Prepper Checklist 101

07/09/2026

SPRING IS HERE!

My parsley, rocket & basil were looking very tired after the recent change in weather. As soon as spring arrived it got much hotter!

The basil, in particular, is quite woody with little foilage.

I spruced up my spent potting mix by breaking it down (aerating it) & mixing in aged compost, dried grass clippings, some gypsum & pellet fertilizer.

I then thoroughly watered these plants with a banana peel tea I'd been brewing for a few weeks.

06/09/2026

HERB GARDEN - IMPROVEMENT

Whilst I couldn't save my thyme plant the oregano, sweet basil & rosemary herbs have kicked on since freshening-up the spent potting mix in late July¹.

I have much more foliage & the sweet basil, in particular, is looking much healthier.

I know, I know. It's just a herb garden. Yet I still have so much fun seeing my plants grow.

Gardening is therapeutic. Try it!

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1). https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DG4D4QWWU/

05/09/2026

BLACK OUT

A few days ago we lost power for several hours. Whilst I easily located my torch, it took some time to find the power bank¹ to charge my phone.

Nonetheless, I was able to quickly ascertain this was caused by my neighbour hitting a junction box with their car. Whilst the providers took several hours to fix this it was an uneventful night.

However, now that I've recharged my 'Brillar' power bank I've decided to leave it *permanently* on the shoe rack near the front door. In this way it will be in the same location as my individualized Area Plan², torch & bolo machete³.

It's great to have gear, but such a hassle when you can't find it when you need it! This is exactly why you should take stock after blackouts, bushfires, storms etc.

Prepping is dynamic, not static.



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1). https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Kx9LLXkCY/

2). https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C3cz9ZLZn/

3). https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HXWQ23i6Y/

Screenshot via 'Gulf Coast Electric'

29/08/2026

SOLAR INVERTERS - A POSSIBLE GLITCH THAT MAY AFFECT YOU

As per my most recent post about my solar system¹ (PV, inverter & battery) I am now with an electrical provider which:

- Pays me to export my stored electricity (from my battery) to the grid during peak usage hours. They call the latter 'Happy Hours' (namely 5.30pm - 9.30pm).

- For the above I am paid $ 0.35 / exported kW for the first 15 kW during 'Happy Hours', &

- $ 0.10 / exported kW for the next 10 kW during 'Happy Hours'.

The plan, hopefully, is for this exported-to-the-grid electricity to cover my daily line rental. However, here lies the problem 👇

Let's say I instruct my inverter, via the manufacturer's app, to discharge to 40% State of Charge (SOC) during peak hours when I'm paid to do so (i.e 5.30pm - 9.30pm). Let's say, for sh*ts & giggles, I hit the 40% SOC at 7.30pm.

Do you know what then happens?

My inverter app will then NOT allow my battery to feed my home from 7.30pm - 9.30pm, rather it forces my home to import from the grid during the most expensive time of the day - peak hours!

Yep, you heard right. And yes I've checked this glitch on various forums, yet my manufacturer simply won't address it.

So what did I do?

Well I didn't do much 🤣 but my mate, a computer engineer:

- scoured GitHub,

- bought a fanless PC to connect to my LAN, &

- wrote a program that forces my battery, during 'Happy Hours', to go back to feeding my house from my battery, rather than importing from the grid, when the designated SOC is met. It does this dynamically & thus takes into account the electricity I need to feed my home during non-daylight hours.

He utilized 'Home Assistant' to aid him in this endeavour. I now have an individualized app that allows me to configure my battery for dynamic use. This program, stored on the fanless PC, is connected to the dongle on my inverter & allows my dynamic program (the "logic" as he calls it) to direct my inverter from my LAN.

My friend has been running this type of "logic" in his own home for 2 months. It's enabled him to re-jig it & iron out any bugs. It's also made the use of his battery & PV far more efficient.

So here I am benefitting from his skills, & months of data, from the roll-out of this program from his home.

Winner winner, chicken dinner!



