Preppers/Survivalists

Off Topic
121

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Captnoblivious wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
I’d be interested to know what everyone thinks will happen that will cause such break down in society?

I can understand having natural disaster kits under your stairs or something similar but not devoting large amounts of time and money to something that I just dont see how it could happen.[/quote]

Well. That is sort of the divide that I’m talking about.

There are those that truly believe an economic collapse is coming… it’s kind of like this generation’s “nuclear war.” Some folks just have to be terrified of something.[/quote]

I see preparedness on a much more functional level, not from a cataclysmic context.
I am much more concerned with ice and snow storms, disruptions in the food supply, power outages etc.

[/quote]

Agreed. Having been through two massive hurricanes in the last three years - one of which left us with no power for two weeks, a brutal gasoline shortage, and widespread, outright destruction, that’s how I see it as well.[/quote]

Yeah, the worst for me was a couple major ice storms in Missouri. It was the ice on the trees that caused most of the problems; it took straight-up construction equipment to clear all the limbs from streets. Lots of houses damaged from falling trees, power lines down, and transportation was pretty well stopped between the tree limbs in the roads, and the layers of ice on top of it. Freezing weather, no transportation, no heat, no power, etc.

Other than that, I’m concerned about a fairly rapid devaluation of the dollar. So, a period of rapid inflation [say, 2-3x the current rate] followed by foreclosures (since everyone in this country spreads themselves so fucking thin for some reason), and the social implications from that.

And then standard fears related to job-security. I lost a job once, and also had a consulting firm cut me loose after my contract ended. I also had a hard time getting that first job when I quit college. Three different instances living on minimal to no income in the past 8 years.

So, to me it’s important to know exactly how much I can cut out without affecting my quality of life, and then knowing where to go from there as necessary. I think at this point, I could relatively comfortably live out of my car, camping, if it came to that.

122

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]JLone wrote:

[quote]comus3 wrote:
I don’t think my first reaction in an “apocalypse” situation would be “where are the women and children for me to rape”. I don’t think I’m that much different from the average person, self interested but not sociopathic. I lean towards the thought that, contrary to TV scenarios and deep conspiracy/paranoia, in the real world (see civil wars, economic collapse in Argentina, Great Depression, Katrina, Sandy, etc) people just try struggle on like they would have anyway.
[/quote]
Correct me if I’m wrong but I remember stories of murder and rape in the Superdome during Katrina. I think you over estimate humanity…[/quote]

Looting and violent crime can be pretty prevalent in the wake of huge disasters. I don’t blame anyone for having a gun for self-defense in those situations, especially if they remain in their homes as opposed to evacuating.[/quote]

Also there’s a difference between that and the idea that the whole world will collpase into lawlessness that requires foraging for berries and so forth.

I mean did the whole of New York city collapse into mayhem with rampaging hordes marauding the streets led by some guy with a mohawk and one glove with metal studs all over it after hurricane Sandy??
I’m sure preppers thought/hoped that would happen.

123

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Bauber wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
hahaha see, Quasi is bordering on the slightly insane here… a currency collapse is far from “likely” to happen, but even if it did, that’s not a situation where you’re “bugging out to the wilderness” to avoid roving bands of rapists.

Kinda rolling my eyes here.[/quote]

I think it would depend on where you live and how scarce food became. I definitely think societal breakdown could cause that sort of situation. Panic and fear make people do crazy things and make sick people go nuts. I don’t see why it is considered crazy to have a safe location to get to just in case. If you don’t believe in it that is fine or choose not to, but why so much venom and animosity for people who do? They aren’t bothering you and are productive citizens of society you will never have to worry about. [/quote]

Mostly because their vote counts the same as mine does.

Which is kind of disappointing.

This is the kind of slide into lunacy that I’m talking about amongst “preppers,” and it’s just a pain in the ass to wade through all the crazy when you just want good or interesting information on how to be a little more self-reliant, and a little more off the grid.

That’s all. [/quote]

I never said I was a prepper, and I offered a clear view of reality. When there is no law, people will do whatever suits their needs and desparation drives deplorable action. If you want an example, look at Africa.

And if its any consolation, I don’t vote. If my comments make you lose faith in my ability to vote objectively and with in mind what is best for the country, then I’m willing to bet you are a full support of 'bammy and his politic’ing.

