Many who read my blog are "prepper" types. I am a "prepper" type, lol!
So, a lot of us watched with interest the National Geographic series "Doomsday Preppers".
Let me preface my comments by stating that I know some of the folks on the show...through Facebook, forums, and/or their blogs. Some I like, some I don't. I won't be directing my comments at any one individual.
First, the Bad:
OPSEC
That stands for Operation Security. Some of the folks on the series concealed their exact locations, some did not. Some showed EVERYTHING they had, others did not.
Look, I blog about preparedness and I post my general location (near El Paso), but only a handful of folks know my exact location. But at least three of the folks I have seen on the series so far have given their exact location OR the filming made it easy to figure out their exact location.
Some of them also used their full real names. In my opinion, not such a good idea.
The guy across town that didn't prepare may remember such a detail when things go to hell in a handcart.
And he'll bring friends.
But if they are comfortable releasing said info, okay. Their decision.
EDITING
Now, they made some of the preppers on the show look a bit ridiculous. I realize that producers and such want the most "bang for their buck" when making these shows, so they try their best to show subjects that are exciting or over the top or ridiculous or whatever to grab the viewers attention and keep them coming back.
I could see this while viewing.
They rarely show the boring, ordinary, day-to-day lives of their subjects. They over-emphasize or exaggerate the "sexy" for their viewers. Guns, ammo, knives, booby traps, etc. are the "sexy" on these shows. Although, massive food storage seems to be a "sexy", too, IF it is massive enough!
General:
I realize that a lot of preppers prep to insure a more stable future for their families. I do feel a bit uncomfortable in showing children on the show. All you need is one over zealous CPS worker in your locale, a neighbor that doesn't like you, a doctor taking a comment out of context during an exam, a teacher who "is concerned" and before you know, those kids are sitting in a foster home watching Bad Girls Club and stuffing their faces full of Cheetos.
Be careful about prepping and your kids, people! A mom that is a bit obsessive about food storage for her family, not a big deal. Taking your child to the range to learn to shoot, again, not that big a deal. Shooting yourself in front of your child at the range (as did happen on one program), now THAT'S a big deal in the eyes of CPS. Especially when it is on television!
Okay, now The Good:
The Buzz:
People are talking about this series, and not just the prepper community. People that never even thought about prepping before are now considering getting a food storage together and/or bug out bags, etc.
The wonderful thing about this is if the guys down the street have their own preps, they won't be going after someone elses' (including yours and mine!).
I have seen many, many newcomers (newbies, noobs, whatever you want to call them) to the prepper forums I belong to. If you are on a prepper forum and you encounter them, educate them. Be gentle. Please remember that one more prepared person is one person less that you have to worry about.
Community:
The series has shown some folks that have organized their communities into prepping. More bodies prepping and more bodies available for defense of said community, the better. The strength you have combined is always better than trying to stand alone in a crisis situation.
Ideas:
The series has shown me a lot of ideas for prepping that I had never heard/seen before. That is Very Cool. It also shows me ways I can incorporate prepping more into my daily life. I am not about to dedicate 8 hours a day to prepping, like some folks in the series, but it has shown me some time savers and short cuts that can help me.
Diversity:
I like the way the series has shown a good cross section of preppers. Different races, different income levels, different occupations, different ages, etc. Some live in the suburbs, some on big farms. Others call a small apartment their home, others live "on the move".
The series really shows that regardless of your circumstances or living conditions, you can prepare!
Warning:
Many of the people shown in the series have firearms and know how to use them. Anyone thinking it would be an easy task to wrest away their food storage, etc. will know it will not be easy. In fact, it could be hazardous to the point of being lethal.When a 9 year old knows how to handle a firearm in defense of her home and family...well, you don't want to mess with that family!
All that being said, would I want to be on the program?
No. No, I would not.
I have been on forums that were contacted by the producers of the show asking for people to participate and I have been contacted in a private message asking me to participate.
I politely declined due to several reasons.
My Darlin' Man is in the military and that reason alone was enough to discourage participation.
I really don't want my exact location to be known.
Too disruptive to my day-to-day living.
I have minors in the household that I don't want on screen.
AND THE CAMERA ADDS 15 FREAKIN' POUNDS!!!! No way, no how, huh-uhh!
So, what do you think of Doomsday Preppers (and the other shows like it)?
Showing posts with label firearms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label firearms. Show all posts
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Economy
I normally try to stay pretty upbeat on here...even when Red the Psychotic Rooster has been trying to kill me, or the goats get out and I chase them around the neighborhood or when I am confronted by an invasion of mice.
But right now, nothing is upbeat about the US (or even the world's) economy.
The stock market is tanking. Not just the US stock market but the financial markets around the world.
The drought and heat wave experienced by "American's Bread Basket" (and Meat Department) this year (and that is still continuing) will cause ripple effects that will end up on your grocery store receipt.
*Prepping* and Food Storage are no longer things that the *nutball* down the street does.
Food Storage is no longer a case of buying one 50 pound bag of rice and one 25 pound bag of pinto beans and calling it done.
*Prepping* for First Aid is not buying a cute little box of Hello Kitty band aids and tossing it into the trunk of your car or under the bathroom sink to be forgotten.
