A producer might very well call and ask for an option for the rights to Jim Laughter's ''POLAR CIY RED'' for the L.A.-based production company. The cli-fi novel, some say sci-fi, others say speculative fiction, set in an Alaskan ''polar city'' in the year 2080, is poised to take the world by storm.
What does "optioned" for a movie really mean?
It's like calling dibs on a project. In POLAR CITY RED's case, the production
company might option the rights to his book and will be therefore looking to partner with
a studio. When they get studio interest, the contract will have a provision
for them to purchase the rights to the novel and the process will go from there.
How might POLAR CITY RED get optioned for film?
After the book is released, a savvy Hollywood producer who is looking for books with buzz might contact the author.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Tundra Tastemonger: an online newspaper of fiction and fantasy
The Tundra Tastemonger:
an online newspaper of fiction and fantasy
Published in the Vaporsphere -- always free, and always readable
Volume One, Number One
40-part weekly serialization of POLAR CITY RED, a novel by Jim Laughter
Beginning May 1, 2012
NOTES: Since fictional dystopias are often set in a future projected virtual time and/or space involving technological innovations taht are not accessible in actual present reality, dystopian fiction is often classified generically as science fiction, a subgenre of speculative fiction.
Because a fictional universe has to be constructed, a selectively told backstory is often introduced early in the narrative. This results in a shift in emphasis of control, from previous systems of central government to a smaller government run by a polar city administration, for example; and from previous social norms to a changed society and new (and often disturbing) social norms, as will be seen in Jim Laughter's POLAR CITY RED (2012) -- a novel set in 2080.
Because dystopian literature typically depicts events that take place in the future, it often features technology more advanced than that of contemporary society.
Dystopias seldom feature an outsider as the protagonist. While such a character would more clearly understand the nature of the society, based on comparison to his society, the knowledge of the outside culture subverts the power of the dystopia.
The story usually centers on a protagonist who questions the society, often feeling intuitively that something is terribly wrong. The hero comes to believe that escape or even overturning the social order is possible and decides to act at the risk of life and limb; this may appear as irrational even to him or her, but he or she still acts. The hero's point of view usually clashes with the others' perception, that concepts of utopia and dystopia are tied to each other and the only difference between them lies on a matter of opinion.
There is usually a group of people somewhere in the society who are not under the complete control of the situation, and in whom the hero of the novel usually puts his or her hope, although often he or she still fails to change anything. In Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four they are the "proles" (Latin for "offspring", from which "proletariat" is derived), in Huxley's Brave New World they are the people on the reservation, and in We by Zamyatin they are the people outside the walls of the One State. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, they are the "book people" past the river and outside the city. In POLAR CITY RED, readers find out who runs the city and who the mauraders are.
A story is often (but not always) unresolved even if the hero manages to escape or destroy the dystopia. That is, the narrative may deal with individuals in a dystopian society who are unsatisfied, and may rebel, but ultimately fail to change anything. Sometimes they themselves end up changed to conform to the society's norms. This narrative arc to a sense of hopelessness can be found in such classic dystopian works as Nineteen Eighty-Four. It contrasts with much fiction of the future, in which a hero succeeds in resolving conflicts or otherwise changes things for the better.
Climate dystopias is a new genre of science fiction, or climate fiction, cli-fi, as it has been dubbed. POLAR CITY RED is one of the first climate dystopias to be set in a polar city environment in the north, in this case, ALASKA in the year 2080.
an online newspaper of fiction and fantasy
Published in the Vaporsphere -- always free, and always readable
Volume One, Number One
40-part weekly serialization of POLAR CITY RED, a novel by Jim Laughter
Beginning May 1, 2012
NOTES: Since fictional dystopias are often set in a future projected virtual time and/or space involving technological innovations taht are not accessible in actual present reality, dystopian fiction is often classified generically as science fiction, a subgenre of speculative fiction.
Because a fictional universe has to be constructed, a selectively told backstory is often introduced early in the narrative. This results in a shift in emphasis of control, from previous systems of central government to a smaller government run by a polar city administration, for example; and from previous social norms to a changed society and new (and often disturbing) social norms, as will be seen in Jim Laughter's POLAR CITY RED (2012) -- a novel set in 2080.
Because dystopian literature typically depicts events that take place in the future, it often features technology more advanced than that of contemporary society.
Dystopias seldom feature an outsider as the protagonist. While such a character would more clearly understand the nature of the society, based on comparison to his society, the knowledge of the outside culture subverts the power of the dystopia.
The story usually centers on a protagonist who questions the society, often feeling intuitively that something is terribly wrong. The hero comes to believe that escape or even overturning the social order is possible and decides to act at the risk of life and limb; this may appear as irrational even to him or her, but he or she still acts. The hero's point of view usually clashes with the others' perception, that concepts of utopia and dystopia are tied to each other and the only difference between them lies on a matter of opinion.
There is usually a group of people somewhere in the society who are not under the complete control of the situation, and in whom the hero of the novel usually puts his or her hope, although often he or she still fails to change anything. In Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four they are the "proles" (Latin for "offspring", from which "proletariat" is derived), in Huxley's Brave New World they are the people on the reservation, and in We by Zamyatin they are the people outside the walls of the One State. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, they are the "book people" past the river and outside the city. In POLAR CITY RED, readers find out who runs the city and who the mauraders are.
A story is often (but not always) unresolved even if the hero manages to escape or destroy the dystopia. That is, the narrative may deal with individuals in a dystopian society who are unsatisfied, and may rebel, but ultimately fail to change anything. Sometimes they themselves end up changed to conform to the society's norms. This narrative arc to a sense of hopelessness can be found in such classic dystopian works as Nineteen Eighty-Four. It contrasts with much fiction of the future, in which a hero succeeds in resolving conflicts or otherwise changes things for the better.
Climate dystopias is a new genre of science fiction, or climate fiction, cli-fi, as it has been dubbed. POLAR CITY RED is one of the first climate dystopias to be set in a polar city environment in the north, in this case, ALASKA in the year 2080.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Guardian reports that polar cities are closer than we think
by Ian Foster
THE GUARDIAN
LONDON BUREAU
-- I'm flying over the Pacific on a fuel-guzzling CO2 emitting 747 from Los Angeles to Taipei on my way to meet an American climate activist who claims that climate change is already so embedded in humankind's future that only so-called "polar cities" will be able to save the human species from extinction.
That's a pretty tall order, and from the looks of things, I am about to get an earful.
Meet Danny Bloom, erstwhile climate envisionary, non-scientist, blogger, doomsayer with a sense of humor.
"I'm not a doomsayer, " he insists. "I am an optimist, like my teacher James Lovelock, and if anything, I am a Bloomsayer, not a doomsayer at all. Please don't say I am a doomsayer. I'm not."
"Yes, I see dead people," the non-doomsayer says over coffee at a local cafe in southern Taiwan where I've come to spend a few days getting to know this eccentric man who calls himself "James Lovelock's accidental student." More on that later.
It's an interesting conversation, and he's not the least bit loony or insane. What Bloom says makes perfect sense, with a few grains of salt added in, of course. He believes that we are doomed, doomed, and that major climate chaos events in the future will doom humankind to fleeing north to find refuge in what he has dubbed as polar cities, even though this abodes will not be the poles per see and they won't be cities, either.
"More like Mel Gibson's 'Mad Max' franchise meets Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'," he says, smiling. Bloom seems to be always smiling, and he comes across as a very friendly and down to earth person.
"I don't have a PHD, and I am not a scientist," he admits and says he welcomes criticism of his polar cities ideas and does not take any of the negative comments that come his way personally.
"People have their own opinions and I respect them all," he says. "I don't expect people to agree with me or even see my point. But I know I am on the right path, and Lovelock has seen the polar cities designs and concepts and told me by email that it's good and worthwhile, if only it gets people to think outside the box."
"I see dead people," he repeats, "massive die-offs of humans, ten billion dead people in the next 300 to 500 years, perhaps sooner, and it won't be a pretty picture at all. More like hell on Earth."
Bloom says he gets his inspiration for polar cities not only from Lovelock, but also from Mark Lynas and Tim Flannery and James Hansen and Al Gore. "Come hell and high water, humanity is in for the ride of our lives in the coming centuries. We might make it through to the other side, and we might not make it at all as species, this might spell the end of the humans on Earth. Of course, I am hoping we can find ways to stop this all before it comes to that. I remain optimistic."
So what are polar cities all about? I ask the Bloomsayer.
"Survival," he says, "survival. Polar cities will serve as climate refgues for climate refugees in the future. Not now, but later. But it's time to start thinking and planning them now, just in case. I am sure the CIA and the Homeland Security Agency in the USA and similar departments in other countries are planning such polar settlements even now, on paper. There are meetings go on as we speak, all over the world, pre-planning and pre-siting these 'cities.'"
I ask why he is doing this, a seemingly quixotic quest that nobody is taking seriously in the early decades of the 21st Century.
"Good question," he replies. "I care. That's all. I care about not only today, where I lead a wonderful, happy, fulfilled life on Planet Earth, but I also care about a possibly dystopic future that we might be headed in if we do not tackle global warming and climate change issues at their core. I am worried that we won't do enough, and it won't be done on time, and that we are headed for a lemming-like disaster of unspeakable proportions. But I don't want polar cities to ever come to be, I don't want my work on polar cities to ever come to fruition. I don't want to see this denouement we seem to be headed in. So my work with polar cities is both a wake up call and a cri de coeur -- and also at the same time a kind of vision of what we just might need in the future to get through a warmed-up world."
"I am not a prophet," Bloom, 63, says. "And I am not a visionary. I'm just a normal bloke who cares about the future, not the near future so much as the distant future. I am a kind of an empath. I care about things most people don't really care about, and this future I imagine seems to far away and unreal. So I understand why so few scientists or climate activists take my polar cities ideas seriously. But Lovelock does, and Lovelock is my teacher here. He is the one who spoke of 'breeding pairs in the Arctic' back in 2006. I designed polar cities as places where these Lovelockian breeding pairs of humans can survive during a long period of northern life when the tropical and temperate parts of the globe will be uninhabitable."
I ask Bloom what the timeline is.
"In about 100 years, from 100 to 500 years. It will unfold slowly, it will happen slowly. It won't happen overnight, and it won't impact humankind until at least 100 years from now, and mostly not for another 500 to even 1000 years. But we are headed, not to the stars, but to polar cities, for sure. Northern settlements of millions of climate refugees on an Earth in a deep funk. We did this to ourselves. Global warming is a man-made phenomenon, and anyone who says otherwise is dreaming. So it's time to wake up, everyone, and there's still time. That's my message: there is still time. And the time is now to start planning actions to stop C02 in its track, and get off oil and coal use now, soon, today!"
I sense that Bloom is not finished yet, and at the same time, I can't help but think that he's on to something.
THE GUARDIAN
LONDON BUREAU
-- I'm flying over the Pacific on a fuel-guzzling CO2 emitting 747 from Los Angeles to Taipei on my way to meet an American climate activist who claims that climate change is already so embedded in humankind's future that only so-called "polar cities" will be able to save the human species from extinction.
That's a pretty tall order, and from the looks of things, I am about to get an earful.
Meet Danny Bloom, erstwhile climate envisionary, non-scientist, blogger, doomsayer with a sense of humor.
"I'm not a doomsayer, " he insists. "I am an optimist, like my teacher James Lovelock, and if anything, I am a Bloomsayer, not a doomsayer at all. Please don't say I am a doomsayer. I'm not."
"Yes, I see dead people," the non-doomsayer says over coffee at a local cafe in southern Taiwan where I've come to spend a few days getting to know this eccentric man who calls himself "James Lovelock's accidental student." More on that later.
It's an interesting conversation, and he's not the least bit loony or insane. What Bloom says makes perfect sense, with a few grains of salt added in, of course. He believes that we are doomed, doomed, and that major climate chaos events in the future will doom humankind to fleeing north to find refuge in what he has dubbed as polar cities, even though this abodes will not be the poles per see and they won't be cities, either.
"More like Mel Gibson's 'Mad Max' franchise meets Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'," he says, smiling. Bloom seems to be always smiling, and he comes across as a very friendly and down to earth person.
"I don't have a PHD, and I am not a scientist," he admits and says he welcomes criticism of his polar cities ideas and does not take any of the negative comments that come his way personally.
"People have their own opinions and I respect them all," he says. "I don't expect people to agree with me or even see my point. But I know I am on the right path, and Lovelock has seen the polar cities designs and concepts and told me by email that it's good and worthwhile, if only it gets people to think outside the box."
"I see dead people," he repeats, "massive die-offs of humans, ten billion dead people in the next 300 to 500 years, perhaps sooner, and it won't be a pretty picture at all. More like hell on Earth."
Bloom says he gets his inspiration for polar cities not only from Lovelock, but also from Mark Lynas and Tim Flannery and James Hansen and Al Gore. "Come hell and high water, humanity is in for the ride of our lives in the coming centuries. We might make it through to the other side, and we might not make it at all as species, this might spell the end of the humans on Earth. Of course, I am hoping we can find ways to stop this all before it comes to that. I remain optimistic."
So what are polar cities all about? I ask the Bloomsayer.
"Survival," he says, "survival. Polar cities will serve as climate refgues for climate refugees in the future. Not now, but later. But it's time to start thinking and planning them now, just in case. I am sure the CIA and the Homeland Security Agency in the USA and similar departments in other countries are planning such polar settlements even now, on paper. There are meetings go on as we speak, all over the world, pre-planning and pre-siting these 'cities.'"
I ask why he is doing this, a seemingly quixotic quest that nobody is taking seriously in the early decades of the 21st Century.
"Good question," he replies. "I care. That's all. I care about not only today, where I lead a wonderful, happy, fulfilled life on Planet Earth, but I also care about a possibly dystopic future that we might be headed in if we do not tackle global warming and climate change issues at their core. I am worried that we won't do enough, and it won't be done on time, and that we are headed for a lemming-like disaster of unspeakable proportions. But I don't want polar cities to ever come to be, I don't want my work on polar cities to ever come to fruition. I don't want to see this denouement we seem to be headed in. So my work with polar cities is both a wake up call and a cri de coeur -- and also at the same time a kind of vision of what we just might need in the future to get through a warmed-up world."
"I am not a prophet," Bloom, 63, says. "And I am not a visionary. I'm just a normal bloke who cares about the future, not the near future so much as the distant future. I am a kind of an empath. I care about things most people don't really care about, and this future I imagine seems to far away and unreal. So I understand why so few scientists or climate activists take my polar cities ideas seriously. But Lovelock does, and Lovelock is my teacher here. He is the one who spoke of 'breeding pairs in the Arctic' back in 2006. I designed polar cities as places where these Lovelockian breeding pairs of humans can survive during a long period of northern life when the tropical and temperate parts of the globe will be uninhabitable."
I ask Bloom what the timeline is.
"In about 100 years, from 100 to 500 years. It will unfold slowly, it will happen slowly. It won't happen overnight, and it won't impact humankind until at least 100 years from now, and mostly not for another 500 to even 1000 years. But we are headed, not to the stars, but to polar cities, for sure. Northern settlements of millions of climate refugees on an Earth in a deep funk. We did this to ourselves. Global warming is a man-made phenomenon, and anyone who says otherwise is dreaming. So it's time to wake up, everyone, and there's still time. That's my message: there is still time. And the time is now to start planning actions to stop C02 in its track, and get off oil and coal use now, soon, today!"
I sense that Bloom is not finished yet, and at the same time, I can't help but think that he's on to something.
The Looming Threat of a 'Polar Cities' Dystopia (2100 - 3100 AD)
the near future, it probably wouldn’t be a wake-up alarm -- it would be a goodnight call. Therefore, two words -- "polar cities."
Experts warn a polar cities dystopia looms in the future if we do not get our act together now and rid humankind of our addiction to and use of oil and coal, the prime emitters of C02 that is slowly strangling this planet and putting our entire human species at risk -- of extinction. It's that serious, and everyone knows it. But like the 999-pound gorilla in the room, nobody wants to talk about this.
Now there's a fiction novel, sci-fi -- ''cli-fi'' some are calling it, for "climate fiction" -- and it's titled POLAR CITY RED. The thriller, a real page-turner, by Okalahoma sci fi writer Jim Laughter, tells the story of a group of people living in dire conditions in a polar city survival settlement in Alaska in the year 2080, not so far from now. But remember, it's just fiction.
It could NEVER happen. Or could it?
And if climate chaos ever came to polar cities life for survivors of global warming in some distant future, it could immobilize modern technology, and civilization, altogether.
Are you prepared? This book will change your life. And also give you a good page-turner of a read on a quiet summer or winter night.
Read it
when you have time.
There's
still
time.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
On My Bucket List -- Looking for a Wife
On My Bucket List -- Looking for a Wife
I am in a very unusual situation. I'm a woman in my mid-40s, but I'm dying. My doctors have told me that I have less than two months to live. So I have been working on my "bucket list." One of the items therein is finding a new wife for my husband, to marry after I go to be with the Lord. I have always been a cautious shopper, carefully analyzing and deliberating the pros and cons of each acquisition, whether it is a horse, or a piece of land, or just a pair of boots. Finding a new wife for Jim will be a challenge for me.
First, about him:
•63 years old, normal weight, and very healthy, but gray hair and bald.
•Has a hard-charging "Type A" personality. He doesn't know how to relax.
•Very punctual and neat, except for his desk.
•Modest, loyal, and extremely devoted. (He has spent the past year by my bedside.)
•Generous and tithes regularly.
•A worrier. (SurvivalBlog is the professional manifestation of his worrying.)
•Hates big cities, and will never move back to one.
•Willing to dig lots of holes for my plants, but he is not much of a gardener.
•Loves giving gifts but he dislikes spending money.
•Has enough survival gear to equip a reinforced squad.
My replacement must meet these qualifications:
•Be a devout, church-going Christian, preferably with Reformed/Calvinist doctrine. This is the first and foremost consideration. (No exceptions.)
•Be healthy and of normal body weight. (Jim could not bear to lose another wife at a young age.)
•Willing to put up with Jim's eccentricities including his emphasis on OPSEC.
•Willing to assume my responsibility of caring for three teenagers. (They are godly homeschooled kids, and a great joy to us.)
•Willing to live at the Rawles Ranch in a remote, yet very beautiful area. (Nearly a two hour drive to any decent shopping.)
•Willing to live in a true "four season" climate, with up to six months of snow.
•Enjoy the outdoors (canoeing, hunting, fishing, berry picking, gardening, et cetera.)
•Have a good sense of humor.
•Not want to have babies. (Jim can no longer have children.)
•No interest in television. (We don't own a television, but we do have high speed Internet service.)
•Be willing to visit your relatives only once or twice a year.
•Not squeamish around slaughtering and butchering of livestock and wild game.
•Hard working.
•Thrifty. (Although Jim makes a very good living, shopaholics need not apply.)
•Circumspect.
•Loyal.
Things about you that do not matter:
•Your age. You can be anywhere between 30 and 55 years old.
•Your appearance. You can be ugly, maimed, deformed, scarred, or disfigured. (But you must be normal body weight and healthy!)
•Your race.
•Your height. (As long as you are least 5'2".)
•Your taste in clothes, music, or art. (Jim has eclectic tastes, but prefers women that dress modestly in public.)
•You have been previously married or already have children (as long as they have been raised to be respectful and well-mannered.)
Things that would be preferable, but not crucial:
•You are omnivorous. (We eat a lot of elk, venison, and trout.)
•You are fairly athletic and enjoy vigorous exercise.
•You have a good traditional skill set (Cooking, sewing, gardening, et cetera.)
•A background in a medical science (Doctor, nurse, veterinarian, EMT, Paramedic, etc.)
•Your family lives west of the Rockies.
•You like dogs and cats.
•You would enjoy raising livestock.
•You can play the piano.
•You have acting experience.
•You are handy with tools.
•You are artistic and/or have a good eye for nature photography.
•You enjoy traveling.
If you believe that you meet the aforementioned qualifications and are sincerely seeking a life-long commitment with a loving husband, then consider this prayerfully, and then e-mail me your brief biography. I'll be doing the vetting before you can talk with Jim. Needless, to say, I'm going to be very selective.
Sincerely, -
I am in a very unusual situation. I'm a woman in my mid-40s, but I'm dying. My doctors have told me that I have less than two months to live. So I have been working on my "bucket list." One of the items therein is finding a new wife for my husband, to marry after I go to be with the Lord. I have always been a cautious shopper, carefully analyzing and deliberating the pros and cons of each acquisition, whether it is a horse, or a piece of land, or just a pair of boots. Finding a new wife for Jim will be a challenge for me.
First, about him:
•63 years old, normal weight, and very healthy, but gray hair and bald.
•Has a hard-charging "Type A" personality. He doesn't know how to relax.
•Very punctual and neat, except for his desk.
•Modest, loyal, and extremely devoted. (He has spent the past year by my bedside.)
•Generous and tithes regularly.
•A worrier. (SurvivalBlog is the professional manifestation of his worrying.)
•Hates big cities, and will never move back to one.
•Willing to dig lots of holes for my plants, but he is not much of a gardener.
•Loves giving gifts but he dislikes spending money.
•Has enough survival gear to equip a reinforced squad.
My replacement must meet these qualifications:
•Be a devout, church-going Christian, preferably with Reformed/Calvinist doctrine. This is the first and foremost consideration. (No exceptions.)
•Be healthy and of normal body weight. (Jim could not bear to lose another wife at a young age.)
•Willing to put up with Jim's eccentricities including his emphasis on OPSEC.
•Willing to assume my responsibility of caring for three teenagers. (They are godly homeschooled kids, and a great joy to us.)
•Willing to live at the Rawles Ranch in a remote, yet very beautiful area. (Nearly a two hour drive to any decent shopping.)
•Willing to live in a true "four season" climate, with up to six months of snow.
•Enjoy the outdoors (canoeing, hunting, fishing, berry picking, gardening, et cetera.)
•Have a good sense of humor.
•Not want to have babies. (Jim can no longer have children.)
•No interest in television. (We don't own a television, but we do have high speed Internet service.)
•Be willing to visit your relatives only once or twice a year.
•Not squeamish around slaughtering and butchering of livestock and wild game.
•Hard working.
•Thrifty. (Although Jim makes a very good living, shopaholics need not apply.)
•Circumspect.
•Loyal.
Things about you that do not matter:
•Your age. You can be anywhere between 30 and 55 years old.
•Your appearance. You can be ugly, maimed, deformed, scarred, or disfigured. (But you must be normal body weight and healthy!)
•Your race.
•Your height. (As long as you are least 5'2".)
•Your taste in clothes, music, or art. (Jim has eclectic tastes, but prefers women that dress modestly in public.)
•You have been previously married or already have children (as long as they have been raised to be respectful and well-mannered.)
Things that would be preferable, but not crucial:
•You are omnivorous. (We eat a lot of elk, venison, and trout.)
•You are fairly athletic and enjoy vigorous exercise.
•You have a good traditional skill set (Cooking, sewing, gardening, et cetera.)
•A background in a medical science (Doctor, nurse, veterinarian, EMT, Paramedic, etc.)
•Your family lives west of the Rockies.
•You like dogs and cats.
•You would enjoy raising livestock.
•You can play the piano.
•You have acting experience.
•You are handy with tools.
•You are artistic and/or have a good eye for nature photography.
•You enjoy traveling.
If you believe that you meet the aforementioned qualifications and are sincerely seeking a life-long commitment with a loving husband, then consider this prayerfully, and then e-mail me your brief biography. I'll be doing the vetting before you can talk with Jim. Needless, to say, I'm going to be very selective.
Sincerely, -
Preppers and survivalists will find reading POLAR CITY RED by Jim Laughter has some food for thought for them, too.
RangerDan writes:
Jan 21, 2012
Sueque wrote:
Jan 21, 2012 12:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
e2verne wrote:
Jan 21, 2012 12:19pm EST -- Report as abuse
Tommorow wrote:
Jan 21, 2012 1:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ralphooo wrote:
I once bought a year’s supply of dried foods. Time passed, gasoline prices started going down, and eventually I decided I had to eat it all or have it go bad. The stuff is good for two or three years.
I very quickly became sick of many, many meals of a thick packet they called “beef stroganoff.”
Yuck! Never again.
Jan 21, 2012 2:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
philbutrin wrote:
just for the record, the mayan calendar does NOT predict doom this december. that’s a popular fallacy. the calendar actually predicts that 12/21/12 will be the end of the current cycle of civilization, and the beginning of the next. rather than doomsday, their writings point to it being an important point in mankind’s evolution and not its destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 2:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
JWBAIM wrote:
Jan 21, 2012 3:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
DarylN wrote:
Wow….how do I get into the money making scam of selling army surplus to the “preppers.” I kind of feel bad for them, people are taking advantage, and stoking, their over-amped fears of apocalypse.
Jan 21, 2012 3:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
AZWarrior wrote:
There was a time I would have chuckled at the article, but with this government and world economy, I’m not laughing. “Oh fiddley dee, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Scarlet
Jan 21, 2012 5:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
starkrayz wrote:
A lot of fear-mongering going on. An educated person understands the economy, trade and national relations shift thru the decades. There’s no problem with stockpiling a few weeks of food and water (and cash) for the unexpected disaster. But this end-of-the-world ranting is just plain silly. Jeez, we could get hit by an asteroid for all we know. These “preppers” living in fear is just sad.
Jan 21, 2012 6:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
neiman1 wrote:
It isn’t just rural folk in Tennessee. Many with wealth are accumulating gold as an investment. Everyone is buying weapons. Most are making sure they have a supply of food staples, even if they tell their family its for a cushion against a weather disaster. People are uneasy and preparing for much worse times and a breakdown of the social fabric. Riots would surprise almost no one.
Jan 21, 2012 6:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Libslayer666 wrote:
It really isn’t very smart to go to the trouble of preparing for anarchy and social collapse and then tell everyone what you have. Believe me, if and when the time comes, there will be those that will come and take it from you. Don’t be stupid and keep it a secret. It would also be a plus to surround yourself with like-minded folks you trust and together you will be able to protect your loved ones from the degenerates and reprobates on the prowl.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Pointfinder wrote:
Read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” If society collapses, a stack of canned goods doesn’t mean much. You’re going to need ammunition, tough friends, and lots of luck.
Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stonehillady wrote:
Look If you were a Greek right now & your income was decreased by the 30% they are dealing with now, if they had provisions, they could at least eat ! People realize the Numbers don’t add up. There is no Trillions coming down from heaven to bailout the world from the criminals that compounded interest & credit Default Swapped us to death. The Elite want to depopulate the world as said by James Wolfensohn from the World Bank to Stanford U & said the Eastern World is where the wealth will go & the western world will NOT be as it any more……So be ready for what the powers that be will do !
Jan 21, 2012 6:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
JoeThePumpernel wrote:
@e2verne
You don’t have a clue that the currency is about to collapse, do you?
You think just because you can bury yourself in credit card debt and survive, nations can too?
Jan 21, 2012 6:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
hartley8184 wrote:
E2Verne,
Anyone who thinks that “this can’t happen in America” is naive at best. America came within a hairsbreadth of thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union in 1963. The only thing that saved us was the sanity of two leaders who decided they didn’t want to bear the guilt of blowing up the world. There is absolutely NOTHING that seperates you from the Middle Ages except those power lines outside your window, and the oil tankers that crisscross the Atlantic.
I don’t necessarily agree with the Preppers. But I don’t see your point of view either. If the US goes down, there won’t be any safe place to live in this hemisphere. But, at least they’ll be able to hold out longer than somebody like you will.
E2Verne, wake up and realize you aren’t living in Disneyland any longer.
Jan 21, 2012 6:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
I find this trend interesting in light of the popularity of Austrian economics on the right. Austrian economists say that nobody knows how to make a pencil in his home workshop, for example, because the knowledge and skills for making pencils lie dispersed throughout the world. The market, through the price mechanism, coordinates all this knowledge and these skills to produce pencils so that we can buy a package of them at the corner drug store for pocket change. The prepper world view says that this system will break down suddenly so that we have to make pencils, and everything else we’ll need, at home despite the fact that we simply don’t know how to do these things.
Jan 21, 2012 7:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
roccotool wrote:
When you’ve got unemployment higher than the cooked numbers, nobody can find a job, a Regime that wants to control banks and insurance companies, an economy that is getting worse with no end in sight, and a country that is headed the same way as Greece and Italy, it’s no wonder a society feels pessimistic. The sad part is many want to vote this Regime back in.
Jan 21, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Chaylon wrote:
Of course, anything can happen. But the government cannot continue to spend our future like it does. At some point the party will be over and we are right to think it’s soon. I just dont think it has to mean the “end of the world as we know it”. Probably just a sad slide into mediocrity like the rest of the worlds nations. So long land of the free, home of the brave.
Jan 21, 2012 7:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
georgelcsmith wrote:
Everyone should be prepared to survive for a few days in an emergency. We shouldn’t need to rush to the store to stock up in anticipation of a weather emergency, because stores only have a few days of supplies on hand. The question is whether we need to be prepared for a long-term breakdown in the supply of necessities. Before our current President, I would have gambled on sufficient supplies, but I an no longer certain.
Jan 21, 2012 7:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
margi wrote:
When you have a president that labels disagreeing American citizens as “enemies” you know there is trouble ahead. Couple that with Homeland Security’s unConstitutional intrusions into our lives, the destruction of the Bill of Rights with obama’s latest law, and tyranny through obama regulations, what do you think is going to happen?
What is obama’s self-described “million (man) well-armed civilian army” for? Many believe it is to attack American citizens, just as Clinton and Reno at Waco only on a much more comprehensive, pervasive scale.
Liberals with weapons are VERY dangerous to individual liberties.
Jan 21, 2012 7:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
sgbarnes wrote:
It is not just major upheavals that prompts us to prepare. It is also life’s little surprises like losing a job, a divorce etc. When my son divorced last year I was able to go to my stockpile to give him things to set up his new home. The most likely disturbances are going to be personal and/or local. Remember how long it took to get help to New Orleans. The government won’t be around for several days. We need, at least, to be prepared to make it for a week without help.
Jan 21, 2012 7:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
Things just cannot continue down their current path without America being destroyed and our society collapsing. There comes a point where you can’t print more money (or quantitative easy as the democrats like to spin it) and charge reckless spending on a credit card.
This is the scariest time in my lifetime. This is MUCH scarier than the cold war with Russia. We have a ridiculous debt owed to a country that hates us and wants to see us destroyed. We have 15-20 million people illegally in the country who believe the US belongs to Mexico. We have an incompetent, unqualified president that has a chip on his shoulder.
Even scarier is that there’s a huge percentage of the population who have been duped into thinking someone George W Bush caused the crisis rather than Fanny, Freddie, and Glass-Steagle. Those same idiot don’t realize that if we confiscated every dollar that rich people have and taxed them at 100%, it wouldn’t even make a dent in the real issues.
As soon as I get myself out of debt, I’m going to do all the preparation steps that others are doing. If Obama gets re-elected in 2013, collapse is inevitable (and desired by the Francis Fox Piven crowd). The current path is crashing fast and Obama is trying to take us even further down the path of destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
thirdeye wrote:
Uhhh-don’t think you need to be too concerned about the lights and next weeks dinner in the event of World War 3. A little lipstick and a mirror might be more worthwhile.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
mnehrling wrote:
I love how these articles always focus on the fringe, the ‘end of the world as we know it types’, however, most ‘preppers’ I know are simply people who want to be self-reliant. If one looks at history, almost every generation has faced something where some sort of preparation was the difference between surviving or not, or simply barely getting by or thriving. Think about the Great Depression, WWII with its rationing, Katrina, the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami, tornadoes that take out power to entire towns for weeks, almost every hurricane or blizzard event, etc. A little preparation is beneficial. In these type of events, wouldn’t you rather know you have a stock of food to feed your family for a few weeks or more versus wait in line at some Red Cross or FEMA shelter in the hopes the government will have something left for you?
Jan 21, 2012 7:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
books4me wrote:
Argentina 2001
Jan 21, 2012 7:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
Parker1227 wrote:
Anyone who doesn’t keep at least a couple of weeks worth of extra food and water (or a good water filtering device), in case of emergency is a fool.
Earthquakes, and floods, and storms, and epidemics (and even wars) do happen.
The coastal area of the Pacific NW is due for a 10+ magnitude quake.
As we saw with hurricane Katrina, when thousands of square miles are impacted by disaster – it takes weeks for the government to get help to everyone.
Jan 21, 2012 7:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
espaceman wrote:
Just finished reading what an EMP would do to this country. I wonder why the U.S. Congress said that every American should read this book “One Second After” and the media ignored this? Folks… this is real and those who ignore are going to be placed into a very bad situation.
Jan 21, 2012 7:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cartman wrote:
Funny the people pitying us “preppers” (I’ve never heard that term before this article – sounds lame) as sad and pathetic. There is simply nothing wrong with having a stocked pantry, loaded weapons, and mucho gallons of fresh water on hand. We don’t need a third world war or a zombie apocalypse to justify what might be down the road. If I was fired from my job tomorrow that would qualify as an apocalypse to my household. It’s nice knowing we can shop for food straight from our pantry for quite some time in that instance. We save money for the future, for the unforeseen, and no one balks at that notion. It’s responsible. Same with storing food and water – you just never know. Rule 1, though, is not telling neighbors about your stores. They’ll inevitably come calling and, well, I’m not saving for them. Only downside is beer doesn’t keep as long – so drinking through the Guinness on hand to keep up with the fresh ones is a great problem to have.
Jan 21, 2012 7:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
WyoDutch wrote:
I “prep” for the same reason I buy insurance on my property.
I “prep” because I never want to shuffle along in line for a chunk of government cheese and a bag of flour.
I “prep” because I am responsible for my familys well being.
I “prep” because I am wise.
.
Jan 21, 2012 7:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
conversionvan wrote:
In response to e2verne’s comment “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground” tell that to those who lived through Katrina. However the bigger picture here is that these people are taking more responsibility for the lives and that is exactly what America needs. Less reliance on systems we can’t controll and more reliance on ourselves. The fact that this concept is odd, is one of the major reasons that our governments, big businesses, and environment are all failing.
Jan 21, 2012 7:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
citizenserf wrote:
Think of every obnoxious neighbor, every unstable personality, every menacing group of teenagers you’ve ever encountered in line at a shopping center, movie theater or public space. Now imagine if they went to the supermarket to find empty shelves and the police are nowhere to be found. Do any of you who do NOT own a gun think those people will respect you or your family or your property in any way? If you dismiss these preppers as kooks and paranoids, that’s YOUR problem. If you have complete confidence in this country’s monetary system, fiscal policies and the responsiveness of public safety agencies, that’s YOUR problem. If you wish to be on the other side of Pascal’s Wager, that’s YOUR problem.
Come to think of it, Ms. Tegeler shouldn’t have given her real name because in a break down of law and order, people like her could be subject to anti-hoarding orders by desperate neighbors and rogue authorities.
Jan 21, 2012 7:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
No mention of AGW alarmists. Aren’t they predicting and regulating us on so called predictions of melting glaciers, sea rise, etc. etc. Why no mention of that? hmm well wouldn’t want to make the AGW believers look like kooks?
Jan 21, 2012 7:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
here in earthquake prone CA the powers that be advise being preperared for disaster. Store food, water, etc, flashligts, radio. Even my kids were taking a bag with supplies to last three days. What’s kookie about that.
Jan 21, 2012 7:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
2ndAmendment wrote:
With this administration we are going into debt to the tune of 1.5 Trillion a year. We have printed approximately 1 trillion in money called Quantitative Easing 1 & 2 and now the Feds are proposing printing another Trillion in play money. Why more money printing you ask? Well things aren’t looking so good economy wise and if the anointed one wants to have a chance at re-election he must hide our economic troubles until after the election. The Fed will pump another Trillion into the markets as required to get past the election. What happens after November will just have to be a surprise. The sad part is it looks like that is when our worst fears play out and hence the “Preppers”. I for one do not think preparing for a natural disaster, man caused disaster, civil unrest or even economic ruin is unreasonable. All it takes is a modest earthquake to bring modern society to its knees. The concept is “at least I tried to due something to prepare for a contingency of things beyond my control”.
Jan 21, 2012 7:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
LtScrounge wrote:
The Motto for the Boy Scouts is “Be Prepared”. The US Federal Emergency Management Administration says that individuals should have AT LEAST 4 days worth of food, water and medicine as well as flashlights, batteries, heat sources, radios for news and weather reports, etc etc etc. Wouldn’t that type of planning been more than a little beneficial to those living in New Orleans during Katrina and the aftermath thereof? How many times have some rural (and in some cases not so rural) areas lost power due to storms, often for days or weeks at a time? A BBC documentary concluded that chaos would break out in Britain if the food deliveries to the major cities were stopped for only a few days. With the riots and looting that occurred in Britain this past summer and Los Angeles in 1991 which would you rather be, the unarmed guys who watched their family owned businesses burn to the ground, or the ones standing on the roof with rifles and shotguns protecting their businesses? Most “preppers” look at what has gone on throughout history and say “Hey, I don’t want to be the person sitting in the dark, hungry and afraid waiting for someone to come help who might never make it.” As for the neighbors grabbing a prepper’s supplies when things go south, that’s a possibility, but unlikely considering most preppers not only prepare to feed and clothe themselves in an emergency, but also to protect themselves as well. Most thieves and thugs find the idea of being punched full of bullet holes less than desirable.
Jan 21, 2012 8:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
invicta1 wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
You have got to be kidding me? “Preppers” are probably more concerned about an out of control government more than anything else. All of the other end of the world scenarios such as economic collapse will be in response to the governments actions. The government is the biggest threat to the American way of life especially when you have people like Obama and Napolitano in postions of power with virtually no oversight. Congress and the Senate would not dare challenge Napolitano. She is today’s J. Edgar Hoover. There is no telling how much dirt she has on our politicians. This would be a laughable article if it were not so serious. No government worries……..LOL!
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
mpoconnor7 wrote:
I don’t think it is a bad idea to stock up; I have stocked up on food and weapons and have a water purification system. If there is any economic disruption in the US, every supermarket and Walmart will be promptly looted and within two days there will be no food available. Most people don’t have more than a week’s worth of food, and in a disaster situation the government will not be there to help those people.
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
colliertng wrote:
Can you really blame them? You’ve got Politicians that don’t listen, Money whose Value is going down the Toilet, Jobs that are going overseas, etc. Is anyone surprised that this is happening? I’m not!
Jan 21, 2012 8:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
Progdef wrote:
Er, uh, not the strategic brilliance to tell the world you have those suppies. I’d keep my resources secret sincerely.
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
rudebutcool wrote:
Read “Cold Sun” by John Casey…you’ll be storing food too…..and other essentials as well..vegie seeds, water purification, charcoal, silver coins, it’s a distinct possibility…hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
JustPlainFolks wrote:
I remember the “Survivalism” of the late ’70′s with its Tappan’s, Saxon’s, and all the other entrepreneurs of that for profit bogus milieu. Though it was more fun than playing cowboys and indians.
When I started to look at surplus CD Geiger counters and which cartridge was the be-all/end-all while burying my supplies where I’d never be able to get to them in an emergency, I called a halt to that insanity and lived life a lot less worried about when the sky was going to fall on my head.
In this day and age there’s a “prepper” born every minute. Just like “Survivalists.”
Jan 21, 2012 8:28pm EST -- Report as abuse
userly wrote:
I’m not sure why the author insists that these people are AFRAID or FEAR something…. they aren’t afraid of anything, that’s their point. They’re ready for anything.
Jan 21, 2012 8:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Abilene wrote:
It’s not being kooky or a conspiracy theorist to be prepared in your own home — not that all conspiracies are theories. To not be prepared is to be at the mercy of anything and everything, such as what happened in New Orleans, post Katrina. The most important thing is to plan to be without electricity and communications. Without electricity, you won’t have heat, light, refrigeration, gasoline, and probably without cooking. It doesn’t hurt to store 90 days of food, some candles, water for cooking, hygiene, and flushing, and of course, ammunition, because when hungry people find out you have food and water, you will need it. Beyond that, it’s God’s plan what happens to this planet, and what happens to you. Then it becomes a personal decision whether your name is written in the Book.
Jan 21, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
curmy60 wrote:
It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark…
Jan 21, 2012 8:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
cv51 wrote:
You insure for a house fire, medical emergency, hurricanes, earth quakes, car wreck and your death. To insure for financial disaster or the breakdown of society when the immorality of our leaders and wall street is blatant well it’s definitely smart. Those who poo poo this may become the zombies.