Edit: And if you re-read my posts, you’ll note that I specifically stated that a mass end of the world scenario probably won’t happen, more than likely just small natural disasters, etc. and that’s what people can learn and prepare for. So… perhaps you should have read that I was speaking hypothetically and explaining the reality IF that were to ever happen.

124

[quote]Quasi-Tech wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Bauber wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
hahaha see, Quasi is bordering on the slightly insane here… a currency collapse is far from “likely” to happen, but even if it did, that’s not a situation where you’re “bugging out to the wilderness” to avoid roving bands of rapists.

Kinda rolling my eyes here.[/quote]

I think it would depend on where you live and how scarce food became. I definitely think societal breakdown could cause that sort of situation. Panic and fear make people do crazy things and make sick people go nuts. I don’t see why it is considered crazy to have a safe location to get to just in case. If you don’t believe in it that is fine or choose not to, but why so much venom and animosity for people who do? They aren’t bothering you and are productive citizens of society you will never have to worry about. [/quote]

Mostly because their vote counts the same as mine does.

Which is kind of disappointing.

This is the kind of slide into lunacy that I’m talking about amongst “preppers,” and it’s just a pain in the ass to wade through all the crazy when you just want good or interesting information on how to be a little more self-reliant, and a little more off the grid.

That’s all. [/quote]

I never said I was a prepper, and I offered a clear view of reality. When there is no law, people will do whatever suits their needs and desparation drives deplorable action. If you want an example, look at Africa.

[/quote]

I remember reading an article by a guy who lived in Kosovo during the Bosnian war. Google sniper’s alley. He talked about his ordeal of trying to survive as a civilian in a quarantined war zone. Very interesting from a prepper standpoint and one of the biggest problems was running out of toilet paper and trying to stay hygenic.

It’s the same thing in Syria now. Some people are fighting a war while others are just trying to go about their lives. It’s created the biggest rufugee camp in history.

The USA is lucky because we are relatively geopolitically armored by two big oceans. As time goes on and little countries start developing more and more technology, these oceans are going to make less of a difference.

This generation has it the worst, and tends to take stability forgranted. Some of the older folks lived through the Cuban missile crisis and gas rationings in the 70s. Even less remember what happened domestically during WWII. Fewer remember the Great Depression.

Some preppers are a little crazy, but if shit hits the fan, I’d rather be surrounded by the crazier ones who took necessary precautions and are a bit more prepared for when the status quo hits some story seas.

125

[quote]Nards wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]JLone wrote:

[quote]comus3 wrote:
I don’t think my first reaction in an “apocalypse” situation would be “where are the women and children for me to rape”. I don’t think I’m that much different from the average person, self interested but not sociopathic. I lean towards the thought that, contrary to TV scenarios and deep conspiracy/paranoia, in the real world (see civil wars, economic collapse in Argentina, Great Depression, Katrina, Sandy, etc) people just try struggle on like they would have anyway.
[/quote]
Correct me if I’m wrong but I remember stories of murder and rape in the Superdome during Katrina. I think you over estimate humanity…[/quote]

Looting and violent crime can be pretty prevalent in the wake of huge disasters. I don’t blame anyone for having a gun for self-defense in those situations, especially if they remain in their homes as opposed to evacuating.[/quote]

Also there’s a difference between that and the idea that the whole world will collpase into lawlessness that requires foraging for berries and so forth.

I mean did the whole of New York city collapse into mayhem with rampaging hordes marauding the streets led by some guy with a mohawk and one glove with metal studs all over it after hurricane Sandy??
I’m sure preppers thought/hoped that would happen.[/quote]

Pretty much… mostly so they could laugh at the “dumb sheeple cityfolk” who were turning on themselves before becoming “golden hordes” leaving the area and looking to ravage their farms.

Prepper dreams are mostly bad zombie movies.

I did see a couple fights at gas stations, but for the most part people were civilized. There was a heavy police presence everywhere and this is the northeast - not exactly the wild west.

126

Coulnd’t help but feel this somehow applies:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/08/05/why-can-kiss-us-economy-goodbye/?intcmp=obnetwork

Prepping isn’t just food, water, ammo… its also about saving money and ensuring you can find a job quickly if need be.

Keep that resume up-do-date, network (this is a site of like-minded individuals, some folks live near each other or share similar professions), and always be proactive in your life.