Being Prepared has taken on a whole new meaning these days.
If you are prepared, congratulations. Now, stock up some more.
If you aren't prepared, bust your butt to get prepared.
No money, you say?
Look around your house.How many useless electronic gizmos do you have that you rarely use? Sell them. Craigslist, the classifieds, pawn shops, ebay.
Everyone in the family has an IPOD? Sell all but one or two and share, dammit!
Switch to cheaper cell phone plans and, if you have older cells that you no longer use, sell them.
Those diamond ear studs that you got for your fifth anniversary 4 years ago that you have worn only a dozen times ? Sell them. Buy CZ, no one can really tell the difference anyway.
Four different video game systems with a slew of games for each? Sell the games that no one plays or rarely plays. Keep only one or two of the systems and sell the others. SHARE the ones you have left. You might consider waiting until near Christmas or a birthday and take all your rarely played games to a game store and exchange them for store credit to get the new game your kid so desperately desires.
Expensive sports equipment or musical instruments that no one ever uses and just gathers dust and takes up space in the attic or garage? Sell it NOW.
Two car family with the latest cars and the high payments/insurance to go with them?
Check the Bluebook value and see if you can sell one (or both) for a profit. Pay them off and buy a less expensive used car (have a mechanic check it out first). You say you NEED two cars because both of you work (for couples). Sit down and break down the costs of having a job. Travel/commuting expenses, meals, wardrobe, daycare, etc. A lot of folks that do a full breakdown find out it actually costs them to work. They are paying to go to a job! If that's the case, quit the job and find something else to do, preferably working out of the home.
If you ABSOLUTELY have to have two vehicles, then get situated with two used vehicles OR use the profit from selling one vehicle to pay off the other and go find a decent *beater* for one of you to drive.
Pack your lunches for work and no more eating out. Cook at home.
Use coupons for special *nights out* with your spouse or kids.
Have a lot of name brand high end clothes and shoes that the kids (or you) have outgrown? (If you are reading this and have 4 dozen pairs of shoes bought within the last year...there's no damn hope for you, but I advise you to sell most of them.)
Sell on ebay or find a consignment shop that will pay cash so you don't have to wait for your used item to catch someones eye. Launder the clothes first or have them dry cleaned (if needed) or just clean them up the best you can if you can't afford the dry cleaning. Clean and polish the shoes or handbags.Sell them.
Find anything and everything around your house that is outgrown, useless, redundant, etc and SELL THEM!
(and no...you cannot include spouse or children in those categories, lol!)
Now...PREP!!!
Food
First Aid
Firearm
Junk Silver and/or Gold (depends on your budget.)
Seeds (for Gardening)
Tools
Food
You can find hundreds of sites that give you a food and/or caloric breakdown of what you need Google "Food Storage for one person" to start..Read some of those sites. Always remember to get foods that you and your family will actually eat. Five #10 cans of hominy will do you no damn good if no one in the family will eat them! Try to get at least 3 months of basic food for each family member. (Don't forget your pets!)
First Aid
Get a GOOD first aid kit. Always have 30 to 90 days worth of prescribed medications on hand, especially if it is a chronic, on going health problem. Take a CPR course and a Red Cross first aid course or two.
Firearms
First, a basic shotgun for home defense. Second, a hunting rifle for...duh, hunting. It can also be used for self defense if need be. Third, a handgun for personal defense, if you need one. I am not going to suggest calibers.What I will suggest is that you invest an afternoon or evening at a shooting range that has rental guns to try out. Find out what you can handle.Ask other gun owners for advice.Do NOT go out and buy the shiniest gun with all the bells and whistles. Find out what suits you FIRST! Shop around. Look at pawn shops.In Craigslist. At gunbroker.com. When you find *your* gun at the price that is agreeable to you and buy it, PRACTICE! Cheaper to blow through a hundred rounds to get adept and accurate with a weapon than to have no clue how to accurately hit a target when your life depends on it.
Precious Metals
Try to have at least some junk silver (old coins with high silver content) stashed away. If the dollar collapses, it may be the only currency worth anything. If you have the cash, a few gold coins. Right now the precious metals market is going through the roof, I know. Still, better to have some precious metals and have them lose value if the economy stabilizes, than to not have any at all if the dollar does crash or is devalued.
Seeds and Tools
Non-GMO seeds and Heirloom seeds and the tools to garden with. Tools to get firewood with. Tools to do home repairs with. Learn to garden and learn to use tools properly.
This is the best I can advise right now. I feel that so many of us out here have been screaming the same message for years, but were ignored or dismissed as *kooks*. If you never listened before...please do so now.
Check out the blogs I read...Bacon and Eggs, Rural Revolution, Krazo Acres...all of them have been trying to get the same message across for so long.
I hope you guys out there are finally listening now.
But right now, nothing is upbeat about the US (or even the world's) economy.
The stock market is tanking. Not just the US stock market but the financial markets around the world.
The drought and heat wave experienced by "American's Bread Basket" (and Meat Department) this year (and that is still continuing) will cause ripple effects that will end up on your grocery store receipt.