Jan 21, 2012 9:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
10000Lakes wrote:
I live in northern Minnesota on 440 acres that includes two private lakes and access to a major recreational lake. I sold 100 acres with lake access to a Wall Street investment firm in October 2011. They kept calling me about my parcel for sale for over 2 months. I had to hire a local pilot to photograph every acre from above. They paid 45% above what I was asking. I refused to sell. I’ve heard enough b.s. buyers from around the country. Finally two of the guys from the firm flew out to talk. They are Obama donor Democrats. The entire firm is Democrat donors, for a reason that surprised me. They plan on building two huge storage units and five ICF homes (Insulating Concrete Forms). ICF’s don’t exist in northern Minnesota. These guys have millions. They are dead serious about a place to flee once the economy collapses. Our city has a municipal airport for them to land, but what they fly should not be landed on this strip. They say they can do it. They are paying me to clear more land, though it’s rocky as heck, for hay and grain. When these idiots have plans to run from the east coast, I believe them now. I couldn’t afford to put away food storage or update my house. I’m doing exactly what these guys are doing now.
Jan 21, 2012 9:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
The zombie apocalypse serves as a kind of socially acceptable “prepper porn.” Look at the heroes in shows like “The Walking Dead”: Blue collar guys, rednecks and rural dwellers who know how to shoot guns, repair machines and live off the land. Most urban people’s skills in fields like law, real estate and finance have become useless, except doctors’ and nurses’ skills. Even companies which sell to this demographic, like producers of tactical knives, ammunition, shooting targets and gun magazines, use the zombie apocalypse in their advertising & marketing.
Jan 21, 2012 9:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
wiser2098 wrote:
Knowledge is rife(not to be confused with experience), but is useless until wisdom to use same is acquired. In my area of rural bliss, common sense and experience has taught me and my fellow neighbors to prepare for various inconveniences and plans for loss of power, foul weather.Food storage is commonplace(canning of fresh veggies and juices).
I was raised by wise kin who lived through what is called the great depression. Independence is vital to survival and prosperity. Anyone who doesn’t see the volatility and W/wide struggles for power must truly live under a large stone. Preparedness is easier in my area as opposed massive urban hives. I would rather be over-prepared, than become a victim of my complacency.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
I know a few “preppers” and they are very discreet about their preparations. Hardly anyone knows what they’ve got or where they store it.
BTW, “Preparing” has been a serious part of the Mormon doctrine for generations.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Concerned_2012 wrote:
If you don’t want to prepare, don’t. No one is going to make you prepare.
However, you will be ignoring the advice from our own government and relying on the kindness of your neighbors, who might not have extra to share.
It’s always entertaining to hear people foolishly say “I don’t need to prepare because I have a gun, I’ll just take whatever I need.” Good luck with that, most preppers I know probably have them outgunned 10 to 1.
Jan 21, 2012 9:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
Properly stored certain foods can last decades. If for no other reason than the impending wide spread unemployment and food shortages which WILL occur if Obama is re-elected, it is wise to at least buy up and store food and other essentials NOW.
Jan 21, 2012 9:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Phocker wrote:
It isn’t the neighbors I woudl worry most about, it is the desperate people from other areas seeing your area as a target…ie Katrina neighborhood that held off invasion from other areas. Being prepared and being nuts about it are two different things. And Katrina showed us you can’t count on the government to help you with everything.
Read “One second after” it is fiction, but a good read about a disaster that hit the US and took out infrastructure.
We are too pampered, it woudl only take a day or two for supermarkets to empty and then nothing more coming in, even the nicest people are gonna start looking to take care of thier families.
Jan 21, 2012 9:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
zanzara2041 wrote:
Those living in the Seattle area now who are preppers are warm, fed and have communications and entertainment.
The unprepared have no power (could be off for weeks), the cell phone towers are going down, the grocery stores were stripped bare and have shut down, 45 mile-long traffic jams on I-5 keeps the groceries from getting restocked…and on and on.
Don’t prep, nothing will ever happen to you.
Jan 21, 2012 9:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
fawaz03 wrote:
From the tone of this article, it’s obvious the author is trying to marginalize people who endeavor to prepare for disasters, making them (myself and my family included) seem like some small, crazed faction of nuts. I wonder if it ever occurred to Mr. Forsyth to interview survivors of disasters that have already happened – like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, the loss of the power grid in the northeast, etc – and ask them what THEY thought about having food, water and other supplies at their disposal. I would encourage everyone to read the book “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. If you read that book and still think it’s kooky to prepare for disasters (natural or otherwise), I wish you well.
Jan 21, 2012 10:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
Celesta wrote:
I don’t blame people for being prepared, but the problem I see with those who can afford to prepare and are prepared to survive a collapse is that they’re not trying to do much if anything to prevent a collapse. Then there are those who aren’t preparing and doing nothing to prevent collapse because they are in denial or don’t believe a collapse is coming. Then there are those who suspect there is a collapse coming who can’t afford to prepare and can’t afford to do much to prevent it and are preparing to die or maybe be raptured. But let’s face it the U.S. is $16 Trillion in debt and climbing. We are NEVER going to be able to pay that. Right now the economy is being artificially kept afloat, but sooner or later the bubble is going to burst. Americans do need to wake up and realize what is happening and we all need to be doing whatever we can to prevent a collapse. That’s why I support Ron Paul who is the only candidate making proposals for real change that can reverse this. The other candidates and Obama are going to continue the “status quo” which is headed for collapse.
Jan 21, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
nooni wrote:
Preppers, Birthers, Thruthers.
VS.
Slackers, Deathers, Liars.
George Orwell is happy!
Jan 21, 2012 10:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
dencal26 wrote:
America is in deep decline.We now have 47-50% who pay no federal income tax. Class Warfare and hatred for the wealthy is being preached every single day. What happens when 55% or 60% pay no federal income tax but have the majority vote and can vote more freebies for themselves?
Jan 21, 2012 10:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
STLAdamSmith wrote:
Has e2Verme ever heard of the Roman Empire. He says “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground.” I am certain that the Roman’s had the exact same sentiment around their 600th year or so. The collapse of civilizations is not a new or novel thing. It has happened countless times throughout human civilization. Ever hear of the dark ages? Ever hear of the world dominant British Empire from only 70 years ago? Historian Nigel Lawson eloquently points out that the most common pattern is that it also happens quickly not gradually. I don’t think that most “preppers” as he dismissively call them are imagining a dark ages scenario like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, but more likely a very large version of the economic collapse that happened in Argentina in 2000, or before that in Chile under a government similar to the one we have now, or like what happend to Germany during the two world wars. If you add up the numbers some awfully bad scenario seems inevitable. We are living in a world wide Ponzi scheme of debt and spending and we (actually the Fed and the Treasury) are trying to keep everything afloat by borrowing and printing more money. It is impossible that that can continue forever and highly improbable that it can be orderly stopped or dismantled. The only alternative to continued borrowing and printing is to drastically dismantle the government and drastically cut the spending. Either way a world wide depression seems inevitable. What makes this time different from other 20th century collapses is that this time there is no equivalent of the frugal, hard working and creative America to quickly pull everyone else back to the surface. And like I said it will not be The Road, but there will be a time period (hopefully only a year or so) while we are reorganizing our society where it will likely be very wise to have some guns, ammo, food and some sort of real money(gold, silver, gasoline) on hand. When the money runs out, it is hard to barter enough food to keep everyone fed in the big cities, it takes awhile for the military to organize a forced feeding, and truly hungry people are very dangerous. There are many of us out here that are wise enough of history and economics to know of these already. Others can feel it coming in their bones. And yes, with such insights as those from Austrian economics and history, we know that civilizations are fragile. We are not the fringe in any sort of way the author here thinks of us. We are simply main stream middle Americans that liked and understood the footings of traditional America and sadly realize that a “transformed America” with socialist footings desired by the American left won’t work, has never worked and is not sustainable. Unfortunately the left won, and it is likely too late to avoid the suffering and severe pain of the left’s hubris. Readers should ask someone that lived through Argentina in 2000 if guns and extra food would have come in handy? They should ask a Jewish person with unarmed relatives that lived through it if guns would have come in handy in Weimar Germany? I am hoping we turn out more like Argentina but these things are like Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s black swans, they are always a surprise to the elites (like Reuters’ journalists for example) and the masses alike, more common than almost anyone knows and are hard to predict. How do you avoid black swans? Taleb suggest we first acknowledge they exist and then prepare for them. We wish we did not have to, but that is exactly what us “preppers” are doing. Make fun of us if you wish. We will not be laughing at you outside our well fed , well stocked and guarded compounds. We will just be protecting ourselves from you and suggesting to you that you rob the next guy down the street.
Jan 21, 2012 10:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
theoverwatch24 wrote:
Been prepping for years. People are just getting hip to this? To me its an every day thing. If something happens, I am ready, have been training as well with all tools, preps, gear, and other things.
Welcome to where I have lived for the last 12 years.. Prepping becomes a normal part of your life when you do it.
Jan 21, 2012 10:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
FadedC wrote:
I live in a very remote part of the U.S. and it must be somewhat of a safe haven for the coming collapse because Purina Mills chose to put one of their large self-sustaining compounds about 5 miles down the gravel road from me.
Wake up! If you don’t want to hoarde, then at least learn to be self-reliant and willing to bend your narrow little minds.
Jan 21, 2012 10:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
MaryWaterton wrote:
All you have to do is look at the soaring national debt and you know calamity is on the way. Common sense.
Jan 21, 2012 10:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
UnPartisan wrote:
Hindsight is always 20/20. Preparing for something that doesn’t happen may seem like a waste to many people. Being prepared in case something happens isn’t a bad thing. There is a fine line though. Letting it control your life is something different. We should all be prepared in case an emergency happens.
Jan 21, 2012 10:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
walfourth wrote:
I do not think that there will be a collapse of civilization. However, that does not mean that tough times are not coming. The Great Depression was not the end of it all, but there were disastrous consequences from it in the economic and political realms. I would say that that this small group is correct to fear for the future. However, stockpiling food and ammunition, building shelters, and other apocalyptic planning is really a waste of time. Even if the worst happened and their plans were executed flawlessly, they would be at most buying themselves a few months. Also, as one person commented here, anarchy breeds criminal conduct. A handful of shotguns is not going to permanently drive off a determined mob. If you have food and other stores locked away, this mob with either acquire it, or destroy it.
Jan 21, 2012 11:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
MDCCLXXVI wrote:
Another prepper, reporting in.
You have to have your head already buried 6′ under to not see that there is no bailout coming for the USA. Greece is in a depression, and they have bailouts.
What happens when the people doing the bailouts, need bailout themselves?
The house of cards collapses.
$17 trillion in public debt, and thats conservative numbers excluding rehypothecation, unfunded liabilities and insolvent financial derivatives.
Its over.
Realize it, adapt and move on.
Or,
Have your head on the block when the guillotine drops.
Its up to you.
Jan 21, 2012 11:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
GettinReady wrote:
I’m a bit surprised that the news media are just catching on to this “subculture”. People have quietly been preparing for bad times for years. I don’t know why anyone would trust a government that can’t fix the pothole in front of their house to take care of them if the lights go out. I saw the handwriting on the wall ten years ago and left the big city for a farm. The tone of the article suggests that people who are worried about societal collapse are somehow simpleminded, uneducated or some kind of a cult follower. Not so. I’ve never heard of any of the people mentioned in the article, except for Glenn Beck. Most of the preppers I know have advanced college degrees. Last month my big-city doctor friend jokingly asked me if things really went south, could he come and stay with me? I don’t think he was joking, as he asked me to draw him a map. A wise man once said, “If something can’t go on forever, it won’t.” The world wide financial house of cards can’t stand forever. It won’t. Be ready.
Jan 21, 2012 11:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
jessicasuave wrote:
@e2verne, I highly doubt neighbors who try to “sweep me aside” to steal my preps will live to tell about it. Those of us who prepare for such events tend to be heavily armed and well trained, with little patience or love for thieves. I hope for your sake, you keep that little tidbit in mind should TSHTF and you find yourself eyeballing your neighbor’s back door wondering what he might have that you could steal. Otherwise, it’s highly likely the only thing you’ll walk away with is a few extra ounces of lead and some after market ventilation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
tina848 wrote:
The end of the world economy collapse may be a stretch, but under normal circumstances you still need to prepare.
The power goes out here several times a year. During snow storms, severe thunderstorms, and other weather related issues, the large trees come down and sever the power lines. The last time the power on the main commercial strip (US 30) was gone for 3 days – no grocery stores, traffic lights, or restaurants. Some areas went over a week. I live in suburban Philadelphia and not the middle of no-where.
The last 2 years we have storms of 20+ inches of snow. It paralyzed the area for a few days.
Knowing how to keep your frozen food safe, having a generator, flashlights, potable water and food which can be prepared without electricity are not crazy, it is a practical way of dealing with these situations.
Jan 21, 2012 11:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
yirgach wrote:
@Sueque,
Yes, some made money from popularizing the threat, but actually billions of dollars were spent to prevent Y2K. Things would have been a LOT worse without that level of investment. Your move to Maine was not an error in judgment and it should not cloud any decisions on the present situation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
The eugenicists want 90% of the population to die. They will do anything to make that happen. That is why anything can happen.
Jan 21, 2012 11:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
CleanFun wrote:
Honk if you’re a 90′s survivalist and have at least 3 preppers marked on a topographical map.
Jan 22, 2012 12:48am EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
Ask Mitt Romney if he has prepared for the worst.
His Mormon Church instructs all Mormons to have a two-year supply of food, medicine, clothes and, yes, even cash, in reserve because the faith believes the world is on the edge of some kind of global catastrophe which only the well equipped will . . . survive.
If you can’t ask Romney, ask any Mormon.
Jan 22, 2012 12:50am EST -- Report as abuse
muell wrote:
People who prepare are doing what the government has said to do. Having a few months supply plus the means to make/grow/store your own food & water is not exactly a bad plan. It’s not as much anticipating some impending doom, rather, it’s ensuring your and your families well being if a problem does arise.
Jan 22, 2012 1:07am EST -- Report as abuse
ONTIME wrote:
They are not advocating violence, they ae preparing for the worst and if they are wrong then all that has happened is their guess didn’t pay off….what happens if they are right?
Jan 22, 2012 1:23am EST -- Report as abuse
emdragon wrote:
First you supply a catchy name (Preppers), and imagine that anyone who falls for this kind of mass media drivel calls themself by it. Then you marginalize and divide into terms that provide a portion of desperation. There are plenty of sentient individuals who do not have to be rocket scientists to see a globalist attempt to control every person on earth in Orwellian terms that will tyrannize every one of us who have lived our entire lives through the process of liberty. This article is an offense to reason, and an attempt at pooh-pooing the real dangers that lie ahead. They are not dangers from the sky. They are not dangers from terrorists, which are almost exclusively portrayed in this globalist banking cabal’s campaign of control. These fears further are not vague. They are imminent. And further, I refuse to play by your devilish terminology. . . Preppers! Go prep your sophist brain into bed, and give us someone to provide real reason to these pages.
Jan 22, 2012 1:24am EST -- Report as abuse
Intriped wrote:
Have been Preparing since 2003! Plans A through C will be completed by 2014.
Jan 22, 2012 1:31am EST -- Report as abuse
AnJ1 wrote:
I wear my seatbelt every time I drive my car. Does that mean I live in constant fear of car accidents? Of course not.
The probability that I’ll ever face a crisis that will force me to live off of my food storage for a year is slim. But since I buy it on sale, eat from it daily and rotate it regularly, the worst that will happen from keeping a year’s supply is that I’ll save quite a bit of money on my grocery bills. And if the unlikely does occur, I won’t have to stand in lines taking up resources needed by others.
Win-win.
Jan 22, 2012 1:33am EST -- Report as abuse
rbblum wrote:
The progressive path created with the establishment of the Federal Reserve coupled with abandoning the gold standard is completely contrary to the basic views of our founding fathers.
And, today, the majority of Americans do not know what they do not know in regards to WHAT the founding fathers’ views were and WHY.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41am EST -- Report as abuse
kc777911 wrote:
You would be very foolish not to at least be able to feed your family for at least 6 months if all of the food went away. One out of control flu pandemic could easily knock out the supply chain that feeds us. If you did not prepare, you would be left foraging in a flu infested city hoping to get handouts from the government. You would be competing with starving deperate people who would probably kill you for what little scraps you have….sad but true, just look at what history tells us. It’s worse now…just look at how many people eat out! The’re lucky to have a few days of food in their pantry.
Prepare for the worst…and hope for the best. The best motto to have!
Jan 22, 2012 1:42am EST -- Report as abuse
Orange2012 wrote:
All the talk about survival. I think some are actually subconsciously suicidal. They yearn for a scenario that they will probably never see. They all share a deep distrust and hatred for people. There is a cult like quality to them, taking comfort in a living state of constant paranoia.
Jan 22, 2012 2:05am EST -- Report as abuse
rovid wrote:
i think it will take some time but as usual what can happen will happen and the preps may have some advantage ,society will change in a bit and saying that all those people were fools is not wise like in the days of Noah nobody had rushed in building big boats on dry land avoiding an impending flood,thinking that he is a lunatic until it was too late ,remember! no one knows the future and hoarding food with fools may not be that bad of an idea after all.
Jan 22, 2012 2:11am EST -- Report as abuse
A_Passerby wrote:
The world has always had a paranoid segment, but it has also suffered very real and severe economic disruption. Could the US see a massive economic event? Our entire economy depends upon energy to provide electricity and move goods. Most electricity comes from domestic energy sources (coal and natural gas, with growing amounts from fracking) so even a severe economic disruption with hyperinflation isn’t likely to take down the grid.
Oil is the problem. If debt grows to the point that bonds don’t sell and the Fed buys bonds to keep the government afloat (an increasingly likely scenario), the resulting inflation will make it very, very difficult to convince people in other countries to accept dollars for oil. Without our oil imports, we can’t make the diesel to move the trains or drive the trucks that deliver food. Most cities have less than 3 weeks of food supply…
The strategic petroleum reserve provides a small buffer, but a serious disruption in oil imports followed by a severe disruption in food distribution is a realistic, scary “doomsday scenario” that “preppers” will be able to handle better than most of us.
Jan 22, 2012 2:16am EST -- Report as abuse
angelofmercy wrote:
Living in Oklahoma you kinda have to be a prepper. Tornadoes,wildfires ,droughts.With the droughts you have water main breaks.We get small earthquakes,but you never know when a big one might hit. High temperatures in the summer causes Electric grids to go down. You either find ways around these obstacles, prepare for them , or suffer. At anytime where I live,you could loose everything in a matter of mins. Has nothing to do with being a hippie ,a Glen Beck listener, or even being a survivalist. You either adapt to the conditions, or move.
Jan 22, 2012 2:21am EST -- Report as abuse
JeremyH wrote:
It boggles my mind that anyone would not make an effort to be prepared for disasters of any kind. It’s not a matter of being extreme, but simply having the forethought of being prepared. Like the good old Scout motto, Be Prepared, it’s a wise principle. Though there may be no massive upheaval to our way of life, there are life events and localized disasters that your preparation will be what saves you.
Jan 22, 2012 2:35am EST -- Report as abuse
wereallgonnadie wrote:
The real question I have is why is everyone so afraid to die? I thought the US was a Christian nation? Your are going to die some day and you are going to meet your Maker. Why is everyone desperately afraid of that outcome?
Jan 22, 2012 2:53am EST -- Report as abuse
barberrr wrote:
A brief word from our sponser: life is 100% fatal.
Jan 22, 2012 2:55am EST -- Report as abuse
zardinuk wrote:
It cost me about $1,000 to become prepared for, my ballpark estimate, 99% of the foreseeable disasters. It’s a game of odds, taking no preparations at all didn’t seem like a good bet, building a nuclear bunker in case a 10 megaton bomb blows up on top of my house doesn’t seem like a good bet either, but buying a year of food for everyone in my family, a little bit of propane and a stove, keeping a box of old blankets and stuff like that… easy. Over the course of the next few years I will spend this much on my term life insurance policy. This is sort of the same thing in my mind, life insurance policy for everyone in my family.
Jan 22, 2012 3:01am EST -- Report as abuse
gregio wrote:
Maybe all these “preppers” are just getting ready for the new culture of Chicago style “injustice” that will be called justice when Obama gets re-elected and decides that driving the USA financial bus over the cliff would be a great way to get even with the neocolonialists and get the oil/gas price to $10 gallon thus making “green energy” competitive. The insanity of the greens knows no bounds, don’t forget global warming!!!
Jan 22, 2012 3:33am EST -- Report as abuse
VinceVega wrote:
With all due respect to the writers, they missed the point. So called “preppers”, in the main, are not about “end times scenarios”, they are about being prepared for emergencies. Is it just me, or is this not just common sense?
Jan 22, 2012 3:47am EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
The way I see it, Preppers are making a key mistake. If there’s the kind of post-apocalyptic world that they envision, and, assuming we haven’t nuked life back to the cockroach, then it’s going to be the era of the warlords. And those who have not just the biggest guns and fire power, but those who have the most powerful ability to swarm – and to keep the swarming hordes coming at you no matter how many you kill – they are the ones who will be in power. So unless you plan on becoming a warlord, you’re going to be toast – just like me – only maybe a few days later.
All this said, there is a vast middle ground between PreppersWorld and where we are today. I believe that, where President Kennedy had us targeting a moon landing in 10 years, President Obama has us targeting 3rd world squalor in 10 years or less. I don’t know why he would want this. But I think it’s undeniable.
Jan 22, 2012 3:53am EST -- Report as abuse
MeHe wrote:
In 1970, gold was $35 per ounce
Today, Gold is over $1650 per ounce.
Same gold. Same weight. What changed?
Oh right, that’s just “normal” inflation.
A few 1000% over 40 years is completely normal.
Go back to sleep.
Jan 22, 2012 4:20am EST -- Report as abuse
RDBlakeslee wrote:
To those who think preparedness advice, goods and services are a hoax, what do they think of FEMA? FEMA is attempting to do for all what Preparednass folks are doing for themselves and their families. If history is any guide, the later endeavor is likely to be more sucessful, in the event.
Jan 22, 2012 4:25am EST -- Report as abuse
Jim-in-HCMC wrote:
I do not consider myself a survivalist, per se, but I can understand why so many Americans are arming themselves and contemplating worst case scenarios. The “system” in the USA has been gamed by opportunists and the time has arrived that the US financial system, education system,network and printed news media, political system, et al have been compromised and can no longer be trusted.
Actually, the more I consider the current situation in the USA, the more anxious I become. And although I seriously doubt there will be nationwide collapse and anarchy, I do expect to be reading about riots in the Nation’s largest cities.
Jan 22, 2012 4:40am EST -- Report as abuse
uncomplicated wrote:
As someone who lives in a Hurricane-prone area, it just makes sense to be prepared. I don’t have 2 years worth of supplies but certainly a month or two worth of staples and an emergency evacuation pack. Part of being prepared is that if something does happen, self-reliant folks won’t be adding to the burden of emergency workers. Plus, you’re more able to assist others when you’re not worried about your own situation.
Jan 22, 2012 4:58am EST -- Report as abuse
greatscott wrote:
Anyone that cannot see the economic collapse-run away freight train coming directly at you has been watching too much American Idol and has consumed way too much fluoride.
Thank you Ron Paul for educating us on the Un-Federal Federal Reserve. Obama promised an investigation into the housing-stock market bubble criminals on Wall Street. Instead, all we got were chirping crickets and the middle finger pointed at main street Americans. Now run along everyone, there is nothing to see here.
Jan 22, 2012 5:05am EST -- Report as abuse
littlesky wrote:
There is a difference between a survivalist and a prepper. A prepper is prepared for almost any scenario. A survivalist is more oriented on weapons and surviving the end of the world.
A prepper is more concerned with getting thru any emergency. I live in an area prone to hurricanes. I prep with that in mind. I make sure I have a few days worth of food and water. I have books to read and cards for solitaire for the days the power is out.
I know the economy is bad but I hope that it gets better. I don’t rely on it tho. I know families that have suffered thru job loss or health issues that have been grateful they had some stuff stored.
It doesn’t always have to be about the end of the world or nuclear bombs. Sometimes its just a divorce or a health issue.
It doesn’t hurt anyone to be prepared so why worry about preppers? I’m sure they aren’t worried about you…lol.
Jan 22, 2012 6:11am EST -- Report as abuse
cajunright wrote:
I got out of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina was beginning to hit New Orleanss. The post storm insanity and lawless actions of many people. (including some policemen and government officials). But the city got hit hard, but rebounded. Yes government did help some, but most pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and resumed life.
We evacuated during Katrina, leaving our home as it approached. BUT some neighbors stayed behind and turned our subdivision into a militay camp. We did not get looted because of their actions. But the next subdivision did get abused. People can help people,
The world will keep spinng. The economy may hit walls, but humans
Jan 22, 2012 6:21am EST -- Report as abuse
Stoat wrote:
Saying that Preppers have ANYTHING to do with hippies is utterly ludicrous and instantly causes the author to lose all credibility.
Biggest differences: Preppers bathe, aren’t Communists and don’t hate America.
Jan 22, 2012 6:26am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
I would be considered a “prepper” and anyone who is not to one degree or another is living with there head in the sand. When Katrina exposed the complete falicy of the government being able to respond to a disaster, the economy crashed in a few short months, a tsnunami wiped a nuclear facility leaving thousands homeless I felt some of my effort should be geared toward minimizing the effects of something similar if I was involved. Even Homeland Security says that we all should be prepared for two weeks of isolation.
This article and any other ones I’ve ever seen written on the subject projects people like me as bunker dwelling, doomsday wishers. That’s fine with me and all of my suburban neighbors. We all have deep larders of food, the means to protect each other and are working to eliminate all debt amoung other things. Turning a spare bedroom which is unused into a pantry isn’t crazy at all. Paying off debt is not crazy. Utilizing our second amendment rights is not crazy. It’s down right smart.
Jan 22, 2012 6:36am EST -- Report as abuse
drobarts wrote:
Nothing wrong with BEING PREPARED, makes totally sense. Can’t imagine anyone ever criticizing someone for that. Use common sense, keep your food storage on the down low, that way you don’t have to worry about those that can’t even survive a day without help.
Jan 22, 2012 6:38am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
Subculture? Bombshelters? 60′s hippies? What an obvious hit piece on people that are simply doing what any prudent person would do and what the Government says we all should be doing.
Jan 22, 2012 7:07am EST -- Report as abuse
cbpelto wrote:
TO: All
RE: The Article….
….was written by someone who had not done very much in the way of homework.
It has some valid points. But elsewhere it is abysmally lame, e.g., preppers = hippies? How stupid can you get?
Another point is that preppers and survivalists are one-in-the-same. Their intention is to survive whatever life-changing event occurs. Be it short-term, e.g., Katrina, or long, e.g., One Second After scenario.
RE: The Nay-Sayers Here
Heh.
I spent 27 years in the infantry. The last part was working exercises for State Area Commands (STARCs)—think state National Guard Adjutants General and their staffs—on how to prepare for national emergencies and natural disasters.
Right now, Iran is moving heaven and earth in order to develop (1) a nuclear weapon and (2) the means to pop it 300 miles over Omaha. The result of that one device going off would be a knock-out punch to US, wherein 98% of the 48 states would lose 95% of their electrical capacity. It would take several years to bring power back. In the meantime, it is estimated that 50-90% of the population would die of starvation, cold, pestilence and just tearing each other to pieces just to survive.
You want to get a clue of this? Read One Second After.
The preppers-survivalists have the best chance of making it through such a scenario. Or any other that is markedly less intense.
Hope that helps….
…but I have serious doubts for these sorts.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Chance favors the prepared mind. -- Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology]
Jan 22, 2012 7:30am EST -- Report as abuse
suemarie000 wrote:
I never thought for a second about an impending disaster until this President came to power. When it was realized by a large majority of Americans that he and his administration was just “winging” it…I got nervous. I am as prepared as a very reluctant believer can be. If we skate through this term with a new President at the helm…I’ll start using up my supplies…but NOT until we get a new President into office.
Jan 22, 2012 8:21am EST -- Report as abuse
MarketFree wrote:
The writer seems smarmy and arrogent. We just had 400,000 homes out of power in Seattle by the 25 year storm. Our business had no power for 9 hours, our home for 2 days. Many people in the area had no power for 5 days. As our government becomes less dependable, it is smart to be self reliant. There is no way the government can afford to keep spending like it is. The sharp and solid people I know are preparing for difficulty. Arrogent less sharp ones like the author and the academic quoted here think they are deranged. Time will tell who is the dummy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:26am EST -- Report as abuse
moose1553 wrote:
interesting article, but factually incorrect (typical Reuters) they focus on the fringe elements..but I can tell you most could not survive for 48 hours with no power, water, supermarkets. Be ready for any emergency, such as a hurricane for at least 72 hours and preferably;y up to 2 weeks. What if, just what if, there was a national disaster. I would much rather rely on my neighbors and myself them the FEMA Morons.
Jan 22, 2012 8:28am EST -- Report as abuse
femalegunowner wrote:
History always repeats itself, so there is nothing wrong with prepping. I for one, have started storing food, water, and ammo. I have a long way to go and a short time to get there, but at least I can go to sleep at night knowing that my family will be taken care of. Only my sister knows I am preparing, she is welcome in case of a collapse, which I fear is imminent. I am also thrilled that there are many more like me. An ounce of prep can go a long way. If the imposter in chief is reelected, it may be too late.
Jan 22, 2012 8:38am EST -- Report as abuse
msbpodcast wrote:
Betting on the end of the economy as we have known it is a smart bet.
We’ve become a government
• OF the thousandaires (the 99%, that would be me and thee,)
• BY the millionaires (the 1%, that would be the extremely insular privileged overlords and bosses,)
• FOR the billionaires (the 12,400 individuals identified by the IRS as the people who count (though they don’t really count as they hire some thousandaires to run machines to do that.)
Accountancy is insuring that the US will not survive because we don’t have the tariffs and other barriers which would stem the internationalist tide and keep jobs here in the US.
Nor do we have a political system which is capable of enacting those tariffs.
The people who actually bought the BS that Reagan sold (trickle down economics) and that Bush junior reinforced (tax cuts during war time,) are about to be so betrayed.
The weather will do what the weather will do (and its warming up) and the land will do what the land will do (and shake) and the beaches will do what beaches will do (and a 60 tsunami wave coming from the collapse of the La Palma volcano in the Canari Islands is inevitable but the eastern seaboard was built up before before the risks of building there were appreciated.)
Jan 22, 2012 8:40am EST -- Report as abuse
libertyville wrote:
Under Barack Obama, we have seen the worst decline in American stature, pride, prosperity and values in over half a century. He is being compared to the captain of the Costa Concordia. Hoovervilles of a century ago have re-arisen as Obamavilles. Is there any wonder people are concerned?
Jan 22, 2012 8:53am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Does anyone in their right mind really want to survive in the nightmare world that these looneys see? I don’t think so.
Jan 22, 2012 8:54am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
PointFinder wrote, “Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.” This life on Earth is temporary. It’s what comes after it that is important, unless you believe that when you die you just stay dead.
Jan 22, 2012 9:00am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
Government can print food stamps, but the cannot print food. Government can print currency notes, but they cant print value. The Federal Reserve was created 99 years ago to stabilize currency value and the economy. The currency has lost nearly 95% of it’s value and the economy is a disaster with nearly 20% unemployment. Our monetary base increases at over one trillion per year. Does anyone think that the more they print the more valuable each will become? The Baby Boomers are at retirement age and will be selling their big homes and stock investments, but to whom? And at what price?
On the bright side, and by experience gained in surviving major hurricanes, humans are very self organizing, but they must eat. Food is far more important than government “assistance”. Civilization is the result of people, not governments. Governments are consistent destroyers as might be witnessed by the estimated 270 million killed in the past century. Oh yeah, it can’t happen here. I sometimes forget, American Exceptionalism! If one is prepared, one does not have to live in fear.
If unprepared, and not fearful, one needs to cut back on their drug intake!
Jan 22, 2012 9:13am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
Wow….right here, has the be the single most horribly written article I’ve ever read. Not only is such a ridiculous title as ‘preppers’ being used, its being used to imply that a very large and very diverse group of people who simply share an opinion are a vast organized subculture that all fit neatly into the exact same category. Not to mention the fact no one is ever quoted in the article saying
‘preppers’, only ‘being prepared”*cough* Bad journalist made up a term for his article*cough* This is a horrible article that instead of going over the groups rationale, simply compares them to ‘Other groups’ from when ‘we were in high school’(To make up my own quote). This is a horribly blended and written attempt to ‘educate’ you about something while painting such people a lunatics.
Jan 22, 2012 9:22am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
e2verne…to wake you up from your delusional world. Imagine the power grid of the whole country goes poof. Now imagine the long, long, winding roads all across the country that your food has to take to get to you. Now imagine all the people along the road who are eating all the food near them faster than they can find new food. Then picture the truck with your food driving past them. Is it going to make it to you?
Jan 22, 2012 9:25am EST -- Report as abuse
ThomasUSA wrote:
Who will be there to help you, in a major emergency or disaster? The Government? When will they arrive and how long can they help? What can they provide that you will need? Was Katrina a good example? If anyone is depending on the Government for help they do not understand the limitations of the quality and quantity of help they can expect. You are on your own when it comes to taking care of yourself, family and friends. So who is being more realistic? The “prepper” or those who just “hope” they can get by any disaster?
Jan 22, 2012 9:35am EST -- Report as abuse
kpv wrote:
A population that is prepared promotes Liberty, and in the event of disaster, reduces the burden on government and charity services. A self-sufficient population reduces dependence on imports and the need for foreign entanglements. It should be in the interest of governments that the people be prepared. It is certainly in the interest of the family. Prepping is not about buying a two-year supply of dried food. Why anyone would want to eat that crap is beyond me. Store what you eat, eat what you store. It’s not hard to figure out. Having supplies on hand means I don’t have to run to the store for single item purchases-it makes good sense. Why aren’t YOU prepared? Storms, labor strikes, power failures…these occur all the time. Can you bear a shutdown of services for 2 weeks without experiencing hardship? Or are you one of the millions of fools running out the day before a hurricane strikes searching for candles?
Jan 22, 2012 9:36am EST -- Report as abuse
nortonburgess wrote:
I have news for you. It’s not a “subculture” at all. I am quite sane, as are a number of my friends who anecdotally see a connection and series of events that are disturbing.
We’re all executives, and it’s not a subject that we talk about at cocktail parties. But when one of us sees a sale of something of value at Costco for instance, we send an email to each other for a “stock up” item. We also have alternate plans to meet at a certain friend’s cottage if things get really ugly. And yes, the cottage is stocked, armed and fully self sufficient.
Jan 22, 2012 9:41am EST -- Report as abuse
lunabin wrote:
or a huge CME from the sun comes and cripple the power grid. at that point it is Madmax life. meet up with fellow preppers at lunabin dot com. free and no ads. we just want good conversation
Jan 22, 2012 9:46am EST -- Report as abuse
Robert_Sciolino wrote:
How wrong…
“‘With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,’ she told Reuters.”
It has nothing to do with an individual not being able to control the power grid or the internet. When did individuals EVER have control over vast systems? How absurd! It has everything to do with a massive bubble of debt that is growing exponentially on a daily, weekly and monthly basis while a natural correction looms far below. Many people are getting the very tangible sense that we are climbing higher up a burning building to avoid the smoke and fire as the foundations of the building go unchecked and continue to burn! In past recessions, we allowed painful corrections to occur which reset our economies at a lower level and allowed for natural rises. We have avoided this since 2008 and we’ve avoided a natural correction in the housing markets which were already artificially inflated. THESE THINGS are what terrify so called “preppers”, NOT a loss of control over infrastructure that no individual ever had control of in the first place. Talk about utter diversion and denial!!! That an expert comes up with such drivel is as frightening as out-of-control debt bubble!
Jan 22, 2012 9:51am EST -- Report as abuse
droddyc wrote:
There is nothing wrong with this women. My grandmother put up food in cans every year of her life. She was a child of the depression and she wanted to make sure her family never suffered for food. I learned this at her knee. We were taught by our father to hunt for our food. He was retired military. He believed that you can never be too prepared. Living in today’s society in the US you see ever major convenience at the tip of your fingers. Like the post above these conveniences can be taken in seconds by mother nature. I was raised to depend on myself. I see nothing wrong with self-reliance. The citizens today are too dependent on the government. We are too dependent of foreign governments. Family business like family farms are slowly disappearing. Some call this progress but I see it as dependance on something that could collapse on the whims of others. I watched the news from New Orleans. As a person born in LA, I think that was one of Americas most telling times. The people didn’t loot food or medicine. They looted shoes – tv’s. This to me shows that being dependent on the government breeds lazy. So for all those who are self-reliant – keep up the good work and ignore idiots like this articles author. Always remember that we come from founders who were self-reliant.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
Biscayne wrote:
This phenomenon is nothing more than a reaction to the lawlessness espoused by the leadership in government and business and the media as well the intellectual elites who provide all of the above with the ideological support as needed. This total contempt for the law and morality and the obsession with wealth and power has led the U.S. to economic decline and social fragmentation.Unless you wake up and get to grips with the fact that a society is built on cooperation and a common purpose, then the disasterous end foreseen by these survivalists will come to pass.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
freecheese wrote:
I’ve known my share of these kooks. They all believe that the U.S. Gov. blew up the twin towers; that the 1969 moon landing was a hoax filmed in Hollywood studios; JFK is still alive in a nut house, and Elvis is flipping burgers in Memphis.
Most sit on the porch of their single wide swilling beer while they wear John Deer baseball caps — watching for UFOs!
Must be a slow news week for Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 9:55am EST -- Report as abuse
paintcan wrote:
@illl1942- what’s to fear in dying and just “staying dead” as you put it? If that happens than one could say (as I have pondered occasionally) that DEATH CAN’T KNOW ITSELF.
There would be nothing to fear in a state that doesn’t have the capacity to fear.
“Drowning men clutch at straws” the saying goes, but it is a pathetic and undignified way to exit one’s existence.
It isn’t death that should worry people. It’s the high cost of dying and there are industries designed to fleece the poor souls until their resources run out.
The survivalists-at-any-cost seem to forget that if civilization collapsed as they fear, everything they saved up for that very rainy day is likely to be grabbed from their greedy hands while it departs.
@advancedathiest- that was an interesting puzzle about how to make pencil. It would make a mess trying to make one for the sake of the exercise in practicing old skills. But, one way to get the pigment for ink is to burn oil lamps to collect the lamp black on a plate suspended over the flame. Mixed with oil, the soot could be compressed into a paste and extruded to form the lead. The wood part is easy and doesn’t require explanation.
Jan 22, 2012 9:59am EST -- Report as abuse
mommasaid wrote:
How can you call it a “subculture”? Have you been to Ready.Gov much? Have you watched the news or read anything at all? Subculture? No, a contrived program designed to terrorize its own citizens! Criminal.
Jan 22, 2012 10:05am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
While not an Obama supporter by any means, the economic fiasco is one that he inherited from a number of folks dating back to Wilson. Of all the GOP crew wishing to grab power only one has a real understanding of the economic problems and the cure. The rest have pretty faces and good hair dos. My bet is the public will vote for good hair. Our fate will then be sealed.
Jan 22, 2012 10:11am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist: Alternatively, the Zombie video games and movies may be an attempt by the Government to
Jan 22, 2012 10:14am EST -- Report as abuse
deadpammy wrote:
We just went through a bit of a snow storm this last week. Power down for 2 days, trees down everyplace so you could not get to town. I was as happy as a bed bug. Did get low on the wine supply though ;) Point being, be prepared, you never know what or will happen. Certainly does not make you a person on the fringe. It makes you self reliant, something all of us should be.