127

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]theBeth wrote:
my log cabin in the woods dream.
[/quote]

I have two cabins in the woods, one is log (A frame) the other is a more modern but is a second story so is great for when there is a lot of snow on the ground (you’re not snowed in). Plenty of bears that roam near by for food if you don’t want to go to the grocery store. [/quote]

Did you build the cabins? Does this mean you’re in the northwestern part of AZ? My mom used to work out there on the Res and a good quarter of the northeastern part is Native land from what I understand.

128

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Captnoblivious wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Swolegasm wrote:
I’d be interested to know what everyone thinks will happen that will cause such break down in society?

I can understand having natural disaster kits under your stairs or something similar but not devoting large amounts of time and money to something that I just dont see how it could happen.[/quote]

Well. That is sort of the divide that I’m talking about.

There are those that truly believe an economic collapse is coming… it’s kind of like this generation’s “nuclear war.” Some folks just have to be terrified of something.[/quote]

I see preparedness on a much more functional level, not from a cataclysmic context.
I am much more concerned with ice and snow storms, disruptions in the food supply, power outages etc.

[/quote]

Agreed. Having been through two massive hurricanes in the last three years - one of which left us with no power for two weeks, a brutal gasoline shortage, and widespread, outright destruction, that’s how I see it as well.[/quote]

We got the 1-2 punch with the hurricanes too. The 2nd one, food was on short supply in the stores. So now I have powdered milk on hand just in case. Evaporated milk lasts a long time too.

This is the likely limit of what any one of us will have to endure. A week or two of chaos with no heat, electric or gasoline. Sandy hit late in the year for a hurricane and it was cold if your heat was out.

I camped a lot as a kid in rough places. My kids were both boy scouts and did winter and survival camping. I have enough equipment to outfit about 6 people. Which does come in handy if you decide to hunker down at home. I lost power in my house in the blizzard right after Xmas of 2011. That was cold… 40F inside the house. I was to the point where I drained the water in the house, another day of no electric and it would have froze up.

I’m out in suburbia, no where close to any big city. I have a few good neighbors on my block that I’m tight with. If I don’t have something, they will and vice versa.

Rob

129

[quote]theBeth wrote:

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]theBeth wrote:
my log cabin in the woods dream.
[/quote]

I have two cabins in the woods, one is log (A frame) the other is a more modern but is a second story so is great for when there is a lot of snow on the ground (you’re not snowed in). Plenty of bears that roam near by for food if you don’t want to go to the grocery store. [/quote]

Did you build the cabins? Does this mean you’re in the northwestern part of AZ? My mom used to work out there on the Res and a good quarter of the northeastern part is Native land from what I understand. [/quote]

No, my great-great grandfather built the A-frame/log cabin with his bare hands. I built both decks though with my bare hands when I was like 14ish. I’m in southeast Missouri, before that I lived in Flagstaff (not on the Rez). Yes, the NE quarter of Arizona is Rez land. Not much fun up there, I prefer my White Mountain Apaches. More…capitalistic than the Navajos. Plus, better hunting.

The Cabin is near Colorado Springs.

http://www.californiaprehistory.com/resmap.html

130

[quote]JLone wrote:
Here is a single contaner with windows added. Less secure but I wonder how much it would cost to get a container dropped off if you set up the foundation before hand?

Once you have it where you want it windows and doors would be easy. Then install a pitched roof to collect rain water. [/quote]

You can get one for about $3000

131

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]JLone wrote:
Here is a single contaner with windows added. Less secure but I wonder how much it would cost to get a container dropped off if you set up the foundation before hand?
Once you have it where you want it windows and doors would be easy. Then install a pitched roof to collect rain water. [/quote]
You can get one for about $3000[/quote]
Thanks for the reply.

Since I posted about the Cargo Container Cabins I have found a couple cool pages about them if anyone is interested.

Sea, Shipping Container Cabin, Shelter, Home:
http://seacontainercabin.blogspot.com/

Tin Can Cabin:

132

[quote]JLone wrote:

[quote]Testy1 wrote:

[quote]JLone wrote:
Here is a single contaner with windows added. Less secure but I wonder how much it would cost to get a container dropped off if you set up the foundation before hand?
Once you have it where you want it windows and doors would be easy. Then install a pitched roof to collect rain water. [/quote]
You can get one for about $3000[/quote]
Thanks for the reply.