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1). See the link marked *** in the comment section below

28/08/2026

LESSONS FROM WORLD WAR II HEROES THAT APPLY TO PREPPERS DURING SHTF EVENTS

This video explores the complexities behind acts of resistance during the N**i era, questioning what separates courageous individuals who defied oppression from the majority who remained passive.

Through historical examples & rigorous research it reveals that resistance is 👇

- LESS ABOUT INHERENT PERSONALITY TRAITS & MORE ABOUT SOCIAL INFLUENCE, CIRCUMSTANCE & THE POWER OF BEING ASKED TO ACT.

- Ultimately, it reframes heroism as a contagious mindset that ANYONE CAN ADOPT.

🚨 The Nature of Human Behavior Under Oppression

- Most people follow societal norms, believing what they are taught or told is true. Resistance requires deliberate effort, going beyond "going with the flow."

- Influential social change is often driven by a small, committed minority, NOT a broad majority.

🚨 Influence Follows a Power Law, Not a Bell Curve

Social influence does NOT distribute evenly or gently, rather a few people exert disproportionate impact, often hundreds or thousands of times greater than the average individual.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb terms these actors an “intransigent minority”, who succeed by sheer persistence & resolve.

🚨 Research on Resistance Heroes: Personality vs. Circumstance

Studies by Drs. Samuel, Pearl Oliner & psychologist Eva Fogelman interviewed hundreds of rescuers & bystanders, discovering:

- No clear personality type distinguished rescuers from ordinary people; they were heterogeneous in age, gender, religious belief & social status.

- Few rescuers were motivated by deep emotional sympathy; many functioned with detachment & practicality.

- Rescuers often shared an internal locus of control, meaning their parents had taught them to rely on themselves & think independently. Surprisingly, communists & orthodox Christians were more commonly represented as rescuers than so-called moderate individuals.

🚨 Sociology of Resistance: The Critical Role of Being Asked

- The decisive factor in whether someone helped hide Jewish civilians during WWII was being directly asked! This request functioned as a social trigger, forcing people to confront their moral choice.

- The resistance grew contagiously as those who helped then recruited others. This “infection theory” of resistance highlights social influence as key to mobilization during times of oppression.

🚨 Broader Implications: Heroism as a Contagious Mindset

The video argues that courage & resistance:

- Are not solely innate traits but can be adopted & spread socially.

- Require exposure to inspiring examples & invitations to act.

🚨 Conclusion

- Resistance against oppression is rarely about lone heroes acting by instinct. Instead, it emerges through social connections, direct requests to help & cascading influence.

- Heroism is a contagious behavior & mindset nurtured by community & inspiration rather than innate virtue.

- Preppers should keep the above in mind when faced with an extended SHTF event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR1rkrSN7MU

Notes edited from a generated 'NoteGPT' summary

**i

Would you have joined the resistance in Europe during World War II?...

23/08/2026

COST OF LIVING CRISIS - PART II

🚨 TIMING OF COOKING & CHORES

If you have solar panels do your cooking, laundry, vacuuming & charging of your EV car during the day. Why? Because you can use your generated PV to meet these electricity needs.

If you don't have solar panels, don't stress. Soon all electricity suppliers will be obligated to offer 3 hours of FREE electricity per day. If you can, do your chores during this time period.

🚨 ROCKET STOVE

Minimal fuel (small twigs) can be used to generate quite a lot of heat via a rocket stove. These can be made with old bricks & used with a cast iron skillet or flat griddle.

I've used a rocket stove to cook eggs for breakfast & an Asian stir-fry with diced chuck roll.

🚨 COMPOSTING TOILET

Believe it or not, you can compost your own humanure through hot composting. The latter relies on thermophilic bacteria that renders humanure safe. This greatly reduces your water usage & saves $.

🚨 STEER CLEAR OF OVER-PRICED TOOLS

No, you don't need to buy the expensive Gransfors Bruk Scandinavian axe. You can suffice yourself with a Council Tool boys axe or Cold Steel Trail boss.

No, you don't need to buy the overpriced Benchmade 945 folding knife. You can instead purchase a Victorinox Sentinel.