Jan 22, 2012 10:15am EST -- Report as abuse
carlos23 wrote:
Those who preach and write about the end of the world make money by their fear mongering and many fall prey and pay. Have we completely lost faith in God (look at your dollar bill-it says In God We Trust-not in the Money Makers We Trust). And note that they say the end of the world as we know it. That might not be a bad idea. Most are not happy as the world is today. Many believe the end of the world is in progress as we get rid of the old to make room for the new which will be a much better world for all of us. And you can learn more about this new world on my website, which archives my radio shows, and others for free. Just look for the ascension of 2012. You will like the coming future that God is providing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:20am EST -- Report as abuse
timeoutofmind wrote:
Subculture? Everyone I know is prepping to some degree. lol.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22am EST -- Report as abuse
realestatepup wrote:
What this article fails to mention is the difference in today’s economy. The earlier dates mentioned did NOT have the current world econonomic sh$%t storm. We are a global economy, and as one goes, we all eventually will feel it, in one form or another. The other development is our nanny state government. Recent laws passed, such as the National Defense Act, take away American’s constitutional rights all in the name of “terroism”. Other bills, such as SOPA (shelved) would do more of the same. We are constantly having our personal freedoms curtailed or taken in the form of the food we are sold, water we drink, and prescription meds we are brainwashed into thinkin we ‘need’ (millions of people are on antidepressants!!!). Our government irradiates and gropes citizens “for our own good”. Our congress is increasingly more and more corrupt. We now have drug resistant TB, MRSA, and other bugs, all thanks to CAFOs and animal antibiotic feeding. THIS, and many other things, are vastly different than the past. Looking at the Weimar republic in it’s hyperinflationary state after WWII, Argentina not so long ago (and continuing down that path again), we can see the increasing devaluation of our fiat currency and the money and power grab by our government, is going to tip us into either long-term deflation (we can only hope) or hyperinflation. Our 14 TRILLION DOLLAR debt CAN NEVER BE REPAID. It’s not possible, so our government’s only solution is to inflate it away or default. I have read some of the comments below, and find it surprising that so many people believe it could never happen here. What is it, exactly, that instills such confidence in you? Where has the government shown fiscal responsibility? Look it up, our contemporary dollar buys far less than in 1960. It would be unwise to proclaim the impossibilty of collapse. There has never been a government or empire that has not folded. The same factors ALWAYS contribute to this, it has never changed. The only thing different this time is we are now all linked globally.
Jan 22, 2012 10:25am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist, Zombie mentality will allow the Government to say “we have to destroy them or they will destroy us.” This could refer to those infected in an epidemic or possibly just people who have spoken out about government. I believe they are already using this to war monger against the rest of the world. And about your first comment: Yes, Austrian economics is popular with the right, but the right doesn’t control the world. The powers that be (or the powers that b…-f… the rest of us) seem to desire destruction.
Jan 22, 2012 10:26am EST -- Report as abuse
toomanyidiots wrote:
Better to be out 2 weeks early than 1 minute too late…
Jan 22, 2012 10:27am EST -- Report as abuse
Texas_Patriot wrote:
I believe in being prepared. Does that mean I believe society is going to colapse. Not really, but Do I have an emergency suply of food, water etc? Most certainly. Looking at getting a generator for standby and emergency use as well. Being prepared in a disater is never a bad thing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
ellington wrote:
It is imperative that US citizens comprehend the “Patriot” Acts and the NDAA in tandem: These two Acts combined create a Totalitarian State to be inherited by our children.
Remember, it was Bush that gave us the first wing of this vulture: The “Patriot” Act. It was Obama that gave the vulture it’s second wing; NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).
We are endowed by the Creator with unalienable rights: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Travel, Self Defense, Due Process, Trial by Jury etc. If We remove the Creator from our Law we are subjects and slaves under their Law. Those that forfeit Liberty for security deserve neither.
Left, Right – One Vulture, Two Wings.
To properly understand the NDAA and ” Patriot ” Acts you have to learn to think like lawyers. They create a web of legalese statements that are cross-referenced, paraphrased and specifically engineered to obfuscate their intended purpose. New Years Day 2012 Obama was on a 4million dollar golfing vacation in Hawaii when he signed the NDAA / Indefinite Detention Act. The Bill of Rights is NONNEGOTIABLE
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
e2verne: I guess “Thank you public schools and mass media” for undermining the ability of people to think clearly and learn from history.
Jan 22, 2012 10:32am EST -- Report as abuse
MacvTM19 wrote:
Best way to get this country back on the right track is to get rid of the marxist in the White House and the liberal DemoRATS in our congress, that is to include any RINO’S !!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
weewilliewinkie wrote:
What do you think would happen if the welfare and disability checks stopped going out?
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
Hugoesque wrote:
For an entertaining and provocative perspective on this subject, see Quent Cordair’s short-story “Sheltered” on Amazon (Kindle books can be read on just about any computer or smartphone with Kindle’s free reading app) — ““A year and six days underground without sunlight or breeze or contact with the world above — whatever might be left of the world above. A year and six days without touch, without unrecorded voice, without contact, without friends or family. If only they had listened, if only they had been ready. But he — he had prepared. He was Reginald B. Wakefield, and he hadn’t died. A wave of vindication washed over him, lifting and sweeping away all doubt and fear. He had been right. He raised his eyes again to the hatch cover above. . . . He had been right.” See the readers’ five-star reviews.
Jan 22, 2012 10:50am EST -- Report as abuse
dancer2s wrote:
There is nothing wrong with having extra food, water, and ammo just in case. It is better to have a gun and not need it that it is to need a gun and not have one.
Jan 22, 2012 10:53am EST -- Report as abuse
chillywilly wrote:
There are two kinds of people out there…. The “sleds” and the “sled dogs”. A message to you sleds out there, the sled dogs are tired of dragging you and your load around. It won’t be long before they leave the sled behind. To my fellow Preppers… be proud of your “subculture”. The system wasn’t built to last, but we are built to endure and rebuild.
Jan 22, 2012 10:56am EST -- Report as abuse
TDTony wrote:
Let’s face it since 9-11 the world keeps turning at an ever more dangerous pace.
Jan 22, 2012 11:01am EST -- Report as abuse
Hedley_Lamar wrote:
You need lots of guns, ammo and food. Get ready because the barbarian hoardes the liberals have been cultivating for decades in the cities are on the edge. Daily we ready of psychotic, viscious beatings to innocent people – especially the elderly. If they don’t get their chicken McNuggets, it may cost you your life at the drive in window. Be prepared. Our economy is on the brink of collapse and just like the civil war era plantations, this house of cards is ready to fall.
Jan 22, 2012 11:04am EST -- Report as abuse
moosemiester wrote:
On just about every news site I find “sponsored links” that tell me a massive stock market crash is coming — for the last ten years.
A few years ago the end of the world programming on cable TV (History, Discovery, A&E) was practically non stop, all night, every night.
Now it’s the new 2012 Mayan calendar doomsday scenario.
Every election cycle the government is going to lock up the opponents in FEMA camps.
Turns out that the massive climate change Al Gore warned me about was basically a big hoax designed to funnel money into the right universities and companies, and the result was that Al Gore got fabulously wealthy. Hmmm, I wonder, can we learn something here?
I am told I need to buy food, buy guns, install solar cells, and turn my house into a fortress or… what? I’ll starve while my well prepared neighbors bask in the smugness of their shelter?
I also see on TV that if I use Old Spice soap, young beautiful women will find me attractive. And if I use AXE, I’ll be attacked by these same women.
Must be a lot of money in freeze dried food. Last time I checked solar panels and batteries weren’t too cheap either.
Jan 22, 2012 11:33am EST -- Report as abuse
WillTruth wrote:
I’ve never considered myself a person worried about economic collapse. But, when you see the largest amount of gun checks by the FBI in Dec. 2011, you hear about Aspirin being unavailable in Greece, you see the FED printing money non-stop for less and less economic growth, the US Debt jumping by trillions in short periods of time you start to think a lot? Think about it. The system could freeze very quickly. All it would take is for foreign govt’s which are already selling our debt and people to realize the FED is buying our debt and lose faithn in the system. Rates jump dramatically in a short period of time. Downward spiral increases in velocity.
Jan 22, 2012 11:42am EST -- Report as abuse
frankreed1 wrote:
Only one statement is accurate. That anything, at any time can happen. Other than that…just a single voice in the forest…a voice to which she is entitled.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
notassmartasu wrote:
bad things happen it is the normal state of the world peace is not the norm look back in history to believe that america will always be america is crazy im sure the romans and the greeks thought that there empires would always be there. im not saying its happening in are lifetime god knows when but it will happen. people who lived thru the depression know why you should be prepared for hard times.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
chicodon wrote:
Who knows what, if any, of this article is for real. Obviously it’s another hit piece from across the pond leveled at backwards Americans. I’m surprised Sarah Palin didn’t make it into the article. People will be sitting around their breakfast tables eating their fry-ups, drinking their tea and shaking their heads.
Jan 22, 2012 11:47am EST -- Report as abuse
MJgarrigan1 wrote:
One only needs to look into the past to find the truth, 9/11, WW1&2, and the desire to create the atomic age, and the shift from a christian world, to a dominate islamic, atheist and asian world in 20 short years. If you deny these facts, you might want to move to Egypt, and live on the denial river(pun intended).
Jan 22, 2012 11:49am EST -- Report as abuse
xJonx wrote:
It amazes me how naive people still are.
People don’t pay traffic ticks because they feel obligated. They don’t stay in jail because they feel remorse. They don’t follow the law because laws are divinely created. They do these things because they believe the government has the ability to force our cooperation in these matters. True, most of us WANT to believe in the government’s ability because that means our property is protected too. But when that belief is shown to be false, chaos ensues and all manner of ugliness rears its ugly head.
Throughout ALL of history, the one common, unavoidable, and greatest influence in any society, even more influential than the government, is the society’s monetary system. Money gives the government authority. Money converts opinion to law, and law to enforceable rules. How did Cloward-Piven strategies about taking down the US government, THE most powerful institution ever … by bankrupting the system. They knew that not even the mighty US government can decide not to pay its bills. The promises made to the people are breakable, but not the promissory notes to the money lenders.
It is naïve to think that the US government is mightier than even money.
Jan 22, 2012 11:50am EST -- Report as abuse
TheNobody wrote:
Thanks, Reuters, for this fine journalism consisting of, “Hmm… which label can best be used to stereotype this group of people as kooks?”
If you’ve never heard of “preppers” before this article is hardly a place to start in gaining knowledge of the aforementioned.
It’s really quite simple:
- The western world is borrowing to pay interest on debts. Bad idea.
- The US has more debt than will ever realistically be paid off.
- It’s only a matter of time. History is quire clear on this.
- Having some extra canned goods might seem prudent, even in a normal world, don’t you think?
- Judging by the aftermath of recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, being armed might not be a bad idea. If you want to trust in the inherent goodness of humanity, have at it.
- It may, by some miracle, not happen. If it doesn’t, fantastic.
Sure, some people really go overboard and fall prey to lousy, overpriced, freeze dried food. Some people fall prey to conspiracy theories. Most people I know that you might categorize as “preppers” are pretty normal – they’re just adding up 2+2 and realizing that our debt is unsustainable. They just want to have a little extra food and maybe grow a garden. Worst case, they just have extra food on hand. Really kooky, subversive stuff. They’re not like hippies, they’re not all Ron Paul supporters. Really. This predates Ron Paul’s most recent campaign by a lot. They’re not like anyone – except normal people who want to have a little extra food on hand. (Again, speaking of the ‘preppers’ I know) Laugh it up. Get it out of your system.
Reuters, please knock it off – expressing a bunch of opinionated labels for a huge demographic is not very respectable journalism. Quoting people who are “experts” and allegedly know best does not constitute fact. But hey, you’re still in print so it must be fact and not opinion, right?
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
These people are like sheep looking for shelter in a wind storm. They have no concept of what is happening around them, but they all share common fears and anxieties with little or no hope for themselves for others around them. What shameless, hopeless bunch of rednecks they are.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
Funny how they mention Glenn Beck who lives in 4 million dollar mansion in Southlake, TX a suburb of Dallas which is the last place you you want to be in the event of a social collapse, meanwhile he has become a multimillionaire preaching fear to his listeners while he gets rich off them selling his endorsements. Double standard? He does not believe what he wants you to believe.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
My grandmother was hearing the world was coming to an end in 20′s, guess what it never happened. Now people are getting rich stoking peoples fear that will never happen. FOOLS!!!
Jan 22, 2012 11:54am EST -- Report as abuse
littleredhen wrote:
So you invest in gold. What guarantee do you have it will not be stolen or that it will not be available as promised. Can you eat gold? You plant a huge garden and/or horde freeze dried food and water. Do you think no one else will steal it? You arm yourself to protect your property and possesions. Are you the only one doing so, and are you the biggest, badest one when people get hungry and thirsty? Are you prepared to die? We all do.
Jan 22, 2012 12:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
What I wrote above still stands, but it’s no longer aimed at Preppers. Why? Because I now realize I’ve been one, at least to some extent, for years now. Having been through several earthquakes, watching Katrina (and that with a President who actually likes America, instead of the one we have now), we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have a year or more of MREs and other supplies. BTW – MREs taste great. To the extent that this is just using your head for emergency planning, the Preppers are among the most patriotic this country has because they won’t be straining FEMA and other resources nearly as much when emergencies hit – and boy do they hit. But emergency planning is not doomsday planning. The first you can do something about; the end of civilization – not so much.
Jan 22, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Kutter_0311 wrote:
Laugh if you want, but preppers include the unpaid first responders who render aid when you have a heart attack walking around the mall, the guy next door who jump-starts your car when you left the lights on, and the people who stop to help you dig your car out of the ditch during those heavy winter storms. Preppers have helped me, and I, as a prepper, have helped others. We even make fun of ourselves. Visit the forums at www.zombiehunters.org to learn more about real preppers in the best prepper forum in the world. And, BTW, Zombie Squad is a charitable organization focused on disaster relief worldwide. You’re welcome ;o)
Jan 22, 2012 12:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
iKarith wrote:
I’m a prepper—but that said, I must add: If you expect the world is gonna collapse and you’re gonna head for them thar hills (along with everybody else) and survive on your own (again with everybody else) eating wild game (quickly hunted to extinction by everybody else) and be prepared to take on all comers with your superior tactical prowess… Well, if what you think is gonna happen ever actually does, you’re going to be first among the body count.
If you want to be prepared, prepare for more realistic scenarios. Number one risk is fire. For a lot of us, #2 is storms and floods. Fire is definitely a “bug out” scenario if ever I’ve heard of one—a fire can turn a room into a place firefighters cannot enter with all of their specialized gear in about a minute. You and I would be long dead.
Precious metals? If you’ve got wealth and want to protect some of it against inflation, sure. But what’s gold gonna buy you when you need FOOD? I don’t have an ounce of gold. I do have a couple of ounces of silver, but they were purchased as commemorative coins, not as investments. I don’t have much wealth to protect. A lot of you don’t, either.
But if there’s a spike in food prices (realistic), I’m not completely screwed. And if there’s a fuel shortage (Iran?—realistic), I’m able to limit how much of it I use. If there’s a fire, I’ll be out of here in mere seconds, with everything I need to recover afterward. If there’s a medical emergency, I’m prepared to treat it up to the level of my medical knowledge, which I add to when possible. If I lose power, I won’t freeze in winter or melt in summer. If the water becomes unsafe to drink (or stops flowing all together), I’m covered. If there’s rioting outside, I’m prepared either to stay inside (for days if necessary) until order is restored, and just as likely to have known the riot was out there and coming my way in advance so I could NOT BE in the middle of it. And if someone busts in my door at 3am, they can expect I’m gonna shoot them in the %@!$ face! It’s about recognizing what realistically can happen and mitigating those things so that you don’t have to live in fear.
That’s preparedness. It’s not crazy. It’s not (or shouldn’t be) about preparing for the end of the world. It’s not about a bunch of militia types stockpiling guns and MREs—though if you know how to use them and what they are (and aren’t) for, a few of them might serve you well. It’s about realizing that nobody’s coming right this second when you call for help, and seconds might save a life. It’s about sustainable living and protecting your family. It’s also about being ready to help your community in the event of something like an earthquake or a flood or something more major, confident that you can because your family is going to be okay.
And yeah, there are companies out there looking to fleece people experiencing end of the world panic. If you’re doing it right, it’s also about being smart enough to avoid the gimmicks and pretenders.
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
a_patriot wrote:
“survivalists in the 1990s who were hoping to escape the dictates of what they perceived as an increasingly secular and oppressive government.”
NICE clever AD HOMINEM attack, attempting to blame “survivalists” (Citizens and READERS, BTW) for Governments increasingly secular and oppressive ACTS.
Back in the 1990s, it wasnt so obvious (unless you were blind or not paying attention) I give you Waco.
Now its as obvious as the broken nose on your face..
“”With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,” she told Reuters.”
Thats not a theory, thats a FACT, and now that the IDIOTS in government and industry have jumped off the cliff of connecting infrastructure control to the INTERNET that can happen due to some Chinese hacker(s) in China. And it doesnt even take that, a bunch of armed 10th graders can take out an average city by just shooting out power substations. Then wheres the power to keep the refrigerators going for millions of people who only have 3 days food supply?
“Tegeler, 57, has turned her home in rural Virginia into a “survival center,” complete with a large generator, portable heaters, water tanks, and a two-year supply of freeze-dried food that her sister recently gave her as a birthday present. She says that in case of emergency, she could survive indefinitely in her home. And she thinks that emergency could come soon.”
Thats only news to people who are city dwellers (who think the world revolves around them). That was the NORM in the country over the past 100 years. SO now its only “crazy” when Reuters wants to demonize preppers?
Its been standard fare for Mormons for I dont know how long.
Heres where it does become a problem:
“”We could see a cascade of higher interest rates, margin calls, stock market collapses, bank runs, currency revaluations, mass street protests, and riots,” he told Reuters. “The worst-case end result would be a Third World War, mass inflation, currency collapses, and long term power grid failures.”"
This is right wing conspiracy theory run amuck, Ive been reading these folk for years, and conveniently, theres never any proof, no documentation… just theories. OK, sure, any one of those things might happen, say his “stock market crash,” after all, it happened in 2008, right?
WRONG. And this is where the Tin Foil Hat Crowd loses credibility, there was no “stock market crash” in 2008 (yeah, I fell for it too until I started seriously studying stock charts..), there was a slow sell off that took a YEAR, and there was no “crash” (a crash happens immediately), but a return to a NORMAL LOW, from an irrational high of DJI 14,000.42 (odd, almost exactly DJI 14K almost to the penny). Look up a Dow Jones (^DJI) chart from 1993 to today, youll see the pattern)
Stocks became inflated with value because of irrational behaviour in real estate, stocks were sold off. That is NOT a stock market crash.
There was a REAL stock market crash in 1929, did mass hysteria and violence of this sort break out then?
Ive no problem with stocking up on food, water etc and guns/ammo, it is our RIGHT to do so, and smart to have supplies in case trucking is cut off (grocery stores would run dry in a few days)_ but what I cant get on board with is running hysterically to the mountains at some un-predictible time where survival is difficult (thats why people dont tend to live in mountains!) to avoid some “FEMA camp”
Isnt sequestering yourself in some mountain compound ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING?
Geesh, if things get really, that bad, Im going to try to get IN a FEMA camp, they might have food!
We have much bigger things to worry about in America which is awash with food and water and resources. We have lost Constitutional control of our Government and THAT is the crisis.
second-amendment.tripod.com
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
msruth wrote:
When the current government refers to Republicans as the enemy, is making plans for regional centers to hold large numbers of people, is quickly passing legislation restricting freedoms we have had, and goes around the law and constitution, is it any wonder people across the nation are feeling the need to prepare? Democrats have demonstrated they go around the law so riots if the election doesn’t go their way or economy makes their government handouts go away, riots and looting like with Katrina would be expected. We just don’t trust that our President will protect his Republican “enemies” so will be prepared.
Jan 22, 2012 12:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
macroflux wrote:
Pardon to Ms Gutierezz (who may or may not have the simplistic view as presented in this article) but preppers are NOT Millerites. People who think that there may be something very, very wrong with our course of actions are not saying that we are going to be punished for our advances, they are saying that there is an increased chance of very bad hardship circumstances looming on the horizon. If you went back in time a few months before Hurricane Katrina and a New Orleans resident was stockpiling resources on the off chance they may have help delayed to them during a crisis, they would have been laughed at then. The government never would let citizens site and stew without aid, die being abandoned for more than a day or two. Right? They are at least halfway competent, have the resources, and the will to protect us?
Frankly, there is a general unease on some people’s parts that we are in a zone right now that if there was a disaster, or negative sequence of events, that the government, community, anyone would be stretched too far to assist them in the immediate timeframe. And once you acknowledge how precarious a balance we live in with just-in-time food deliveries, volatile gas prices and potential shortages ready at a moments notice with changing situations in the Middle East, and increased reliance on welfare, it is not an unreasonable thing to think that all it would take is one or two bad things to happen to put the majority of us in a very bad situation that could take a long time to get out of. Some people are stockpiling food and preparing themselves with knowledge of self reliance and sustainability – and living in this volatile phase of society, they’re the sane ones for doing so.
Jan 22, 2012 12:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
Allinmod wrote:
It’s like aesop’s fable “the ant and the grasshopper”. Remember that? They probably don’t let kids learn it in public school anymore. In today’s world it is smart to be prepared for anything, especially losing the grid, however it could happen. There is a new Christian fiction novel out that has some of this stuff in it that preppers would probably enjoy. Very easy read and suspenseful! It’s called Broken Pottery by Joan K Smith.
Jan 22, 2012 12:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveColeman wrote:
A stable society relies on the vast majority of people voluntarily respecting property rights. Nowadays, there seem to be more and more people who believe their “need” authorizes them to demand others “share” their property. That is, they want things without having to earn them. (Eg. the Occupy Movement, food stamps program, Obamacare, etc.) As the number of people like this grows (given comfort by obsequious politicians like Obama), society approaches the tipping point of breakdown. In the Great Depression, a stranger would knock at the door and ask to share the family meal, and most people did. Now, most people would be too fearful to invite the “bum” in for supper, and the “bum” would likely not ask, but rather stage a home invasion, terrorize the family, and take what he wants (and then maybe burn the house down). Paranoid? Maybe, but this seems to be the direction we are heading.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
hednsand wrote:
I suppose most of the naysayers on here work in the banking industry or some associated business, and deepthroat all of the garbage they are fed. Prepping is not “being scared” , it is simply being prudent for the climate, akin to donning a coat in cold weather, or using an umbrella when raining,,,,, however they may be right , it isn’t rain, but a urea saturated emission from our govt.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
yzguy247 wrote:
I think it’s funny that some people like E2 say things like “thanks to Ron Paul the country has undermined it’s belief in itself”. – Do your homework. When the world realizes that the US is cheating with all the money it prints in secret, they will stop using it as the world’s reserve currency. When that happens, america’s economy will go through a correction the likes of which we have never seen in our country’s history. If you have not researched nor understand fractional reserve banking, what happened in 1913 and again in 1971 to american money, that’s fine; but to think our neighbors are going to get our food and supplies is laughable. Most “preppers” do not reveal they have them, and most know the first things you get are guns and a lot of ammo. I would love to see you or anyone else try and make it within .5 acres of my home day or night, locked & loaded over here. Have fun in your fema camp when the world cuts off our credit cards, we produce nothing in this country and have taxed, spent, and inflated our way into oblivion. God help us all and kudos to those who are looking ahead and want to be able to feed their children and survive. Survival of the fittest has been the way of the world since we were created.
Jan 22, 2012 12:42pm EST -- Report as abuse
bobber33 wrote:
@RangerDan You are on target but the collapse will not be over night, it will happen over a couple week to months. During this time preppers will remain strong and other get weaker.
@Sueque I have been prepping long before Y2K. Most preppers are students of history and understand economics and human dynamics.
@e2verne Most preppers even in urban environments are very low key. Most likely only prepper neighbors know each are preppers unless they go on TV. Ron Paul is neither the cause of this mind set nor the messenger of it.I’ve been a prepper long before I heard of Ron. I can remain “bunkered” down for almost 2 years. If I could get out and small plot farm, almost indefinately.
Jan 22, 2012 12:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
WavyChips,
Most folks would say that YOU have no concept of what is happening around you and are one of the sheep being led down the path. People with your views are shameless and hopeless. The redneck dig is very typical of your ilk.
You do realize the economy of the entire western world is at an all time low. The amount of debt held by almost every Country is unpayable in two generations. The US is no exception right down to the State and municipal level. Yes, this alone concerns rational folks who have concerns for the future of their children’s future. But that is just one concern. There are many more.
Continue on as you are, there is nothing to see here. Best Buy is having a sale on Big Screens, you go buy one and enjoy it.
Jan 22, 2012 12:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Backflip wrote:
Yeah, but being a member of iphone app subculture doesn’t feed me or protect me. Call a cop with your phone and see how long it takes for them to protect you from crime.
Jan 22, 2012 12:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
imsickofit wrote:
I just conducted a workshop on Sat where I debunked most of the popular doomsday scenarios. The world isn’t coming to an end in 2012, and we’ll not have a total collapse of society. Those who spend thousands making preparations for such events are just wasting their money. However, we will face some tough times as the world begins to deal with the debt crisis and international turmoil, but there are no apocalyptic scenarios that seem likely in the near term. Those who are promoting such nonsense are doing so for notoriety and monetary gain.
Jan 22, 2012 1:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
SurvivAllExpert wrote:
I think it is perfectly right to attack these preppers as nuts!!! Who would want to be self sufficient or prepared for severe weather, natural diasters, terror attacks, inflation, job loss, death or diability of families breadwinner, disease, pandemic, food shortages, fuel disruption because of middle east war, infrastructure failure – electricty, natural gas, fuel… what could possibly go wrong?
O.K. Lets all just live like there is no tomorrow and we’ll all just eat, sing songs and live on love and togetherness if anything bad ever happens. All together….”I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony., I wish we had some food to eat and some electricity…”
Even the U.S. Gov’t is encouraging people to prep: www.Ready.gov
Jan 22, 2012 1:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
Unlike in times past when the “apocalypse” was predicted, we are now so dependant on electronics and technology that it wouldn’t take much to bring America to it’s knees. Just read “One Minute After”(book) to get a feel for what it would be like after a terrorist attack called an EMP-electro magnetic pulse. This is a very plausible scenario, and after you read the book, go to the author’s website, then follow the links to the US Government websites concerning this subject, as well as how to prepare for “disaster”-they allude to Katrina, but who do you think is trying to hack into our electrical grid? Think, people!
Jan 22, 2012 1:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
soveryjaded wrote:
My family and I have a plan…we even bought a place in the woods to escape the jungle that the major city we live in will become when this strikes.
How will the teeming millions of welfare parasites react when their supply is cut off? They are already criminals, thugs and gangstas. Can you even imagine what it will be like when they no longer receive all their taxpayer-funded freebies? Dear Lord. The entitlement mentality will turn the general population into even worse savages when this happens.
Glad I never had children for this very reason. I worried about this 20 years ago. How could anyone not see it coming?
THANK YOU LIBERALS!
Jan 22, 2012 1:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
It’s hard to believe how many people in this country are still living in that “bubble” of the world superiority of the US. We are very very vulnerable right now, and may never recover from this. Did you EVER think that you’d see a horror movie like Katrina in this country-all of those people just helpless there, waiting for the government to come to their aid…or did you ever think you’d see THE landmark of NYC, World Trade Twin Towers, collapse before your eyes? Things in this world are changing fast..economically, and otherwise. Do what you like, just don’t ridicule those who think that preventative measures are smart..and oh yeah, don’t come to our doors when you don’t have food or water, or even aspirin for pain. We won’t be the Federal Gov’t with a handout for everyone, and most of us will be armed!
Jan 22, 2012 1:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
lingsun wrote:
The Fed has printed trillions of bogus dollars. It’s only a matter of time before we have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. I have a year’s supply of food and water, guns and ammo, a way to cook my food, and a way to heat my house. The collapse of the eurozone will be a disaster for the US as well.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
marcopantani wrote:
It’s as the preppers want the end to come. There is a certain high that comes from preparing to survive collapse. I jumped on the Peak Oil band wagon in 2005 and rode that for a bit…really…you start thinking about nothing else but collapse and survival….againit’s a bit of euphotia that you get from all this. While our house sits on an acre in a fairly small city with endless organic farms and water sources inc. our own 1/4 acre garden and back up well….I felt comfort in the fact that we could prep and survive what ever was coming…..the truth is, things happen and will continue to do so. I’m sure we’ll come back here in a year after reading yet another “collapse” article…and do it all over again.
Jan 22, 2012 1:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Romperstomper wrote:
Disasters can be big or small. Integrate prepping into your everyday lifestyle by buying necessities and non-pershables in quantity when they go on sale. Use your tax refund for big ticket items like guns and generators. Most important of all, plan ahead.
Jan 22, 2012 1:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
miker5 wrote:
I read through the first thirty comments and saw the letters O-B-A-M-A only once. How can a discussion of the end of our way of life not include numerous mention of him? The censors at Reuters are apparently very busy. Enjoy your power while you can. Newt let the cat out of the bag about the intentions and motives of the media and your days are numbered, Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
After witnessing the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, I made “prepping” a priority. After the quake, if you were one of the unfortunates who did not store water, you had to wait in line at a water truck once a day for one gallon of water (complete with sediment floating in it). Please realize that the Northridge quake pales in comparison to the “Big One” that is due to hit California at any moment.
I now store one month worth of food and water. I wonder…if I decide one day to store more than one month’s worth that does that make me paranoid according to the author of the article?
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
One thing to keep in mind: Just-in-time goods delivery systems.
Jan 22, 2012 1:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
x76 wrote:
I was a Boy Scout and their motto was and remains BE PREPARED. I certainly don’t have two years of freeze-dried food or anything like that, but we have food on hand, firewood, propane, et cetera… who wouldn’t? It’s just common sense.
Jan 22, 2012 1:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stambo2001 wrote:
All preppers know the ‘same old addage’, and that being:
“It is better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”
Prepping is like having a spare tire for your life. It’s like having a life jacket in a boat. How is being prepared for an emergency in any way, shape, or form being ‘fringe’?
What kind of person drives without their spare tire or gets in a boat without a life jacket? A moron.
Jan 22, 2012 1:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
11ozman wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
This, of course, completely ignores what is perhaps the greatest underlying concern for those who don’t take the survival of our country for granted: the replacement of our Constitutional government with an oppressive dictatorship/oligarchy. Reuters, of course, is in the tank for the Obama regime and consequently steers the discussion away from the fact that this “prepper” movement has largely developed since the coronation of Obama and has only gained momentum since. Anyone who has not flinched from looking at Obama’s (et al) increasingly obvious disdain for the restraints imposed by the Constitution would eventually come to the conclusion that he is part of a freight train heading towards absolute state control of our property and activity. The most glaring evidence of this trend are the imposition of Obamacare and, more recently, the secretive passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. And those are only the most obvious and recent. I’m sure any “prepper” (another flippant nickname along the lines of “tea baggers”) could cite many more examples.
Jan 22, 2012 2:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
bpmw wrote:
No comments, just statements of fact.
1. Being prepared is never foolish.
2. We are only 9 meals removed from a breakdown of society.
3. The more complex any object (machine, society, economic system), the more likely it is to fail.
4. Anyone who doesn’t believe that all great societies eventually fail is ignoring history and is bound to repeat it.
5. Most great societies collapsed from within – after their government looted the treasury.
6. Keep thinking what you want. If you don’t care enough to purchase the materials and make the preparations to provide for you and your loved ones in a time of need, please don’t think it obligates me to do so.
Jan 22, 2012 2:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
ogobeone wrote:
These prophecies have gone on for millennia and all the world gets is disasters to some people and some areas. Black and white thinkers are fools. Everybody has their own personal disaster eventually. It’s called death. But we all go alone, even if a friend is standing beside you in the same disaster.
Jan 22, 2012 2:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
JeffRosenbury wrote:
Historically the type of chaos the preppers are preparing for is the rule not the exception. Whether it’s war, civil disorder, or natural disaster, being prepared makes sense.
But most survivalist types are crazy loners. Hiding in a cave with guns is a fantasy. Real survival means being prepared to help your neighbors when things go wrong. Joining a community organization, developing social contacts and a useful, specialized skill is a far better survival plan than weapons training and underground bunkers.
The golden rule works as well during disasters as it does in ordinary life.
Jan 22, 2012 2:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
Jeepgirl wrote:
Preppers do not want the end to come. We want a happy stable life with a government that provides us the freedoms under the original constitution. We want a president that obeys the constitution, which is a document with laws that OBAMA does not follow, even though that document is what let OBAMA get where he is.
A happy, free & stable life with a government that does not impose nanny doctrines and decrees, is all we want. That takes a congress and a president that follows the constitution.
What do you want out of life? Is it not the same thing? Or do you want your government to coddle you and bottle feed you?
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
J.Prokhorov wrote:
Instead of random worrying, start thinking. Stop listening to binary locutions. Start observing the real physical environment and real physical people. Observe how much civilization has already been instilled in each one. Observe your local supply chain. Ensure your food, water and electricity supplies are in clear thinking, logical brains and hands. Be in your community as much as is doable per communication constraints given by language, education and intelligence. Rely on brains, which is different from saying ignore emotions since emotions are part of what brains produce. Yeah, something went wrong. At two litres consumption plus more for cleanliness usage per day per person, I observe in Chinese culture, water storage for three to four days seems to be a good practice.
Jan 22, 2012 2:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
LillithGoby wrote:
Ever watch Mad Max? If you have it, they are coming after it from the cities and in gangs. IMO only God can save us-put your preparation there, to survive spiritually and be quick on your feet.
Jan 22, 2012 2:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Landforfools wrote:
FACT: The 99% does not trust this government. Why should they when politicians try to strip our constitutional rights!! It is a fact that presidents come out of office richer than they ever were before- corruption.. politicians come out office richer than they were before, and often cannot explain why- corruption.. Corporations LIE about information, bribery and everything- corruption. Recent legislation has consisted of censoring the internet, searching and arresting without a serch warrant (which became law) out local law inforcement is being equipped military style. All of my tax money is going to things that i dont agree with and i have to pay a higher tax rate than Romney, who gutted companies and sent them into bankrupt. The 1% LIES about the products they create, the loop holes they take to make more money and the chemicals that are used in the process. They dont care about our health, our planet or they soil that we use to farm… and you wonder why we are stocking up on supplies and guns. The US of A is a joke. OUr prisons are overwhelmingly overcongested with minorities-racism. Private prisons now take good jobs and hand them to prisoners that get paid 60 cents per hour, those are supposed to be American jobs- corruption. Boehner is a joke, why does he even get out of bed… and the former house speaker Gingrich, leaving your wife (on 2 seperate occasions) as they get treated for grave illness, just shows the heartless a**holes that we are given to vote on for president. Get it?
Jan 22, 2012 2:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 2:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 2:57pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Hairywall wrote:
Have to agree with RangerDan. If the liberal fascists get a second term in the White House they may very well tip us into collapse and thus bring on their dream of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The fact that the socialist/communist experiments of the last couple of centuries have all ended in misery and abject failure, they just keep coming back. Bringing chaos and murder to the general population, ending in some form of totalitarianism. At that culmination personal preparations won’t really matter, the jackboot will be firmly on everyone’s neck. But in the mayhem leading up to that end game, having reserves of arms, food, and shelter would be helpful.
Jan 22, 2012 3:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
ThaBigPerm wrote:
@e2verne and others for whom the natural reaction to this is to denounce any and all conern for our future as crazy, tin-foil-hattedness, conspiratorial, misinterpreted-Myan-prophecy-clutching, etc, etc…
Let us see… preparing for major economic meltown in developed economies and the social explosion that could result therefrom is lunacy… and buying into merketing-fed hype…
After all, we live in the rock-solid 21st century. Money is paper (and increasingly even better, DIGITAL!), and food comes from the store or drive-through.
Besides, we have a rock-solid government, as well as other governments around the world, who would NEVER let anything like this happen. Since Reuters already regaled us with a tale of kooks prepping for something bad, let’s see what the governments are doing. You know, the non-kooks.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361898/Pentagon-reveal-financial-terrorists-triggered-economic-crash.html
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/army-future-unified-quest/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21053.html
http://publicintelligence.net/vigilant-guard-2010-riot-control-detention-drills/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079184/UK-prepares-emergency-measures-euro-collapse.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917077/Prepare-for-riots-in-euro-collapse-Foreign-Office-warns.html
Jan 22, 2012 3:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
SOS4USA wrote:
IF being a prepared person is kooky and paranoid, then take the jack and spare tire out of your car, you might be a prepper. Take that insurance off your valuables, and your life, or you might look kooky. The FEMA preparedness brochures that were sent out to us by our neighborhood watch captain told us to be prepared to take care of ourselves in case of a natural disaster. Are they kooky?
Jan 22, 2012 3:14pm EST -- Report as abuse
wrote:
The multiple failure modes of complex “systems of systems” are too to vast to enumerate. Past challenges to ‘the system’ came at a slow enough rate to allow gradual adjustments to occur. But current challenges are rushing toward us all at rates far too fast to allow for anything ‘gradual’ to be adequate to meet the threat.
Peak-energy, climate change, global social/political ‘springs’, sunspot cycle peaking with threatened attendant possible catastrophic CME disruption of continent-wide electrical and communications nets, and on & on….
Past natural events show how few people are prepared to live on their own for days or weeks. Drinkable water, food & a means to prepare it, A way to keep, at least a portion of their home, warm, a means to receive news from outside their neighborhood; all during a two week [or longer] lack of grid electricity – are all needs each family should be prepared to meet.
Our universal dependence on electricity and ‘just-in-time inventory control” mean that supply chains run dry in just a day or two when they are disrupted. Witness the ‘bare shelves’ syndrome whenever a hurricane threatens!
Few people have the knowledge, equipment or supplies ON HAND to save the contents of their freezers when it starts to thaw. Few know how to deal with human waste safely when there is no water available. Few have any conceipt of what to do when they need something other than DRIVE to the local store and BUY it.
[Roads blocked? ATMs & CC Machines don't work? Gas stations can't pump gas? Stores bare or closed? WHAT? How could that happen? Somebody HELP ME!!]
When disruptions extend beyond local or state boundaries, help from “outside” will not be available. Each locality and family must cope with supplies and manpower on hand. If the worst happens, that could include growing next years food from seeds, livestocks and land available locally.
Natural disasters, terrorists attacks [perhaps not too likely, but still possible], financial system collapse, even political system collapse leading to civil conflict are all possible causes of a need for individual autonomy in supplying ones needs.
Assuming life will always proceed in the future, as it has in the past, can easily prove fatal to the unprepared.
The choice is there: either be prepared to give up and die, or be prepared to forge through on your own, with your own knowledge, supplies and energy.
Even WITH individual preparedness, neighborhood and community cooperation will be vital for success. So true preparation must involve advance contact and planning for such coordination and cooperation.
May the Force be with you,
Wynn
Jan 22, 2012 3:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
julianpenrod wrote:
A characteristic of all who display craven absorption with self preservation, in all its forms, even that of scrabbling after everything that isn’t nailed down during otherwise lush times, is a deonstrated lack of faith in God. The fact is, many people seem willing to bleat a belief in God, but few actually show faith in His intercession. Many say that it’s because they saw many who were not benefited by God, but they carefully leave out whether those individuals deserved God’s favor! If God approves of you, He won’t allow you to be harmed. If you are promoting His plan, He won’t even allow yu to die. That’s why the rich, with all their craven acquisitiveness, don’t show the fear of death that malingerers like they would show. Bu providing a force for those who have acted decently to work against and improve themselves, even the craven corporate rich are helping in God’s plan. But the fact is that many have just tossed out acting in a way that promotes God’s wish for humanity. And, in fact, all the disasters of the past decade at least express His displeasure, if not outright anger. Tornaodes occurring where they were unknown, like Brooklyn; a fault bigger than San Andreas being announced along the Eastern Seaboard; an anomalous earthquake on the fault, affecting, among others, Wahington, D.C.; bees disapparing, threatening crops; a tidal wave of unprecedented proportions; the worst hurricane season on record; earthquakes being seen where they were previously unknown, like Ohio, and, where they were known, occurring in never before seen clusters; supervolcanoes forming beneath Mt. St. Helens and Yellowstone National Park; a bridge evaporating in Minnesota; a two football field long crack in the ground suddenly appearing in Michigan; family extermination murders on the rise; food poisoning outbreaks becoming a regular occurrence; diseases no ever ever heard of suddenly appearing; a giant steam main exploding in New York City; cranes at work sites collapsing regularly; bus crashes in unprecedented numbers; an electric art starting up on its own and crashing into a crowd. Even things that are described as man made, like the weird weather, the New World Order fabricated events of September 11 or the “sub prime” economic collapse would not have been allowed by God to happen if He wasn’t so enraged. Even the number of meteroite falls is a hundred times what it was only a few decades ago. No amount of survivalist style preparation will protect someone if God is truly angered by their actions. And, if they think that trying to sidestep God’s punishment is going to improve their standing in His sight, they should think twice.
Jan 22, 2012 3:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
MikeAreno wrote:
Collapse doesn’t have to happen
No Obama…….No Collapse
Jan 22, 2012 3:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
Funny stuff, just reminds one of how nuts people can be. Few things that stand out form this thread, the normal Obama is a socialist(people really need to learn the definition of Socialist before using it) out to destroy our economy, can we please get more bluster unsupported by facts people. People saying the NDAA is ‘Obama’s law’ is just plain BS, the facts are the GOP stuck it in the defense authorization bill, knowing that Obama could not veto, you need to read Obama’s signing statement, where it said his Admin will never enforce the law. One guy said the Pac NW is due for 10+ earthquake, not true it may be due for a 9.0 on the order of the Japan earthquake, but that ALOT different then a 10.0, think someone has watched 2012 a bit too much.
