I eventually discovered that 7-Zip archive software allows for password-protected full AES-256 encryption. That is one of the encryption standards that I mentioned in Part 1. All that you really need to know is that it is considered one of the absolute best. 

Archive software, such as 7-Zip, is used to compress, or zip-up, files (and extract them later) in order to save memory space. Using 7-Zip to create and password protect encrypted files is easy, even for non-techies. Simply follow these steps:

1- If you don't already have 7-Zip, you can download and install it on your computer. You can get it at Major Geeks (a software site that I have used for years and trust). Go to https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/7_zip.html to get it. Again, it is free.

2- Once it is installed, navigate to the folder containing the files and folders that you want to encrypt. Select the files and folders that you want to encrypt, perform a right-click on them, click 7-Zip from the menu, and then click the "Add to archive" option. This works on your Windows-based desktop, laptop, or any USB key (memory stick). 7-Zip compresses and encrypts all files within any folder you select. I simply keep most of my sensitive files in the same folder, using sub-folders to organize the files, and encrypt/decrypt that folder as needed. 

3- At the Add to Archive dialog box, you can either choose the default name in the top box, or type in a new name for the folder or file, and choose the destination for the encrypted file (the ... button to the right of the top line). Make sure the Archive format (next box down) is set to 7z or zip.

Note: Your "Add to Archive" box may look slightly different depending on your particular version.

4- In the same dialog box, you add a password in the Encryption dialog in the right-column about halfway down, where it says Password and Re-enter Password. You need to remember this password! Just below that, make sure the Encryption method is set to AES-256. Then click Okay. 7-Zip will then zip-up the encrypted file and place it wherever you choose in step 3. Depending on the size of the files and your computer's speed, this way take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

5- You have now created an encrypted file. At this point, you may want to delete/shred the original folder and start using the encrypted folder exclusively (make sure the password for the encrypted folder works first, of course). You may move this encrypted file around, place it on a USB key, make back-up copies of it, or whatever you want to do.

6- To open and use the encrypted files, just right click the encrypted file, select 7-Zip, select Open archive, and the 7-Zip file manager will pop up, and use it to open the encrypted file with your password by choosing the file/folder you want, clicking on Extract (green dash), clicking Okay, then entering your password.

Note: Your box may look slightly different depending on your particular version

A final note: It is still possible to accidentally delete files encrypted by this method the same way you may accidentally delete your non-encrypted files, so pay attention to what you're doing! Remember, if you accidentally delete something from your computer, you can usually recover it from your recycle bin.

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Encryption 101 - Part 1 (A Beginner's Guide)

By Tim Gamble

All my links: https://linktr.ee/timgamble 

   

--The following information is specifically for Windows systems-- 

You know, or at least have heard, that you should protect your information. You may have even heard the word "encryption." But, what exactly is encryption? And how do you do it? Do you need awesome tech skills or expensive software? This article will quickly give you a basic understanding of encryption and what you may need to encrypt, as well as reveal (in part 2) an easy and free way even non-techies can use encryption. 

What is encryption? Very simply, encryption is a way to "scramble" information stored on your computer, laptop, USB key (memory stick), or other electronic device so that no one without the encryption password can read it.  So, if someone steals your laptop or you lose your USB key, no one can read the sensitive files that are encrypted on it, even if they otherwise can get into your device. There are several different methods and standards for encryption, but there is no need to understand the technical specifications in order to use encryption.

What needs to be encrypted?  How much of your information you decide to encrypt is up to you. I personally only encrypt personal information of a sensitive nature - tax and financial records, business records, insurance information, medical information, my master list of passwords and pin numbers, contact lists, back-up copies of important documents such as birth certificates, CC permits, deeds, titles, driver's licenses and passports. I also encrypt certain "prepper" information that might reveal aspects of my prepping that I don't want to be public knowledge, such as planned bug-out locations, or guns and ammo, food storage and medical supply lists, among others. 