🚨 DEFROSTING MEAT

Rather than defrosting your frozen meat in the microwave take it out of the freezer in the morning & leave it to thaw on a plate in your fridge or on the counter.

🚨 REGROW GREEN ONIONS

Save the white ends of your green onions with the roots attached & put them in water on a window edge. Within a few days new green shoots will start growing.

🚨 REGROW CELERY

Place the bottom of your celery bunch in water on your window sill. Within a short space of time new growth will appear & you can transfer it to your garden.

🚨 REGROW LETTUCE

Place the bottom of your lettuce in a shallow container of water. When new shoots appear plant it in your garden.

🚨 SHOPPING

I've often found great discounts on baked goods, packaged meat & fresh produce @ the supermarket late on weekday afternoons & Sunday afternoons.

22/08/2026

RED MEAT PRIMAL CUTS

Buying primal cuts @ a wholesaler saves you money, albeit you need to break them down further upon arriving home.

With a sharp knife, honing steel & access to 'Youtube' you can do this!

🍖 Beef Primal cuts: Chuck roll, blade, shin & skirt

🍖 Lamb Primal cuts: neck & shank

🥩 BEEF - CHUCK ROLL PRIMAL

I prefer to cut this primal down into:

- 3 x 1" Chuck Eye Steaks from the tight end of the primal (these are similar to rib-eye steaks)

- 2 x 2" Chuck Roasts (roast in the oven with potatoes, carrots & pumpkin)

- The remainder I cut into stew-sized pieces to make shawerma wraps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsbKORrodc8

🥩 BEEF - BLADE PRIMAL

I prefer to cut this primal down into:

- 1 x petite tender

- 3 x bolar blade steaks

- bolar blade stir fry prices

- 2 x flat iron steaks (this can require a bit of work)

The petite tender & flat iron steaks are very tender. I like to marinade them & serve medium-rare.

The bolar steaks are great with steamed veggies (with the latter I use the frozen veggie mix from the supermarket as it makes this a quick meal to prepare).

The bolar stir fry pieces are used to make shawerma wraps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe7LVvGNNQ

🥩 BEEF - SHIN PRIMAL

I bone out the shin & break it down into 3 x slices & diced curry pieces.

Due to the sinew within these cuts it's best cooked as a casserole (medium temp, long cooking time). The sinew will become soft & gelatinous. This makes good food for cold, winter nights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNwbxDESBkI

🥩 BEEF - TRIMMING SKIRT

This cut is fantastic for fajitas but only if the silver skin is removed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ky9bXKqOq0

🐑 LAMB NECK & SHANK

Both these cuts are good for braising / slow cooking & relatively cheap. If you buy a dressed lamb you'll need a butcher saw to cut the neck into slices & turn the shank into osso buco.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2jGEfdO0YM

20/08/2026

ATTENTION ANDROID USERS

Google is attempting to usurp the rights of Android phone users. They want to ban users from downloading & using "non-verified" apps on phones you already own!

Read below & make sure to sign the linked petition.

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🚨 WHAT GOOGLE IS DOING

In August 2025, Google announced a new requirement: starting in 2027, every Android app developer *MUST* register centrally with Google before their software can be installed on *ANY* device. Not just Play Store apps: *ALL APPS*. This includes apps shared between friends, distributed through F-Droid & built by hobbyists for personal use. Independent developers, church & community groups, & hobbyists alike will all be *FROZEN OUT* of being able to develop & distribute their software.

🚨 GOOGLE REGISTRATION REQUIRES:

- Paying a fee to Google

- Agreeing to Google's Ts & Cs

- Surrendering your government issued identification

- Providing evidence of your private signing key

- Listing all current & future application identifiers

If a developer does NOT comply their apps get *SILENTLY BLOCKED ON EVERY ANDROID DEVICE WORLDWIDE*!

🚨 WHO THIS HURTS - YOU!

You bought an Android phone because Google told you it was *OPEN*. You could install what you wanted, & that was the deal.

Google is now rewriting that deal, retroactively, on hardware you *ALREADY OWN*. After the update lands, you can only run software that Google has pre-approved. On your phone: your property, that you paid for!