Anyhow all that being said, it is only smart to be prepared for some kind of natural disaster. But the people that believe in these doom and gloom theories with regards to “socialist Obama destroying the economy”, the second coming of Jesus Christ, or terrorism are just plain nuts.
Jan 22, 2012 3:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
LOL, leave up to the mainstream media to get it wrong AGAIN!!1 We are not afraid of no government, in fact many relish it (a return to a small government would be great for most of us) Pathetic and sickening that you statists think our well being dpeneds on a government. We prep because we see how a corrupt and overspending government, and a puch towards a “New “world Order” is going to bring about the collapse of our society as we know it, for a while.
Jan 22, 2012 3:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
I fantasize not about the world ending, but all you idiotic naysayers showing up at my door looking for handouts if and when things get bad, (not ending). I will have no problem letting the door hit you in the a$$.
Jan 22, 2012 3:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
Don’t prep, you’ll help thin the herd out some.
Jan 22, 2012 4:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
TheOutlawX wrote:
Just another “those people are crazy stories.” You know, don’t worry about that here’s the new iPhone story
Jan 22, 2012 4:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
rider237 wrote:
i was talking to a relative in another country. we were joking that people are “nesting”. it’s not just us. all around the world there is a feeling that something is about to tip.
if nothing happens, we have lost nothing by being prepared. if something does happen….don’t come to me looking for “stuff”. :-)
Jan 22, 2012 4:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
NukerDoggie wrote:
@USAPragmatist: The financial/economic collapse IS coming, attendant with all the social disorder you can imagine, but it matters little what political party is in the White House – both parties are shoving us toward disaster.
Our economy is massively over-developed, in debt and primed for the Big Collapse. The crash of 2008 and the Euroland earthquake that began in early August of 2011 are just advance tremors. Anyone who can’t discern these facts is an ‘ostrich’ with his head in the sand.
All these preppers are going to get a very rude awakening, though. Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer. If the military doesn’t raid the preppers then their hungry neighbors will. You guys can’t stand up to those kinds of forces for long. I’m all in favor of making reasonable preps for disasters, but when you carry it to such extremes you make yourselves targets. Not smart.
Jan 22, 2012 4:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
sfmercurius wrote:
Well,these people may make it a week or so, but eventually the trouble will find them. There won’t be enough bullets or concrete to keep it away.
Jan 22, 2012 4:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
How can an article about people preparing for the end of society not even mention Barack Hussein Obama? Whether or not you think he’s destined to cause the end of America is irrelevant. The people who are taking preparation measures think Obama is causing the events that are going to bring about the subject of the article. Boy, the media will do anything to even write one sentence about Obama that could be interpreted as negative by even one person.
Jan 22, 2012 4:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
MoReport wrote:
The Preppers may be right for the wrong reason;
Modern society is far more fragile than at any
time in the past, subject to massive mortality
given even a one week interruption in the flow
of necessities; The ability to survive without
resupply for a month could keep one alive, and
available to participate in the recovery of a
much smaller USofA.
Jan 22, 2012 4:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
strikezone wrote:
It appears that you are referring to William Miller rather than Joseph Miller?
Jan 22, 2012 4:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
John2244 wrote:
Statistically speaking, Preppers have no chance; if you believe society is going against your way and try to arm/store your way out of a crisis then you’ll end up getting overrun by the majority. Theres never been a historical case otherwise.
Through my marriage I have two different sets of ancestors that lived for centuries in a land where a crisis occurred; Jewish family in Austria and Sikh family in Pakistan. Both families have stories of people who saved food and guns and built a fort to protect themselves….they got killed. We also have relatives that saw the crisis coming and did what most normal people do – started buying property in other places, opening up accounts elsewhere, converting cash to gold, making business deals to diversify into other areas, and acquiring second citizenship. On both sides the survivors were always the ones that were financially savy in the world not the ones with guns – let me repeat – they all died.
I myself as an American also fear a collapse but I do what many Americans do – diversify into economies with growth, a young population base and low government debt. We are not preppers, because we dont believe in 2 day meltdown… we believe in long term decline which really shouldn’t impact are lives but later are creating options for our kids like are forefathers did – just in case.
Jan 22, 2012 5:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
DonQuixokie wrote:
I suspect the end is a near as the next Republican Administration. Republicans refuse to acknowledge Bush/Cheney and their policies role in the Wallstreet melt-down, housing crisis (which continues unabated,) the costs of the Bush era tax cuts and the Bush Wars.
Romney wants to double down on everything that Bush and Cheney did that was so disasterous for our nation and economy.
Santorum wants to do all of the same + bonsai our proud nation into the Christian equivalent of Iran…turn us into a Christofascist sharia nation. Both Santorum and Romney want to push for war in Iran, but neither has yet said just how they will pay for it.
Ron Paul, from a distance, looks sane. Until you squint. His past statements from his newsletter are racially odious, and his belief in personal freedom does not extend to a woman’s right to reproductive freedom. Worse, his foreign policy presents a genuine threat to our national security. His plans to cripple the federal govt lays open the real possibility of actually dissolving it…Balkanizing the United States into seperate individual nations who would then fight over natural resources while being hegemonized by corporations.
Let’s get real. Obama will win this election, and our nation will limp its way out of recession. And democrats will problably win 2016. But Republicans WILL take the White House at some point. The question is will our nation have recovered enough from the last galloping parade of corrupt criminality to survive another one. Not for another 20 years at least.
Jan 22, 2012 5:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
@nukerdoggie. Please give one shred of CREDIBLE evidence that “Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer.” ? You are the exact type I was talking about, unsubstantiated hysteria. There is ZERO reason that there is going to be any martial law in this country in the foreseeable future. Your type has always been around, but one of the side effects of the connectivity of the Internet is that a VERY small minority can make it seem like there are more of them due to being vocal. Just like the paulites, not many but sure are noisy.
Jan 22, 2012 5:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@nukerdoggie- yeah, that’s why preppers don’t advertise. As for making ourselves “targets”, if you don’t advertise, you don’t become targets. Preppers aren’t mindless pack rats.
Jan 22, 2012 5:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@sfmercurius- so what do you suggest? Lay down and accept the inevitable? Better a week meals than not.
Jan 22, 2012 5:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
RichardGC wrote:
We can solve so many problems by minding our own business. What do we care if other people prepare for something we do not believe will happen? What do we care if others believe our government is corrupt and not to be trusted? Treat them like another religion. No, I do not believe I will be “raptured” into heaven. If you get raptured into heaven, have fun! No, I do not believe in genital mutilation of children, male or female. Those who do are none of my business. No, I do not take sides in the many religious wars and conflicts all over the world. I wish everyone well and ask only to live my life unmolested. I do support Ron Paul, but if you do not, fine. I do not care one way or the other about Israel or Palestine; if you do, good for you. Feel free to send your money and your children to either side. Not my problem! If you love Britain, fine; I do not care one way or the other, even though many of my ancestors lived there. Some Americans are such Anglophiles that they even learn to talk with a fake accent. Fine; enjoy! I want to trade with and visit other countries but I do not want my country to accept responsibility for them. STOP being a busybody.
Jan 22, 2012 6:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ian1 wrote:
I am no ‘Prepper’, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared.
That being said I do expect a complete global derivative economic meltdown. We’ve been experiencing it for years, right before your eyes. I believe 2008 is just a ‘ripple’ in a pond compared to what is about to happen. This is just my speculation, however King Dollar is being phased out as we speak. What we are witnessing is the rise of Eastern Civilization and the Fall of the West.
The Dollar hegemony is over, when we lose the Petro-Dollar status (China has made SEVERAL strategic moves, both financially and militarily) is when the proverbial you know what will hit the fan…yes we will see martial law in the streets of America. Again just my speculation, but the Dollar is being challenged.
Good luck.
Jan 22, 2012 6:03pm EST -- Report as abuse
Newmexicoprepp wrote:
Ok so for all those who wish not to be prepared just in case… I bet you have no health insurance or a first aid kit or even a fire extinguisher because if you do your prepared for something that may or may not happen also. Simple people make me laugh. Prepping is the same people , It is about being able to feed and protect in case of an emergency.
Jan 22, 2012 6:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
AlfredReaud wrote:
“When seconds count, authorities are minutes away.”
Don’t know who wrote that, but it’s true all over. Also don’t know who came up with that silly term “prepper”. I have the knowledge I need to survive in the event of societal collapse because it’s part of camping and fishing and outdoors-craft. I don’t have to be around y’all. I can head “out back” and disappear.
Personally, I never looked at it as prepping for anything but being ready. Am I paranoid about society collapsing? No. Societies have collapsed many times in history.
When the “Changes” come, those that live by the gun will die by the gun, and those that cooperate will survive. Having a gun doesn’t guarantee survival, when the best recourse is to not fight and help each other. Everybody should watch “2012″. And think about what the Georgia Guidestones says about the optimum world population being 500,000,000 people.
Jan 22, 2012 6:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
botflyguy wrote:
I live north of New Orleans about 45 minutes. After Katrina hit, we were without power for about 8 days. I went to a Walmart near us after a couple of days because I heard they had power. There were National Guard soldiers outside regulating how many people could enter. Had to wait for people to exit before more were let in. I got in after awhile and the first area you normally see, the bread and produce section, was only empty bins and bare shelves. It was eerie, like an apocalyptic movie. The rest of the store (grocery part) wasn’t much better. I see the ads for ‘food insurance’ and don’t think that’s such a kooky idea anymore.
Jan 22, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
punkster023 wrote:
It must be exhausting to live your one life in fear and paranoia. I feel sorry for these people who constantly stress and “prep” instead of enjoy and live. I guess its possible that any one of these disasters could happen, but I’m going to have as much fun as I can before it does. I urge the rest of you to do the same. :)
Jan 22, 2012 7:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
scorchedearth wrote:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have. I guess nobody has been paying attention to the increased frequency of Public service announcements espousing the point of having extra fresh water and a family emergency plan in place. I Don’t know if anything is going to happen and I hope it never does but…
Jan 22, 2012 8:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
LobaAzul wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.” WRONG!!!!! Most preppers want far less government because they realize government cannot be depended upon to provide solutions. Government IS the problem.
Jan 22, 2012 8:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
With seven billion of us now on the planet, it’s only a matter of time before Nature does something to severely cull our numbers. No amount of disaster preparedness is going to help significantly.
Jan 22, 2012 8:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re no after you. Think about it.
Jan 22, 2012 8:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
just1of99prcnt wrote:
Sounds like some of you people never saw news coverage of rioting in L.A. and how uncivilized people can become in such a short period time over nothing. I can imagine what would happen if something really bad happened. I personally do not think staying in one spot and trying to defend it is that great of an idea. As soon as you help your neighbor the rest will be at your front door wanting the same. I hope nothing that bad ever happens but I certainly don’t blame people for being prepared. I don’t store food and water but I am armed and capable of surviving off the land and not too far from 4 legged transportation. First thing I will do is get away from the rest of you. Half of you will go crazy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Prepped wrote:
It is often said that anarchy begins after the ninth missed meal. Given the precipice the world finds itself on today, like the prospect of peak oil, war with Iran or worse, China, economic destruction from un-repayable debt, earthquakes and other natural disasters, it only makes sense to prepare and not become a burden to others or find it necessary to steal or worse, kill for the prepared person’s supplies…
Jan 22, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
What disturbs me most about this subculture is they are, for the most part, being led by a quitter. James Wesley Rawles was an Army captain before resigning his commission upon the election of President Clinton. If Captain Rawles was unable to follow the orders of his Commander-in-Chief in the defense of his country, how would have it had possible to lead his men into battle to defend America? Clearly, the man lacks the leadership to lead anyone anywhere. But in these uncertain times, this coward has taken it upon himself to lead others. Shame on him, and pity upon those who chose to follow this man’s questionable thinking.
Jan 22, 2012 9:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Dantes wrote:
Subculture. Heh.
Millions of people in this subculture.
As for those on this board who think they will be able to just pluck the fruits of our labor…
Molon labe.
Jan 22, 2012 9:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
skaven44 wrote:
Being Prepared should not be considered a Sub-Culture lol
It’s far better to “have it when you need it, than to need it and not have it”…that’s my belief.
People need to play the “what if” game in their heads and actually take some time and think, how would I provide some/all of my basic day to day needs in the event of a catastrophe be it economic or natural.
Too many will find themselves in truly dire circumstances if an emergency strikes.
Better to of thought about it some and prepared as best as possible…certainly better than the alternative imo
Jan 22, 2012 9:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveJ1948 wrote:
There is nothing like being prepared but you can take it a little far. I know people who still have beans and rice from the Y2K era.
Jan 22, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Coldwarrior1984 wrote:
According to the Comptroller of the Currency (Treasury Dept.) U.S. commercial banks hold $248 TRILLION in unregulated derivatives. I think there’s only about $70 Trillion in currency in the entire world. Think about that for a moment. The 5 year (so far) economic crisis we have been in and that is disolving the European Union was caused by derivatives that were made of bundled bad mortgages that had been rated as AAA+ and then shorted by the folks selling them. NOTHING has changed systemically to prevent another crash. What has changed is that we are now over $15 Trillion in debt and going further into debt every year by more than a Trillion dollars. But hey, if you wan’t to see the glass as half full, who am I to disagree?
Jan 22, 2012 10:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
CountryGurl wrote:
I am sitting here in my nice warm farmhouse; the woodstove is fired up against the snow. I just had a supper of all homegrown items – a stew made from the steer we butchered this October, canned and fresh vegetables from the garden. Breakfast was a bartered-for neighbor’s-pig sausage, homeraised eggs, homemade butter and cheese. This spring I am putting in over 100 fruit trees and starting my own beehive; the cows have already started calving.
I have been working towards self-sufficiency all my life; at 10 I had my own vegetable garden, as a young mother I made my own baby food, as a mother of teens I taught them to grow and shuck corn,raise vegetables, butcher a wildkill.I have always canned and dehydrated my own produce, learned to make my own soap, can sew a pair of pants, a pair of curtains, or a quilt by hand.
We do not “live in fear” we live quite happily and comfortably, eat well, raise our animals and produce, kill the occasional wild turkey or deer and make everything from canned turkey to beef jerky. We grow heirloom plants and collect the seeds to replant every year.I render my own lard from pig fat – makes excellent piecrusts and fries the river-caught bass and trout.
If a tornado comes thru, we have food stored in a safe room in our basement. If an EMP occurs, we have lamps that burn fat, a reliable horse if we need her. Winter blizzards are no problem – the deadfalls alone here provide plenty of wood for the wood stove, and I can cook on it too. I’ll miss the Internet and a few things, but we will eat well and be self-sufficient. If another Depression comes, we’re far enough away from ‘civilization’ to not worry about folks coming out this far – we have neighbors with whom we trade and barter – and we all open-carry, too. If something happens, we’ll be fine. If nothing happens, we’ll still be fine, and do what we are doing – because it is healthier, gives us satisfaction, and makes us happy.
I have never heard of these so-called ‘bibles’ and prepper-leaders, and wouldn’t waste my money or time on them if I had. During the Y2K scare, I operated a free blog and chat room telling people how to be self-sufficient; didn’t try to sell them a thing and wouldn’t do it now. Self sufficiency to us doesn’t mean we are huddled in our basement in terror, but rather that we live a life free of Frankenfoods, out in the sunshine and the snow, loving life and living it to the fullest.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 10:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
westcoastsailor wrote:
Are we preppers?
My wife and I chose to disconnect from the matrix about 5 years ago, just before the real estate crash. We sold up and now make our home aboard a self sufficient 50′ motorsailor. We’re somewhere in the 1000s of islands and fjords on the Canadian coast between Washington and Alaska. We’ve got some silver dollars stashed on board, 1000 gal of fuel, 1000 gal of water, 10 months of food staples, otherwise, don’t have anything to do with banks and stay below radar. We’re both skilled with our hands, and do just fine picking up a bit of work here and there. The key is our cost of living is so low, most people pay more for their monthly fitness club than we spend per month. Native peoples thrived while living off these waters for thousands of years, we are too, as they said “the tide goes out and the table is set”. Shit can hit the fan, as it probably will, we’ll hear about it over the ham or ssb, then I’ll go pull up the crab traps for dinner.
Jan 22, 2012 10:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
maxgomez wrote:
What’s the connection between these people and the hippies in communes? Your own story says these preppers may be living next door — which obviously isn’t in a commune separated from society.
Jan 22, 2012 10:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
YouLikeRonPaul2 wrote:
e2verne – a shot at Ron Paul, really? The guy perfectly predicted the 2008 housing bubble collapse in 2002. He tried for six years to get the rest of Congress to listen. If there was ANYONE worth listening to . . . jeesh! Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDisyWkIBM
I’ll tell ya’ll what, I’m into prepping. Do any of you carry car, home or health insurance? Prepping is just day-to-day living insurance.
It blows my mind how some people get so bent about somebody’s private beliefs. It does not affect you nor infringe on your rights. That’s part of the problem with our country as of late, nobody can MYOFB.
When we had Hurricane Irene come to town, I took my kids on a “social studies” sight seeing tour down past our local WalMart and grocery store so they could see what it was like for people who did not have any “preps”. Then we went home, had a barbecue and woke up the next morning with our lights on and food and water a plenty.
For those who think prepping is being fearful or a waste of time and money, drop your car, health and homeowner’s insurances. Don’t be afraid – just “let life happen!”
Jan 22, 2012 10:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
deowll wrote:
There is always a risk of being off the grid but the biggest threat is the economy. Anyone can see what is going on in Europe. Our debt is growing past the point anyone can bring the situation under control and we are utterly dependent on foreign fuel and we are utterly dependent on imports.
New York Life warned customers not to send it to much money to invest. Metro Nashville had to pay banks to take multimillion dollar deposits.The banks aren’t offering anyone a reasonable rate off return on anything. It’s just a matter of time and we are only going to be able to do limited amounts of foreign trade backed up by whatever reserves of foreign cash we have and our gold reserves because our currency will be worthless. That isn’t going to allow most people to drive…
Jan 22, 2012 11:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
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Close ArticleComments (249) ReadSubculture of Americans prepares for civilization's collapse
21 Jan 2012
1U.S. aircraft carrier enters Gulf without incident
6:07pm EST
2U.S. aircraft carrier enters Gulf without incident
8:09pm EST
3Tornadoes possible in southern U.S. as snow threatens
5:58pm EST
4Joe Paterno, revered coach tainted by scandal, dies |
5:51pm EST
5Discussed249Subculture of Americans prepares for civilization’s collapse
117Supreme Court rejects judge-drawn Texas election maps
114Obama set to reject Keystone oil pipeline: sources
Watched A dangerous walk to school
Fri, Jan 20 2012 New footage shows dangers faced by Italian police rescue divers
Sat, Jan 21 2012 Obama breaks into song at the Apollo
Fri, Jan 20 2012Subculture of Americans prepares for civilization's collapse
Comments (249)RangerDan wrote:
I’m not a kook, but I am well armed, have food stored, and a safe place to go. Most of all, I have an attitude of survival at all cost. It would take a matter of minutes during a big upheaval for the most doscile people to become raving lunatics.
Jan 21, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sueque wrote:
I actually moved to Maine to prepare for Y2K. When the federal government set up a center to monitor the anticipated disaster that was the last straw. Now in retrospect I see that the people who perpetuated this idea of world collapse made a LOT of money on speaking engagements, books, selling supplies, and promoting whatever they could in order to sell anything related to the impending disaster. Then they moved on when it didn’t happen. Rich from their endeavors. They knew it wouldn’t hurt anyone, just part them from their money, so they had no qualms engaging in the fraud. Same thing now.
Jan 21, 2012 12:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
e2verne wrote:
Apparently I am the first reader to find this article worthy of comment. I have to say these folks are NOT like “hippies in the 60s; they are, however, like the doom people from the 50′s building bomb shelters in their backyard to preserve themselves from an atomic bomb blast. The doom sayers were preposterous in their thinking- it was highly unlikely their “shelters” would have survived a direct blast, and even more unlikely these folks would have survived the resultant radiation. The “preppers” are not giving their neighbors credit. If all civilization breaks down, these folks will be swept away precisely because their neighbors will know they have supplies. Humans are mentally and physiologically created to survive- whatever the cost. But this is all nonsense. I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground. I guess ‘thank you, Ron Paul, for undermining the country’s belief in itself.
Jan 21, 2012 12:19pm EST -- Report as abuse
Tommorow wrote:
Subculture! goodness makes this prepper feel subhuman reading accounts comparing me to the 1960s hippies who only wanted a hand out instead of a hand up. We prep because we are not dependant on the Government to provide that hand out. We choose to live as our parents and Grandparents did in order to prepare for a economic collapse brought about i might add by those who are corrupt not only in our Government but in our media. I for one do not need the socialist crap you in the media and the Government dish out. I prepare for any and all disasters in this unstable world and if that makes me part of a subculture then those who do not must be as blind and willing to follow as those Zombies we are so fond of comparing them to. IF those in Sarajevo had prepared then there may have been less graves dug in the center of the Olymoic stadium. And if the Sheeple of New Orleans had been better prepared instead of waiting for the Government to come save them.they also may have lived… there are millions and millions of us..you can call us AMERICANS.
Jan 21, 2012 1:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ralphooo wrote:
I once bought a year’s supply of dried foods. Time passed, gasoline prices started going down, and eventually I decided I had to eat it all or have it go bad. The stuff is good for two or three years.
I very quickly became sick of many, many meals of a thick packet they called “beef stroganoff.”
Yuck! Never again.
Jan 21, 2012 2:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
philbutrin wrote:
just for the record, the mayan calendar does NOT predict doom this december. that’s a popular fallacy. the calendar actually predicts that 12/21/12 will be the end of the current cycle of civilization, and the beginning of the next. rather than doomsday, their writings point to it being an important point in mankind’s evolution and not its destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 2:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
JWBAIM wrote:
Preppers, we are normal everyday folk who are prepared for disaster small or large but never wishing for it. We have large stocks of food water and defense. This is a lot like our pioneer forefathers.
Because society has conditioned us to rely on the daily supply to the grocery store and other stores, we have become less self sufficient. Most folks can’t even grow there own food on a small scale.
We just don’t want to be left to the wolves or become the wolves in a bad situation. I buy car insurance, but I never plan on having a crash. Just sayin.
Jan 21, 2012 3:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
DarylN wrote:
Wow….how do I get into the money making scam of selling army surplus to the “preppers.” I kind of feel bad for them, people are taking advantage, and stoking, their over-amped fears of apocalypse.
Jan 21, 2012 3:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
AZWarrior wrote:
There was a time I would have chuckled at the article, but with this government and world economy, I’m not laughing. “Oh fiddley dee, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Scarlet
Jan 21, 2012 5:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
starkrayz wrote:
A lot of fear-mongering going on. An educated person understands the economy, trade and national relations shift thru the decades. There’s no problem with stockpiling a few weeks of food and water (and cash) for the unexpected disaster. But this end-of-the-world ranting is just plain silly. Jeez, we could get hit by an asteroid for all we know. These “preppers” living in fear is just sad.
Jan 21, 2012 6:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
neiman1 wrote:
It isn’t just rural folk in Tennessee. Many with wealth are accumulating gold as an investment. Everyone is buying weapons. Most are making sure they have a supply of food staples, even if they tell their family its for a cushion against a weather disaster. People are uneasy and preparing for much worse times and a breakdown of the social fabric. Riots would surprise almost no one.
Jan 21, 2012 6:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Libslayer666 wrote:
It really isn’t very smart to go to the trouble of preparing for anarchy and social collapse and then tell everyone what you have. Believe me, if and when the time comes, there will be those that will come and take it from you. Don’t be stupid and keep it a secret. It would also be a plus to surround yourself with like-minded folks you trust and together you will be able to protect your loved ones from the degenerates and reprobates on the prowl.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Pointfinder wrote:
Read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” If society collapses, a stack of canned goods doesn’t mean much. You’re going to need ammunition, tough friends, and lots of luck.
Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stonehillady wrote:
Look If you were a Greek right now & your income was decreased by the 30% they are dealing with now, if they had provisions, they could at least eat ! People realize the Numbers don’t add up. There is no Trillions coming down from heaven to bailout the world from the criminals that compounded interest & credit Default Swapped us to death. The Elite want to depopulate the world as said by James Wolfensohn from the World Bank to Stanford U & said the Eastern World is where the wealth will go & the western world will NOT be as it any more……So be ready for what the powers that be will do !
Jan 21, 2012 6:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
JoeThePumpernel wrote:
@e2verne
You don’t have a clue that the currency is about to collapse, do you?
You think just because you can bury yourself in credit card debt and survive, nations can too?
Jan 21, 2012 6:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
hartley8184 wrote:
E2Verne,
Anyone who thinks that “this can’t happen in America” is naive at best. America came within a hairsbreadth of thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union in 1963. The only thing that saved us was the sanity of two leaders who decided they didn’t want to bear the guilt of blowing up the world. There is absolutely NOTHING that seperates you from the Middle Ages except those power lines outside your window, and the oil tankers that crisscross the Atlantic.
I don’t necessarily agree with the Preppers. But I don’t see your point of view either. If the US goes down, there won’t be any safe place to live in this hemisphere. But, at least they’ll be able to hold out longer than somebody like you will.
E2Verne, wake up and realize you aren’t living in Disneyland any longer.
Jan 21, 2012 6:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
I find this trend interesting in light of the popularity of Austrian economics on the right. Austrian economists say that nobody knows how to make a pencil in his home workshop, for example, because the knowledge and skills for making pencils lie dispersed throughout the world. The market, through the price mechanism, coordinates all this knowledge and these skills to produce pencils so that we can buy a package of them at the corner drug store for pocket change. The prepper world view says that this system will break down suddenly so that we have to make pencils, and everything else we’ll need, at home despite the fact that we simply don’t know how to do these things.
Jan 21, 2012 7:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
roccotool wrote:
When you’ve got unemployment higher than the cooked numbers, nobody can find a job, a Regime that wants to control banks and insurance companies, an economy that is getting worse with no end in sight, and a country that is headed the same way as Greece and Italy, it’s no wonder a society feels pessimistic. The sad part is many want to vote this Regime back in.
Jan 21, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Chaylon wrote:
Of course, anything can happen. But the government cannot continue to spend our future like it does. At some point the party will be over and we are right to think it’s soon. I just dont think it has to mean the “end of the world as we know it”. Probably just a sad slide into mediocrity like the rest of the worlds nations. So long land of the free, home of the brave.
Jan 21, 2012 7:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
georgelcsmith wrote:
Everyone should be prepared to survive for a few days in an emergency. We shouldn’t need to rush to the store to stock up in anticipation of a weather emergency, because stores only have a few days of supplies on hand. The question is whether we need to be prepared for a long-term breakdown in the supply of necessities. Before our current President, I would have gambled on sufficient supplies, but I an no longer certain.
Jan 21, 2012 7:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
margi wrote:
When you have a president that labels disagreeing American citizens as “enemies” you know there is trouble ahead. Couple that with Homeland Security’s unConstitutional intrusions into our lives, the destruction of the Bill of Rights with obama’s latest law, and tyranny through obama regulations, what do you think is going to happen?
What is obama’s self-described “million (man) well-armed civilian army” for? Many believe it is to attack American citizens, just as Clinton and Reno at Waco only on a much more comprehensive, pervasive scale.
Liberals with weapons are VERY dangerous to individual liberties.
Jan 21, 2012 7:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
sgbarnes wrote:
It is not just major upheavals that prompts us to prepare. It is also life’s little surprises like losing a job, a divorce etc. When my son divorced last year I was able to go to my stockpile to give him things to set up his new home. The most likely disturbances are going to be personal and/or local. Remember how long it took to get help to New Orleans. The government won’t be around for several days. We need, at least, to be prepared to make it for a week without help.
Jan 21, 2012 7:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
Things just cannot continue down their current path without America being destroyed and our society collapsing. There comes a point where you can’t print more money (or quantitative easy as the democrats like to spin it) and charge reckless spending on a credit card.
This is the scariest time in my lifetime. This is MUCH scarier than the cold war with Russia. We have a ridiculous debt owed to a country that hates us and wants to see us destroyed. We have 15-20 million people illegally in the country who believe the US belongs to Mexico. We have an incompetent, unqualified president that has a chip on his shoulder.
Even scarier is that there’s a huge percentage of the population who have been duped into thinking someone George W Bush caused the crisis rather than Fanny, Freddie, and Glass-Steagle. Those same idiot don’t realize that if we confiscated every dollar that rich people have and taxed them at 100%, it wouldn’t even make a dent in the real issues.
As soon as I get myself out of debt, I’m going to do all the preparation steps that others are doing. If Obama gets re-elected in 2013, collapse is inevitable (and desired by the Francis Fox Piven crowd). The current path is crashing fast and Obama is trying to take us even further down the path of destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
thirdeye wrote:
Uhhh-don’t think you need to be too concerned about the lights and next weeks dinner in the event of World War 3. A little lipstick and a mirror might be more worthwhile.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
mnehrling wrote:
I love how these articles always focus on the fringe, the ‘end of the world as we know it types’, however, most ‘preppers’ I know are simply people who want to be self-reliant. If one looks at history, almost every generation has faced something where some sort of preparation was the difference between surviving or not, or simply barely getting by or thriving. Think about the Great Depression, WWII with its rationing, Katrina, the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami, tornadoes that take out power to entire towns for weeks, almost every hurricane or blizzard event, etc. A little preparation is beneficial. In these type of events, wouldn’t you rather know you have a stock of food to feed your family for a few weeks or more versus wait in line at some Red Cross or FEMA shelter in the hopes the government will have something left for you?
Jan 21, 2012 7:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
books4me wrote:
Argentina 2001
Jan 21, 2012 7:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
Parker1227 wrote:
Anyone who doesn’t keep at least a couple of weeks worth of extra food and water (or a good water filtering device), in case of emergency is a fool.
Earthquakes, and floods, and storms, and epidemics (and even wars) do happen.
The coastal area of the Pacific NW is due for a 10+ magnitude quake.
As we saw with hurricane Katrina, when thousands of square miles are impacted by disaster – it takes weeks for the government to get help to everyone.
Jan 21, 2012 7:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
espaceman wrote:
Just finished reading what an EMP would do to this country. I wonder why the U.S. Congress said that every American should read this book “One Second After” and the media ignored this? Folks… this is real and those who ignore are going to be placed into a very bad situation.
Jan 21, 2012 7:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cartman wrote:
Funny the people pitying us “preppers” (I’ve never heard that term before this article – sounds lame) as sad and pathetic. There is simply nothing wrong with having a stocked pantry, loaded weapons, and mucho gallons of fresh water on hand. We don’t need a third world war or a zombie apocalypse to justify what might be down the road. If I was fired from my job tomorrow that would qualify as an apocalypse to my household. It’s nice knowing we can shop for food straight from our pantry for quite some time in that instance. We save money for the future, for the unforeseen, and no one balks at that notion. It’s responsible. Same with storing food and water – you just never know. Rule 1, though, is not telling neighbors about your stores. They’ll inevitably come calling and, well, I’m not saving for them. Only downside is beer doesn’t keep as long – so drinking through the Guinness on hand to keep up with the fresh ones is a great problem to have.
Jan 21, 2012 7:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
WyoDutch wrote:
I “prep” for the same reason I buy insurance on my property.
I “prep” because I never want to shuffle along in line for a chunk of government cheese and a bag of flour.
I “prep” because I am responsible for my familys well being.
I “prep” because I am wise.
.
Jan 21, 2012 7:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
conversionvan wrote:
In response to e2verne’s comment “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground” tell that to those who lived through Katrina. However the bigger picture here is that these people are taking more responsibility for the lives and that is exactly what America needs. Less reliance on systems we can’t controll and more reliance on ourselves. The fact that this concept is odd, is one of the major reasons that our governments, big businesses, and environment are all failing.
Jan 21, 2012 7:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
citizenserf wrote:
Think of every obnoxious neighbor, every unstable personality, every menacing group of teenagers you’ve ever encountered in line at a shopping center, movie theater or public space. Now imagine if they went to the supermarket to find empty shelves and the police are nowhere to be found. Do any of you who do NOT own a gun think those people will respect you or your family or your property in any way? If you dismiss these preppers as kooks and paranoids, that’s YOUR problem. If you have complete confidence in this country’s monetary system, fiscal policies and the responsiveness of public safety agencies, that’s YOUR problem. If you wish to be on the other side of Pascal’s Wager, that’s YOUR problem.
Come to think of it, Ms. Tegeler shouldn’t have given her real name because in a break down of law and order, people like her could be subject to anti-hoarding orders by desperate neighbors and rogue authorities.
Jan 21, 2012 7:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
No mention of AGW alarmists. Aren’t they predicting and regulating us on so called predictions of melting glaciers, sea rise, etc. etc. Why no mention of that? hmm well wouldn’t want to make the AGW believers look like kooks?
Jan 21, 2012 7:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
here in earthquake prone CA the powers that be advise being preperared for disaster. Store food, water, etc, flashligts, radio. Even my kids were taking a bag with supplies to last three days. What’s kookie about that.
Jan 21, 2012 7:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
2ndAmendment wrote:
With this administration we are going into debt to the tune of 1.5 Trillion a year. We have printed approximately 1 trillion in money called Quantitative Easing 1 & 2 and now the Feds are proposing printing another Trillion in play money. Why more money printing you ask? Well things aren’t looking so good economy wise and if the anointed one wants to have a chance at re-election he must hide our economic troubles until after the election. The Fed will pump another Trillion into the markets as required to get past the election. What happens after November will just have to be a surprise. The sad part is it looks like that is when our worst fears play out and hence the “Preppers”. I for one do not think preparing for a natural disaster, man caused disaster, civil unrest or even economic ruin is unreasonable. All it takes is a modest earthquake to bring modern society to its knees. The concept is “at least I tried to due something to prepare for a contingency of things beyond my control”.
Jan 21, 2012 7:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
LtScrounge wrote:
The Motto for the Boy Scouts is “Be Prepared”. The US Federal Emergency Management Administration says that individuals should have AT LEAST 4 days worth of food, water and medicine as well as flashlights, batteries, heat sources, radios for news and weather reports, etc etc etc. Wouldn’t that type of planning been more than a little beneficial to those living in New Orleans during Katrina and the aftermath thereof? How many times have some rural (and in some cases not so rural) areas lost power due to storms, often for days or weeks at a time? A BBC documentary concluded that chaos would break out in Britain if the food deliveries to the major cities were stopped for only a few days. With the riots and looting that occurred in Britain this past summer and Los Angeles in 1991 which would you rather be, the unarmed guys who watched their family owned businesses burn to the ground, or the ones standing on the roof with rifles and shotguns protecting their businesses? Most “preppers” look at what has gone on throughout history and say “Hey, I don’t want to be the person sitting in the dark, hungry and afraid waiting for someone to come help who might never make it.” As for the neighbors grabbing a prepper’s supplies when things go south, that’s a possibility, but unlikely considering most preppers not only prepare to feed and clothe themselves in an emergency, but also to protect themselves as well. Most thieves and thugs find the idea of being punched full of bullet holes less than desirable.
Jan 21, 2012 8:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
invicta1 wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
You have got to be kidding me? “Preppers” are probably more concerned about an out of control government more than anything else. All of the other end of the world scenarios such as economic collapse will be in response to the governments actions. The government is the biggest threat to the American way of life especially when you have people like Obama and Napolitano in postions of power with virtually no oversight. Congress and the Senate would not dare challenge Napolitano. She is today’s J. Edgar Hoover. There is no telling how much dirt she has on our politicians. This would be a laughable article if it were not so serious. No government worries……..LOL!
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
mpoconnor7 wrote:
I don’t think it is a bad idea to stock up; I have stocked up on food and weapons and have a water purification system. If there is any economic disruption in the US, every supermarket and Walmart will be promptly looted and within two days there will be no food available. Most people don’t have more than a week’s worth of food, and in a disaster situation the government will not be there to help those people.
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
colliertng wrote:
Can you really blame them? You’ve got Politicians that don’t listen, Money whose Value is going down the Toilet, Jobs that are going overseas, etc. Is anyone surprised that this is happening? I’m not!
Jan 21, 2012 8:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
Progdef wrote:
Er, uh, not the strategic brilliance to tell the world you have those suppies. I’d keep my resources secret sincerely.
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
rudebutcool wrote:
Read “Cold Sun” by John Casey…you’ll be storing food too…..and other essentials as well..vegie seeds, water purification, charcoal, silver coins, it’s a distinct possibility…hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
JustPlainFolks wrote:
I remember the “Survivalism” of the late ’70′s with its Tappan’s, Saxon’s, and all the other entrepreneurs of that for profit bogus milieu. Though it was more fun than playing cowboys and indians.
When I started to look at surplus CD Geiger counters and which cartridge was the be-all/end-all while burying my supplies where I’d never be able to get to them in an emergency, I called a halt to that insanity and lived life a lot less worried about when the sky was going to fall on my head.
In this day and age there’s a “prepper” born every minute. Just like “Survivalists.”
Jan 21, 2012 8:28pm EST -- Report as abuse
userly wrote:
I’m not sure why the author insists that these people are AFRAID or FEAR something…. they aren’t afraid of anything, that’s their point. They’re ready for anything.
Jan 21, 2012 8:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Abilene wrote:
It’s not being kooky or a conspiracy theorist to be prepared in your own home — not that all conspiracies are theories. To not be prepared is to be at the mercy of anything and everything, such as what happened in New Orleans, post Katrina. The most important thing is to plan to be without electricity and communications. Without electricity, you won’t have heat, light, refrigeration, gasoline, and probably without cooking. It doesn’t hurt to store 90 days of food, some candles, water for cooking, hygiene, and flushing, and of course, ammunition, because when hungry people find out you have food and water, you will need it. Beyond that, it’s God’s plan what happens to this planet, and what happens to you. Then it becomes a personal decision whether your name is written in the Book.
Jan 21, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
curmy60 wrote:
It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark…
Jan 21, 2012 8:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
cv51 wrote:
You insure for a house fire, medical emergency, hurricanes, earth quakes, car wreck and your death. To insure for financial disaster or the breakdown of society when the immorality of our leaders and wall street is blatant well it’s definitely smart. Those who poo poo this may become the zombies.
Jan 21, 2012 9:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
10000Lakes wrote:
I live in northern Minnesota on 440 acres that includes two private lakes and access to a major recreational lake. I sold 100 acres with lake access to a Wall Street investment firm in October 2011. They kept calling me about my parcel for sale for over 2 months. I had to hire a local pilot to photograph every acre from above. They paid 45% above what I was asking. I refused to sell. I’ve heard enough b.s. buyers from around the country. Finally two of the guys from the firm flew out to talk. They are Obama donor Democrats. The entire firm is Democrat donors, for a reason that surprised me. They plan on building two huge storage units and five ICF homes (Insulating Concrete Forms). ICF’s don’t exist in northern Minnesota. These guys have millions. They are dead serious about a place to flee once the economy collapses. Our city has a municipal airport for them to land, but what they fly should not be landed on this strip. They say they can do it. They are paying me to clear more land, though it’s rocky as heck, for hay and grain. When these idiots have plans to run from the east coast, I believe them now. I couldn’t afford to put away food storage or update my house. I’m doing exactly what these guys are doing now.
Jan 21, 2012 9:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
The zombie apocalypse serves as a kind of socially acceptable “prepper porn.” Look at the heroes in shows like “The Walking Dead”: Blue collar guys, rednecks and rural dwellers who know how to shoot guns, repair machines and live off the land. Most urban people’s skills in fields like law, real estate and finance have become useless, except doctors’ and nurses’ skills. Even companies which sell to this demographic, like producers of tactical knives, ammunition, shooting targets and gun magazines, use the zombie apocalypse in their advertising & marketing.
Jan 21, 2012 9:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
wiser2098 wrote:
Knowledge is rife(not to be confused with experience), but is useless until wisdom to use same is acquired. In my area of rural bliss, common sense and experience has taught me and my fellow neighbors to prepare for various inconveniences and plans for loss of power, foul weather.Food storage is commonplace(canning of fresh veggies and juices).
I was raised by wise kin who lived through what is called the great depression. Independence is vital to survival and prosperity. Anyone who doesn’t see the volatility and W/wide struggles for power must truly live under a large stone. Preparedness is easier in my area as opposed massive urban hives. I would rather be over-prepared, than become a victim of my complacency.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
I know a few “preppers” and they are very discreet about their preparations. Hardly anyone knows what they’ve got or where they store it.