I see no need to encrypt my music and video files, photos, or even most of the prepper-type videos, articles, and eBooks I've downloaded over the years. In fact, less than 15% of my computer files are encrypted. I only bother encrypting truly sensitive information. 

Why encrypt important information? Privacy is important. ID theft has become a $20 billion a year industry in the United States. Then there is the government, public schools, Big Tech, large corporations, political and social activists, snooping employers, and even nosy neighbors that want to know everything about you, even (especially) the stuff that is absolutely none of their business. Preppers and survivalists also should be concerned about operational security. There are lots of legitimate reason to protect your data. The idea that only "bad people" need to worry about privacy is a stunningly ignorant opinion. 

Are there drawbacks to encryption? There is one, and its potentially a huge drawback. If you forget or lose your password, there is no way to recover it. No one will be able to send you a link to change your password. Even the encryption software company or your favorite IT guy will not be able to recover or change it for you. If you cannot figure out your password, you will be locked out of your encrypted data forever.

Also, its worth noting that the encryption is only as strong as your password. Don't use an obvious or easy-to-guess password, such as your mother's or wife's maiden name, your dog's name, your social security number, or even "password." Many security experts now suggest using a random sentence as your password, such as "IhatepurpleeggssaidSam" (that one is "I hate purple eggs said Sam" without the spaces) - make it something that you'll remember but no one else is likely to ever guess.

Does the Government (FBI, NSA, etc) have the ability to break encryption? This is a controversial question, and opinions vary widely. At the very least, it is not quick or easy for the government to break into encrypted data. Even at the highest levels, it would take considerable time and resources, and even then it may not be possible. However, I personally assume that with their technical expertise, access to supercomputers, and other resources, the government would be able to eventually break any encryption if they were determined enough to do so. 

"Determined enough" means willing to devote a considerable amount of time, manpower, and other resources. They do not care enough about your list of prepper supplies or bug-out locations to devote such effort to your data. They would need a real reason to go after your data to such an extent.     

Does the Government (FBI, NSA, etc) the legal right break into my encrypted data? Can they force me to reveal my password? Constitutionally, no. In the USA, they would need a warrant, obtained only after showing just cause, to go after your data. And even then, they would not be able to force you to cooperate (5th amendment means they cannot force you to incriminate yourself). However, in recent years, we have seen the government and even the Court system itself ignore the Constitution when it is convenient for them to do so. Most other countries do not even have similar 5th amendment protections, and folks in those countries may be jailed for refusing to reveal a password. 

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UK: Nearly a Quarter of 18 to 34 Year Olds Believe the Bible Should Be Banned

By Tim Gamble

All my links: https://linktr.ee/timgamble 

02/18/2024 UK – Last week, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported on a study in the United Kingdom showing that nearly a quarter of young Brits are open to banning the Bible, because it contains perceived hate speech.

Whitestone Insights, a UK-based polling group, surveyed over 2,000 adults, asking if they agreed with the following statement: “Unless the offending parts can be edited out, books containing what some perceive as hate speech should be banned from general sale, including if necessary religious texts such as the Bible.”

Whitestone found that young Brits, ages 18 to 34, were most likely to agree with this statement, amounting to 23% of participants. Middle-aged Brits, ages 35 to 54, were the second highest group at 17%, followed by Brits over age 55 at 13%.

The results tell of a deeper social belief in the UK that Christian views should be censored – and it is a belief that has plagued all of Europe.

Last year, an American street preacher was arrested in England for preaching the Bible. A woman was also arrested for silently praying outside of an abortion clinic – and in neighboring Finland, Paivi Räsänen, a member of the Finish parliament, faced charges of hate speech after sharing her religious beliefs on social media.

These cases, along with the recent poll, are a concerning reminder of the declining state of religious freedom occurring in Western democracies around the world.

ICC Website: https://www.persecution.org/

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