🚨 INDEPENDENT DEVELOPERS

A teenager's first app, a volunteer's privacy tool, or a company's confidential internal beta. It doesn't matter. In 2027, *NONE* of these can be installed without Google's blessing.

F-Droid, home to thousands of free & open-source Android apps, has called this an "existential" threat.

🚨 GOVERNMENTS & CIVIL SOCIETY

Google has a documented track record of complying when authoritarian regimes demand app removals. With this program, the software that runs your country's institutions will exist at the pleasure of a single unaccountable foreign corporation.

🚨 GOOGLE'S TRAP DOOR

Google says "power users" can "still install" unverified apps. Here's what that actually looks like:

1). Delve into 'System Settings', find 'About Phone'

2). Tap the build number seven times to enable 'Developer Mode'

3). Dismiss scare screens about coercion

4). Enter your PIN

5). Restart the device

6). Wait 24 hours

7). Come back, dismiss more scare screens

8). Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely"

9). Confirm, again, that you understand "the risks"

Nine steps & a mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period for installing software on a device you own!

Worse: this flow runs entirely through Google Play Services, not the Android OS. This gives Google the power to change it, tighten it, or kill it at any time, with no OS update required & *NO CONSENT NEEDED*!

🚨 THIS IS BIGGER THAN ANDROID

If Google can retroactively lock down billions of devices that were sold as open platforms, every hardware manufacturer on the planet is watching.

The principle being established: the company that made your device gets to decide, after you've bought it, what software you're allowed to run!

Android's openness was never just a feature. It was the promise that distinguished it from iPhone. Millions chose Android for exactly that reason. Google is now *REVOKING THAT PROMISE UNILATERALLY*, on devices already in people's pockets, because they've decided they have enough market dominance & regulatory capture to get away with it!

🚨 FIGHT BACK

- Install F-Droid on every Android device you own. Alternative stores only survive if people actually use them.

- Sign the change.org petition & join the over 259,000 signatories who've made their voices heard 👇

https://www.change.org/p/keep-android-open-stop-google-from-limiting-apk-file-usage?fbclid=IwdGRjcATzhQBjbGNrBPOE-HBkb2YBZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeCFKE2UivKzzof3PNbHF4COjzVFYCC4PAnRKCjTZ_wErix5Btmf64lRoN2Q8_aem_ZMOGRAIN7nMTv-E7MCHuAg

- Contact your regulators. Regulators worldwide are genuinely concerned about monopolies & the centralization of power in the tech sector, & want to hear directly from individuals who are affected & concerned.

- Share this page 👇

keepandroidopen.org



Screenshot - This pop-up message appeared on my Newpipe app today.

Google
Australian Labor Party
Liberal Party of Australia
Libertarian Party Australia
One Nation Party
Angus Taylor MP
Anthony Albanese
Senator Alex Antic
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13/08/2026

COST OF LIVING CRISIS

The following tips may help households save some money 👇

🚨 CARPOOL 🚗

Saves wear & tear on your car & fuel. Carpool to school, work or training.

🚨 A LEAD FOOT COSTS MONEY 💰

When driving, particularly in the city where you stop-start, take your foot off the accelerator well before a turn or approach a stop sign.

Using the momentum of your car in such a manner reduces your engine's RPM = increases fuel economy.

🚨 PAY ANNUALLY 💸

You can save money by paying your car, home & health insurance annually rather than doing so monthly. However, to do this you'll need to budget.

🚨 PAY CASH 💵

Paying cash, rather than by card, saves you money on transaction fees. Also you can barter for cheaper prices at garage sales, 'FB Marketplace' etc.

🚨 AVOID THE BIG SUPERMARKETS

You can save money, & buy better quality produce, at street markets rather than @ supermarkets.

🚨 USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT 🚌

In my locality a one-way bus or train ticket costs $ 0.50 AUD. Many bus & train stations
have free car parking.

🚨 'SAILOR SHOWER' 🚿

Refers to a short shower where you turn the water on to wet yourself, turn it off to soap-up & turn it back on to rinse off.