BTW, “Preparing” has been a serious part of the Mormon doctrine for generations.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Concerned_2012 wrote:
If you don’t want to prepare, don’t. No one is going to make you prepare.
However, you will be ignoring the advice from our own government and relying on the kindness of your neighbors, who might not have extra to share.
It’s always entertaining to hear people foolishly say “I don’t need to prepare because I have a gun, I’ll just take whatever I need.” Good luck with that, most preppers I know probably have them outgunned 10 to 1.
Jan 21, 2012 9:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
Properly stored certain foods can last decades. If for no other reason than the impending wide spread unemployment and food shortages which WILL occur if Obama is re-elected, it is wise to at least buy up and store food and other essentials NOW.
Jan 21, 2012 9:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Phocker wrote:
It isn’t the neighbors I woudl worry most about, it is the desperate people from other areas seeing your area as a target…ie Katrina neighborhood that held off invasion from other areas. Being prepared and being nuts about it are two different things. And Katrina showed us you can’t count on the government to help you with everything.
Read “One second after” it is fiction, but a good read about a disaster that hit the US and took out infrastructure.
We are too pampered, it woudl only take a day or two for supermarkets to empty and then nothing more coming in, even the nicest people are gonna start looking to take care of thier families.
Jan 21, 2012 9:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
zanzara2041 wrote:
Those living in the Seattle area now who are preppers are warm, fed and have communications and entertainment.
The unprepared have no power (could be off for weeks), the cell phone towers are going down, the grocery stores were stripped bare and have shut down, 45 mile-long traffic jams on I-5 keeps the groceries from getting restocked…and on and on.
Don’t prep, nothing will ever happen to you.
Jan 21, 2012 9:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
fawaz03 wrote:
From the tone of this article, it’s obvious the author is trying to marginalize people who endeavor to prepare for disasters, making them (myself and my family included) seem like some small, crazed faction of nuts. I wonder if it ever occurred to Mr. Forsyth to interview survivors of disasters that have already happened – like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, the loss of the power grid in the northeast, etc – and ask them what THEY thought about having food, water and other supplies at their disposal. I would encourage everyone to read the book “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. If you read that book and still think it’s kooky to prepare for disasters (natural or otherwise), I wish you well.
Jan 21, 2012 10:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
Celesta wrote:
I don’t blame people for being prepared, but the problem I see with those who can afford to prepare and are prepared to survive a collapse is that they’re not trying to do much if anything to prevent a collapse. Then there are those who aren’t preparing and doing nothing to prevent collapse because they are in denial or don’t believe a collapse is coming. Then there are those who suspect there is a collapse coming who can’t afford to prepare and can’t afford to do much to prevent it and are preparing to die or maybe be raptured. But let’s face it the U.S. is $16 Trillion in debt and climbing. We are NEVER going to be able to pay that. Right now the economy is being artificially kept afloat, but sooner or later the bubble is going to burst. Americans do need to wake up and realize what is happening and we all need to be doing whatever we can to prevent a collapse. That’s why I support Ron Paul who is the only candidate making proposals for real change that can reverse this. The other candidates and Obama are going to continue the “status quo” which is headed for collapse.
Jan 21, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
nooni wrote:
Preppers, Birthers, Thruthers.
VS.
Slackers, Deathers, Liars.
George Orwell is happy!
Jan 21, 2012 10:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
dencal26 wrote:
America is in deep decline.We now have 47-50% who pay no federal income tax. Class Warfare and hatred for the wealthy is being preached every single day. What happens when 55% or 60% pay no federal income tax but have the majority vote and can vote more freebies for themselves?
Jan 21, 2012 10:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
STLAdamSmith wrote:
Has e2Verme ever heard of the Roman Empire. He says “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground.” I am certain that the Roman’s had the exact same sentiment around their 600th year or so. The collapse of civilizations is not a new or novel thing. It has happened countless times throughout human civilization. Ever hear of the dark ages? Ever hear of the world dominant British Empire from only 70 years ago? Historian Nigel Lawson eloquently points out that the most common pattern is that it also happens quickly not gradually. I don’t think that most “preppers” as he dismissively call them are imagining a dark ages scenario like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, but more likely a very large version of the economic collapse that happened in Argentina in 2000, or before that in Chile under a government similar to the one we have now, or like what happend to Germany during the two world wars. If you add up the numbers some awfully bad scenario seems inevitable. We are living in a world wide Ponzi scheme of debt and spending and we (actually the Fed and the Treasury) are trying to keep everything afloat by borrowing and printing more money. It is impossible that that can continue forever and highly improbable that it can be orderly stopped or dismantled. The only alternative to continued borrowing and printing is to drastically dismantle the government and drastically cut the spending. Either way a world wide depression seems inevitable. What makes this time different from other 20th century collapses is that this time there is no equivalent of the frugal, hard working and creative America to quickly pull everyone else back to the surface. And like I said it will not be The Road, but there will be a time period (hopefully only a year or so) while we are reorganizing our society where it will likely be very wise to have some guns, ammo, food and some sort of real money(gold, silver, gasoline) on hand. When the money runs out, it is hard to barter enough food to keep everyone fed in the big cities, it takes awhile for the military to organize a forced feeding, and truly hungry people are very dangerous. There are many of us out here that are wise enough of history and economics to know of these already. Others can feel it coming in their bones. And yes, with such insights as those from Austrian economics and history, we know that civilizations are fragile. We are not the fringe in any sort of way the author here thinks of us. We are simply main stream middle Americans that liked and understood the footings of traditional America and sadly realize that a “transformed America” with socialist footings desired by the American left won’t work, has never worked and is not sustainable. Unfortunately the left won, and it is likely too late to avoid the suffering and severe pain of the left’s hubris. Readers should ask someone that lived through Argentina in 2000 if guns and extra food would have come in handy? They should ask a Jewish person with unarmed relatives that lived through it if guns would have come in handy in Weimar Germany? I am hoping we turn out more like Argentina but these things are like Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s black swans, they are always a surprise to the elites (like Reuters’ journalists for example) and the masses alike, more common than almost anyone knows and are hard to predict. How do you avoid black swans? Taleb suggest we first acknowledge they exist and then prepare for them. We wish we did not have to, but that is exactly what us “preppers” are doing. Make fun of us if you wish. We will not be laughing at you outside our well fed , well stocked and guarded compounds. We will just be protecting ourselves from you and suggesting to you that you rob the next guy down the street.
Jan 21, 2012 10:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
theoverwatch24 wrote:
Been prepping for years. People are just getting hip to this? To me its an every day thing. If something happens, I am ready, have been training as well with all tools, preps, gear, and other things.
Welcome to where I have lived for the last 12 years.. Prepping becomes a normal part of your life when you do it.
Jan 21, 2012 10:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
FadedC wrote:
I live in a very remote part of the U.S. and it must be somewhat of a safe haven for the coming collapse because Purina Mills chose to put one of their large self-sustaining compounds about 5 miles down the gravel road from me.
Wake up! If you don’t want to hoarde, then at least learn to be self-reliant and willing to bend your narrow little minds.
Jan 21, 2012 10:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
MaryWaterton wrote:
All you have to do is look at the soaring national debt and you know calamity is on the way. Common sense.
Jan 21, 2012 10:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
UnPartisan wrote:
Hindsight is always 20/20. Preparing for something that doesn’t happen may seem like a waste to many people. Being prepared in case something happens isn’t a bad thing. There is a fine line though. Letting it control your life is something different. We should all be prepared in case an emergency happens.
Jan 21, 2012 10:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
walfourth wrote:
I do not think that there will be a collapse of civilization. However, that does not mean that tough times are not coming. The Great Depression was not the end of it all, but there were disastrous consequences from it in the economic and political realms. I would say that that this small group is correct to fear for the future. However, stockpiling food and ammunition, building shelters, and other apocalyptic planning is really a waste of time. Even if the worst happened and their plans were executed flawlessly, they would be at most buying themselves a few months. Also, as one person commented here, anarchy breeds criminal conduct. A handful of shotguns is not going to permanently drive off a determined mob. If you have food and other stores locked away, this mob with either acquire it, or destroy it.
Jan 21, 2012 11:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
MDCCLXXVI wrote:
Another prepper, reporting in.
You have to have your head already buried 6′ under to not see that there is no bailout coming for the USA. Greece is in a depression, and they have bailouts.
What happens when the people doing the bailouts, need bailout themselves?
The house of cards collapses.
$17 trillion in public debt, and thats conservative numbers excluding rehypothecation, unfunded liabilities and insolvent financial derivatives.
Its over.
Realize it, adapt and move on.
Or,
Have your head on the block when the guillotine drops.
Its up to you.
Jan 21, 2012 11:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
GettinReady wrote:
I’m a bit surprised that the news media are just catching on to this “subculture”. People have quietly been preparing for bad times for years. I don’t know why anyone would trust a government that can’t fix the pothole in front of their house to take care of them if the lights go out. I saw the handwriting on the wall ten years ago and left the big city for a farm. The tone of the article suggests that people who are worried about societal collapse are somehow simpleminded, uneducated or some kind of a cult follower. Not so. I’ve never heard of any of the people mentioned in the article, except for Glenn Beck. Most of the preppers I know have advanced college degrees. Last month my big-city doctor friend jokingly asked me if things really went south, could he come and stay with me? I don’t think he was joking, as he asked me to draw him a map. A wise man once said, “If something can’t go on forever, it won’t.” The world wide financial house of cards can’t stand forever. It won’t. Be ready.
Jan 21, 2012 11:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
jessicasuave wrote:
@e2verne, I highly doubt neighbors who try to “sweep me aside” to steal my preps will live to tell about it. Those of us who prepare for such events tend to be heavily armed and well trained, with little patience or love for thieves. I hope for your sake, you keep that little tidbit in mind should TSHTF and you find yourself eyeballing your neighbor’s back door wondering what he might have that you could steal. Otherwise, it’s highly likely the only thing you’ll walk away with is a few extra ounces of lead and some after market ventilation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
tina848 wrote:
The end of the world economy collapse may be a stretch, but under normal circumstances you still need to prepare.
The power goes out here several times a year. During snow storms, severe thunderstorms, and other weather related issues, the large trees come down and sever the power lines. The last time the power on the main commercial strip (US 30) was gone for 3 days – no grocery stores, traffic lights, or restaurants. Some areas went over a week. I live in suburban Philadelphia and not the middle of no-where.
The last 2 years we have storms of 20+ inches of snow. It paralyzed the area for a few days.
Knowing how to keep your frozen food safe, having a generator, flashlights, potable water and food which can be prepared without electricity are not crazy, it is a practical way of dealing with these situations.
Jan 21, 2012 11:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
yirgach wrote:
@Sueque,
Yes, some made money from popularizing the threat, but actually billions of dollars were spent to prevent Y2K. Things would have been a LOT worse without that level of investment. Your move to Maine was not an error in judgment and it should not cloud any decisions on the present situation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
The eugenicists want 90% of the population to die. They will do anything to make that happen. That is why anything can happen.
Jan 21, 2012 11:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
CleanFun wrote:
Honk if you’re a 90′s survivalist and have at least 3 preppers marked on a topographical map.
Jan 22, 2012 12:48am EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
Ask Mitt Romney if he has prepared for the worst.
His Mormon Church instructs all Mormons to have a two-year supply of food, medicine, clothes and, yes, even cash, in reserve because the faith believes the world is on the edge of some kind of global catastrophe which only the well equipped will . . . survive.
If you can’t ask Romney, ask any Mormon.
Jan 22, 2012 12:50am EST -- Report as abuse
muell wrote:
People who prepare are doing what the government has said to do. Having a few months supply plus the means to make/grow/store your own food & water is not exactly a bad plan. It’s not as much anticipating some impending doom, rather, it’s ensuring your and your families well being if a problem does arise.
Jan 22, 2012 1:07am EST -- Report as abuse
ONTIME wrote:
They are not advocating violence, they ae preparing for the worst and if they are wrong then all that has happened is their guess didn’t pay off….what happens if they are right?
Jan 22, 2012 1:23am EST -- Report as abuse
emdragon wrote:
First you supply a catchy name (Preppers), and imagine that anyone who falls for this kind of mass media drivel calls themself by it. Then you marginalize and divide into terms that provide a portion of desperation. There are plenty of sentient individuals who do not have to be rocket scientists to see a globalist attempt to control every person on earth in Orwellian terms that will tyrannize every one of us who have lived our entire lives through the process of liberty. This article is an offense to reason, and an attempt at pooh-pooing the real dangers that lie ahead. They are not dangers from the sky. They are not dangers from terrorists, which are almost exclusively portrayed in this globalist banking cabal’s campaign of control. These fears further are not vague. They are imminent. And further, I refuse to play by your devilish terminology. . . Preppers! Go prep your sophist brain into bed, and give us someone to provide real reason to these pages.
Jan 22, 2012 1:24am EST -- Report as abuse
Intriped wrote:
Have been Preparing since 2003! Plans A through C will be completed by 2014.
Jan 22, 2012 1:31am EST -- Report as abuse
AnJ1 wrote:
I wear my seatbelt every time I drive my car. Does that mean I live in constant fear of car accidents? Of course not.
The probability that I’ll ever face a crisis that will force me to live off of my food storage for a year is slim. But since I buy it on sale, eat from it daily and rotate it regularly, the worst that will happen from keeping a year’s supply is that I’ll save quite a bit of money on my grocery bills. And if the unlikely does occur, I won’t have to stand in lines taking up resources needed by others.
Win-win.
Jan 22, 2012 1:33am EST -- Report as abuse
rbblum wrote:
The progressive path created with the establishment of the Federal Reserve coupled with abandoning the gold standard is completely contrary to the basic views of our founding fathers.
And, today, the majority of Americans do not know what they do not know in regards to WHAT the founding fathers’ views were and WHY.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41am EST -- Report as abuse
kc777911 wrote:
You would be very foolish not to at least be able to feed your family for at least 6 months if all of the food went away. One out of control flu pandemic could easily knock out the supply chain that feeds us. If you did not prepare, you would be left foraging in a flu infested city hoping to get handouts from the government. You would be competing with starving deperate people who would probably kill you for what little scraps you have….sad but true, just look at what history tells us. It’s worse now…just look at how many people eat out! The’re lucky to have a few days of food in their pantry.
Prepare for the worst…and hope for the best. The best motto to have!
Jan 22, 2012 1:42am EST -- Report as abuse
Orange2012 wrote:
All the talk about survival. I think some are actually subconsciously suicidal. They yearn for a scenario that they will probably never see. They all share a deep distrust and hatred for people. There is a cult like quality to them, taking comfort in a living state of constant paranoia.
Jan 22, 2012 2:05am EST -- Report as abuse
rovid wrote:
i think it will take some time but as usual what can happen will happen and the preps may have some advantage ,society will change in a bit and saying that all those people were fools is not wise like in the days of Noah nobody had rushed in building big boats on dry land avoiding an impending flood,thinking that he is a lunatic until it was too late ,remember! no one knows the future and hoarding food with fools may not be that bad of an idea after all.
Jan 22, 2012 2:11am EST -- Report as abuse
A_Passerby wrote:
The world has always had a paranoid segment, but it has also suffered very real and severe economic disruption. Could the US see a massive economic event? Our entire economy depends upon energy to provide electricity and move goods. Most electricity comes from domestic energy sources (coal and natural gas, with growing amounts from fracking) so even a severe economic disruption with hyperinflation isn’t likely to take down the grid.
Oil is the problem. If debt grows to the point that bonds don’t sell and the Fed buys bonds to keep the government afloat (an increasingly likely scenario), the resulting inflation will make it very, very difficult to convince people in other countries to accept dollars for oil. Without our oil imports, we can’t make the diesel to move the trains or drive the trucks that deliver food. Most cities have less than 3 weeks of food supply…
The strategic petroleum reserve provides a small buffer, but a serious disruption in oil imports followed by a severe disruption in food distribution is a realistic, scary “doomsday scenario” that “preppers” will be able to handle better than most of us.
Jan 22, 2012 2:16am EST -- Report as abuse
angelofmercy wrote:
Living in Oklahoma you kinda have to be a prepper. Tornadoes,wildfires ,droughts.With the droughts you have water main breaks.We get small earthquakes,but you never know when a big one might hit. High temperatures in the summer causes Electric grids to go down. You either find ways around these obstacles, prepare for them , or suffer. At anytime where I live,you could loose everything in a matter of mins. Has nothing to do with being a hippie ,a Glen Beck listener, or even being a survivalist. You either adapt to the conditions, or move.
Jan 22, 2012 2:21am EST -- Report as abuse
JeremyH wrote:
It boggles my mind that anyone would not make an effort to be prepared for disasters of any kind. It’s not a matter of being extreme, but simply having the forethought of being prepared. Like the good old Scout motto, Be Prepared, it’s a wise principle. Though there may be no massive upheaval to our way of life, there are life events and localized disasters that your preparation will be what saves you.
Jan 22, 2012 2:35am EST -- Report as abuse
wereallgonnadie wrote:
The real question I have is why is everyone so afraid to die? I thought the US was a Christian nation? Your are going to die some day and you are going to meet your Maker. Why is everyone desperately afraid of that outcome?
Jan 22, 2012 2:53am EST -- Report as abuse
barberrr wrote:
A brief word from our sponser: life is 100% fatal.
Jan 22, 2012 2:55am EST -- Report as abuse
zardinuk wrote:
It cost me about $1,000 to become prepared for, my ballpark estimate, 99% of the foreseeable disasters. It’s a game of odds, taking no preparations at all didn’t seem like a good bet, building a nuclear bunker in case a 10 megaton bomb blows up on top of my house doesn’t seem like a good bet either, but buying a year of food for everyone in my family, a little bit of propane and a stove, keeping a box of old blankets and stuff like that… easy. Over the course of the next few years I will spend this much on my term life insurance policy. This is sort of the same thing in my mind, life insurance policy for everyone in my family.
Jan 22, 2012 3:01am EST -- Report as abuse
gregio wrote:
Maybe all these “preppers” are just getting ready for the new culture of Chicago style “injustice” that will be called justice when Obama gets re-elected and decides that driving the USA financial bus over the cliff would be a great way to get even with the neocolonialists and get the oil/gas price to $10 gallon thus making “green energy” competitive. The insanity of the greens knows no bounds, don’t forget global warming!!!
Jan 22, 2012 3:33am EST -- Report as abuse
VinceVega wrote:
With all due respect to the writers, they missed the point. So called “preppers”, in the main, are not about “end times scenarios”, they are about being prepared for emergencies. Is it just me, or is this not just common sense?
Jan 22, 2012 3:47am EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
The way I see it, Preppers are making a key mistake. If there’s the kind of post-apocalyptic world that they envision, and, assuming we haven’t nuked life back to the cockroach, then it’s going to be the era of the warlords. And those who have not just the biggest guns and fire power, but those who have the most powerful ability to swarm – and to keep the swarming hordes coming at you no matter how many you kill – they are the ones who will be in power. So unless you plan on becoming a warlord, you’re going to be toast – just like me – only maybe a few days later.
All this said, there is a vast middle ground between PreppersWorld and where we are today. I believe that, where President Kennedy had us targeting a moon landing in 10 years, President Obama has us targeting 3rd world squalor in 10 years or less. I don’t know why he would want this. But I think it’s undeniable.
Jan 22, 2012 3:53am EST -- Report as abuse
MeHe wrote:
In 1970, gold was $35 per ounce
Today, Gold is over $1650 per ounce.
Same gold. Same weight. What changed?
Oh right, that’s just “normal” inflation.
A few 1000% over 40 years is completely normal.
Go back to sleep.
Jan 22, 2012 4:20am EST -- Report as abuse
RDBlakeslee wrote:
To those who think preparedness advice, goods and services are a hoax, what do they think of FEMA? FEMA is attempting to do for all what Preparednass folks are doing for themselves and their families. If history is any guide, the later endeavor is likely to be more sucessful, in the event.
Jan 22, 2012 4:25am EST -- Report as abuse
Jim-in-HCMC wrote:
I do not consider myself a survivalist, per se, but I can understand why so many Americans are arming themselves and contemplating worst case scenarios. The “system” in the USA has been gamed by opportunists and the time has arrived that the US financial system, education system,network and printed news media, political system, et al have been compromised and can no longer be trusted.
Actually, the more I consider the current situation in the USA, the more anxious I become. And although I seriously doubt there will be nationwide collapse and anarchy, I do expect to be reading about riots in the Nation’s largest cities.
Jan 22, 2012 4:40am EST -- Report as abuse
uncomplicated wrote:
As someone who lives in a Hurricane-prone area, it just makes sense to be prepared. I don’t have 2 years worth of supplies but certainly a month or two worth of staples and an emergency evacuation pack. Part of being prepared is that if something does happen, self-reliant folks won’t be adding to the burden of emergency workers. Plus, you’re more able to assist others when you’re not worried about your own situation.
Jan 22, 2012 4:58am EST -- Report as abuse
greatscott wrote:
Anyone that cannot see the economic collapse-run away freight train coming directly at you has been watching too much American Idol and has consumed way too much fluoride.
Thank you Ron Paul for educating us on the Un-Federal Federal Reserve. Obama promised an investigation into the housing-stock market bubble criminals on Wall Street. Instead, all we got were chirping crickets and the middle finger pointed at main street Americans. Now run along everyone, there is nothing to see here.
Jan 22, 2012 5:05am EST -- Report as abuse
littlesky wrote:
There is a difference between a survivalist and a prepper. A prepper is prepared for almost any scenario. A survivalist is more oriented on weapons and surviving the end of the world.
A prepper is more concerned with getting thru any emergency. I live in an area prone to hurricanes. I prep with that in mind. I make sure I have a few days worth of food and water. I have books to read and cards for solitaire for the days the power is out.
I know the economy is bad but I hope that it gets better. I don’t rely on it tho. I know families that have suffered thru job loss or health issues that have been grateful they had some stuff stored.
It doesn’t always have to be about the end of the world or nuclear bombs. Sometimes its just a divorce or a health issue.
It doesn’t hurt anyone to be prepared so why worry about preppers? I’m sure they aren’t worried about you…lol.
Jan 22, 2012 6:11am EST -- Report as abuse
cajunright wrote:
I got out of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina was beginning to hit New Orleanss. The post storm insanity and lawless actions of many people. (including some policemen and government officials). But the city got hit hard, but rebounded. Yes government did help some, but most pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and resumed life.
We evacuated during Katrina, leaving our home as it approached. BUT some neighbors stayed behind and turned our subdivision into a militay camp. We did not get looted because of their actions. But the next subdivision did get abused. People can help people,
The world will keep spinng. The economy may hit walls, but humans
Jan 22, 2012 6:21am EST -- Report as abuse
Stoat wrote:
Saying that Preppers have ANYTHING to do with hippies is utterly ludicrous and instantly causes the author to lose all credibility.
Biggest differences: Preppers bathe, aren’t Communists and don’t hate America.
Jan 22, 2012 6:26am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
I would be considered a “prepper” and anyone who is not to one degree or another is living with there head in the sand. When Katrina exposed the complete falicy of the government being able to respond to a disaster, the economy crashed in a few short months, a tsnunami wiped a nuclear facility leaving thousands homeless I felt some of my effort should be geared toward minimizing the effects of something similar if I was involved. Even Homeland Security says that we all should be prepared for two weeks of isolation.
This article and any other ones I’ve ever seen written on the subject projects people like me as bunker dwelling, doomsday wishers. That’s fine with me and all of my suburban neighbors. We all have deep larders of food, the means to protect each other and are working to eliminate all debt amoung other things. Turning a spare bedroom which is unused into a pantry isn’t crazy at all. Paying off debt is not crazy. Utilizing our second amendment rights is not crazy. It’s down right smart.
Jan 22, 2012 6:36am EST -- Report as abuse
drobarts wrote:
Nothing wrong with BEING PREPARED, makes totally sense. Can’t imagine anyone ever criticizing someone for that. Use common sense, keep your food storage on the down low, that way you don’t have to worry about those that can’t even survive a day without help.
Jan 22, 2012 6:38am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
Subculture? Bombshelters? 60′s hippies? What an obvious hit piece on people that are simply doing what any prudent person would do and what the Government says we all should be doing.
Jan 22, 2012 7:07am EST -- Report as abuse
cbpelto wrote:
TO: All
RE: The Article….
….was written by someone who had not done very much in the way of homework.
It has some valid points. But elsewhere it is abysmally lame, e.g., preppers = hippies? How stupid can you get?
Another point is that preppers and survivalists are one-in-the-same. Their intention is to survive whatever life-changing event occurs. Be it short-term, e.g., Katrina, or long, e.g., One Second After scenario.
RE: The Nay-Sayers Here
Heh.
I spent 27 years in the infantry. The last part was working exercises for State Area Commands (STARCs)—think state National Guard Adjutants General and their staffs—on how to prepare for national emergencies and natural disasters.
Right now, Iran is moving heaven and earth in order to develop (1) a nuclear weapon and (2) the means to pop it 300 miles over Omaha. The result of that one device going off would be a knock-out punch to US, wherein 98% of the 48 states would lose 95% of their electrical capacity. It would take several years to bring power back. In the meantime, it is estimated that 50-90% of the population would die of starvation, cold, pestilence and just tearing each other to pieces just to survive.
You want to get a clue of this? Read One Second After.
The preppers-survivalists have the best chance of making it through such a scenario. Or any other that is markedly less intense.
Hope that helps….
…but I have serious doubts for these sorts.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Chance favors the prepared mind. -- Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology]
Jan 22, 2012 7:30am EST -- Report as abuse
suemarie000 wrote:
I never thought for a second about an impending disaster until this President came to power. When it was realized by a large majority of Americans that he and his administration was just “winging” it…I got nervous. I am as prepared as a very reluctant believer can be. If we skate through this term with a new President at the helm…I’ll start using up my supplies…but NOT until we get a new President into office.
Jan 22, 2012 8:21am EST -- Report as abuse
MarketFree wrote:
The writer seems smarmy and arrogent. We just had 400,000 homes out of power in Seattle by the 25 year storm. Our business had no power for 9 hours, our home for 2 days. Many people in the area had no power for 5 days. As our government becomes less dependable, it is smart to be self reliant. There is no way the government can afford to keep spending like it is. The sharp and solid people I know are preparing for difficulty. Arrogent less sharp ones like the author and the academic quoted here think they are deranged. Time will tell who is the dummy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:26am EST -- Report as abuse
moose1553 wrote:
interesting article, but factually incorrect (typical Reuters) they focus on the fringe elements..but I can tell you most could not survive for 48 hours with no power, water, supermarkets. Be ready for any emergency, such as a hurricane for at least 72 hours and preferably;y up to 2 weeks. What if, just what if, there was a national disaster. I would much rather rely on my neighbors and myself them the FEMA Morons.
Jan 22, 2012 8:28am EST -- Report as abuse
femalegunowner wrote:
History always repeats itself, so there is nothing wrong with prepping. I for one, have started storing food, water, and ammo. I have a long way to go and a short time to get there, but at least I can go to sleep at night knowing that my family will be taken care of. Only my sister knows I am preparing, she is welcome in case of a collapse, which I fear is imminent. I am also thrilled that there are many more like me. An ounce of prep can go a long way. If the imposter in chief is reelected, it may be too late.
Jan 22, 2012 8:38am EST -- Report as abuse
msbpodcast wrote:
Betting on the end of the economy as we have known it is a smart bet.
We’ve become a government
• OF the thousandaires (the 99%, that would be me and thee,)
• BY the millionaires (the 1%, that would be the extremely insular privileged overlords and bosses,)
• FOR the billionaires (the 12,400 individuals identified by the IRS as the people who count (though they don’t really count as they hire some thousandaires to run machines to do that.)
Accountancy is insuring that the US will not survive because we don’t have the tariffs and other barriers which would stem the internationalist tide and keep jobs here in the US.
Nor do we have a political system which is capable of enacting those tariffs.
The people who actually bought the BS that Reagan sold (trickle down economics) and that Bush junior reinforced (tax cuts during war time,) are about to be so betrayed.
The weather will do what the weather will do (and its warming up) and the land will do what the land will do (and shake) and the beaches will do what beaches will do (and a 60 tsunami wave coming from the collapse of the La Palma volcano in the Canari Islands is inevitable but the eastern seaboard was built up before before the risks of building there were appreciated.)
Jan 22, 2012 8:40am EST -- Report as abuse
libertyville wrote:
Under Barack Obama, we have seen the worst decline in American stature, pride, prosperity and values in over half a century. He is being compared to the captain of the Costa Concordia. Hoovervilles of a century ago have re-arisen as Obamavilles. Is there any wonder people are concerned?
Jan 22, 2012 8:53am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Does anyone in their right mind really want to survive in the nightmare world that these looneys see? I don’t think so.
Jan 22, 2012 8:54am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
PointFinder wrote, “Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.” This life on Earth is temporary. It’s what comes after it that is important, unless you believe that when you die you just stay dead.
Jan 22, 2012 9:00am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
Government can print food stamps, but the cannot print food. Government can print currency notes, but they cant print value. The Federal Reserve was created 99 years ago to stabilize currency value and the economy. The currency has lost nearly 95% of it’s value and the economy is a disaster with nearly 20% unemployment. Our monetary base increases at over one trillion per year. Does anyone think that the more they print the more valuable each will become? The Baby Boomers are at retirement age and will be selling their big homes and stock investments, but to whom? And at what price?
On the bright side, and by experience gained in surviving major hurricanes, humans are very self organizing, but they must eat. Food is far more important than government “assistance”. Civilization is the result of people, not governments. Governments are consistent destroyers as might be witnessed by the estimated 270 million killed in the past century. Oh yeah, it can’t happen here. I sometimes forget, American Exceptionalism! If one is prepared, one does not have to live in fear.
If unprepared, and not fearful, one needs to cut back on their drug intake!
Jan 22, 2012 9:13am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
Wow….right here, has the be the single most horribly written article I’ve ever read. Not only is such a ridiculous title as ‘preppers’ being used, its being used to imply that a very large and very diverse group of people who simply share an opinion are a vast organized subculture that all fit neatly into the exact same category. Not to mention the fact no one is ever quoted in the article saying
‘preppers’, only ‘being prepared”*cough* Bad journalist made up a term for his article*cough* This is a horrible article that instead of going over the groups rationale, simply compares them to ‘Other groups’ from when ‘we were in high school’(To make up my own quote). This is a horribly blended and written attempt to ‘educate’ you about something while painting such people a lunatics.
Jan 22, 2012 9:22am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
e2verne…to wake you up from your delusional world. Imagine the power grid of the whole country goes poof. Now imagine the long, long, winding roads all across the country that your food has to take to get to you. Now imagine all the people along the road who are eating all the food near them faster than they can find new food. Then picture the truck with your food driving past them. Is it going to make it to you?
Jan 22, 2012 9:25am EST -- Report as abuse
ThomasUSA wrote:
Who will be there to help you, in a major emergency or disaster? The Government? When will they arrive and how long can they help? What can they provide that you will need? Was Katrina a good example? If anyone is depending on the Government for help they do not understand the limitations of the quality and quantity of help they can expect. You are on your own when it comes to taking care of yourself, family and friends. So who is being more realistic? The “prepper” or those who just “hope” they can get by any disaster?
Jan 22, 2012 9:35am EST -- Report as abuse
kpv wrote:
A population that is prepared promotes Liberty, and in the event of disaster, reduces the burden on government and charity services. A self-sufficient population reduces dependence on imports and the need for foreign entanglements. It should be in the interest of governments that the people be prepared. It is certainly in the interest of the family. Prepping is not about buying a two-year supply of dried food. Why anyone would want to eat that crap is beyond me. Store what you eat, eat what you store. It’s not hard to figure out. Having supplies on hand means I don’t have to run to the store for single item purchases-it makes good sense. Why aren’t YOU prepared? Storms, labor strikes, power failures…these occur all the time. Can you bear a shutdown of services for 2 weeks without experiencing hardship? Or are you one of the millions of fools running out the day before a hurricane strikes searching for candles?
Jan 22, 2012 9:36am EST -- Report as abuse
nortonburgess wrote:
I have news for you. It’s not a “subculture” at all. I am quite sane, as are a number of my friends who anecdotally see a connection and series of events that are disturbing.
We’re all executives, and it’s not a subject that we talk about at cocktail parties. But when one of us sees a sale of something of value at Costco for instance, we send an email to each other for a “stock up” item. We also have alternate plans to meet at a certain friend’s cottage if things get really ugly. And yes, the cottage is stocked, armed and fully self sufficient.
Jan 22, 2012 9:41am EST -- Report as abuse
lunabin wrote:
or a huge CME from the sun comes and cripple the power grid. at that point it is Madmax life. meet up with fellow preppers at lunabin dot com. free and no ads. we just want good conversation
Jan 22, 2012 9:46am EST -- Report as abuse
Robert_Sciolino wrote:
How wrong…
“‘With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,’ she told Reuters.”
It has nothing to do with an individual not being able to control the power grid or the internet. When did individuals EVER have control over vast systems? How absurd! It has everything to do with a massive bubble of debt that is growing exponentially on a daily, weekly and monthly basis while a natural correction looms far below. Many people are getting the very tangible sense that we are climbing higher up a burning building to avoid the smoke and fire as the foundations of the building go unchecked and continue to burn! In past recessions, we allowed painful corrections to occur which reset our economies at a lower level and allowed for natural rises. We have avoided this since 2008 and we’ve avoided a natural correction in the housing markets which were already artificially inflated. THESE THINGS are what terrify so called “preppers”, NOT a loss of control over infrastructure that no individual ever had control of in the first place. Talk about utter diversion and denial!!! That an expert comes up with such drivel is as frightening as out-of-control debt bubble!
Jan 22, 2012 9:51am EST -- Report as abuse
droddyc wrote:
There is nothing wrong with this women. My grandmother put up food in cans every year of her life. She was a child of the depression and she wanted to make sure her family never suffered for food. I learned this at her knee. We were taught by our father to hunt for our food. He was retired military. He believed that you can never be too prepared. Living in today’s society in the US you see ever major convenience at the tip of your fingers. Like the post above these conveniences can be taken in seconds by mother nature. I was raised to depend on myself. I see nothing wrong with self-reliance. The citizens today are too dependent on the government. We are too dependent of foreign governments. Family business like family farms are slowly disappearing. Some call this progress but I see it as dependance on something that could collapse on the whims of others. I watched the news from New Orleans. As a person born in LA, I think that was one of Americas most telling times. The people didn’t loot food or medicine. They looted shoes – tv’s. This to me shows that being dependent on the government breeds lazy. So for all those who are self-reliant – keep up the good work and ignore idiots like this articles author. Always remember that we come from founders who were self-reliant.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
Biscayne wrote:
This phenomenon is nothing more than a reaction to the lawlessness espoused by the leadership in government and business and the media as well the intellectual elites who provide all of the above with the ideological support as needed. This total contempt for the law and morality and the obsession with wealth and power has led the U.S. to economic decline and social fragmentation.Unless you wake up and get to grips with the fact that a society is built on cooperation and a common purpose, then the disasterous end foreseen by these survivalists will come to pass.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
freecheese wrote:
I’ve known my share of these kooks. They all believe that the U.S. Gov. blew up the twin towers; that the 1969 moon landing was a hoax filmed in Hollywood studios; JFK is still alive in a nut house, and Elvis is flipping burgers in Memphis.
Most sit on the porch of their single wide swilling beer while they wear John Deer baseball caps — watching for UFOs!
Must be a slow news week for Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 9:55am EST -- Report as abuse
paintcan wrote:
@illl1942- what’s to fear in dying and just “staying dead” as you put it? If that happens than one could say (as I have pondered occasionally) that DEATH CAN’T KNOW ITSELF.
There would be nothing to fear in a state that doesn’t have the capacity to fear.
“Drowning men clutch at straws” the saying goes, but it is a pathetic and undignified way to exit one’s existence.
It isn’t death that should worry people. It’s the high cost of dying and there are industries designed to fleece the poor souls until their resources run out.
The survivalists-at-any-cost seem to forget that if civilization collapsed as they fear, everything they saved up for that very rainy day is likely to be grabbed from their greedy hands while it departs.
@advancedathiest- that was an interesting puzzle about how to make pencil. It would make a mess trying to make one for the sake of the exercise in practicing old skills. But, one way to get the pigment for ink is to burn oil lamps to collect the lamp black on a plate suspended over the flame. Mixed with oil, the soot could be compressed into a paste and extruded to form the lead. The wood part is easy and doesn’t require explanation.
Jan 22, 2012 9:59am EST -- Report as abuse
mommasaid wrote:
How can you call it a “subculture”? Have you been to Ready.Gov much? Have you watched the news or read anything at all? Subculture? No, a contrived program designed to terrorize its own citizens! Criminal.
Jan 22, 2012 10:05am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
While not an Obama supporter by any means, the economic fiasco is one that he inherited from a number of folks dating back to Wilson. Of all the GOP crew wishing to grab power only one has a real understanding of the economic problems and the cure. The rest have pretty faces and good hair dos. My bet is the public will vote for good hair. Our fate will then be sealed.
Jan 22, 2012 10:11am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist: Alternatively, the Zombie video games and movies may be an attempt by the Government to
Jan 22, 2012 10:14am EST -- Report as abuse
deadpammy wrote:
We just went through a bit of a snow storm this last week. Power down for 2 days, trees down everyplace so you could not get to town. I was as happy as a bed bug. Did get low on the wine supply though ;) Point being, be prepared, you never know what or will happen. Certainly does not make you a person on the fringe. It makes you self reliant, something all of us should be.
Jan 22, 2012 10:15am EST -- Report as abuse
carlos23 wrote:
Those who preach and write about the end of the world make money by their fear mongering and many fall prey and pay. Have we completely lost faith in God (look at your dollar bill-it says In God We Trust-not in the Money Makers We Trust). And note that they say the end of the world as we know it. That might not be a bad idea. Most are not happy as the world is today. Many believe the end of the world is in progress as we get rid of the old to make room for the new which will be a much better world for all of us. And you can learn more about this new world on my website, which archives my radio shows, and others for free. Just look for the ascension of 2012. You will like the coming future that God is providing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:20am EST -- Report as abuse
timeoutofmind wrote:
Subculture? Everyone I know is prepping to some degree. lol.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22am EST -- Report as abuse
realestatepup wrote:
What this article fails to mention is the difference in today’s economy. The earlier dates mentioned did NOT have the current world econonomic sh$%t storm. We are a global economy, and as one goes, we all eventually will feel it, in one form or another. The other development is our nanny state government. Recent laws passed, such as the National Defense Act, take away American’s constitutional rights all in the name of “terroism”. Other bills, such as SOPA (shelved) would do more of the same. We are constantly having our personal freedoms curtailed or taken in the form of the food we are sold, water we drink, and prescription meds we are brainwashed into thinkin we ‘need’ (millions of people are on antidepressants!!!). Our government irradiates and gropes citizens “for our own good”. Our congress is increasingly more and more corrupt. We now have drug resistant TB, MRSA, and other bugs, all thanks to CAFOs and animal antibiotic feeding. THIS, and many other things, are vastly different than the past. Looking at the Weimar republic in it’s hyperinflationary state after WWII, Argentina not so long ago (and continuing down that path again), we can see the increasing devaluation of our fiat currency and the money and power grab by our government, is going to tip us into either long-term deflation (we can only hope) or hyperinflation. Our 14 TRILLION DOLLAR debt CAN NEVER BE REPAID. It’s not possible, so our government’s only solution is to inflate it away or default. I have read some of the comments below, and find it surprising that so many people believe it could never happen here. What is it, exactly, that instills such confidence in you? Where has the government shown fiscal responsibility? Look it up, our contemporary dollar buys far less than in 1960. It would be unwise to proclaim the impossibilty of collapse. There has never been a government or empire that has not folded. The same factors ALWAYS contribute to this, it has never changed. The only thing different this time is we are now all linked globally.
Jan 22, 2012 10:25am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist, Zombie mentality will allow the Government to say “we have to destroy them or they will destroy us.” This could refer to those infected in an epidemic or possibly just people who have spoken out about government. I believe they are already using this to war monger against the rest of the world. And about your first comment: Yes, Austrian economics is popular with the right, but the right doesn’t control the world. The powers that be (or the powers that b…-f… the rest of us) seem to desire destruction.
Jan 22, 2012 10:26am EST -- Report as abuse
toomanyidiots wrote:
Better to be out 2 weeks early than 1 minute too late…
Jan 22, 2012 10:27am EST -- Report as abuse
Texas_Patriot wrote:
I believe in being prepared. Does that mean I believe society is going to colapse. Not really, but Do I have an emergency suply of food, water etc? Most certainly. Looking at getting a generator for standby and emergency use as well. Being prepared in a disater is never a bad thing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
ellington wrote:
It is imperative that US citizens comprehend the “Patriot” Acts and the NDAA in tandem: These two Acts combined create a Totalitarian State to be inherited by our children.