Since I posted about the Cargo Container Cabins I have found a couple cool pages about them if anyone is interested.

Sea, Shipping Container Cabin, Shelter, Home:
http://seacontainercabin.blogspot.com/

Tin Can Cabin:
http://www.tincancabin.com/[/quote]

Noah didn’t build the boat while it was raining…well, that’s because God told him to build it before.

133

For those wondering what the “event” will be, I think the “event” will not be “an event,” but a rather a series of events.

Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.

You’ve got several things going on:

  1. Very high historical taxation and economic dis-incentives to produce. The layers of government are slowly rotting upon themslves. Blame conservatives; blame liberals, whatever. It’s unsustainable economic stupidity.
  2. There will be unexpected natural events. Boston and San Fransico will, indeed, get hit with the “big one” Earth quake wise. Boston is in a very bad fault line with old buildings on fill dirt (Back Bay). It will be devastated.
  3. There will be hurricanes and whatever
  4. There will be a nuclear attack on USA soil, probably eastern seaboard. New York, whatever. Just a couple of cities from a crappy pseudo-state like Iran.
  5. Bird flu or some crap like that will just happen to come during one of those disasters.

Any one or more of these is not a big deal, country wise. Yes, terrible tradgedies, each one. But when you have a slowly rotting empire that gets a couple of hits like this, the empire collapses or breaks up, racial unrest becomes ethnic cleansing, etc.

Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.

134

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
For those wondering what the “event” will be, I think the “event” will not be “an event,” but a rather a series of events.

Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.

You’ve got several things going on:

  1. Very high historical taxation and economic dis-incentives to produce. The layers of government are slowly rotting upon themslves. Blame conservatives; blame liberals, whatever. It’s unsustainable economic stupidity.
  2. There will be unexpected natural events. Boston and San Fransico will, indeed, get hit with the “big one” Earth quake wise. Boston is in a very bad fault line with old buildings on fill dirt (Back Bay). It will be devastated.
  3. There will be hurricanes and whatever
  4. There will be a nuclear attack on USA soil, probably eastern seaboard. New York, whatever. Just a couple of cities from a crappy pseudo-state like Iran.
  5. Bird flu or some crap like that will just happen to come during one of those disasters.

Any one or more of these is not a big deal, country wise. Yes, terrible tradgedies, each one. But when you have a slowly rotting empire that gets a couple of hits like this, the empire collapses or breaks up, racial unrest becomes ethnic cleansing, etc.

Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]

And there you have “The Crazy.”

135

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
For those wondering what the “event” will be, I think the “event” will not be “an event,” but a rather a series of events.

Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.

You’ve got several things going on:

  1. Very high historical taxation and economic dis-incentives to produce. The layers of government are slowly rotting upon themslves. Blame conservatives; blame liberals, whatever. It’s unsustainable economic stupidity.
  2. There will be unexpected natural events. Boston and San Fransico will, indeed, get hit with the “big one” Earth quake wise. Boston is in a very bad fault line with old buildings on fill dirt (Back Bay). It will be devastated.
  3. There will be hurricanes and whatever
  4. There will be a nuclear attack on USA soil, probably eastern seaboard. New York, whatever. Just a couple of cities from a crappy pseudo-state like Iran.
  5. Bird flu or some crap like that will just happen to come during one of those disasters.

Any one or more of these is not a big deal, country wise. Yes, terrible tradgedies, each one. But when you have a slowly rotting empire that gets a couple of hits like this, the empire collapses or breaks up, racial unrest becomes ethnic cleansing, etc.

Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]

And there you have “The Crazy.”
[/quote]
Explain how the thought process is crazy.

136

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
For those wondering what the “event” will be, I think the “event” will not be “an event,” but a rather a series of events.

Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.

You’ve got several things going on:

  1. Very high historical taxation and economic dis-incentives to produce. The layers of government are slowly rotting upon themslves. Blame conservatives; blame liberals, whatever. It’s unsustainable economic stupidity.
  2. There will be unexpected natural events. Boston and San Fransico will, indeed, get hit with the “big one” Earth quake wise. Boston is in a very bad fault line with old buildings on fill dirt (Back Bay). It will be devastated.
  3. There will be hurricanes and whatever
  4. There will be a nuclear attack on USA soil, probably eastern seaboard. New York, whatever. Just a couple of cities from a crappy pseudo-state like Iran.
  5. Bird flu or some crap like that will just happen to come during one of those disasters.