🚨 'HAND-ME DOWN' CLOTHES

As a child I was gifted second-hand clothes by my older cousins. This allowed my parents to save money & divert funds to my sporting endeavours.

🚨 TURN OFF YOUR HOT WATER @ NIGHT 💦

You can often get away with turning your hot water system off at 6 pm & still run a hot shower early the next morning (just remember to turn it back on).

🚨 MAKE YOUR OWN TALLOW

You can make this at home & use it in lieu of canola oil.

🚨 JAFFAL SANDWICH-MAKER 🥪

These are a must-have appliance. Why? You can use last night's leftovers to make sandwiches for lunch.

🚨 PACK A LUNCH

Packing a lunch for work or school is cheaper & healthier than buying from the tuckshop / canteen / coffee shop.

🚨 FOOD SCRAPS

Food scraps can be composted or fed to your chickens to reduce feed costs.

🚨 OUT-OF-DATE BAKERY GOODS 🍞

Some bakeries give away their day-old bread. In my opinion this is still fit for human consumption & can be used to feed medium sized livestock.

🚨 RECYCLE ♻️

Many cities & towns now have for-profit recycling centers e.g. $ 0.10 / item.

🚨 TOILET FLUSHING 🚽

Following the mantra of, "If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down" can save you up to 7 L / flush, thus reducing your water bill.

🚨 RAIN COLLECTION 🌧️

When it next rains tap into your down-pipes from your roof & collect rainwater in empty buckets & containers (to water your plants)

🚨 GARDEN WATERING 🏡

Do so at night (less evaporation) & water deeply rather than doing so superficially. This will decrease your watering frequency.

🚨 BUY PRIMAL CUTS WHOLESALE

I recommend you visit a specialist wholesaler e.g. 'Costco', to purchase primal cuts. A great YT channel called 'Meat Dad' shows you how to break these larger cuts down at home 👇

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4iabm5o6MG8TLM-9JVfbGQ

12/08/2026

DIET & EXERCISE REGIMEN

I've decided to start looking after my health after neglecting it for some time. As such I've instituted a diet & exercise regime.

REDUCING FATTY FOODS & PROCESSED CARBS

I've decided to NO longer consume:

- lamb (it's too fatty) 🐑
- sweets & baked goods 🎂
- bread 🍞
- regular dairy (I'm lactose intolerant)🥛
- fast food 🍕
- fried food
- canola oil & tallow
- highly processed breakfast cereals
- canned food (the preservatives may be annoying my GI system).

I will also limit my consumption of:

- rice
- pasta
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IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS)

Due to my IBS I'm also going to avoid (after trial & error I took note of which foods upset my stomach / cause bloating):

- lettuce, rocket, cabbage & kale 🥬
- onion 🧅
- garlic 🧄
- water melon 🍈
- honey 🍯
- corn 🌽
- fava beans 🫘
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CHANGING HOW I COOK

I sometimes like to eat raw vegetables e.g. bell peppers, but am finding them hard to digest. From this point forward I'll be steaming or grilling all my vegetables.

Why?

To make them easier to digest.

I will also use my air fryer in lieu of using tallow to cook potato wedges / chips.
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WHAT I WILL EAT MORE OF

I will start eating & drinking more:

- fish (whiting, basa, tuna, salmon) 🐟
- lean beef mince, rump & chuck steak 🥩
- boiled spinach 🥬
- baked eggplant 🍆
- baked sweet potato 🍠
- lactose-free yoghurt
- unsweetened almond milk
- bananas 🍌
- strawberries 🍓
- kiwi fruit 🥝
- oranges & mandarins 🍊
- pineapple 🍍
- honeydew 🍈
- black coffee (no sugar) ☕
- black tea (no sugar) 🍵
- water (I will use a designated 1.5 L container to monitor my daily water consumption) 💦

I will also refrain from eating after 6pm until breakfast the next morning.

Why?

I'm quite sedentary at night & don't need to fuel major physical activity during this time.

I will also commit to a 1hr / day brisk walk & start basic body weight exercises (squats, lunges, push-ups).

I will keep you up to date with my progress.

I prepared prepper is a FIT prepper!
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