Remember, it was Bush that gave us the first wing of this vulture: The “Patriot” Act. It was Obama that gave the vulture it’s second wing; NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).
We are endowed by the Creator with unalienable rights: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Travel, Self Defense, Due Process, Trial by Jury etc. If We remove the Creator from our Law we are subjects and slaves under their Law. Those that forfeit Liberty for security deserve neither.
Left, Right – One Vulture, Two Wings.
To properly understand the NDAA and ” Patriot ” Acts you have to learn to think like lawyers. They create a web of legalese statements that are cross-referenced, paraphrased and specifically engineered to obfuscate their intended purpose. New Years Day 2012 Obama was on a 4million dollar golfing vacation in Hawaii when he signed the NDAA / Indefinite Detention Act. The Bill of Rights is NONNEGOTIABLE
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
e2verne: I guess “Thank you public schools and mass media” for undermining the ability of people to think clearly and learn from history.
Jan 22, 2012 10:32am EST -- Report as abuse
MacvTM19 wrote:
Best way to get this country back on the right track is to get rid of the marxist in the White House and the liberal DemoRATS in our congress, that is to include any RINO’S !!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
weewilliewinkie wrote:
What do you think would happen if the welfare and disability checks stopped going out?
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
Hugoesque wrote:
For an entertaining and provocative perspective on this subject, see Quent Cordair’s short-story “Sheltered” on Amazon (Kindle books can be read on just about any computer or smartphone with Kindle’s free reading app) — ““A year and six days underground without sunlight or breeze or contact with the world above — whatever might be left of the world above. A year and six days without touch, without unrecorded voice, without contact, without friends or family. If only they had listened, if only they had been ready. But he — he had prepared. He was Reginald B. Wakefield, and he hadn’t died. A wave of vindication washed over him, lifting and sweeping away all doubt and fear. He had been right. He raised his eyes again to the hatch cover above. . . . He had been right.” See the readers’ five-star reviews.
Jan 22, 2012 10:50am EST -- Report as abuse
dancer2s wrote:
There is nothing wrong with having extra food, water, and ammo just in case. It is better to have a gun and not need it that it is to need a gun and not have one.
Jan 22, 2012 10:53am EST -- Report as abuse
chillywilly wrote:
There are two kinds of people out there…. The “sleds” and the “sled dogs”. A message to you sleds out there, the sled dogs are tired of dragging you and your load around. It won’t be long before they leave the sled behind. To my fellow Preppers… be proud of your “subculture”. The system wasn’t built to last, but we are built to endure and rebuild.
Jan 22, 2012 10:56am EST -- Report as abuse
TDTony wrote:
Let’s face it since 9-11 the world keeps turning at an ever more dangerous pace.
Jan 22, 2012 11:01am EST -- Report as abuse
Hedley_Lamar wrote:
You need lots of guns, ammo and food. Get ready because the barbarian hoardes the liberals have been cultivating for decades in the cities are on the edge. Daily we ready of psychotic, viscious beatings to innocent people – especially the elderly. If they don’t get their chicken McNuggets, it may cost you your life at the drive in window. Be prepared. Our economy is on the brink of collapse and just like the civil war era plantations, this house of cards is ready to fall.
Jan 22, 2012 11:04am EST -- Report as abuse
moosemiester wrote:
On just about every news site I find “sponsored links” that tell me a massive stock market crash is coming — for the last ten years.
A few years ago the end of the world programming on cable TV (History, Discovery, A&E) was practically non stop, all night, every night.
Now it’s the new 2012 Mayan calendar doomsday scenario.
Every election cycle the government is going to lock up the opponents in FEMA camps.
Turns out that the massive climate change Al Gore warned me about was basically a big hoax designed to funnel money into the right universities and companies, and the result was that Al Gore got fabulously wealthy. Hmmm, I wonder, can we learn something here?
I am told I need to buy food, buy guns, install solar cells, and turn my house into a fortress or… what? I’ll starve while my well prepared neighbors bask in the smugness of their shelter?
I also see on TV that if I use Old Spice soap, young beautiful women will find me attractive. And if I use AXE, I’ll be attacked by these same women.
Must be a lot of money in freeze dried food. Last time I checked solar panels and batteries weren’t too cheap either.
Jan 22, 2012 11:33am EST -- Report as abuse
WillTruth wrote:
I’ve never considered myself a person worried about economic collapse. But, when you see the largest amount of gun checks by the FBI in Dec. 2011, you hear about Aspirin being unavailable in Greece, you see the FED printing money non-stop for less and less economic growth, the US Debt jumping by trillions in short periods of time you start to think a lot? Think about it. The system could freeze very quickly. All it would take is for foreign govt’s which are already selling our debt and people to realize the FED is buying our debt and lose faithn in the system. Rates jump dramatically in a short period of time. Downward spiral increases in velocity.
Jan 22, 2012 11:42am EST -- Report as abuse
frankreed1 wrote:
Only one statement is accurate. That anything, at any time can happen. Other than that…just a single voice in the forest…a voice to which she is entitled.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
notassmartasu wrote:
bad things happen it is the normal state of the world peace is not the norm look back in history to believe that america will always be america is crazy im sure the romans and the greeks thought that there empires would always be there. im not saying its happening in are lifetime god knows when but it will happen. people who lived thru the depression know why you should be prepared for hard times.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
chicodon wrote:
Who knows what, if any, of this article is for real. Obviously it’s another hit piece from across the pond leveled at backwards Americans. I’m surprised Sarah Palin didn’t make it into the article. People will be sitting around their breakfast tables eating their fry-ups, drinking their tea and shaking their heads.
Jan 22, 2012 11:47am EST -- Report as abuse
MJgarrigan1 wrote:
One only needs to look into the past to find the truth, 9/11, WW1&2, and the desire to create the atomic age, and the shift from a christian world, to a dominate islamic, atheist and asian world in 20 short years. If you deny these facts, you might want to move to Egypt, and live on the denial river(pun intended).
Jan 22, 2012 11:49am EST -- Report as abuse
xJonx wrote:
It amazes me how naive people still are.
People don’t pay traffic ticks because they feel obligated. They don’t stay in jail because they feel remorse. They don’t follow the law because laws are divinely created. They do these things because they believe the government has the ability to force our cooperation in these matters. True, most of us WANT to believe in the government’s ability because that means our property is protected too. But when that belief is shown to be false, chaos ensues and all manner of ugliness rears its ugly head.
Throughout ALL of history, the one common, unavoidable, and greatest influence in any society, even more influential than the government, is the society’s monetary system. Money gives the government authority. Money converts opinion to law, and law to enforceable rules. How did Cloward-Piven strategies about taking down the US government, THE most powerful institution ever … by bankrupting the system. They knew that not even the mighty US government can decide not to pay its bills. The promises made to the people are breakable, but not the promissory notes to the money lenders.
It is naïve to think that the US government is mightier than even money.
Jan 22, 2012 11:50am EST -- Report as abuse
TheNobody wrote:
Thanks, Reuters, for this fine journalism consisting of, “Hmm… which label can best be used to stereotype this group of people as kooks?”
If you’ve never heard of “preppers” before this article is hardly a place to start in gaining knowledge of the aforementioned.
It’s really quite simple:
- The western world is borrowing to pay interest on debts. Bad idea.
- The US has more debt than will ever realistically be paid off.
- It’s only a matter of time. History is quire clear on this.
- Having some extra canned goods might seem prudent, even in a normal world, don’t you think?
- Judging by the aftermath of recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, being armed might not be a bad idea. If you want to trust in the inherent goodness of humanity, have at it.
- It may, by some miracle, not happen. If it doesn’t, fantastic.
Sure, some people really go overboard and fall prey to lousy, overpriced, freeze dried food. Some people fall prey to conspiracy theories. Most people I know that you might categorize as “preppers” are pretty normal – they’re just adding up 2+2 and realizing that our debt is unsustainable. They just want to have a little extra food and maybe grow a garden. Worst case, they just have extra food on hand. Really kooky, subversive stuff. They’re not like hippies, they’re not all Ron Paul supporters. Really. This predates Ron Paul’s most recent campaign by a lot. They’re not like anyone – except normal people who want to have a little extra food on hand. (Again, speaking of the ‘preppers’ I know) Laugh it up. Get it out of your system.
Reuters, please knock it off – expressing a bunch of opinionated labels for a huge demographic is not very respectable journalism. Quoting people who are “experts” and allegedly know best does not constitute fact. But hey, you’re still in print so it must be fact and not opinion, right?
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
These people are like sheep looking for shelter in a wind storm. They have no concept of what is happening around them, but they all share common fears and anxieties with little or no hope for themselves for others around them. What shameless, hopeless bunch of rednecks they are.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
Funny how they mention Glenn Beck who lives in 4 million dollar mansion in Southlake, TX a suburb of Dallas which is the last place you you want to be in the event of a social collapse, meanwhile he has become a multimillionaire preaching fear to his listeners while he gets rich off them selling his endorsements. Double standard? He does not believe what he wants you to believe.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
My grandmother was hearing the world was coming to an end in 20′s, guess what it never happened. Now people are getting rich stoking peoples fear that will never happen. FOOLS!!!
Jan 22, 2012 11:54am EST -- Report as abuse
littleredhen wrote:
So you invest in gold. What guarantee do you have it will not be stolen or that it will not be available as promised. Can you eat gold? You plant a huge garden and/or horde freeze dried food and water. Do you think no one else will steal it? You arm yourself to protect your property and possesions. Are you the only one doing so, and are you the biggest, badest one when people get hungry and thirsty? Are you prepared to die? We all do.
Jan 22, 2012 12:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
What I wrote above still stands, but it’s no longer aimed at Preppers. Why? Because I now realize I’ve been one, at least to some extent, for years now. Having been through several earthquakes, watching Katrina (and that with a President who actually likes America, instead of the one we have now), we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have a year or more of MREs and other supplies. BTW – MREs taste great. To the extent that this is just using your head for emergency planning, the Preppers are among the most patriotic this country has because they won’t be straining FEMA and other resources nearly as much when emergencies hit – and boy do they hit. But emergency planning is not doomsday planning. The first you can do something about; the end of civilization – not so much.
Jan 22, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Kutter_0311 wrote:
Laugh if you want, but preppers include the unpaid first responders who render aid when you have a heart attack walking around the mall, the guy next door who jump-starts your car when you left the lights on, and the people who stop to help you dig your car out of the ditch during those heavy winter storms. Preppers have helped me, and I, as a prepper, have helped others. We even make fun of ourselves. Visit the forums at www.zombiehunters.org to learn more about real preppers in the best prepper forum in the world. And, BTW, Zombie Squad is a charitable organization focused on disaster relief worldwide. You’re welcome ;o)
Jan 22, 2012 12:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
iKarith wrote:
I’m a prepper—but that said, I must add: If you expect the world is gonna collapse and you’re gonna head for them thar hills (along with everybody else) and survive on your own (again with everybody else) eating wild game (quickly hunted to extinction by everybody else) and be prepared to take on all comers with your superior tactical prowess… Well, if what you think is gonna happen ever actually does, you’re going to be first among the body count.
If you want to be prepared, prepare for more realistic scenarios. Number one risk is fire. For a lot of us, #2 is storms and floods. Fire is definitely a “bug out” scenario if ever I’ve heard of one—a fire can turn a room into a place firefighters cannot enter with all of their specialized gear in about a minute. You and I would be long dead.
Precious metals? If you’ve got wealth and want to protect some of it against inflation, sure. But what’s gold gonna buy you when you need FOOD? I don’t have an ounce of gold. I do have a couple of ounces of silver, but they were purchased as commemorative coins, not as investments. I don’t have much wealth to protect. A lot of you don’t, either.
But if there’s a spike in food prices (realistic), I’m not completely screwed. And if there’s a fuel shortage (Iran?—realistic), I’m able to limit how much of it I use. If there’s a fire, I’ll be out of here in mere seconds, with everything I need to recover afterward. If there’s a medical emergency, I’m prepared to treat it up to the level of my medical knowledge, which I add to when possible. If I lose power, I won’t freeze in winter or melt in summer. If the water becomes unsafe to drink (or stops flowing all together), I’m covered. If there’s rioting outside, I’m prepared either to stay inside (for days if necessary) until order is restored, and just as likely to have known the riot was out there and coming my way in advance so I could NOT BE in the middle of it. And if someone busts in my door at 3am, they can expect I’m gonna shoot them in the %@!$ face! It’s about recognizing what realistically can happen and mitigating those things so that you don’t have to live in fear.
That’s preparedness. It’s not crazy. It’s not (or shouldn’t be) about preparing for the end of the world. It’s not about a bunch of militia types stockpiling guns and MREs—though if you know how to use them and what they are (and aren’t) for, a few of them might serve you well. It’s about realizing that nobody’s coming right this second when you call for help, and seconds might save a life. It’s about sustainable living and protecting your family. It’s also about being ready to help your community in the event of something like an earthquake or a flood or something more major, confident that you can because your family is going to be okay.
And yeah, there are companies out there looking to fleece people experiencing end of the world panic. If you’re doing it right, it’s also about being smart enough to avoid the gimmicks and pretenders.
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
a_patriot wrote:
“survivalists in the 1990s who were hoping to escape the dictates of what they perceived as an increasingly secular and oppressive government.”
NICE clever AD HOMINEM attack, attempting to blame “survivalists” (Citizens and READERS, BTW) for Governments increasingly secular and oppressive ACTS.
Back in the 1990s, it wasnt so obvious (unless you were blind or not paying attention) I give you Waco.
Now its as obvious as the broken nose on your face..
“”With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,” she told Reuters.”
Thats not a theory, thats a FACT, and now that the IDIOTS in government and industry have jumped off the cliff of connecting infrastructure control to the INTERNET that can happen due to some Chinese hacker(s) in China. And it doesnt even take that, a bunch of armed 10th graders can take out an average city by just shooting out power substations. Then wheres the power to keep the refrigerators going for millions of people who only have 3 days food supply?
“Tegeler, 57, has turned her home in rural Virginia into a “survival center,” complete with a large generator, portable heaters, water tanks, and a two-year supply of freeze-dried food that her sister recently gave her as a birthday present. She says that in case of emergency, she could survive indefinitely in her home. And she thinks that emergency could come soon.”
Thats only news to people who are city dwellers (who think the world revolves around them). That was the NORM in the country over the past 100 years. SO now its only “crazy” when Reuters wants to demonize preppers?
Its been standard fare for Mormons for I dont know how long.
Heres where it does become a problem:
“”We could see a cascade of higher interest rates, margin calls, stock market collapses, bank runs, currency revaluations, mass street protests, and riots,” he told Reuters. “The worst-case end result would be a Third World War, mass inflation, currency collapses, and long term power grid failures.”"
This is right wing conspiracy theory run amuck, Ive been reading these folk for years, and conveniently, theres never any proof, no documentation… just theories. OK, sure, any one of those things might happen, say his “stock market crash,” after all, it happened in 2008, right?
WRONG. And this is where the Tin Foil Hat Crowd loses credibility, there was no “stock market crash” in 2008 (yeah, I fell for it too until I started seriously studying stock charts..), there was a slow sell off that took a YEAR, and there was no “crash” (a crash happens immediately), but a return to a NORMAL LOW, from an irrational high of DJI 14,000.42 (odd, almost exactly DJI 14K almost to the penny). Look up a Dow Jones (^DJI) chart from 1993 to today, youll see the pattern)
Stocks became inflated with value because of irrational behaviour in real estate, stocks were sold off. That is NOT a stock market crash.
There was a REAL stock market crash in 1929, did mass hysteria and violence of this sort break out then?
Ive no problem with stocking up on food, water etc and guns/ammo, it is our RIGHT to do so, and smart to have supplies in case trucking is cut off (grocery stores would run dry in a few days)_ but what I cant get on board with is running hysterically to the mountains at some un-predictible time where survival is difficult (thats why people dont tend to live in mountains!) to avoid some “FEMA camp”
Isnt sequestering yourself in some mountain compound ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING?
Geesh, if things get really, that bad, Im going to try to get IN a FEMA camp, they might have food!
We have much bigger things to worry about in America which is awash with food and water and resources. We have lost Constitutional control of our Government and THAT is the crisis.
second-amendment.tripod.com
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
msruth wrote:
When the current government refers to Republicans as the enemy, is making plans for regional centers to hold large numbers of people, is quickly passing legislation restricting freedoms we have had, and goes around the law and constitution, is it any wonder people across the nation are feeling the need to prepare? Democrats have demonstrated they go around the law so riots if the election doesn’t go their way or economy makes their government handouts go away, riots and looting like with Katrina would be expected. We just don’t trust that our President will protect his Republican “enemies” so will be prepared.
Jan 22, 2012 12:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
macroflux wrote:
Pardon to Ms Gutierezz (who may or may not have the simplistic view as presented in this article) but preppers are NOT Millerites. People who think that there may be something very, very wrong with our course of actions are not saying that we are going to be punished for our advances, they are saying that there is an increased chance of very bad hardship circumstances looming on the horizon. If you went back in time a few months before Hurricane Katrina and a New Orleans resident was stockpiling resources on the off chance they may have help delayed to them during a crisis, they would have been laughed at then. The government never would let citizens site and stew without aid, die being abandoned for more than a day or two. Right? They are at least halfway competent, have the resources, and the will to protect us?
Frankly, there is a general unease on some people’s parts that we are in a zone right now that if there was a disaster, or negative sequence of events, that the government, community, anyone would be stretched too far to assist them in the immediate timeframe. And once you acknowledge how precarious a balance we live in with just-in-time food deliveries, volatile gas prices and potential shortages ready at a moments notice with changing situations in the Middle East, and increased reliance on welfare, it is not an unreasonable thing to think that all it would take is one or two bad things to happen to put the majority of us in a very bad situation that could take a long time to get out of. Some people are stockpiling food and preparing themselves with knowledge of self reliance and sustainability – and living in this volatile phase of society, they’re the sane ones for doing so.
Jan 22, 2012 12:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
Allinmod wrote:
It’s like aesop’s fable “the ant and the grasshopper”. Remember that? They probably don’t let kids learn it in public school anymore. In today’s world it is smart to be prepared for anything, especially losing the grid, however it could happen. There is a new Christian fiction novel out that has some of this stuff in it that preppers would probably enjoy. Very easy read and suspenseful! It’s called Broken Pottery by Joan K Smith.
Jan 22, 2012 12:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveColeman wrote:
A stable society relies on the vast majority of people voluntarily respecting property rights. Nowadays, there seem to be more and more people who believe their “need” authorizes them to demand others “share” their property. That is, they want things without having to earn them. (Eg. the Occupy Movement, food stamps program, Obamacare, etc.) As the number of people like this grows (given comfort by obsequious politicians like Obama), society approaches the tipping point of breakdown. In the Great Depression, a stranger would knock at the door and ask to share the family meal, and most people did. Now, most people would be too fearful to invite the “bum” in for supper, and the “bum” would likely not ask, but rather stage a home invasion, terrorize the family, and take what he wants (and then maybe burn the house down). Paranoid? Maybe, but this seems to be the direction we are heading.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
hednsand wrote:
I suppose most of the naysayers on here work in the banking industry or some associated business, and deepthroat all of the garbage they are fed. Prepping is not “being scared” , it is simply being prudent for the climate, akin to donning a coat in cold weather, or using an umbrella when raining,,,,, however they may be right , it isn’t rain, but a urea saturated emission from our govt.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
yzguy247 wrote:
I think it’s funny that some people like E2 say things like “thanks to Ron Paul the country has undermined it’s belief in itself”. – Do your homework. When the world realizes that the US is cheating with all the money it prints in secret, they will stop using it as the world’s reserve currency. When that happens, america’s economy will go through a correction the likes of which we have never seen in our country’s history. If you have not researched nor understand fractional reserve banking, what happened in 1913 and again in 1971 to american money, that’s fine; but to think our neighbors are going to get our food and supplies is laughable. Most “preppers” do not reveal they have them, and most know the first things you get are guns and a lot of ammo. I would love to see you or anyone else try and make it within .5 acres of my home day or night, locked & loaded over here. Have fun in your fema camp when the world cuts off our credit cards, we produce nothing in this country and have taxed, spent, and inflated our way into oblivion. God help us all and kudos to those who are looking ahead and want to be able to feed their children and survive. Survival of the fittest has been the way of the world since we were created.
Jan 22, 2012 12:42pm EST -- Report as abuse
bobber33 wrote:
@RangerDan You are on target but the collapse will not be over night, it will happen over a couple week to months. During this time preppers will remain strong and other get weaker.
@Sueque I have been prepping long before Y2K. Most preppers are students of history and understand economics and human dynamics.
@e2verne Most preppers even in urban environments are very low key. Most likely only prepper neighbors know each are preppers unless they go on TV. Ron Paul is neither the cause of this mind set nor the messenger of it.I’ve been a prepper long before I heard of Ron. I can remain “bunkered” down for almost 2 years. If I could get out and small plot farm, almost indefinately.
Jan 22, 2012 12:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
WavyChips,
Most folks would say that YOU have no concept of what is happening around you and are one of the sheep being led down the path. People with your views are shameless and hopeless. The redneck dig is very typical of your ilk.
You do realize the economy of the entire western world is at an all time low. The amount of debt held by almost every Country is unpayable in two generations. The US is no exception right down to the State and municipal level. Yes, this alone concerns rational folks who have concerns for the future of their children’s future. But that is just one concern. There are many more.
Continue on as you are, there is nothing to see here. Best Buy is having a sale on Big Screens, you go buy one and enjoy it.
Jan 22, 2012 12:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Backflip wrote:
Yeah, but being a member of iphone app subculture doesn’t feed me or protect me. Call a cop with your phone and see how long it takes for them to protect you from crime.
Jan 22, 2012 12:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
imsickofit wrote:
I just conducted a workshop on Sat where I debunked most of the popular doomsday scenarios. The world isn’t coming to an end in 2012, and we’ll not have a total collapse of society. Those who spend thousands making preparations for such events are just wasting their money. However, we will face some tough times as the world begins to deal with the debt crisis and international turmoil, but there are no apocalyptic scenarios that seem likely in the near term. Those who are promoting such nonsense are doing so for notoriety and monetary gain.
Jan 22, 2012 1:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
SurvivAllExpert wrote:
I think it is perfectly right to attack these preppers as nuts!!! Who would want to be self sufficient or prepared for severe weather, natural diasters, terror attacks, inflation, job loss, death or diability of families breadwinner, disease, pandemic, food shortages, fuel disruption because of middle east war, infrastructure failure – electricty, natural gas, fuel… what could possibly go wrong?
O.K. Lets all just live like there is no tomorrow and we’ll all just eat, sing songs and live on love and togetherness if anything bad ever happens. All together….”I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony., I wish we had some food to eat and some electricity…”
Even the U.S. Gov’t is encouraging people to prep: www.Ready.gov
Jan 22, 2012 1:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
Unlike in times past when the “apocalypse” was predicted, we are now so dependant on electronics and technology that it wouldn’t take much to bring America to it’s knees. Just read “One Minute After”(book) to get a feel for what it would be like after a terrorist attack called an EMP-electro magnetic pulse. This is a very plausible scenario, and after you read the book, go to the author’s website, then follow the links to the US Government websites concerning this subject, as well as how to prepare for “disaster”-they allude to Katrina, but who do you think is trying to hack into our electrical grid? Think, people!
Jan 22, 2012 1:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
soveryjaded wrote:
My family and I have a plan…we even bought a place in the woods to escape the jungle that the major city we live in will become when this strikes.
How will the teeming millions of welfare parasites react when their supply is cut off? They are already criminals, thugs and gangstas. Can you even imagine what it will be like when they no longer receive all their taxpayer-funded freebies? Dear Lord. The entitlement mentality will turn the general population into even worse savages when this happens.
Glad I never had children for this very reason. I worried about this 20 years ago. How could anyone not see it coming?
THANK YOU LIBERALS!
Jan 22, 2012 1:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
It’s hard to believe how many people in this country are still living in that “bubble” of the world superiority of the US. We are very very vulnerable right now, and may never recover from this. Did you EVER think that you’d see a horror movie like Katrina in this country-all of those people just helpless there, waiting for the government to come to their aid…or did you ever think you’d see THE landmark of NYC, World Trade Twin Towers, collapse before your eyes? Things in this world are changing fast..economically, and otherwise. Do what you like, just don’t ridicule those who think that preventative measures are smart..and oh yeah, don’t come to our doors when you don’t have food or water, or even aspirin for pain. We won’t be the Federal Gov’t with a handout for everyone, and most of us will be armed!
Jan 22, 2012 1:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
lingsun wrote:
The Fed has printed trillions of bogus dollars. It’s only a matter of time before we have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. I have a year’s supply of food and water, guns and ammo, a way to cook my food, and a way to heat my house. The collapse of the eurozone will be a disaster for the US as well.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
marcopantani wrote:
It’s as the preppers want the end to come. There is a certain high that comes from preparing to survive collapse. I jumped on the Peak Oil band wagon in 2005 and rode that for a bit…really…you start thinking about nothing else but collapse and survival….againit’s a bit of euphotia that you get from all this. While our house sits on an acre in a fairly small city with endless organic farms and water sources inc. our own 1/4 acre garden and back up well….I felt comfort in the fact that we could prep and survive what ever was coming…..the truth is, things happen and will continue to do so. I’m sure we’ll come back here in a year after reading yet another “collapse” article…and do it all over again.
Jan 22, 2012 1:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Romperstomper wrote:
Disasters can be big or small. Integrate prepping into your everyday lifestyle by buying necessities and non-pershables in quantity when they go on sale. Use your tax refund for big ticket items like guns and generators. Most important of all, plan ahead.
Jan 22, 2012 1:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
miker5 wrote:
I read through the first thirty comments and saw the letters O-B-A-M-A only once. How can a discussion of the end of our way of life not include numerous mention of him? The censors at Reuters are apparently very busy. Enjoy your power while you can. Newt let the cat out of the bag about the intentions and motives of the media and your days are numbered, Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
After witnessing the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, I made “prepping” a priority. After the quake, if you were one of the unfortunates who did not store water, you had to wait in line at a water truck once a day for one gallon of water (complete with sediment floating in it). Please realize that the Northridge quake pales in comparison to the “Big One” that is due to hit California at any moment.
I now store one month worth of food and water. I wonder…if I decide one day to store more than one month’s worth that does that make me paranoid according to the author of the article?
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
One thing to keep in mind: Just-in-time goods delivery systems.
Jan 22, 2012 1:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
x76 wrote:
I was a Boy Scout and their motto was and remains BE PREPARED. I certainly don’t have two years of freeze-dried food or anything like that, but we have food on hand, firewood, propane, et cetera… who wouldn’t? It’s just common sense.
Jan 22, 2012 1:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stambo2001 wrote:
All preppers know the ‘same old addage’, and that being:
“It is better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”
Prepping is like having a spare tire for your life. It’s like having a life jacket in a boat. How is being prepared for an emergency in any way, shape, or form being ‘fringe’?
What kind of person drives without their spare tire or gets in a boat without a life jacket? A moron.
Jan 22, 2012 1:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
11ozman wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
This, of course, completely ignores what is perhaps the greatest underlying concern for those who don’t take the survival of our country for granted: the replacement of our Constitutional government with an oppressive dictatorship/oligarchy. Reuters, of course, is in the tank for the Obama regime and consequently steers the discussion away from the fact that this “prepper” movement has largely developed since the coronation of Obama and has only gained momentum since. Anyone who has not flinched from looking at Obama’s (et al) increasingly obvious disdain for the restraints imposed by the Constitution would eventually come to the conclusion that he is part of a freight train heading towards absolute state control of our property and activity. The most glaring evidence of this trend are the imposition of Obamacare and, more recently, the secretive passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. And those are only the most obvious and recent. I’m sure any “prepper” (another flippant nickname along the lines of “tea baggers”) could cite many more examples.
Jan 22, 2012 2:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
bpmw wrote:
No comments, just statements of fact.
1. Being prepared is never foolish.
2. We are only 9 meals removed from a breakdown of society.
3. The more complex any object (machine, society, economic system), the more likely it is to fail.
4. Anyone who doesn’t believe that all great societies eventually fail is ignoring history and is bound to repeat it.
5. Most great societies collapsed from within – after their government looted the treasury.
6. Keep thinking what you want. If you don’t care enough to purchase the materials and make the preparations to provide for you and your loved ones in a time of need, please don’t think it obligates me to do so.
Jan 22, 2012 2:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
ogobeone wrote:
These prophecies have gone on for millennia and all the world gets is disasters to some people and some areas. Black and white thinkers are fools. Everybody has their own personal disaster eventually. It’s called death. But we all go alone, even if a friend is standing beside you in the same disaster.
Jan 22, 2012 2:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
JeffRosenbury wrote:
Historically the type of chaos the preppers are preparing for is the rule not the exception. Whether it’s war, civil disorder, or natural disaster, being prepared makes sense.
But most survivalist types are crazy loners. Hiding in a cave with guns is a fantasy. Real survival means being prepared to help your neighbors when things go wrong. Joining a community organization, developing social contacts and a useful, specialized skill is a far better survival plan than weapons training and underground bunkers.
The golden rule works as well during disasters as it does in ordinary life.
Jan 22, 2012 2:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
Jeepgirl wrote:
Preppers do not want the end to come. We want a happy stable life with a government that provides us the freedoms under the original constitution. We want a president that obeys the constitution, which is a document with laws that OBAMA does not follow, even though that document is what let OBAMA get where he is.
A happy, free & stable life with a government that does not impose nanny doctrines and decrees, is all we want. That takes a congress and a president that follows the constitution.
What do you want out of life? Is it not the same thing? Or do you want your government to coddle you and bottle feed you?
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
J.Prokhorov wrote:
Instead of random worrying, start thinking. Stop listening to binary locutions. Start observing the real physical environment and real physical people. Observe how much civilization has already been instilled in each one. Observe your local supply chain. Ensure your food, water and electricity supplies are in clear thinking, logical brains and hands. Be in your community as much as is doable per communication constraints given by language, education and intelligence. Rely on brains, which is different from saying ignore emotions since emotions are part of what brains produce. Yeah, something went wrong. At two litres consumption plus more for cleanliness usage per day per person, I observe in Chinese culture, water storage for three to four days seems to be a good practice.
Jan 22, 2012 2:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
LillithGoby wrote:
Ever watch Mad Max? If you have it, they are coming after it from the cities and in gangs. IMO only God can save us-put your preparation there, to survive spiritually and be quick on your feet.
Jan 22, 2012 2:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Landforfools wrote:
FACT: The 99% does not trust this government. Why should they when politicians try to strip our constitutional rights!! It is a fact that presidents come out of office richer than they ever were before- corruption.. politicians come out office richer than they were before, and often cannot explain why- corruption.. Corporations LIE about information, bribery and everything- corruption. Recent legislation has consisted of censoring the internet, searching and arresting without a serch warrant (which became law) out local law inforcement is being equipped military style. All of my tax money is going to things that i dont agree with and i have to pay a higher tax rate than Romney, who gutted companies and sent them into bankrupt. The 1% LIES about the products they create, the loop holes they take to make more money and the chemicals that are used in the process. They dont care about our health, our planet or they soil that we use to farm… and you wonder why we are stocking up on supplies and guns. The US of A is a joke. OUr prisons are overwhelmingly overcongested with minorities-racism. Private prisons now take good jobs and hand them to prisoners that get paid 60 cents per hour, those are supposed to be American jobs- corruption. Boehner is a joke, why does he even get out of bed… and the former house speaker Gingrich, leaving your wife (on 2 seperate occasions) as they get treated for grave illness, just shows the heartless a**holes that we are given to vote on for president. Get it?
Jan 22, 2012 2:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 2:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 2:57pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Hairywall wrote:
Have to agree with RangerDan. If the liberal fascists get a second term in the White House they may very well tip us into collapse and thus bring on their dream of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The fact that the socialist/communist experiments of the last couple of centuries have all ended in misery and abject failure, they just keep coming back. Bringing chaos and murder to the general population, ending in some form of totalitarianism. At that culmination personal preparations won’t really matter, the jackboot will be firmly on everyone’s neck. But in the mayhem leading up to that end game, having reserves of arms, food, and shelter would be helpful.
Jan 22, 2012 3:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
ThaBigPerm wrote:
@e2verne and others for whom the natural reaction to this is to denounce any and all conern for our future as crazy, tin-foil-hattedness, conspiratorial, misinterpreted-Myan-prophecy-clutching, etc, etc…
Let us see… preparing for major economic meltown in developed economies and the social explosion that could result therefrom is lunacy… and buying into merketing-fed hype…
After all, we live in the rock-solid 21st century. Money is paper (and increasingly even better, DIGITAL!), and food comes from the store or drive-through.
Besides, we have a rock-solid government, as well as other governments around the world, who would NEVER let anything like this happen. Since Reuters already regaled us with a tale of kooks prepping for something bad, let’s see what the governments are doing. You know, the non-kooks.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361898/Pentagon-reveal-financial-terrorists-triggered-economic-crash.html
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/army-future-unified-quest/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21053.html
http://publicintelligence.net/vigilant-guard-2010-riot-control-detention-drills/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079184/UK-prepares-emergency-measures-euro-collapse.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917077/Prepare-for-riots-in-euro-collapse-Foreign-Office-warns.html
Jan 22, 2012 3:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
SOS4USA wrote:
IF being a prepared person is kooky and paranoid, then take the jack and spare tire out of your car, you might be a prepper. Take that insurance off your valuables, and your life, or you might look kooky. The FEMA preparedness brochures that were sent out to us by our neighborhood watch captain told us to be prepared to take care of ourselves in case of a natural disaster. Are they kooky?
Jan 22, 2012 3:14pm EST -- Report as abuse
wrote:
The multiple failure modes of complex “systems of systems” are too to vast to enumerate. Past challenges to ‘the system’ came at a slow enough rate to allow gradual adjustments to occur. But current challenges are rushing toward us all at rates far too fast to allow for anything ‘gradual’ to be adequate to meet the threat.
Peak-energy, climate change, global social/political ‘springs’, sunspot cycle peaking with threatened attendant possible catastrophic CME disruption of continent-wide electrical and communications nets, and on & on….
Past natural events show how few people are prepared to live on their own for days or weeks. Drinkable water, food & a means to prepare it, A way to keep, at least a portion of their home, warm, a means to receive news from outside their neighborhood; all during a two week [or longer] lack of grid electricity – are all needs each family should be prepared to meet.
Our universal dependence on electricity and ‘just-in-time inventory control” mean that supply chains run dry in just a day or two when they are disrupted. Witness the ‘bare shelves’ syndrome whenever a hurricane threatens!
Few people have the knowledge, equipment or supplies ON HAND to save the contents of their freezers when it starts to thaw. Few know how to deal with human waste safely when there is no water available. Few have any conceipt of what to do when they need something other than DRIVE to the local store and BUY it.
[Roads blocked? ATMs & CC Machines don't work? Gas stations can't pump gas? Stores bare or closed? WHAT? How could that happen? Somebody HELP ME!!]
When disruptions extend beyond local or state boundaries, help from “outside” will not be available. Each locality and family must cope with supplies and manpower on hand. If the worst happens, that could include growing next years food from seeds, livestocks and land available locally.
Natural disasters, terrorists attacks [perhaps not too likely, but still possible], financial system collapse, even political system collapse leading to civil conflict are all possible causes of a need for individual autonomy in supplying ones needs.
Assuming life will always proceed in the future, as it has in the past, can easily prove fatal to the unprepared.
The choice is there: either be prepared to give up and die, or be prepared to forge through on your own, with your own knowledge, supplies and energy.
Even WITH individual preparedness, neighborhood and community cooperation will be vital for success. So true preparation must involve advance contact and planning for such coordination and cooperation.
May the Force be with you,
Wynn
Jan 22, 2012 3:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
julianpenrod wrote:
A characteristic of all who display craven absorption with self preservation, in all its forms, even that of scrabbling after everything that isn’t nailed down during otherwise lush times, is a deonstrated lack of faith in God. The fact is, many people seem willing to bleat a belief in God, but few actually show faith in His intercession. Many say that it’s because they saw many who were not benefited by God, but they carefully leave out whether those individuals deserved God’s favor! If God approves of you, He won’t allow you to be harmed. If you are promoting His plan, He won’t even allow yu to die. That’s why the rich, with all their craven acquisitiveness, don’t show the fear of death that malingerers like they would show. Bu providing a force for those who have acted decently to work against and improve themselves, even the craven corporate rich are helping in God’s plan. But the fact is that many have just tossed out acting in a way that promotes God’s wish for humanity. And, in fact, all the disasters of the past decade at least express His displeasure, if not outright anger. Tornaodes occurring where they were unknown, like Brooklyn; a fault bigger than San Andreas being announced along the Eastern Seaboard; an anomalous earthquake on the fault, affecting, among others, Wahington, D.C.; bees disapparing, threatening crops; a tidal wave of unprecedented proportions; the worst hurricane season on record; earthquakes being seen where they were previously unknown, like Ohio, and, where they were known, occurring in never before seen clusters; supervolcanoes forming beneath Mt. St. Helens and Yellowstone National Park; a bridge evaporating in Minnesota; a two football field long crack in the ground suddenly appearing in Michigan; family extermination murders on the rise; food poisoning outbreaks becoming a regular occurrence; diseases no ever ever heard of suddenly appearing; a giant steam main exploding in New York City; cranes at work sites collapsing regularly; bus crashes in unprecedented numbers; an electric art starting up on its own and crashing into a crowd. Even things that are described as man made, like the weird weather, the New World Order fabricated events of September 11 or the “sub prime” economic collapse would not have been allowed by God to happen if He wasn’t so enraged. Even the number of meteroite falls is a hundred times what it was only a few decades ago. No amount of survivalist style preparation will protect someone if God is truly angered by their actions. And, if they think that trying to sidestep God’s punishment is going to improve their standing in His sight, they should think twice.
Jan 22, 2012 3:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
MikeAreno wrote:
Collapse doesn’t have to happen
No Obama…….No Collapse
Jan 22, 2012 3:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
Funny stuff, just reminds one of how nuts people can be. Few things that stand out form this thread, the normal Obama is a socialist(people really need to learn the definition of Socialist before using it) out to destroy our economy, can we please get more bluster unsupported by facts people. People saying the NDAA is ‘Obama’s law’ is just plain BS, the facts are the GOP stuck it in the defense authorization bill, knowing that Obama could not veto, you need to read Obama’s signing statement, where it said his Admin will never enforce the law. One guy said the Pac NW is due for 10+ earthquake, not true it may be due for a 9.0 on the order of the Japan earthquake, but that ALOT different then a 10.0, think someone has watched 2012 a bit too much.
Anyhow all that being said, it is only smart to be prepared for some kind of natural disaster. But the people that believe in these doom and gloom theories with regards to “socialist Obama destroying the economy”, the second coming of Jesus Christ, or terrorism are just plain nuts.
Jan 22, 2012 3:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
LOL, leave up to the mainstream media to get it wrong AGAIN!!1 We are not afraid of no government, in fact many relish it (a return to a small government would be great for most of us) Pathetic and sickening that you statists think our well being dpeneds on a government. We prep because we see how a corrupt and overspending government, and a puch towards a “New “world Order” is going to bring about the collapse of our society as we know it, for a while.
Jan 22, 2012 3:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
I fantasize not about the world ending, but all you idiotic naysayers showing up at my door looking for handouts if and when things get bad, (not ending). I will have no problem letting the door hit you in the a$$.
Jan 22, 2012 3:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
Don’t prep, you’ll help thin the herd out some.
Jan 22, 2012 4:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
TheOutlawX wrote:
Just another “those people are crazy stories.” You know, don’t worry about that here’s the new iPhone story
Jan 22, 2012 4:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
rider237 wrote:
i was talking to a relative in another country. we were joking that people are “nesting”. it’s not just us. all around the world there is a feeling that something is about to tip.
if nothing happens, we have lost nothing by being prepared. if something does happen….don’t come to me looking for “stuff”. :-)
Jan 22, 2012 4:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
NukerDoggie wrote:
@USAPragmatist: The financial/economic collapse IS coming, attendant with all the social disorder you can imagine, but it matters little what political party is in the White House – both parties are shoving us toward disaster.
Our economy is massively over-developed, in debt and primed for the Big Collapse. The crash of 2008 and the Euroland earthquake that began in early August of 2011 are just advance tremors. Anyone who can’t discern these facts is an ‘ostrich’ with his head in the sand.