Any one or more of these is not a big deal, country wise. Yes, terrible tradgedies, each one. But when you have a slowly rotting empire that gets a couple of hits like this, the empire collapses or breaks up, racial unrest becomes ethnic cleansing, etc.

Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]

And there you have “The Crazy.”
[/quote]
Explain how the thought process is crazy.[/quote]

There is no reason to believe that America will dissolve as it is in the next hundred years. This is not Rome, there are no barbarian hordes or other empires knocking on our door.

Our influence may decline, sure, but if anything we will be more like Britain or France after their empires declined than Rome. To think otherwise at this time is absurd

137

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.
[/quote]

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]
If you take the rise and fall of countries using history as a guild line then yes America will one day not be as it currently is.

On the other hand, countries no longer need to take over other countries and throw out there government. It just doesn’t make economical sense to go in and kill potential consumers. Who would benefit if New York was hit with a Nuke? Nobody would.

There is no money in war unless resources are present. In the case of a large heavily populated seaboard the people are the resource. It makes no sense to start a war by blowing up the only thing you can hope to gain from fighting.

138

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
There is no reason to believe that America will dissolve as it is in the next hundred years. This is not Rome, there are no barbarian hordes or other empires knocking on our door.[/quote]
On the contrary.

[quote]
Our influence may decline, sure, but if anything we will be more like Britain or France after their empires declined than Rome. To think otherwise at this time is absurd[/quote]
Not necessarily.

139

[quote]JLone wrote:

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.
[/quote]

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]
If you take the rise and fall of countries using history as a guild line then yes America will one day not be as it currently is.

On the other hand, countries no longer need to take over other countries and throw out there government. It just doesn’t make economical sense to go in and kill potential consumers. Who would benefit if New York was hit with a Nuke? Nobody would.

There is no money in war unless resources are present. In the case of a large heavily populated seaboard the people are the resource. It makes no sense to start a war by blowing up the only thing you can hope to gain from fighting. [/quote]

Part of the reason I think the way I do is that our financial markets are so intertwined. Attacking New York, or the US in general, is a bad idea for the countries that are capable of doing so.

It makes infinitely more sense to prepare for natural disasters than the world’s collapse…because I got news for you: if the world collapses in the survivalists’ wet dream scenario, no amount of “prepping” is going to help you.

140

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

[quote]Jewbacca wrote:
For those wondering what the “event” will be, I think the “event” will not be “an event,” but a rather a series of events.

Rome was not built in a day; neither did it fall in a day. Nor the USA.

You’ve got several things going on:

  1. Very high historical taxation and economic dis-incentives to produce. The layers of government are slowly rotting upon themslves. Blame conservatives; blame liberals, whatever. It’s unsustainable economic stupidity.
  2. There will be unexpected natural events. Boston and San Fransico will, indeed, get hit with the “big one” Earth quake wise. Boston is in a very bad fault line with old buildings on fill dirt (Back Bay). It will be devastated.
  3. There will be hurricanes and whatever
  4. There will be a nuclear attack on USA soil, probably eastern seaboard. New York, whatever. Just a couple of cities from a crappy pseudo-state like Iran.
  5. Bird flu or some crap like that will just happen to come during one of those disasters.

Any one or more of these is not a big deal, country wise. Yes, terrible tradgedies, each one. But when you have a slowly rotting empire that gets a couple of hits like this, the empire collapses or breaks up, racial unrest becomes ethnic cleansing, etc.

Timing? Sometime in the next 100 years, the country won’t exist as you recogonize it today.

Your great-grandchildren will be citizens of some other country.[/quote]

And there you have “The Crazy.”
[/quote]
Explain how the thought process is crazy.[/quote]

There is no reason to believe that America will dissolve as it is in the next hundred years. This is not Rome, there are no barbarian hordes or other empires knocking on our door.

Our influence may decline, sure, but if anything we will be more like Britain or France after their empires declined than Rome. To think otherwise at this time is absurd[/quote]

Rome did not fall from barbarian hordes. Rome fell because it rotted internally due to mismanagmeent and corruption, then was picked off by muslim invaders after a near stalemated war with Persia.

The barbarian horders (while they certainly didn’t help) were more like an afterthought.