*Prepping* and Food Storage are no longer things that the *nutball* down the street does.
Food Storage is no longer a case of buying one 50 pound bag of rice and one 25 pound bag of pinto beans and calling it done.
*Prepping* for First Aid is not buying a cute little box of Hello Kitty band aids and tossing it into the trunk of your car or under the bathroom sink to be forgotten.
Being Prepared has taken on a whole new meaning these days.
If you are prepared, congratulations. Now, stock up some more.
If you aren't prepared, bust your butt to get prepared.
No money, you say?
Look around your house.How many useless electronic gizmos do you have that you rarely use? Sell them. Craigslist, the classifieds, pawn shops, ebay.
Everyone in the family has an IPOD? Sell all but one or two and share, dammit!
Switch to cheaper cell phone plans and, if you have older cells that you no longer use, sell them.
Those diamond ear studs that you got for your fifth anniversary 4 years ago that you have worn only a dozen times ? Sell them. Buy CZ, no one can really tell the difference anyway.
Four different video game systems with a slew of games for each? Sell the games that no one plays or rarely plays. Keep only one or two of the systems and sell the others. SHARE the ones you have left. You might consider waiting until near Christmas or a birthday and take all your rarely played games to a game store and exchange them for store credit to get the new game your kid so desperately desires.
Expensive sports equipment or musical instruments that no one ever uses and just gathers dust and takes up space in the attic or garage? Sell it NOW.
Two car family with the latest cars and the high payments/insurance to go with them?
Check the Bluebook value and see if you can sell one (or both) for a profit. Pay them off and buy a less expensive used car (have a mechanic check it out first). You say you NEED two cars because both of you work (for couples). Sit down and break down the costs of having a job. Travel/commuting expenses, meals, wardrobe, daycare, etc. A lot of folks that do a full breakdown find out it actually costs them to work. They are paying to go to a job! If that's the case, quit the job and find something else to do, preferably working out of the home.
If you ABSOLUTELY have to have two vehicles, then get situated with two used vehicles OR use the profit from selling one vehicle to pay off the other and go find a decent *beater* for one of you to drive.
Pack your lunches for work and no more eating out. Cook at home.
Use coupons for special *nights out* with your spouse or kids.
Have a lot of name brand high end clothes and shoes that the kids (or you) have outgrown? (If you are reading this and have 4 dozen pairs of shoes bought within the last year...there's no damn hope for you, but I advise you to sell most of them.)
Sell on ebay or find a consignment shop that will pay cash so you don't have to wait for your used item to catch someones eye. Launder the clothes first or have them dry cleaned (if needed) or just clean them up the best you can if you can't afford the dry cleaning. Clean and polish the shoes or handbags.Sell them.
Find anything and everything around your house that is outgrown, useless, redundant, etc and SELL THEM!
(and no...you cannot include spouse or children in those categories, lol!)
Now...PREP!!!
Food
First Aid
Firearm
Junk Silver and/or Gold (depends on your budget.)
Seeds (for Gardening)
Tools
Food
You can find hundreds of sites that give you a food and/or caloric breakdown of what you need Google "Food Storage for one person" to start..Read some of those sites. Always remember to get foods that you and your family will actually eat. Five #10 cans of hominy will do you no damn good if no one in the family will eat them! Try to get at least 3 months of basic food for each family member. (Don't forget your pets!)
First Aid
Get a GOOD first aid kit. Always have 30 to 90 days worth of prescribed medications on hand, especially if it is a chronic, on going health problem. Take a CPR course and a Red Cross first aid course or two.
Firearms
First, a basic shotgun for home defense. Second, a hunting rifle for...duh, hunting. It can also be used for self defense if need be. Third, a handgun for personal defense, if you need one. I am not going to suggest calibers.What I will suggest is that you invest an afternoon or evening at a shooting range that has rental guns to try out. Find out what you can handle.Ask other gun owners for advice.Do NOT go out and buy the shiniest gun with all the bells and whistles. Find out what suits you FIRST! Shop around. Look at pawn shops.In Craigslist. At gunbroker.com. When you find *your* gun at the price that is agreeable to you and buy it, PRACTICE! Cheaper to blow through a hundred rounds to get adept and accurate with a weapon than to have no clue how to accurately hit a target when your life depends on it.
Precious Metals
Try to have at least some junk silver (old coins with high silver content) stashed away. If the dollar collapses, it may be the only currency worth anything. If you have the cash, a few gold coins. Right now the precious metals market is going through the roof, I know. Still, better to have some precious metals and have them lose value if the economy stabilizes, than to not have any at all if the dollar does crash or is devalued.
Seeds and Tools
Non-GMO seeds and Heirloom seeds and the tools to garden with. Tools to get firewood with. Tools to do home repairs with. Learn to garden and learn to use tools properly.
This is the best I can advise right now. I feel that so many of us out here have been screaming the same message for years, but were ignored or dismissed as *kooks*. If you never listened before...please do so now.
Check out the blogs I read...Bacon and Eggs, Rural Revolution, Krazo Acres...all of them have been trying to get the same message across for so long.
I hope you guys out there are finally listening now.
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