All these preppers are going to get a very rude awakening, though. Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer. If the military doesn’t raid the preppers then their hungry neighbors will. You guys can’t stand up to those kinds of forces for long. I’m all in favor of making reasonable preps for disasters, but when you carry it to such extremes you make yourselves targets. Not smart.
Jan 22, 2012 4:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
sfmercurius wrote:
Well,these people may make it a week or so, but eventually the trouble will find them. There won’t be enough bullets or concrete to keep it away.
Jan 22, 2012 4:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
How can an article about people preparing for the end of society not even mention Barack Hussein Obama? Whether or not you think he’s destined to cause the end of America is irrelevant. The people who are taking preparation measures think Obama is causing the events that are going to bring about the subject of the article. Boy, the media will do anything to even write one sentence about Obama that could be interpreted as negative by even one person.
Jan 22, 2012 4:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
MoReport wrote:
The Preppers may be right for the wrong reason;
Modern society is far more fragile than at any
time in the past, subject to massive mortality
given even a one week interruption in the flow
of necessities; The ability to survive without
resupply for a month could keep one alive, and
available to participate in the recovery of a
much smaller USofA.
Jan 22, 2012 4:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
strikezone wrote:
It appears that you are referring to William Miller rather than Joseph Miller?
Jan 22, 2012 4:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
John2244 wrote:
Statistically speaking, Preppers have no chance; if you believe society is going against your way and try to arm/store your way out of a crisis then you’ll end up getting overrun by the majority. Theres never been a historical case otherwise.
Through my marriage I have two different sets of ancestors that lived for centuries in a land where a crisis occurred; Jewish family in Austria and Sikh family in Pakistan. Both families have stories of people who saved food and guns and built a fort to protect themselves….they got killed. We also have relatives that saw the crisis coming and did what most normal people do – started buying property in other places, opening up accounts elsewhere, converting cash to gold, making business deals to diversify into other areas, and acquiring second citizenship. On both sides the survivors were always the ones that were financially savy in the world not the ones with guns – let me repeat – they all died.
I myself as an American also fear a collapse but I do what many Americans do – diversify into economies with growth, a young population base and low government debt. We are not preppers, because we dont believe in 2 day meltdown… we believe in long term decline which really shouldn’t impact are lives but later are creating options for our kids like are forefathers did – just in case.
Jan 22, 2012 5:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
DonQuixokie wrote:
I suspect the end is a near as the next Republican Administration. Republicans refuse to acknowledge Bush/Cheney and their policies role in the Wallstreet melt-down, housing crisis (which continues unabated,) the costs of the Bush era tax cuts and the Bush Wars.
Romney wants to double down on everything that Bush and Cheney did that was so disasterous for our nation and economy.
Santorum wants to do all of the same + bonsai our proud nation into the Christian equivalent of Iran…turn us into a Christofascist sharia nation. Both Santorum and Romney want to push for war in Iran, but neither has yet said just how they will pay for it.
Ron Paul, from a distance, looks sane. Until you squint. His past statements from his newsletter are racially odious, and his belief in personal freedom does not extend to a woman’s right to reproductive freedom. Worse, his foreign policy presents a genuine threat to our national security. His plans to cripple the federal govt lays open the real possibility of actually dissolving it…Balkanizing the United States into seperate individual nations who would then fight over natural resources while being hegemonized by corporations.
Let’s get real. Obama will win this election, and our nation will limp its way out of recession. And democrats will problably win 2016. But Republicans WILL take the White House at some point. The question is will our nation have recovered enough from the last galloping parade of corrupt criminality to survive another one. Not for another 20 years at least.
Jan 22, 2012 5:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
@nukerdoggie. Please give one shred of CREDIBLE evidence that “Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer.” ? You are the exact type I was talking about, unsubstantiated hysteria. There is ZERO reason that there is going to be any martial law in this country in the foreseeable future. Your type has always been around, but one of the side effects of the connectivity of the Internet is that a VERY small minority can make it seem like there are more of them due to being vocal. Just like the paulites, not many but sure are noisy.
Jan 22, 2012 5:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@nukerdoggie- yeah, that’s why preppers don’t advertise. As for making ourselves “targets”, if you don’t advertise, you don’t become targets. Preppers aren’t mindless pack rats.
Jan 22, 2012 5:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@sfmercurius- so what do you suggest? Lay down and accept the inevitable? Better a week meals than not.
Jan 22, 2012 5:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
RichardGC wrote:
We can solve so many problems by minding our own business. What do we care if other people prepare for something we do not believe will happen? What do we care if others believe our government is corrupt and not to be trusted? Treat them like another religion. No, I do not believe I will be “raptured” into heaven. If you get raptured into heaven, have fun! No, I do not believe in genital mutilation of children, male or female. Those who do are none of my business. No, I do not take sides in the many religious wars and conflicts all over the world. I wish everyone well and ask only to live my life unmolested. I do support Ron Paul, but if you do not, fine. I do not care one way or the other about Israel or Palestine; if you do, good for you. Feel free to send your money and your children to either side. Not my problem! If you love Britain, fine; I do not care one way or the other, even though many of my ancestors lived there. Some Americans are such Anglophiles that they even learn to talk with a fake accent. Fine; enjoy! I want to trade with and visit other countries but I do not want my country to accept responsibility for them. STOP being a busybody.
Jan 22, 2012 6:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ian1 wrote:
I am no ‘Prepper’, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared.
That being said I do expect a complete global derivative economic meltdown. We’ve been experiencing it for years, right before your eyes. I believe 2008 is just a ‘ripple’ in a pond compared to what is about to happen. This is just my speculation, however King Dollar is being phased out as we speak. What we are witnessing is the rise of Eastern Civilization and the Fall of the West.
The Dollar hegemony is over, when we lose the Petro-Dollar status (China has made SEVERAL strategic moves, both financially and militarily) is when the proverbial you know what will hit the fan…yes we will see martial law in the streets of America. Again just my speculation, but the Dollar is being challenged.
Good luck.
Jan 22, 2012 6:03pm EST -- Report as abuse
Newmexicoprepp wrote:
Ok so for all those who wish not to be prepared just in case… I bet you have no health insurance or a first aid kit or even a fire extinguisher because if you do your prepared for something that may or may not happen also. Simple people make me laugh. Prepping is the same people , It is about being able to feed and protect in case of an emergency.
Jan 22, 2012 6:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
AlfredReaud wrote:
“When seconds count, authorities are minutes away.”
Don’t know who wrote that, but it’s true all over. Also don’t know who came up with that silly term “prepper”. I have the knowledge I need to survive in the event of societal collapse because it’s part of camping and fishing and outdoors-craft. I don’t have to be around y’all. I can head “out back” and disappear.
Personally, I never looked at it as prepping for anything but being ready. Am I paranoid about society collapsing? No. Societies have collapsed many times in history.
When the “Changes” come, those that live by the gun will die by the gun, and those that cooperate will survive. Having a gun doesn’t guarantee survival, when the best recourse is to not fight and help each other. Everybody should watch “2012″. And think about what the Georgia Guidestones says about the optimum world population being 500,000,000 people.
Jan 22, 2012 6:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
botflyguy wrote:
I live north of New Orleans about 45 minutes. After Katrina hit, we were without power for about 8 days. I went to a Walmart near us after a couple of days because I heard they had power. There were National Guard soldiers outside regulating how many people could enter. Had to wait for people to exit before more were let in. I got in after awhile and the first area you normally see, the bread and produce section, was only empty bins and bare shelves. It was eerie, like an apocalyptic movie. The rest of the store (grocery part) wasn’t much better. I see the ads for ‘food insurance’ and don’t think that’s such a kooky idea anymore.
Jan 22, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
punkster023 wrote:
It must be exhausting to live your one life in fear and paranoia. I feel sorry for these people who constantly stress and “prep” instead of enjoy and live. I guess its possible that any one of these disasters could happen, but I’m going to have as much fun as I can before it does. I urge the rest of you to do the same. :)
Jan 22, 2012 7:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
scorchedearth wrote:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have. I guess nobody has been paying attention to the increased frequency of Public service announcements espousing the point of having extra fresh water and a family emergency plan in place. I Don’t know if anything is going to happen and I hope it never does but…
Jan 22, 2012 8:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
LobaAzul wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.” WRONG!!!!! Most preppers want far less government because they realize government cannot be depended upon to provide solutions. Government IS the problem.
Jan 22, 2012 8:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
With seven billion of us now on the planet, it’s only a matter of time before Nature does something to severely cull our numbers. No amount of disaster preparedness is going to help significantly.
Jan 22, 2012 8:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re no after you. Think about it.
Jan 22, 2012 8:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
just1of99prcnt wrote:
Sounds like some of you people never saw news coverage of rioting in L.A. and how uncivilized people can become in such a short period time over nothing. I can imagine what would happen if something really bad happened. I personally do not think staying in one spot and trying to defend it is that great of an idea. As soon as you help your neighbor the rest will be at your front door wanting the same. I hope nothing that bad ever happens but I certainly don’t blame people for being prepared. I don’t store food and water but I am armed and capable of surviving off the land and not too far from 4 legged transportation. First thing I will do is get away from the rest of you. Half of you will go crazy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Prepped wrote:
It is often said that anarchy begins after the ninth missed meal. Given the precipice the world finds itself on today, like the prospect of peak oil, war with Iran or worse, China, economic destruction from un-repayable debt, earthquakes and other natural disasters, it only makes sense to prepare and not become a burden to others or find it necessary to steal or worse, kill for the prepared person’s supplies…
Jan 22, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
What disturbs me most about this subculture is they are, for the most part, being led by a quitter. James Wesley Rawles was an Army captain before resigning his commission upon the election of President Clinton. If Captain Rawles was unable to follow the orders of his Commander-in-Chief in the defense of his country, how would have it had possible to lead his men into battle to defend America? Clearly, the man lacks the leadership to lead anyone anywhere. But in these uncertain times, this coward has taken it upon himself to lead others. Shame on him, and pity upon those who chose to follow this man’s questionable thinking.
Jan 22, 2012 9:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Dantes wrote:
Subculture. Heh.
Millions of people in this subculture.
As for those on this board who think they will be able to just pluck the fruits of our labor…
Molon labe.
Jan 22, 2012 9:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
skaven44 wrote:
Being Prepared should not be considered a Sub-Culture lol
It’s far better to “have it when you need it, than to need it and not have it”…that’s my belief.
People need to play the “what if” game in their heads and actually take some time and think, how would I provide some/all of my basic day to day needs in the event of a catastrophe be it economic or natural.
Too many will find themselves in truly dire circumstances if an emergency strikes.
Better to of thought about it some and prepared as best as possible…certainly better than the alternative imo
Jan 22, 2012 9:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveJ1948 wrote:
There is nothing like being prepared but you can take it a little far. I know people who still have beans and rice from the Y2K era.
Jan 22, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Coldwarrior1984 wrote:
According to the Comptroller of the Currency (Treasury Dept.) U.S. commercial banks hold $248 TRILLION in unregulated derivatives. I think there’s only about $70 Trillion in currency in the entire world. Think about that for a moment. The 5 year (so far) economic crisis we have been in and that is disolving the European Union was caused by derivatives that were made of bundled bad mortgages that had been rated as AAA+ and then shorted by the folks selling them. NOTHING has changed systemically to prevent another crash. What has changed is that we are now over $15 Trillion in debt and going further into debt every year by more than a Trillion dollars. But hey, if you wan’t to see the glass as half full, who am I to disagree?
Jan 22, 2012 10:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
CountryGurl wrote:
I am sitting here in my nice warm farmhouse; the woodstove is fired up against the snow. I just had a supper of all homegrown items – a stew made from the steer we butchered this October, canned and fresh vegetables from the garden. Breakfast was a bartered-for neighbor’s-pig sausage, homeraised eggs, homemade butter and cheese. This spring I am putting in over 100 fruit trees and starting my own beehive; the cows have already started calving.
I have been working towards self-sufficiency all my life; at 10 I had my own vegetable garden, as a young mother I made my own baby food, as a mother of teens I taught them to grow and shuck corn,raise vegetables, butcher a wildkill.I have always canned and dehydrated my own produce, learned to make my own soap, can sew a pair of pants, a pair of curtains, or a quilt by hand.
We do not “live in fear” we live quite happily and comfortably, eat well, raise our animals and produce, kill the occasional wild turkey or deer and make everything from canned turkey to beef jerky. We grow heirloom plants and collect the seeds to replant every year.I render my own lard from pig fat – makes excellent piecrusts and fries the river-caught bass and trout.
If a tornado comes thru, we have food stored in a safe room in our basement. If an EMP occurs, we have lamps that burn fat, a reliable horse if we need her. Winter blizzards are no problem – the deadfalls alone here provide plenty of wood for the wood stove, and I can cook on it too. I’ll miss the Internet and a few things, but we will eat well and be self-sufficient. If another Depression comes, we’re far enough away from ‘civilization’ to not worry about folks coming out this far – we have neighbors with whom we trade and barter – and we all open-carry, too. If something happens, we’ll be fine. If nothing happens, we’ll still be fine, and do what we are doing – because it is healthier, gives us satisfaction, and makes us happy.
I have never heard of these so-called ‘bibles’ and prepper-leaders, and wouldn’t waste my money or time on them if I had. During the Y2K scare, I operated a free blog and chat room telling people how to be self-sufficient; didn’t try to sell them a thing and wouldn’t do it now. Self sufficiency to us doesn’t mean we are huddled in our basement in terror, but rather that we live a life free of Frankenfoods, out in the sunshine and the snow, loving life and living it to the fullest.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 10:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
westcoastsailor wrote:
Are we preppers?
My wife and I chose to disconnect from the matrix about 5 years ago, just before the real estate crash. We sold up and now make our home aboard a self sufficient 50′ motorsailor. We’re somewhere in the 1000s of islands and fjords on the Canadian coast between Washington and Alaska. We’ve got some silver dollars stashed on board, 1000 gal of fuel, 1000 gal of water, 10 months of food staples, otherwise, don’t have anything to do with banks and stay below radar. We’re both skilled with our hands, and do just fine picking up a bit of work here and there. The key is our cost of living is so low, most people pay more for their monthly fitness club than we spend per month. Native peoples thrived while living off these waters for thousands of years, we are too, as they said “the tide goes out and the table is set”. Shit can hit the fan, as it probably will, we’ll hear about it over the ham or ssb, then I’ll go pull up the crab traps for dinner.
Jan 22, 2012 10:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
maxgomez wrote:
What’s the connection between these people and the hippies in communes? Your own story says these preppers may be living next door — which obviously isn’t in a commune separated from society.
Jan 22, 2012 10:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
YouLikeRonPaul2 wrote:
e2verne – a shot at Ron Paul, really? The guy perfectly predicted the 2008 housing bubble collapse in 2002. He tried for six years to get the rest of Congress to listen. If there was ANYONE worth listening to . . . jeesh! Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDisyWkIBM
I’ll tell ya’ll what, I’m into prepping. Do any of you carry car, home or health insurance? Prepping is just day-to-day living insurance.
It blows my mind how some people get so bent about somebody’s private beliefs. It does not affect you nor infringe on your rights. That’s part of the problem with our country as of late, nobody can MYOFB.
When we had Hurricane Irene come to town, I took my kids on a “social studies” sight seeing tour down past our local WalMart and grocery store so they could see what it was like for people who did not have any “preps”. Then we went home, had a barbecue and woke up the next morning with our lights on and food and water a plenty.
For those who think prepping is being fearful or a waste of time and money, drop your car, health and homeowner’s insurances. Don’t be afraid – just “let life happen!”
Jan 22, 2012 10:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
deowll wrote:
There is always a risk of being off the grid but the biggest threat is the economy. Anyone can see what is going on in Europe. Our debt is growing past the point anyone can bring the situation under control and we are utterly dependent on foreign fuel and we are utterly dependent on imports.
New York Life warned customers not to send it to much money to invest. Metro Nashville had to pay banks to take multimillion dollar deposits.The banks aren’t offering anyone a reasonable rate off return on anything. It’s just a matter of time and we are only going to be able to do limited amounts of foreign trade backed up by whatever reserves of foreign cash we have and our gold reserves because our currency will be worthless. That isn’t going to allow most people to drive…
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links.
I’m not a kook, but I am well armed, have food stored, and a safe place to go. Most of all, I have an attitude of survival at all cost. It would take a matter of minutes during a big upheaval for the most doscile people to become raving lunatics.
Jan 21, 2012
Sueque wrote:
I actually moved to Maine to prepare for Y2K. When the federal government set up a center to monitor the anticipated disaster that was the last straw. Now in retrospect I see that the people who perpetuated this idea of world collapse made a LOT of money on speaking engagements, books, selling supplies, and promoting whatever they could in order to sell anything related to the impending disaster. Then they moved on when it didn’t happen. Rich from their endeavors. They knew it wouldn’t hurt anyone, just part them from their money, so they had no qualms engaging in the fraud. Same thing now.
Jan 21, 2012 12:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
e2verne wrote:
Apparently I am the first reader to find this article worthy of comment. I have to say these folks are NOT like “hippies in the 60s; they are, however, like the doom people from the 50′s building bomb shelters in their backyard to preserve themselves from an atomic bomb blast. The doom sayers were preposterous in their thinking- it was highly unlikely their “shelters” would have survived a direct blast, and even more unlikely these folks would have survived the resultant radiation. The “preppers” are not giving their neighbors credit. If all civilization breaks down, these folks will be swept away precisely because their neighbors will know they have supplies. Humans are mentally and physiologically created to survive- whatever the cost. But this is all nonsense. I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground. I guess ‘thank you, Ron Paul, for undermining the country’s belief in itself.
Jan 21, 2012 12:19pm EST -- Report as abuse
Tommorow wrote:
Subculture! goodness makes this prepper feel subhuman reading accounts comparing me to the 1960s hippies who only wanted a hand out instead of a hand up. We prep because we are not dependant on the Government to provide that hand out. We choose to live as our parents and Grandparents did in order to prepare for a economic collapse brought about i might add by those who are corrupt not only in our Government but in our media. I for one do not need the socialist crap you in the media and the Government dish out. I prepare for any and all disasters in this unstable world and if that makes me part of a subculture then those who do not must be as blind and willing to follow as those Zombies we are so fond of comparing them to. IF those in Sarajevo had prepared then there may have been less graves dug in the center of the Olymoic stadium. And if the Sheeple of New Orleans had been better prepared instead of waiting for the Government to come save them.they also may have lived… there are millions and millions of us..you can call us AMERICANS.
Jan 21, 2012 1:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ralphooo wrote:
I once bought a year’s supply of dried foods. Time passed, gasoline prices started going down, and eventually I decided I had to eat it all or have it go bad. The stuff is good for two or three years.
I very quickly became sick of many, many meals of a thick packet they called “beef stroganoff.”
Yuck! Never again.
Jan 21, 2012 2:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
philbutrin wrote:
just for the record, the mayan calendar does NOT predict doom this december. that’s a popular fallacy. the calendar actually predicts that 12/21/12 will be the end of the current cycle of civilization, and the beginning of the next. rather than doomsday, their writings point to it being an important point in mankind’s evolution and not its destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 2:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
JWBAIM wrote:
Preppers, we are normal everyday folk who are prepared for disaster small or large but never wishing for it. We have large stocks of food water and defense. This is a lot like our pioneer forefathers.
Because society has conditioned us to rely on the daily supply to the grocery store and other stores, we have become less self sufficient. Most folks can’t even grow there own food on a small scale.
We just don’t want to be left to the wolves or become the wolves in a bad situation. I buy car insurance, but I never plan on having a crash. Just sayin.
Jan 21, 2012 3:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
DarylN wrote:
Wow….how do I get into the money making scam of selling army surplus to the “preppers.” I kind of feel bad for them, people are taking advantage, and stoking, their over-amped fears of apocalypse.
Jan 21, 2012 3:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
AZWarrior wrote:
There was a time I would have chuckled at the article, but with this government and world economy, I’m not laughing. “Oh fiddley dee, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Scarlet
Jan 21, 2012 5:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
starkrayz wrote:
A lot of fear-mongering going on. An educated person understands the economy, trade and national relations shift thru the decades. There’s no problem with stockpiling a few weeks of food and water (and cash) for the unexpected disaster. But this end-of-the-world ranting is just plain silly. Jeez, we could get hit by an asteroid for all we know. These “preppers” living in fear is just sad.
Jan 21, 2012 6:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
neiman1 wrote:
It isn’t just rural folk in Tennessee. Many with wealth are accumulating gold as an investment. Everyone is buying weapons. Most are making sure they have a supply of food staples, even if they tell their family its for a cushion against a weather disaster. People are uneasy and preparing for much worse times and a breakdown of the social fabric. Riots would surprise almost no one.
Jan 21, 2012 6:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Libslayer666 wrote:
It really isn’t very smart to go to the trouble of preparing for anarchy and social collapse and then tell everyone what you have. Believe me, if and when the time comes, there will be those that will come and take it from you. Don’t be stupid and keep it a secret. It would also be a plus to surround yourself with like-minded folks you trust and together you will be able to protect your loved ones from the degenerates and reprobates on the prowl.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Pointfinder wrote:
Read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” If society collapses, a stack of canned goods doesn’t mean much. You’re going to need ammunition, tough friends, and lots of luck.
Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stonehillady wrote:
Look If you were a Greek right now & your income was decreased by the 30% they are dealing with now, if they had provisions, they could at least eat ! People realize the Numbers don’t add up. There is no Trillions coming down from heaven to bailout the world from the criminals that compounded interest & credit Default Swapped us to death. The Elite want to depopulate the world as said by James Wolfensohn from the World Bank to Stanford U & said the Eastern World is where the wealth will go & the western world will NOT be as it any more……So be ready for what the powers that be will do !
Jan 21, 2012 6:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
JoeThePumpernel wrote:
@e2verne
You don’t have a clue that the currency is about to collapse, do you?
You think just because you can bury yourself in credit card debt and survive, nations can too?
Jan 21, 2012 6:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
hartley8184 wrote:
E2Verne,
Anyone who thinks that “this can’t happen in America” is naive at best. America came within a hairsbreadth of thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union in 1963. The only thing that saved us was the sanity of two leaders who decided they didn’t want to bear the guilt of blowing up the world. There is absolutely NOTHING that seperates you from the Middle Ages except those power lines outside your window, and the oil tankers that crisscross the Atlantic.
I don’t necessarily agree with the Preppers. But I don’t see your point of view either. If the US goes down, there won’t be any safe place to live in this hemisphere. But, at least they’ll be able to hold out longer than somebody like you will.
E2Verne, wake up and realize you aren’t living in Disneyland any longer.
Jan 21, 2012 6:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
I find this trend interesting in light of the popularity of Austrian economics on the right. Austrian economists say that nobody knows how to make a pencil in his home workshop, for example, because the knowledge and skills for making pencils lie dispersed throughout the world. The market, through the price mechanism, coordinates all this knowledge and these skills to produce pencils so that we can buy a package of them at the corner drug store for pocket change. The prepper world view says that this system will break down suddenly so that we have to make pencils, and everything else we’ll need, at home despite the fact that we simply don’t know how to do these things.
Jan 21, 2012 7:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
roccotool wrote:
When you’ve got unemployment higher than the cooked numbers, nobody can find a job, a Regime that wants to control banks and insurance companies, an economy that is getting worse with no end in sight, and a country that is headed the same way as Greece and Italy, it’s no wonder a society feels pessimistic. The sad part is many want to vote this Regime back in.
Jan 21, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Chaylon wrote:
Of course, anything can happen. But the government cannot continue to spend our future like it does. At some point the party will be over and we are right to think it’s soon. I just dont think it has to mean the “end of the world as we know it”. Probably just a sad slide into mediocrity like the rest of the worlds nations. So long land of the free, home of the brave.
Jan 21, 2012 7:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
georgelcsmith wrote:
Everyone should be prepared to survive for a few days in an emergency. We shouldn’t need to rush to the store to stock up in anticipation of a weather emergency, because stores only have a few days of supplies on hand. The question is whether we need to be prepared for a long-term breakdown in the supply of necessities. Before our current President, I would have gambled on sufficient supplies, but I an no longer certain.
Jan 21, 2012 7:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
margi wrote:
When you have a president that labels disagreeing American citizens as “enemies” you know there is trouble ahead. Couple that with Homeland Security’s unConstitutional intrusions into our lives, the destruction of the Bill of Rights with obama’s latest law, and tyranny through obama regulations, what do you think is going to happen?
What is obama’s self-described “million (man) well-armed civilian army” for? Many believe it is to attack American citizens, just as Clinton and Reno at Waco only on a much more comprehensive, pervasive scale.
Liberals with weapons are VERY dangerous to individual liberties.
Jan 21, 2012 7:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
sgbarnes wrote:
It is not just major upheavals that prompts us to prepare. It is also life’s little surprises like losing a job, a divorce etc. When my son divorced last year I was able to go to my stockpile to give him things to set up his new home. The most likely disturbances are going to be personal and/or local. Remember how long it took to get help to New Orleans. The government won’t be around for several days. We need, at least, to be prepared to make it for a week without help.
Jan 21, 2012 7:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
Things just cannot continue down their current path without America being destroyed and our society collapsing. There comes a point where you can’t print more money (or quantitative easy as the democrats like to spin it) and charge reckless spending on a credit card.
This is the scariest time in my lifetime. This is MUCH scarier than the cold war with Russia. We have a ridiculous debt owed to a country that hates us and wants to see us destroyed. We have 15-20 million people illegally in the country who believe the US belongs to Mexico. We have an incompetent, unqualified president that has a chip on his shoulder.
Even scarier is that there’s a huge percentage of the population who have been duped into thinking someone George W Bush caused the crisis rather than Fanny, Freddie, and Glass-Steagle. Those same idiot don’t realize that if we confiscated every dollar that rich people have and taxed them at 100%, it wouldn’t even make a dent in the real issues.
As soon as I get myself out of debt, I’m going to do all the preparation steps that others are doing. If Obama gets re-elected in 2013, collapse is inevitable (and desired by the Francis Fox Piven crowd). The current path is crashing fast and Obama is trying to take us even further down the path of destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
thirdeye wrote:
Uhhh-don’t think you need to be too concerned about the lights and next weeks dinner in the event of World War 3. A little lipstick and a mirror might be more worthwhile.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
mnehrling wrote:
I love how these articles always focus on the fringe, the ‘end of the world as we know it types’, however, most ‘preppers’ I know are simply people who want to be self-reliant. If one looks at history, almost every generation has faced something where some sort of preparation was the difference between surviving or not, or simply barely getting by or thriving. Think about the Great Depression, WWII with its rationing, Katrina, the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami, tornadoes that take out power to entire towns for weeks, almost every hurricane or blizzard event, etc. A little preparation is beneficial. In these type of events, wouldn’t you rather know you have a stock of food to feed your family for a few weeks or more versus wait in line at some Red Cross or FEMA shelter in the hopes the government will have something left for you?
Jan 21, 2012 7:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
books4me wrote:
Argentina 2001
Jan 21, 2012 7:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
Parker1227 wrote:
Anyone who doesn’t keep at least a couple of weeks worth of extra food and water (or a good water filtering device), in case of emergency is a fool.
Earthquakes, and floods, and storms, and epidemics (and even wars) do happen.
The coastal area of the Pacific NW is due for a 10+ magnitude quake.
As we saw with hurricane Katrina, when thousands of square miles are impacted by disaster – it takes weeks for the government to get help to everyone.
Jan 21, 2012 7:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
espaceman wrote:
Just finished reading what an EMP would do to this country. I wonder why the U.S. Congress said that every American should read this book “One Second After” and the media ignored this? Folks… this is real and those who ignore are going to be placed into a very bad situation.
Jan 21, 2012 7:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cartman wrote:
Funny the people pitying us “preppers” (I’ve never heard that term before this article – sounds lame) as sad and pathetic. There is simply nothing wrong with having a stocked pantry, loaded weapons, and mucho gallons of fresh water on hand. We don’t need a third world war or a zombie apocalypse to justify what might be down the road. If I was fired from my job tomorrow that would qualify as an apocalypse to my household. It’s nice knowing we can shop for food straight from our pantry for quite some time in that instance. We save money for the future, for the unforeseen, and no one balks at that notion. It’s responsible. Same with storing food and water – you just never know. Rule 1, though, is not telling neighbors about your stores. They’ll inevitably come calling and, well, I’m not saving for them. Only downside is beer doesn’t keep as long – so drinking through the Guinness on hand to keep up with the fresh ones is a great problem to have.
Jan 21, 2012 7:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
WyoDutch wrote:
I “prep” for the same reason I buy insurance on my property.
I “prep” because I never want to shuffle along in line for a chunk of government cheese and a bag of flour.
I “prep” because I am responsible for my familys well being.
I “prep” because I am wise.
.
Jan 21, 2012 7:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
conversionvan wrote:
In response to e2verne’s comment “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground” tell that to those who lived through Katrina. However the bigger picture here is that these people are taking more responsibility for the lives and that is exactly what America needs. Less reliance on systems we can’t controll and more reliance on ourselves. The fact that this concept is odd, is one of the major reasons that our governments, big businesses, and environment are all failing.
Jan 21, 2012 7:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
citizenserf wrote:
Think of every obnoxious neighbor, every unstable personality, every menacing group of teenagers you’ve ever encountered in line at a shopping center, movie theater or public space. Now imagine if they went to the supermarket to find empty shelves and the police are nowhere to be found. Do any of you who do NOT own a gun think those people will respect you or your family or your property in any way? If you dismiss these preppers as kooks and paranoids, that’s YOUR problem. If you have complete confidence in this country’s monetary system, fiscal policies and the responsiveness of public safety agencies, that’s YOUR problem. If you wish to be on the other side of Pascal’s Wager, that’s YOUR problem.
Come to think of it, Ms. Tegeler shouldn’t have given her real name because in a break down of law and order, people like her could be subject to anti-hoarding orders by desperate neighbors and rogue authorities.
Jan 21, 2012 7:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
No mention of AGW alarmists. Aren’t they predicting and regulating us on so called predictions of melting glaciers, sea rise, etc. etc. Why no mention of that? hmm well wouldn’t want to make the AGW believers look like kooks?
Jan 21, 2012 7:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
here in earthquake prone CA the powers that be advise being preperared for disaster. Store food, water, etc, flashligts, radio. Even my kids were taking a bag with supplies to last three days. What’s kookie about that.
Jan 21, 2012 7:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
2ndAmendment wrote:
With this administration we are going into debt to the tune of 1.5 Trillion a year. We have printed approximately 1 trillion in money called Quantitative Easing 1 & 2 and now the Feds are proposing printing another Trillion in play money. Why more money printing you ask? Well things aren’t looking so good economy wise and if the anointed one wants to have a chance at re-election he must hide our economic troubles until after the election. The Fed will pump another Trillion into the markets as required to get past the election. What happens after November will just have to be a surprise. The sad part is it looks like that is when our worst fears play out and hence the “Preppers”. I for one do not think preparing for a natural disaster, man caused disaster, civil unrest or even economic ruin is unreasonable. All it takes is a modest earthquake to bring modern society to its knees. The concept is “at least I tried to due something to prepare for a contingency of things beyond my control”.
Jan 21, 2012 7:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
LtScrounge wrote:
The Motto for the Boy Scouts is “Be Prepared”. The US Federal Emergency Management Administration says that individuals should have AT LEAST 4 days worth of food, water and medicine as well as flashlights, batteries, heat sources, radios for news and weather reports, etc etc etc. Wouldn’t that type of planning been more than a little beneficial to those living in New Orleans during Katrina and the aftermath thereof? How many times have some rural (and in some cases not so rural) areas lost power due to storms, often for days or weeks at a time? A BBC documentary concluded that chaos would break out in Britain if the food deliveries to the major cities were stopped for only a few days. With the riots and looting that occurred in Britain this past summer and Los Angeles in 1991 which would you rather be, the unarmed guys who watched their family owned businesses burn to the ground, or the ones standing on the roof with rifles and shotguns protecting their businesses? Most “preppers” look at what has gone on throughout history and say “Hey, I don’t want to be the person sitting in the dark, hungry and afraid waiting for someone to come help who might never make it.” As for the neighbors grabbing a prepper’s supplies when things go south, that’s a possibility, but unlikely considering most preppers not only prepare to feed and clothe themselves in an emergency, but also to protect themselves as well. Most thieves and thugs find the idea of being punched full of bullet holes less than desirable.
Jan 21, 2012 8:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
invicta1 wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
You have got to be kidding me? “Preppers” are probably more concerned about an out of control government more than anything else. All of the other end of the world scenarios such as economic collapse will be in response to the governments actions. The government is the biggest threat to the American way of life especially when you have people like Obama and Napolitano in postions of power with virtually no oversight. Congress and the Senate would not dare challenge Napolitano. She is today’s J. Edgar Hoover. There is no telling how much dirt she has on our politicians. This would be a laughable article if it were not so serious. No government worries……..LOL!
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
mpoconnor7 wrote:
I don’t think it is a bad idea to stock up; I have stocked up on food and weapons and have a water purification system. If there is any economic disruption in the US, every supermarket and Walmart will be promptly looted and within two days there will be no food available. Most people don’t have more than a week’s worth of food, and in a disaster situation the government will not be there to help those people.
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
colliertng wrote:
Can you really blame them? You’ve got Politicians that don’t listen, Money whose Value is going down the Toilet, Jobs that are going overseas, etc. Is anyone surprised that this is happening? I’m not!
Jan 21, 2012 8:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
Progdef wrote:
Er, uh, not the strategic brilliance to tell the world you have those suppies. I’d keep my resources secret sincerely.
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
rudebutcool wrote:
Read “Cold Sun” by John Casey…you’ll be storing food too…..and other essentials as well..vegie seeds, water purification, charcoal, silver coins, it’s a distinct possibility…hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
JustPlainFolks wrote:
I remember the “Survivalism” of the late ’70′s with its Tappan’s, Saxon’s, and all the other entrepreneurs of that for profit bogus milieu. Though it was more fun than playing cowboys and indians.
When I started to look at surplus CD Geiger counters and which cartridge was the be-all/end-all while burying my supplies where I’d never be able to get to them in an emergency, I called a halt to that insanity and lived life a lot less worried about when the sky was going to fall on my head.
In this day and age there’s a “prepper” born every minute. Just like “Survivalists.”
Jan 21, 2012 8:28pm EST -- Report as abuse
userly wrote:
I’m not sure why the author insists that these people are AFRAID or FEAR something…. they aren’t afraid of anything, that’s their point. They’re ready for anything.
Jan 21, 2012 8:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Abilene wrote:
It’s not being kooky or a conspiracy theorist to be prepared in your own home — not that all conspiracies are theories. To not be prepared is to be at the mercy of anything and everything, such as what happened in New Orleans, post Katrina. The most important thing is to plan to be without electricity and communications. Without electricity, you won’t have heat, light, refrigeration, gasoline, and probably without cooking. It doesn’t hurt to store 90 days of food, some candles, water for cooking, hygiene, and flushing, and of course, ammunition, because when hungry people find out you have food and water, you will need it. Beyond that, it’s God’s plan what happens to this planet, and what happens to you. Then it becomes a personal decision whether your name is written in the Book.
Jan 21, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
curmy60 wrote:
It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark…
Jan 21, 2012 8:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
cv51 wrote:
You insure for a house fire, medical emergency, hurricanes, earth quakes, car wreck and your death. To insure for financial disaster or the breakdown of society when the immorality of our leaders and wall street is blatant well it’s definitely smart. Those who poo poo this may become the zombies.
Jan 21, 2012 9:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
10000Lakes wrote:
I live in northern Minnesota on 440 acres that includes two private lakes and access to a major recreational lake. I sold 100 acres with lake access to a Wall Street investment firm in October 2011. They kept calling me about my parcel for sale for over 2 months. I had to hire a local pilot to photograph every acre from above. They paid 45% above what I was asking. I refused to sell. I’ve heard enough b.s. buyers from around the country. Finally two of the guys from the firm flew out to talk. They are Obama donor Democrats. The entire firm is Democrat donors, for a reason that surprised me. They plan on building two huge storage units and five ICF homes (Insulating Concrete Forms). ICF’s don’t exist in northern Minnesota. These guys have millions. They are dead serious about a place to flee once the economy collapses. Our city has a municipal airport for them to land, but what they fly should not be landed on this strip. They say they can do it. They are paying me to clear more land, though it’s rocky as heck, for hay and grain. When these idiots have plans to run from the east coast, I believe them now. I couldn’t afford to put away food storage or update my house. I’m doing exactly what these guys are doing now.
Jan 21, 2012 9:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
The zombie apocalypse serves as a kind of socially acceptable “prepper porn.” Look at the heroes in shows like “The Walking Dead”: Blue collar guys, rednecks and rural dwellers who know how to shoot guns, repair machines and live off the land. Most urban people’s skills in fields like law, real estate and finance have become useless, except doctors’ and nurses’ skills. Even companies which sell to this demographic, like producers of tactical knives, ammunition, shooting targets and gun magazines, use the zombie apocalypse in their advertising & marketing.
Jan 21, 2012 9:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
wiser2098 wrote:
Knowledge is rife(not to be confused with experience), but is useless until wisdom to use same is acquired. In my area of rural bliss, common sense and experience has taught me and my fellow neighbors to prepare for various inconveniences and plans for loss of power, foul weather.Food storage is commonplace(canning of fresh veggies and juices).
I was raised by wise kin who lived through what is called the great depression. Independence is vital to survival and prosperity. Anyone who doesn’t see the volatility and W/wide struggles for power must truly live under a large stone. Preparedness is easier in my area as opposed massive urban hives. I would rather be over-prepared, than become a victim of my complacency.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
I know a few “preppers” and they are very discreet about their preparations. Hardly anyone knows what they’ve got or where they store it.
BTW, “Preparing” has been a serious part of the Mormon doctrine for generations.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Concerned_2012 wrote:
If you don’t want to prepare, don’t. No one is going to make you prepare.
However, you will be ignoring the advice from our own government and relying on the kindness of your neighbors, who might not have extra to share.
It’s always entertaining to hear people foolishly say “I don’t need to prepare because I have a gun, I’ll just take whatever I need.” Good luck with that, most preppers I know probably have them outgunned 10 to 1.
Jan 21, 2012 9:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
Properly stored certain foods can last decades. If for no other reason than the impending wide spread unemployment and food shortages which WILL occur if Obama is re-elected, it is wise to at least buy up and store food and other essentials NOW.
Jan 21, 2012 9:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Phocker wrote:
It isn’t the neighbors I woudl worry most about, it is the desperate people from other areas seeing your area as a target…ie Katrina neighborhood that held off invasion from other areas. Being prepared and being nuts about it are two different things. And Katrina showed us you can’t count on the government to help you with everything.
Read “One second after” it is fiction, but a good read about a disaster that hit the US and took out infrastructure.
We are too pampered, it woudl only take a day or two for supermarkets to empty and then nothing more coming in, even the nicest people are gonna start looking to take care of thier families.
Jan 21, 2012 9:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
zanzara2041 wrote:
Those living in the Seattle area now who are preppers are warm, fed and have communications and entertainment.
The unprepared have no power (could be off for weeks), the cell phone towers are going down, the grocery stores were stripped bare and have shut down, 45 mile-long traffic jams on I-5 keeps the groceries from getting restocked…and on and on.
Don’t prep, nothing will ever happen to you.
Jan 21, 2012 9:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
fawaz03 wrote:
From the tone of this article, it’s obvious the author is trying to marginalize people who endeavor to prepare for disasters, making them (myself and my family included) seem like some small, crazed faction of nuts. I wonder if it ever occurred to Mr. Forsyth to interview survivors of disasters that have already happened – like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, the loss of the power grid in the northeast, etc – and ask them what THEY thought about having food, water and other supplies at their disposal. I would encourage everyone to read the book “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. If you read that book and still think it’s kooky to prepare for disasters (natural or otherwise), I wish you well.
Jan 21, 2012 10:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
Celesta wrote:
I don’t blame people for being prepared, but the problem I see with those who can afford to prepare and are prepared to survive a collapse is that they’re not trying to do much if anything to prevent a collapse. Then there are those who aren’t preparing and doing nothing to prevent collapse because they are in denial or don’t believe a collapse is coming. Then there are those who suspect there is a collapse coming who can’t afford to prepare and can’t afford to do much to prevent it and are preparing to die or maybe be raptured. But let’s face it the U.S. is $16 Trillion in debt and climbing. We are NEVER going to be able to pay that. Right now the economy is being artificially kept afloat, but sooner or later the bubble is going to burst. Americans do need to wake up and realize what is happening and we all need to be doing whatever we can to prevent a collapse. That’s why I support Ron Paul who is the only candidate making proposals for real change that can reverse this. The other candidates and Obama are going to continue the “status quo” which is headed for collapse.
