116 Comments
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

I have reasoned through all of this as well and wind up in the same place for different reasons. First, find BALANCE. Mental and spiritual preparedness is vital. Humor, is part of the mental.

Folks need to understand that we will all die. Irrefutable fact.

The question has always been: how are you going to spend your time while here.

Nothing has changed. Latching on to fear as an energy source will kill you. They know this. They are masters at this and are sharks.

Do not fall prey to the fear. Go, go build alternative systems but for heaven's sake: find balance and live and enjoy your life!!!!

How am I going to face the next phase of chaos: with a smile and a helping hand.

Expand full comment
author

YES, WOMAN! PREACH! This gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. My life's motto has always been "if I can't laugh when I'm doing it, then I AM NOT DOING IT." (*Childbirth got a hall pass.)

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Life is a blast for me. 63 years and all the events I've gone through were/are perfectly designed for me. The past 'traumas' (who doesn't have trauma?) heightens the beauty of life. Focusing on death makes me cherish life.

I've been reading/commenting on your substacks for several months now. Are you the famous Jenna McCarthy. I'm afraid I don't watch TV and haven't seen many movies but I love to laugh. You make me laugh, what a gift!

I have such a great story about 'hall passes'. I recently gave my partner a stack of index cards with a few words on each. One of the cards I wrote "AGE", I gave him 4 of them. He's 19 years older than me (and keeps up :) ) and sometimes he likes to use his age to get out of a squabble. He has 4 opportunities a year. It's become such a fun game. My point, ENJOY LIFE! HAVE FUN! (Btw, I am 63)

Expand full comment
author

OMG the hall pass cards are BRILLIANT and possibly marriage-saving. I may have to design some. :)

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Thank you.

And thank you for the laughs.

Expand full comment
Jan 10·edited Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Jana - you are thinking of Jenny McCarthy who is part of Hollyweird. Although she is a true warrior when it comes to speaking truth about childhood vaccines being the major cause of autism.

Jenna is way funnier. 🥰

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Thank you for letting me know. That is exactly what my confusion was about. Kind of you to be so lovely about my mistake. Agree, she is a blast!

Now, everyone go out and love one another!

Expand full comment

You are very welcome Jana.

AMEN!!!!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Hey Jana, I thought this was the famous Jenna (Jenny) McCarthy, too! Just writing about serious topics so using her "serious" first name instead of her nickname. Now I'm wondering who the heck this hilarious Jenna McCarthy is, and why I ended up getting her substack. Oh yeah, it must be because she co-authored the Ivermectin book with Pierre Kory, who I have loved and admired and "followed" for a long time...

Hey, I'm even older than you. I wouldn't say that life is a blast for me, but I've discovered that (at least for me), the secret of happiness is unconditional gratitude for all the good things in my past and my present. All I have to do to get back to happy is think of a bunch of good things I'm grateful for. There is never a shortage. All I have to do is open my eyes and look around. Or close my eyes and look around my memories.

Keep having a blast!

Expand full comment
author

She's my lifelong professional nemesis (eerily similar names, both writing books on similar topics at the same time, now both vocal anti-vaxxers although clearly she beat me to that punch), but I suppose there are worse people to get mistaken for! :)

Expand full comment
Jan 10·edited Jan 11Liked by Jenna McCarthy

You two should meet! You might be some version of what the Chinese call "Old Sames." (Soul sisters!)

I'm an anti-vaxxer, too. Not a book writer, though. But early in the COVID era, I found out that in California (lived there then), a public agency's Facebook page is considered "public record" -- so my county's public health department couldn't delete my comments or ban me from commenting! I wrote about every COVID issue that came up (e.g. PCR testing with too-high cycling thresholds, death by Remdesivir, successful treatment with HCQ and zinc) and backed up almost everything I said with good cites. When other people wrote the truth, I'd back up what they said with cites. In the early months of the spikeshot rollout, I gave grim statistics on adverse events from EudraVigilance and OpenVAERS.

In commenting, I was careful to be factual and polite. (Well, 99% of the time.) Not sure how much good I did, but I gave people many chances to learn the truth. Ironically, Facebook quickly designated me a "Top Fan" of my county's public health department. So funny to see my comments labeled that!

Hey, tell me the title of your book about vaccination. I've already read 13 books about vaccines; might as well read one more. Being the parent of a vaccine-injured/disabled kid does that to you...

Expand full comment
Jan 11Liked by Jenna McCarthy

The War on Ivermectin is her latest!

Expand full comment

Brilliant idea to get the facts into the Facebook public record (before CA changes that law). I am SURE you saved untold people from disability and death! GREAT WORK. Keep chipping away at the insanity 🤪

Expand full comment

I'm just packing up leaving San Diego.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Well, you are pretty dang funny!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Agree.

Deep, sincere gratitude is at the heart of this! To my Creator, who loves me unconditionally and immeasurably.

When I live in gratitude I am aware of all the events & people that I get to experience that day. I mess up and it's always when I sink into ungratefulness.

Expand full comment

I see I repeated myself. Yikes.

Expand full comment

Eh, so what! Don't worry, be happy!

Or click on the three little dots at the end of your comment, and choose Edit.

Expand full comment

FYI - the edit button is not included on the app, just the browser version.

Expand full comment

Well, that used to be true for me, but just in the last few days the Edit button has showed up on my phone, so I thought it was some uodate that everyone got...sounds like that's not the case? (Rats!)

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

The cat is more likely to eat the Costco guy. Let's face it

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Definitely. See the "house cat" video at the top of this post

> https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/newyears-resolution-be-a-house-cat

Expand full comment
author

Literally the best thing I have seen all day! Let’s all be house cats!🔪

Expand full comment

Unless he's been vaxxed...

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Oh Jenna. Thank you for this. I want to tell you how much you are loved and appreciated. Laughter is truly the best medicine. 😘❤️❤️❤️

Expand full comment
author

Awe, thanks friend! You'd be TOTALLY welcome to crash my bunker if I had one. ;)

Expand full comment

OMG! Thank you, Jenna, for so many laughs. You are so good, so talented. (I'm still chuckling as I write this comment. :) And you're not alone -- it's my first Armageddon too.

Expand full comment
author

*grinning like an absolute fool*

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

You forgot to mention one critical element that will surely be missing in the post Armageddon world....no beauty salons! Ok, you will ditch the fake nails because you are digging trenches, but what about my HAIR!!!! That will be the black market darling! Just someone to cut my hair......name your price.....you can use your cans of tuna to barter!

Thanks for the laugh! Much appreciated!

Expand full comment
author

I cut everyone's hair in my family, I have the proper shears and a real cape and everything! OMG I HAVE AN ACTUAL SURVIVAL SKILL MAYBE I *WILL* MAKE IT.

Expand full comment

For me, it’s a couple of ponytail holders to mark where I cut. Then I use my grandpa’s shears (he literally was a barber to Nikola Tesla -- I’m not making this up) and snip. For my bangs, I just twist the hair, and snip. Then I twist the hair the other way and snip again. I’ve received more compliments on my selfie haircuts than I ever did from pro cuts.

I started this hair cutting technique when the scamdemic hit, at the same time I stopped coloring my hair. And I do have all the tools (and a cape) for cutting hubby’s hair, though I might encourage him to go native so I can use the aforementioned ponytail holders and shears for him too.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

I could do my hair, but I would look like Jim Carey in the “Dummer” movies! Lol!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Send your subscribers your contact info and we will pay you to cut our hair!!! Lol! Yes, you will survive!

Expand full comment

Once my tweezer man tweezers get lost, I will easily survive winter because I will have a full man-beard!

Expand full comment
Jan 11·edited Jan 11

I will join you with my man moustache! Plus we need to make sure our magnifying mirrors are part of our survival kit.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

What happens after??!!

YESSSSS!!!!!

What happens after the bomb? You can’t stay in the bunker forever, and last I heard, the radioactive fallout takes quite some years to dissipate. 🤔

(Personally, I have a small stash of homeopathic meds that are supposed to help against radiation. But no bunker.)

Seems a power failure or another lockdown type event is far more likely, and seems prudent to have some food and good board games and hard copy books and the like to manage for a few weeks. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Expand full comment

We don’t need atomic bombs and the attendant fallout anymore I’m afraid.

A few blasts of a few satellites in orbit can switch of the electricity and wipe out a herd of Reindeer in a few seconds.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

In another life I was a special operation Soldier and then did contract work for really rich people. The first thing that's going to happen is that their security team is going to shoot them in the face. And then the blue collar gun toters and knuckle draggers are going to live a life of luxury in whatever preparedness they spent their money making. Like the over educated idiots that made the decisions during covid, billionaires think they're a lot smarter than they actually are. I had a couple of serious billionaires asked me to do a white paper on how they could survive the end of the world and after writing and researching it they read it ,paid me my money and never talk to me again because they didn't like what I told them. In the end it's going to take more than money and money is all they have.

Expand full comment
author

Is it bad that this comment gave me a (not so) secret thrill?

Expand full comment

Well it shouldn't.

History dictates the educated are the 2nd group executed.

1st Land Barons.

2nd Intelligentsia.

3rd fellow Revolutionaries

Expand full comment

You forgot the antivaxxers.

Expand full comment

It's funny.

The "elite" think they can destroy lives and then rule over what's left.

History does not support this theory. The masses will slaughter them. Move into their castles and turn them into the new government headquarters.

That's history.

Expand full comment
Jan 11Liked by Jenna McCarthy

There's a simple principle of Economics to be taught here. Things have value to humans because humans want them. In barter trade, two humans try to equalize the benefits of a trade, or else they do not trade. All money accomplishes is to engage more people and more wants and more values in an ongoing series of trades. Take the people out of the picture and what once was money is now worthless. There's nobody on a desert island to sell me anything, no matter how much money I have with me.

So the only practical way to use money to survive a looming catastrophe, is to invest it on solving the problems that could cause the catastrophe.

That was the idea behind Gen George Catlett Marshall's plan to donate $20 billion to rebuild Europe and Japan, back when that used to be a lot of money. We had just finished blasting ourselves halfway back to the Stone Age in WW II. Preserving the skills and knowledge of the survivors, by giving them tools and material to rebuild, gave them a basis for peaceful prosperity rather than fighting more wars over unpaid debts.

People are the reason there is trade, and trade is the reason why there exists money. Fair and honest dealings with people are the only possible basis for sustained wealth. Treating others unfairly has always led to violence, and human-caused violence can nowadays be catastrophic.

I encourage the billionaires of the WEF to bear that in mind, the next time one of them starts dreaming of a depopulated world that has fewer survivors who were promised what can not be delivered. Stop lying and start telling the truth, for the truth is what people need, to begin planning their future.

Expand full comment
author

This is profoundly powerful! Too bad those WEFSOBs will never be moved by reason, no matter how poetic or accurate it is.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

I have laughed so hard I cried my pants! You and Jeff Childers bring light to a very dark world and I can not thank you enough. I tell people I've always been somewhat of a prepper...not because I'm afraid of Armageddon but I'm cheap and fugal and it's a good hours drive to the nearest warehouse store...so I stock up heavily when I go. During the toilet paper debacle, I never even thought I'd run out...nor of paper towels, or laundry detergent or canned goods...It is what it is and if things go south, I'll deal with it then. Laugh and laugh long and hard...it's good for health and the soul.

Expand full comment
author

CRIED MY PANTS!!! Stealing. :)

Expand full comment

Definitely a keeper! 👍

Expand full comment

I agree that Jenna’s and Jeff Childers substacks bring much needed humor to the crazy times we live in. Keep writing!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

A friend of mine has always said he hopes he goes in the first wave (of whatever the world-ending catastrophe is); he doesn’t want to “prep” just so he can survive in a post-apocalyptic hellscape. I agree!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Bullets will be the new money.

Expand full comment
Jan 11Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Alcohol, cigarettes, and probably weed, too. 🤷‍♀️

Expand full comment
Jan 11Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Don't forget chocolate!

Expand full comment

I’ll trade you a thousand rounds of 264s for a thousand rounds of AAA SGs.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

I guess, having grown up in 3rd world countries, witnessing 2 revolutions first hand (Venezuela & Libya), I have a different take on it. In my own area, 2 years ago 76 hours with no electricity which meant no water, heat, toilets, etc, with weather in the teens the whole time. (Pipes burst, booster pump cracked, pool pump shattered, etc, etc, etc). There are levels of prepping and it is never, ever, foolish to be as prepared as you can. Prepping may be a fad right now, but from someone who learned from an early age that “it CAN happen here”, I strongly encourage everyone to do what they can. Not every “event” is going to be world ending, so why not prep for what you can? It’s no different than buying insurance!

Expand full comment

I agree and hope I wasn't one that made any past humorous post dark. I have some indication that one of my Reid (Reed) relatives built the oversized Reed wagon for another relative that was in The Donner Party. It only takes 3 days to empty every grocery store in any big city.

They tried to kill us with a jab while outlawing everything that would make the death jab unnecessary.

Expand full comment

Exactly…my husbands favorite line is “we’re only 2 meals away from anarchy”. He also was raised overseas and has witnessed this in real life.

Very interesting about the Donner party!

Expand full comment

How can I learn more about what happened in these countries. I love listening to long format interviews and have heard a few on this topic but I’ll dying to hear more since I suspect that’ll happen here soon.

Expand full comment

I read a wide range of sources, but for world politics and history some of my favorites are The Duran (thedura.locals.com, on Twitter at @TheDuranReal. Recommend the locals channel); for European news PeterSweden.com (@petersweden7 on Twitter) and here on substack ExcessDeathsAU and several others. For US and world info, especially legal, I follow Viva Frei & Robert Barnes on Rumble or Locals (https://vivabarneslaw.locals.com/track/rumble/click/video?click=description)

So many good ones out there these days, too many to name!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

This is going to be a great day Jenna!

Woke up, did my chores and went to unwrap my phone from its faraday encasement and the first thing I see is your email! NOW I AM AWAKE!!!

Your humor is such a light that for me balances out the dark in this crazy world we are currently experiencing.

So grateful and if there was ever a group of people i would enjoy being stuck with it’s those individuals who appreciate living a balanced life with humor being at the top ☮️💟🤗☯️

Expand full comment

That was funny. I'm with you. I probably do need to be prepping, but I'm not prepared enough to really prepare for ... everything. Plenty of good novels and books would come in handy - and you could read them without worrying about paying the bills.

Once in a while, I take a break from the "save the world" journalism and go for the lighter side - even of Covid. For example, I came up with 100 other names or flavors of Covid - like "You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog Covid."

I didn't get many likes ... Someone hit this with a like so I can get to 30!

https://billricejr.substack.com/p/the-lighter-side-of-covid?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

Expand full comment
author

Done! :)

Expand full comment

What a great laugh! Really loved this one, Bill. Thanks for the heads up. 😂

Expand full comment

Thanks, Metta. I liked that one too. I wrote it 2 months into my Substack newsletter and didn't have many subscribers at the time. I keep re-booting it to see if I can get more reads. Sometimes I just want to make myself chuckle.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Keep resurfacing it, Bill! Well worth a second, third or fourth laugh. 👍

Expand full comment

Thanks. You made my day! There's a couple of other "early" stories I really like that I want to keep recycling too ... like this one - "Movies for our Covid times."

https://billricejr.substack.com/p/movies-for-our-covid-times?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

Expand full comment

Marvelous! Thanks so much for sharing, Bill. I look forward to reviewing. 👍

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

The Dilbert cartoon was at least realistic. With $200 trillion in unfunded US Government liabilities, the likely problem is one morning we wake up and the ATM machines have no cash, the truckers can't fuel their rigs, my debit card doesn't work at COSTCO or anywhere else, and temporarily the fresh stuff at the store is being given away before it spoils...this after everybody who had a wad of Harriet Tubmans or Andrew Jacksons hidden in their sock drawer, bought all the canned food, dry beans, rice and toilet paper. The Greeks went through this a few years ago when the European Central Bank had a hissy-fit over Greece's plan to delay making debt payments, and shut off the ATMs. Cash got rationed at the banks, which were open one day a week for €40 maximum withdrawals. Britishers who hate the gloomy winters and take a springtime holiday in Greece became keenly aware of the problem the Greeks suffered from non-elected bureaucrats at the EU (Eurocrats?), and started talking Brexit, if the Bank of England pulled a stunt like that, the Commons might pass a law against it, reasoned voters. (Then there was Iceland. When they had a financial crisis a few bankers got prosecuted, funds got recovered, and everything was normal except for the ex-bankers who had to get used to prison food. Icelanders don't mess around when there's police work that needs doing!).

Starting a garden is the best prepper move ons can make, for a financial crisis. The crisis will end, eventually, with somebody taking a serious haircut on what they thought they'd get to retire on. While waiting for that to happen, all of us have to eat. Ergo, garden.

Expand full comment

I read that Email a few years back from a Paramedic in Bosnia. He described how a beautiful single mother would sleep with someone for a can of Russian canned meat.

He also described a guy with gold that traded his gold for pennies on the dollar for food. The paramedics actual highest demand was taking bullets out of people.

We may only need to survive through a few months like they did. A garden is certainly worthwhile.

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

We need your humor to get us through this. But, remember who wins in the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Expand full comment
Jan 10Liked by Jenna McCarthy

Think about the future of humanity Jenna! We're going to need people like you to fight these psychopaths after the fallout!

Expand full comment