Jan 21, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
nooni wrote:
Preppers, Birthers, Thruthers.
VS.
Slackers, Deathers, Liars.
George Orwell is happy!
Jan 21, 2012 10:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
dencal26 wrote:
America is in deep decline.We now have 47-50% who pay no federal income tax. Class Warfare and hatred for the wealthy is being preached every single day. What happens when 55% or 60% pay no federal income tax but have the majority vote and can vote more freebies for themselves?
Jan 21, 2012 10:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
STLAdamSmith wrote:
Has e2Verme ever heard of the Roman Empire. He says “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground.” I am certain that the Roman’s had the exact same sentiment around their 600th year or so. The collapse of civilizations is not a new or novel thing. It has happened countless times throughout human civilization. Ever hear of the dark ages? Ever hear of the world dominant British Empire from only 70 years ago? Historian Nigel Lawson eloquently points out that the most common pattern is that it also happens quickly not gradually. I don’t think that most “preppers” as he dismissively call them are imagining a dark ages scenario like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, but more likely a very large version of the economic collapse that happened in Argentina in 2000, or before that in Chile under a government similar to the one we have now, or like what happend to Germany during the two world wars. If you add up the numbers some awfully bad scenario seems inevitable. We are living in a world wide Ponzi scheme of debt and spending and we (actually the Fed and the Treasury) are trying to keep everything afloat by borrowing and printing more money. It is impossible that that can continue forever and highly improbable that it can be orderly stopped or dismantled. The only alternative to continued borrowing and printing is to drastically dismantle the government and drastically cut the spending. Either way a world wide depression seems inevitable. What makes this time different from other 20th century collapses is that this time there is no equivalent of the frugal, hard working and creative America to quickly pull everyone else back to the surface. And like I said it will not be The Road, but there will be a time period (hopefully only a year or so) while we are reorganizing our society where it will likely be very wise to have some guns, ammo, food and some sort of real money(gold, silver, gasoline) on hand. When the money runs out, it is hard to barter enough food to keep everyone fed in the big cities, it takes awhile for the military to organize a forced feeding, and truly hungry people are very dangerous. There are many of us out here that are wise enough of history and economics to know of these already. Others can feel it coming in their bones. And yes, with such insights as those from Austrian economics and history, we know that civilizations are fragile. We are not the fringe in any sort of way the author here thinks of us. We are simply main stream middle Americans that liked and understood the footings of traditional America and sadly realize that a “transformed America” with socialist footings desired by the American left won’t work, has never worked and is not sustainable. Unfortunately the left won, and it is likely too late to avoid the suffering and severe pain of the left’s hubris. Readers should ask someone that lived through Argentina in 2000 if guns and extra food would have come in handy? They should ask a Jewish person with unarmed relatives that lived through it if guns would have come in handy in Weimar Germany? I am hoping we turn out more like Argentina but these things are like Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s black swans, they are always a surprise to the elites (like Reuters’ journalists for example) and the masses alike, more common than almost anyone knows and are hard to predict. How do you avoid black swans? Taleb suggest we first acknowledge they exist and then prepare for them. We wish we did not have to, but that is exactly what us “preppers” are doing. Make fun of us if you wish. We will not be laughing at you outside our well fed , well stocked and guarded compounds. We will just be protecting ourselves from you and suggesting to you that you rob the next guy down the street.
Jan 21, 2012 10:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
theoverwatch24 wrote:
Been prepping for years. People are just getting hip to this? To me its an every day thing. If something happens, I am ready, have been training as well with all tools, preps, gear, and other things.
Welcome to where I have lived for the last 12 years.. Prepping becomes a normal part of your life when you do it.
Jan 21, 2012 10:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
FadedC wrote:
I live in a very remote part of the U.S. and it must be somewhat of a safe haven for the coming collapse because Purina Mills chose to put one of their large self-sustaining compounds about 5 miles down the gravel road from me.
Wake up! If you don’t want to hoarde, then at least learn to be self-reliant and willing to bend your narrow little minds.
Jan 21, 2012 10:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
MaryWaterton wrote:
All you have to do is look at the soaring national debt and you know calamity is on the way. Common sense.
Jan 21, 2012 10:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
UnPartisan wrote:
Hindsight is always 20/20. Preparing for something that doesn’t happen may seem like a waste to many people. Being prepared in case something happens isn’t a bad thing. There is a fine line though. Letting it control your life is something different. We should all be prepared in case an emergency happens.
Jan 21, 2012 10:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
walfourth wrote:
I do not think that there will be a collapse of civilization. However, that does not mean that tough times are not coming. The Great Depression was not the end of it all, but there were disastrous consequences from it in the economic and political realms. I would say that that this small group is correct to fear for the future. However, stockpiling food and ammunition, building shelters, and other apocalyptic planning is really a waste of time. Even if the worst happened and their plans were executed flawlessly, they would be at most buying themselves a few months. Also, as one person commented here, anarchy breeds criminal conduct. A handful of shotguns is not going to permanently drive off a determined mob. If you have food and other stores locked away, this mob with either acquire it, or destroy it.
Jan 21, 2012 11:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
MDCCLXXVI wrote:
Another prepper, reporting in.
You have to have your head already buried 6′ under to not see that there is no bailout coming for the USA. Greece is in a depression, and they have bailouts.
What happens when the people doing the bailouts, need bailout themselves?
The house of cards collapses.
$17 trillion in public debt, and thats conservative numbers excluding rehypothecation, unfunded liabilities and insolvent financial derivatives.
Its over.
Realize it, adapt and move on.
Or,
Have your head on the block when the guillotine drops.
Its up to you.
Jan 21, 2012 11:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
GettinReady wrote:
I’m a bit surprised that the news media are just catching on to this “subculture”. People have quietly been preparing for bad times for years. I don’t know why anyone would trust a government that can’t fix the pothole in front of their house to take care of them if the lights go out. I saw the handwriting on the wall ten years ago and left the big city for a farm. The tone of the article suggests that people who are worried about societal collapse are somehow simpleminded, uneducated or some kind of a cult follower. Not so. I’ve never heard of any of the people mentioned in the article, except for Glenn Beck. Most of the preppers I know have advanced college degrees. Last month my big-city doctor friend jokingly asked me if things really went south, could he come and stay with me? I don’t think he was joking, as he asked me to draw him a map. A wise man once said, “If something can’t go on forever, it won’t.” The world wide financial house of cards can’t stand forever. It won’t. Be ready.
Jan 21, 2012 11:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
jessicasuave wrote:
@e2verne, I highly doubt neighbors who try to “sweep me aside” to steal my preps will live to tell about it. Those of us who prepare for such events tend to be heavily armed and well trained, with little patience or love for thieves. I hope for your sake, you keep that little tidbit in mind should TSHTF and you find yourself eyeballing your neighbor’s back door wondering what he might have that you could steal. Otherwise, it’s highly likely the only thing you’ll walk away with is a few extra ounces of lead and some after market ventilation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
tina848 wrote:
The end of the world economy collapse may be a stretch, but under normal circumstances you still need to prepare.
The power goes out here several times a year. During snow storms, severe thunderstorms, and other weather related issues, the large trees come down and sever the power lines. The last time the power on the main commercial strip (US 30) was gone for 3 days – no grocery stores, traffic lights, or restaurants. Some areas went over a week. I live in suburban Philadelphia and not the middle of no-where.
The last 2 years we have storms of 20+ inches of snow. It paralyzed the area for a few days.
Knowing how to keep your frozen food safe, having a generator, flashlights, potable water and food which can be prepared without electricity are not crazy, it is a practical way of dealing with these situations.
Jan 21, 2012 11:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
yirgach wrote:
@Sueque,
Yes, some made money from popularizing the threat, but actually billions of dollars were spent to prevent Y2K. Things would have been a LOT worse without that level of investment. Your move to Maine was not an error in judgment and it should not cloud any decisions on the present situation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
The eugenicists want 90% of the population to die. They will do anything to make that happen. That is why anything can happen.
Jan 21, 2012 11:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
CleanFun wrote:
Honk if you’re a 90′s survivalist and have at least 3 preppers marked on a topographical map.
Jan 22, 2012 12:48am EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
Ask Mitt Romney if he has prepared for the worst.
His Mormon Church instructs all Mormons to have a two-year supply of food, medicine, clothes and, yes, even cash, in reserve because the faith believes the world is on the edge of some kind of global catastrophe which only the well equipped will . . . survive.
If you can’t ask Romney, ask any Mormon.
Jan 22, 2012 12:50am EST -- Report as abuse
muell wrote:
People who prepare are doing what the government has said to do. Having a few months supply plus the means to make/grow/store your own food & water is not exactly a bad plan. It’s not as much anticipating some impending doom, rather, it’s ensuring your and your families well being if a problem does arise.
Jan 22, 2012 1:07am EST -- Report as abuse
ONTIME wrote:
They are not advocating violence, they ae preparing for the worst and if they are wrong then all that has happened is their guess didn’t pay off….what happens if they are right?
Jan 22, 2012 1:23am EST -- Report as abuse
emdragon wrote:
First you supply a catchy name (Preppers), and imagine that anyone who falls for this kind of mass media drivel calls themself by it. Then you marginalize and divide into terms that provide a portion of desperation. There are plenty of sentient individuals who do not have to be rocket scientists to see a globalist attempt to control every person on earth in Orwellian terms that will tyrannize every one of us who have lived our entire lives through the process of liberty. This article is an offense to reason, and an attempt at pooh-pooing the real dangers that lie ahead. They are not dangers from the sky. They are not dangers from terrorists, which are almost exclusively portrayed in this globalist banking cabal’s campaign of control. These fears further are not vague. They are imminent. And further, I refuse to play by your devilish terminology. . . Preppers! Go prep your sophist brain into bed, and give us someone to provide real reason to these pages.
Jan 22, 2012 1:24am EST -- Report as abuse
Intriped wrote:
Have been Preparing since 2003! Plans A through C will be completed by 2014.
Jan 22, 2012 1:31am EST -- Report as abuse
AnJ1 wrote:
I wear my seatbelt every time I drive my car. Does that mean I live in constant fear of car accidents? Of course not.
The probability that I’ll ever face a crisis that will force me to live off of my food storage for a year is slim. But since I buy it on sale, eat from it daily and rotate it regularly, the worst that will happen from keeping a year’s supply is that I’ll save quite a bit of money on my grocery bills. And if the unlikely does occur, I won’t have to stand in lines taking up resources needed by others.
Win-win.
Jan 22, 2012 1:33am EST -- Report as abuse
rbblum wrote:
The progressive path created with the establishment of the Federal Reserve coupled with abandoning the gold standard is completely contrary to the basic views of our founding fathers.
And, today, the majority of Americans do not know what they do not know in regards to WHAT the founding fathers’ views were and WHY.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41am EST -- Report as abuse
kc777911 wrote:
You would be very foolish not to at least be able to feed your family for at least 6 months if all of the food went away. One out of control flu pandemic could easily knock out the supply chain that feeds us. If you did not prepare, you would be left foraging in a flu infested city hoping to get handouts from the government. You would be competing with starving deperate people who would probably kill you for what little scraps you have….sad but true, just look at what history tells us. It’s worse now…just look at how many people eat out! The’re lucky to have a few days of food in their pantry.
Prepare for the worst…and hope for the best. The best motto to have!
Jan 22, 2012 1:42am EST -- Report as abuse
Orange2012 wrote:
All the talk about survival. I think some are actually subconsciously suicidal. They yearn for a scenario that they will probably never see. They all share a deep distrust and hatred for people. There is a cult like quality to them, taking comfort in a living state of constant paranoia.
Jan 22, 2012 2:05am EST -- Report as abuse
rovid wrote:
i think it will take some time but as usual what can happen will happen and the preps may have some advantage ,society will change in a bit and saying that all those people were fools is not wise like in the days of Noah nobody had rushed in building big boats on dry land avoiding an impending flood,thinking that he is a lunatic until it was too late ,remember! no one knows the future and hoarding food with fools may not be that bad of an idea after all.
Jan 22, 2012 2:11am EST -- Report as abuse
A_Passerby wrote:
The world has always had a paranoid segment, but it has also suffered very real and severe economic disruption. Could the US see a massive economic event? Our entire economy depends upon energy to provide electricity and move goods. Most electricity comes from domestic energy sources (coal and natural gas, with growing amounts from fracking) so even a severe economic disruption with hyperinflation isn’t likely to take down the grid.
Oil is the problem. If debt grows to the point that bonds don’t sell and the Fed buys bonds to keep the government afloat (an increasingly likely scenario), the resulting inflation will make it very, very difficult to convince people in other countries to accept dollars for oil. Without our oil imports, we can’t make the diesel to move the trains or drive the trucks that deliver food. Most cities have less than 3 weeks of food supply…
The strategic petroleum reserve provides a small buffer, but a serious disruption in oil imports followed by a severe disruption in food distribution is a realistic, scary “doomsday scenario” that “preppers” will be able to handle better than most of us.
Jan 22, 2012 2:16am EST -- Report as abuse
angelofmercy wrote:
Living in Oklahoma you kinda have to be a prepper. Tornadoes,wildfires ,droughts.With the droughts you have water main breaks.We get small earthquakes,but you never know when a big one might hit. High temperatures in the summer causes Electric grids to go down. You either find ways around these obstacles, prepare for them , or suffer. At anytime where I live,you could loose everything in a matter of mins. Has nothing to do with being a hippie ,a Glen Beck listener, or even being a survivalist. You either adapt to the conditions, or move.
Jan 22, 2012 2:21am EST -- Report as abuse
JeremyH wrote:
It boggles my mind that anyone would not make an effort to be prepared for disasters of any kind. It’s not a matter of being extreme, but simply having the forethought of being prepared. Like the good old Scout motto, Be Prepared, it’s a wise principle. Though there may be no massive upheaval to our way of life, there are life events and localized disasters that your preparation will be what saves you.
Jan 22, 2012 2:35am EST -- Report as abuse
wereallgonnadie wrote:
The real question I have is why is everyone so afraid to die? I thought the US was a Christian nation? Your are going to die some day and you are going to meet your Maker. Why is everyone desperately afraid of that outcome?
Jan 22, 2012 2:53am EST -- Report as abuse
barberrr wrote:
A brief word from our sponser: life is 100% fatal.
Jan 22, 2012 2:55am EST -- Report as abuse
zardinuk wrote:
It cost me about $1,000 to become prepared for, my ballpark estimate, 99% of the foreseeable disasters. It’s a game of odds, taking no preparations at all didn’t seem like a good bet, building a nuclear bunker in case a 10 megaton bomb blows up on top of my house doesn’t seem like a good bet either, but buying a year of food for everyone in my family, a little bit of propane and a stove, keeping a box of old blankets and stuff like that… easy. Over the course of the next few years I will spend this much on my term life insurance policy. This is sort of the same thing in my mind, life insurance policy for everyone in my family.
Jan 22, 2012 3:01am EST -- Report as abuse
gregio wrote:
Maybe all these “preppers” are just getting ready for the new culture of Chicago style “injustice” that will be called justice when Obama gets re-elected and decides that driving the USA financial bus over the cliff would be a great way to get even with the neocolonialists and get the oil/gas price to $10 gallon thus making “green energy” competitive. The insanity of the greens knows no bounds, don’t forget global warming!!!
Jan 22, 2012 3:33am EST -- Report as abuse
VinceVega wrote:
With all due respect to the writers, they missed the point. So called “preppers”, in the main, are not about “end times scenarios”, they are about being prepared for emergencies. Is it just me, or is this not just common sense?
Jan 22, 2012 3:47am EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
The way I see it, Preppers are making a key mistake. If there’s the kind of post-apocalyptic world that they envision, and, assuming we haven’t nuked life back to the cockroach, then it’s going to be the era of the warlords. And those who have not just the biggest guns and fire power, but those who have the most powerful ability to swarm – and to keep the swarming hordes coming at you no matter how many you kill – they are the ones who will be in power. So unless you plan on becoming a warlord, you’re going to be toast – just like me – only maybe a few days later.
All this said, there is a vast middle ground between PreppersWorld and where we are today. I believe that, where President Kennedy had us targeting a moon landing in 10 years, President Obama has us targeting 3rd world squalor in 10 years or less. I don’t know why he would want this. But I think it’s undeniable.
Jan 22, 2012 3:53am EST -- Report as abuse
MeHe wrote:
In 1970, gold was $35 per ounce
Today, Gold is over $1650 per ounce.
Same gold. Same weight. What changed?
Oh right, that’s just “normal” inflation.
A few 1000% over 40 years is completely normal.
Go back to sleep.
Jan 22, 2012 4:20am EST -- Report as abuse
RDBlakeslee wrote:
To those who think preparedness advice, goods and services are a hoax, what do they think of FEMA? FEMA is attempting to do for all what Preparednass folks are doing for themselves and their families. If history is any guide, the later endeavor is likely to be more sucessful, in the event.
Jan 22, 2012 4:25am EST -- Report as abuse
Jim-in-HCMC wrote:
I do not consider myself a survivalist, per se, but I can understand why so many Americans are arming themselves and contemplating worst case scenarios. The “system” in the USA has been gamed by opportunists and the time has arrived that the US financial system, education system,network and printed news media, political system, et al have been compromised and can no longer be trusted.
Actually, the more I consider the current situation in the USA, the more anxious I become. And although I seriously doubt there will be nationwide collapse and anarchy, I do expect to be reading about riots in the Nation’s largest cities.
Jan 22, 2012 4:40am EST -- Report as abuse
uncomplicated wrote:
As someone who lives in a Hurricane-prone area, it just makes sense to be prepared. I don’t have 2 years worth of supplies but certainly a month or two worth of staples and an emergency evacuation pack. Part of being prepared is that if something does happen, self-reliant folks won’t be adding to the burden of emergency workers. Plus, you’re more able to assist others when you’re not worried about your own situation.
Jan 22, 2012 4:58am EST -- Report as abuse
greatscott wrote:
Anyone that cannot see the economic collapse-run away freight train coming directly at you has been watching too much American Idol and has consumed way too much fluoride.
Thank you Ron Paul for educating us on the Un-Federal Federal Reserve. Obama promised an investigation into the housing-stock market bubble criminals on Wall Street. Instead, all we got were chirping crickets and the middle finger pointed at main street Americans. Now run along everyone, there is nothing to see here.
Jan 22, 2012 5:05am EST -- Report as abuse
littlesky wrote:
There is a difference between a survivalist and a prepper. A prepper is prepared for almost any scenario. A survivalist is more oriented on weapons and surviving the end of the world.
A prepper is more concerned with getting thru any emergency. I live in an area prone to hurricanes. I prep with that in mind. I make sure I have a few days worth of food and water. I have books to read and cards for solitaire for the days the power is out.
I know the economy is bad but I hope that it gets better. I don’t rely on it tho. I know families that have suffered thru job loss or health issues that have been grateful they had some stuff stored.
It doesn’t always have to be about the end of the world or nuclear bombs. Sometimes its just a divorce or a health issue.
It doesn’t hurt anyone to be prepared so why worry about preppers? I’m sure they aren’t worried about you…lol.
Jan 22, 2012 6:11am EST -- Report as abuse
cajunright wrote:
I got out of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina was beginning to hit New Orleanss. The post storm insanity and lawless actions of many people. (including some policemen and government officials). But the city got hit hard, but rebounded. Yes government did help some, but most pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and resumed life.
We evacuated during Katrina, leaving our home as it approached. BUT some neighbors stayed behind and turned our subdivision into a militay camp. We did not get looted because of their actions. But the next subdivision did get abused. People can help people,
The world will keep spinng. The economy may hit walls, but humans
Jan 22, 2012 6:21am EST -- Report as abuse
Stoat wrote:
Saying that Preppers have ANYTHING to do with hippies is utterly ludicrous and instantly causes the author to lose all credibility.
Biggest differences: Preppers bathe, aren’t Communists and don’t hate America.
Jan 22, 2012 6:26am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
I would be considered a “prepper” and anyone who is not to one degree or another is living with there head in the sand. When Katrina exposed the complete falicy of the government being able to respond to a disaster, the economy crashed in a few short months, a tsnunami wiped a nuclear facility leaving thousands homeless I felt some of my effort should be geared toward minimizing the effects of something similar if I was involved. Even Homeland Security says that we all should be prepared for two weeks of isolation.
This article and any other ones I’ve ever seen written on the subject projects people like me as bunker dwelling, doomsday wishers. That’s fine with me and all of my suburban neighbors. We all have deep larders of food, the means to protect each other and are working to eliminate all debt amoung other things. Turning a spare bedroom which is unused into a pantry isn’t crazy at all. Paying off debt is not crazy. Utilizing our second amendment rights is not crazy. It’s down right smart.
Jan 22, 2012 6:36am EST -- Report as abuse
drobarts wrote:
Nothing wrong with BEING PREPARED, makes totally sense. Can’t imagine anyone ever criticizing someone for that. Use common sense, keep your food storage on the down low, that way you don’t have to worry about those that can’t even survive a day without help.
Jan 22, 2012 6:38am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
Subculture? Bombshelters? 60′s hippies? What an obvious hit piece on people that are simply doing what any prudent person would do and what the Government says we all should be doing.
Jan 22, 2012 7:07am EST -- Report as abuse
cbpelto wrote:
TO: All
RE: The Article….
….was written by someone who had not done very much in the way of homework.
It has some valid points. But elsewhere it is abysmally lame, e.g., preppers = hippies? How stupid can you get?
Another point is that preppers and survivalists are one-in-the-same. Their intention is to survive whatever life-changing event occurs. Be it short-term, e.g., Katrina, or long, e.g., One Second After scenario.
RE: The Nay-Sayers Here
Heh.
I spent 27 years in the infantry. The last part was working exercises for State Area Commands (STARCs)—think state National Guard Adjutants General and their staffs—on how to prepare for national emergencies and natural disasters.
Right now, Iran is moving heaven and earth in order to develop (1) a nuclear weapon and (2) the means to pop it 300 miles over Omaha. The result of that one device going off would be a knock-out punch to US, wherein 98% of the 48 states would lose 95% of their electrical capacity. It would take several years to bring power back. In the meantime, it is estimated that 50-90% of the population would die of starvation, cold, pestilence and just tearing each other to pieces just to survive.
You want to get a clue of this? Read One Second After.
The preppers-survivalists have the best chance of making it through such a scenario. Or any other that is markedly less intense.
Hope that helps….
…but I have serious doubts for these sorts.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Chance favors the prepared mind. -- Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology]
Jan 22, 2012 7:30am EST -- Report as abuse
suemarie000 wrote:
I never thought for a second about an impending disaster until this President came to power. When it was realized by a large majority of Americans that he and his administration was just “winging” it…I got nervous. I am as prepared as a very reluctant believer can be. If we skate through this term with a new President at the helm…I’ll start using up my supplies…but NOT until we get a new President into office.
Jan 22, 2012 8:21am EST -- Report as abuse
MarketFree wrote:
The writer seems smarmy and arrogent. We just had 400,000 homes out of power in Seattle by the 25 year storm. Our business had no power for 9 hours, our home for 2 days. Many people in the area had no power for 5 days. As our government becomes less dependable, it is smart to be self reliant. There is no way the government can afford to keep spending like it is. The sharp and solid people I know are preparing for difficulty. Arrogent less sharp ones like the author and the academic quoted here think they are deranged. Time will tell who is the dummy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:26am EST -- Report as abuse
moose1553 wrote:
interesting article, but factually incorrect (typical Reuters) they focus on the fringe elements..but I can tell you most could not survive for 48 hours with no power, water, supermarkets. Be ready for any emergency, such as a hurricane for at least 72 hours and preferably;y up to 2 weeks. What if, just what if, there was a national disaster. I would much rather rely on my neighbors and myself them the FEMA Morons.
Jan 22, 2012 8:28am EST -- Report as abuse
femalegunowner wrote:
History always repeats itself, so there is nothing wrong with prepping. I for one, have started storing food, water, and ammo. I have a long way to go and a short time to get there, but at least I can go to sleep at night knowing that my family will be taken care of. Only my sister knows I am preparing, she is welcome in case of a collapse, which I fear is imminent. I am also thrilled that there are many more like me. An ounce of prep can go a long way. If the imposter in chief is reelected, it may be too late.
Jan 22, 2012 8:38am EST -- Report as abuse
msbpodcast wrote:
Betting on the end of the economy as we have known it is a smart bet.
We’ve become a government
• OF the thousandaires (the 99%, that would be me and thee,)
• BY the millionaires (the 1%, that would be the extremely insular privileged overlords and bosses,)
• FOR the billionaires (the 12,400 individuals identified by the IRS as the people who count (though they don’t really count as they hire some thousandaires to run machines to do that.)
Accountancy is insuring that the US will not survive because we don’t have the tariffs and other barriers which would stem the internationalist tide and keep jobs here in the US.
Nor do we have a political system which is capable of enacting those tariffs.
The people who actually bought the BS that Reagan sold (trickle down economics) and that Bush junior reinforced (tax cuts during war time,) are about to be so betrayed.
The weather will do what the weather will do (and its warming up) and the land will do what the land will do (and shake) and the beaches will do what beaches will do (and a 60 tsunami wave coming from the collapse of the La Palma volcano in the Canari Islands is inevitable but the eastern seaboard was built up before before the risks of building there were appreciated.)
Jan 22, 2012 8:40am EST -- Report as abuse
libertyville wrote:
Under Barack Obama, we have seen the worst decline in American stature, pride, prosperity and values in over half a century. He is being compared to the captain of the Costa Concordia. Hoovervilles of a century ago have re-arisen as Obamavilles. Is there any wonder people are concerned?
Jan 22, 2012 8:53am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Does anyone in their right mind really want to survive in the nightmare world that these looneys see? I don’t think so.
Jan 22, 2012 8:54am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
PointFinder wrote, “Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.” This life on Earth is temporary. It’s what comes after it that is important, unless you believe that when you die you just stay dead.
Jan 22, 2012 9:00am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
Government can print food stamps, but the cannot print food. Government can print currency notes, but they cant print value. The Federal Reserve was created 99 years ago to stabilize currency value and the economy. The currency has lost nearly 95% of it’s value and the economy is a disaster with nearly 20% unemployment. Our monetary base increases at over one trillion per year. Does anyone think that the more they print the more valuable each will become? The Baby Boomers are at retirement age and will be selling their big homes and stock investments, but to whom? And at what price?
On the bright side, and by experience gained in surviving major hurricanes, humans are very self organizing, but they must eat. Food is far more important than government “assistance”. Civilization is the result of people, not governments. Governments are consistent destroyers as might be witnessed by the estimated 270 million killed in the past century. Oh yeah, it can’t happen here. I sometimes forget, American Exceptionalism! If one is prepared, one does not have to live in fear.
If unprepared, and not fearful, one needs to cut back on their drug intake!
Jan 22, 2012 9:13am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
Wow….right here, has the be the single most horribly written article I’ve ever read. Not only is such a ridiculous title as ‘preppers’ being used, its being used to imply that a very large and very diverse group of people who simply share an opinion are a vast organized subculture that all fit neatly into the exact same category. Not to mention the fact no one is ever quoted in the article saying
‘preppers’, only ‘being prepared”*cough* Bad journalist made up a term for his article*cough* This is a horrible article that instead of going over the groups rationale, simply compares them to ‘Other groups’ from when ‘we were in high school’(To make up my own quote). This is a horribly blended and written attempt to ‘educate’ you about something while painting such people a lunatics.
Jan 22, 2012 9:22am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
e2verne…to wake you up from your delusional world. Imagine the power grid of the whole country goes poof. Now imagine the long, long, winding roads all across the country that your food has to take to get to you. Now imagine all the people along the road who are eating all the food near them faster than they can find new food. Then picture the truck with your food driving past them. Is it going to make it to you?
Jan 22, 2012 9:25am EST -- Report as abuse
ThomasUSA wrote:
Who will be there to help you, in a major emergency or disaster? The Government? When will they arrive and how long can they help? What can they provide that you will need? Was Katrina a good example? If anyone is depending on the Government for help they do not understand the limitations of the quality and quantity of help they can expect. You are on your own when it comes to taking care of yourself, family and friends. So who is being more realistic? The “prepper” or those who just “hope” they can get by any disaster?
Jan 22, 2012 9:35am EST -- Report as abuse
kpv wrote:
A population that is prepared promotes Liberty, and in the event of disaster, reduces the burden on government and charity services. A self-sufficient population reduces dependence on imports and the need for foreign entanglements. It should be in the interest of governments that the people be prepared. It is certainly in the interest of the family. Prepping is not about buying a two-year supply of dried food. Why anyone would want to eat that crap is beyond me. Store what you eat, eat what you store. It’s not hard to figure out. Having supplies on hand means I don’t have to run to the store for single item purchases-it makes good sense. Why aren’t YOU prepared? Storms, labor strikes, power failures…these occur all the time. Can you bear a shutdown of services for 2 weeks without experiencing hardship? Or are you one of the millions of fools running out the day before a hurricane strikes searching for candles?
Jan 22, 2012 9:36am EST -- Report as abuse
nortonburgess wrote:
I have news for you. It’s not a “subculture” at all. I am quite sane, as are a number of my friends who anecdotally see a connection and series of events that are disturbing.
We’re all executives, and it’s not a subject that we talk about at cocktail parties. But when one of us sees a sale of something of value at Costco for instance, we send an email to each other for a “stock up” item. We also have alternate plans to meet at a certain friend’s cottage if things get really ugly. And yes, the cottage is stocked, armed and fully self sufficient.
Jan 22, 2012 9:41am EST -- Report as abuse
lunabin wrote:
or a huge CME from the sun comes and cripple the power grid. at that point it is Madmax life. meet up with fellow preppers at lunabin dot com. free and no ads. we just want good conversation
Jan 22, 2012 9:46am EST -- Report as abuse
Robert_Sciolino wrote:
How wrong…
“‘With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,’ she told Reuters.”
It has nothing to do with an individual not being able to control the power grid or the internet. When did individuals EVER have control over vast systems? How absurd! It has everything to do with a massive bubble of debt that is growing exponentially on a daily, weekly and monthly basis while a natural correction looms far below. Many people are getting the very tangible sense that we are climbing higher up a burning building to avoid the smoke and fire as the foundations of the building go unchecked and continue to burn! In past recessions, we allowed painful corrections to occur which reset our economies at a lower level and allowed for natural rises. We have avoided this since 2008 and we’ve avoided a natural correction in the housing markets which were already artificially inflated. THESE THINGS are what terrify so called “preppers”, NOT a loss of control over infrastructure that no individual ever had control of in the first place. Talk about utter diversion and denial!!! That an expert comes up with such drivel is as frightening as out-of-control debt bubble!
Jan 22, 2012 9:51am EST -- Report as abuse
droddyc wrote:
There is nothing wrong with this women. My grandmother put up food in cans every year of her life. She was a child of the depression and she wanted to make sure her family never suffered for food. I learned this at her knee. We were taught by our father to hunt for our food. He was retired military. He believed that you can never be too prepared. Living in today’s society in the US you see ever major convenience at the tip of your fingers. Like the post above these conveniences can be taken in seconds by mother nature. I was raised to depend on myself. I see nothing wrong with self-reliance. The citizens today are too dependent on the government. We are too dependent of foreign governments. Family business like family farms are slowly disappearing. Some call this progress but I see it as dependance on something that could collapse on the whims of others. I watched the news from New Orleans. As a person born in LA, I think that was one of Americas most telling times. The people didn’t loot food or medicine. They looted shoes – tv’s. This to me shows that being dependent on the government breeds lazy. So for all those who are self-reliant – keep up the good work and ignore idiots like this articles author. Always remember that we come from founders who were self-reliant.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
Biscayne wrote:
This phenomenon is nothing more than a reaction to the lawlessness espoused by the leadership in government and business and the media as well the intellectual elites who provide all of the above with the ideological support as needed. This total contempt for the law and morality and the obsession with wealth and power has led the U.S. to economic decline and social fragmentation.Unless you wake up and get to grips with the fact that a society is built on cooperation and a common purpose, then the disasterous end foreseen by these survivalists will come to pass.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
freecheese wrote:
I’ve known my share of these kooks. They all believe that the U.S. Gov. blew up the twin towers; that the 1969 moon landing was a hoax filmed in Hollywood studios; JFK is still alive in a nut house, and Elvis is flipping burgers in Memphis.
Most sit on the porch of their single wide swilling beer while they wear John Deer baseball caps — watching for UFOs!
Must be a slow news week for Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 9:55am EST -- Report as abuse
paintcan wrote:
@illl1942- what’s to fear in dying and just “staying dead” as you put it? If that happens than one could say (as I have pondered occasionally) that DEATH CAN’T KNOW ITSELF.
There would be nothing to fear in a state that doesn’t have the capacity to fear.
“Drowning men clutch at straws” the saying goes, but it is a pathetic and undignified way to exit one’s existence.
It isn’t death that should worry people. It’s the high cost of dying and there are industries designed to fleece the poor souls until their resources run out.
The survivalists-at-any-cost seem to forget that if civilization collapsed as they fear, everything they saved up for that very rainy day is likely to be grabbed from their greedy hands while it departs.
@advancedathiest- that was an interesting puzzle about how to make pencil. It would make a mess trying to make one for the sake of the exercise in practicing old skills. But, one way to get the pigment for ink is to burn oil lamps to collect the lamp black on a plate suspended over the flame. Mixed with oil, the soot could be compressed into a paste and extruded to form the lead. The wood part is easy and doesn’t require explanation.
Jan 22, 2012 9:59am EST -- Report as abuse
mommasaid wrote:
How can you call it a “subculture”? Have you been to Ready.Gov much? Have you watched the news or read anything at all? Subculture? No, a contrived program designed to terrorize its own citizens! Criminal.
Jan 22, 2012 10:05am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
While not an Obama supporter by any means, the economic fiasco is one that he inherited from a number of folks dating back to Wilson. Of all the GOP crew wishing to grab power only one has a real understanding of the economic problems and the cure. The rest have pretty faces and good hair dos. My bet is the public will vote for good hair. Our fate will then be sealed.
Jan 22, 2012 10:11am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist: Alternatively, the Zombie video games and movies may be an attempt by the Government to
Jan 22, 2012 10:14am EST -- Report as abuse
deadpammy wrote:
We just went through a bit of a snow storm this last week. Power down for 2 days, trees down everyplace so you could not get to town. I was as happy as a bed bug. Did get low on the wine supply though ;) Point being, be prepared, you never know what or will happen. Certainly does not make you a person on the fringe. It makes you self reliant, something all of us should be.
Jan 22, 2012 10:15am EST -- Report as abuse
carlos23 wrote:
Those who preach and write about the end of the world make money by their fear mongering and many fall prey and pay. Have we completely lost faith in God (look at your dollar bill-it says In God We Trust-not in the Money Makers We Trust). And note that they say the end of the world as we know it. That might not be a bad idea. Most are not happy as the world is today. Many believe the end of the world is in progress as we get rid of the old to make room for the new which will be a much better world for all of us. And you can learn more about this new world on my website, which archives my radio shows, and others for free. Just look for the ascension of 2012. You will like the coming future that God is providing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:20am EST -- Report as abuse
timeoutofmind wrote:
Subculture? Everyone I know is prepping to some degree. lol.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22am EST -- Report as abuse
realestatepup wrote:
What this article fails to mention is the difference in today’s economy. The earlier dates mentioned did NOT have the current world econonomic sh$%t storm. We are a global economy, and as one goes, we all eventually will feel it, in one form or another. The other development is our nanny state government. Recent laws passed, such as the National Defense Act, take away American’s constitutional rights all in the name of “terroism”. Other bills, such as SOPA (shelved) would do more of the same. We are constantly having our personal freedoms curtailed or taken in the form of the food we are sold, water we drink, and prescription meds we are brainwashed into thinkin we ‘need’ (millions of people are on antidepressants!!!). Our government irradiates and gropes citizens “for our own good”. Our congress is increasingly more and more corrupt. We now have drug resistant TB, MRSA, and other bugs, all thanks to CAFOs and animal antibiotic feeding. THIS, and many other things, are vastly different than the past. Looking at the Weimar republic in it’s hyperinflationary state after WWII, Argentina not so long ago (and continuing down that path again), we can see the increasing devaluation of our fiat currency and the money and power grab by our government, is going to tip us into either long-term deflation (we can only hope) or hyperinflation. Our 14 TRILLION DOLLAR debt CAN NEVER BE REPAID. It’s not possible, so our government’s only solution is to inflate it away or default. I have read some of the comments below, and find it surprising that so many people believe it could never happen here. What is it, exactly, that instills such confidence in you? Where has the government shown fiscal responsibility? Look it up, our contemporary dollar buys far less than in 1960. It would be unwise to proclaim the impossibilty of collapse. There has never been a government or empire that has not folded. The same factors ALWAYS contribute to this, it has never changed. The only thing different this time is we are now all linked globally.
Jan 22, 2012 10:25am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist, Zombie mentality will allow the Government to say “we have to destroy them or they will destroy us.” This could refer to those infected in an epidemic or possibly just people who have spoken out about government. I believe they are already using this to war monger against the rest of the world. And about your first comment: Yes, Austrian economics is popular with the right, but the right doesn’t control the world. The powers that be (or the powers that b…-f… the rest of us) seem to desire destruction.
Jan 22, 2012 10:26am EST -- Report as abuse
toomanyidiots wrote:
Better to be out 2 weeks early than 1 minute too late…
Jan 22, 2012 10:27am EST -- Report as abuse
Texas_Patriot wrote:
I believe in being prepared. Does that mean I believe society is going to colapse. Not really, but Do I have an emergency suply of food, water etc? Most certainly. Looking at getting a generator for standby and emergency use as well. Being prepared in a disater is never a bad thing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
ellington wrote:
It is imperative that US citizens comprehend the “Patriot” Acts and the NDAA in tandem: These two Acts combined create a Totalitarian State to be inherited by our children.
Remember, it was Bush that gave us the first wing of this vulture: The “Patriot” Act. It was Obama that gave the vulture it’s second wing; NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).
We are endowed by the Creator with unalienable rights: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Travel, Self Defense, Due Process, Trial by Jury etc. If We remove the Creator from our Law we are subjects and slaves under their Law. Those that forfeit Liberty for security deserve neither.
Left, Right – One Vulture, Two Wings.
To properly understand the NDAA and ” Patriot ” Acts you have to learn to think like lawyers. They create a web of legalese statements that are cross-referenced, paraphrased and specifically engineered to obfuscate their intended purpose. New Years Day 2012 Obama was on a 4million dollar golfing vacation in Hawaii when he signed the NDAA / Indefinite Detention Act. The Bill of Rights is NONNEGOTIABLE
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
e2verne: I guess “Thank you public schools and mass media” for undermining the ability of people to think clearly and learn from history.
Jan 22, 2012 10:32am EST -- Report as abuse
MacvTM19 wrote:
Best way to get this country back on the right track is to get rid of the marxist in the White House and the liberal DemoRATS in our congress, that is to include any RINO’S !!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
weewilliewinkie wrote:
What do you think would happen if the welfare and disability checks stopped going out?
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
Hugoesque wrote:
For an entertaining and provocative perspective on this subject, see Quent Cordair’s short-story “Sheltered” on Amazon (Kindle books can be read on just about any computer or smartphone with Kindle’s free reading app) — ““A year and six days underground without sunlight or breeze or contact with the world above — whatever might be left of the world above. A year and six days without touch, without unrecorded voice, without contact, without friends or family. If only they had listened, if only they had been ready. But he — he had prepared. He was Reginald B. Wakefield, and he hadn’t died. A wave of vindication washed over him, lifting and sweeping away all doubt and fear. He had been right. He raised his eyes again to the hatch cover above. . . . He had been right.” See the readers’ five-star reviews.
Jan 22, 2012 10:50am EST -- Report as abuse
dancer2s wrote:
There is nothing wrong with having extra food, water, and ammo just in case. It is better to have a gun and not need it that it is to need a gun and not have one.
Jan 22, 2012 10:53am EST -- Report as abuse
chillywilly wrote:
There are two kinds of people out there…. The “sleds” and the “sled dogs”. A message to you sleds out there, the sled dogs are tired of dragging you and your load around. It won’t be long before they leave the sled behind. To my fellow Preppers… be proud of your “subculture”. The system wasn’t built to last, but we are built to endure and rebuild.
Jan 22, 2012 10:56am EST -- Report as abuse
TDTony wrote:
Let’s face it since 9-11 the world keeps turning at an ever more dangerous pace.
Jan 22, 2012 11:01am EST -- Report as abuse
Hedley_Lamar wrote:
You need lots of guns, ammo and food. Get ready because the barbarian hoardes the liberals have been cultivating for decades in the cities are on the edge. Daily we ready of psychotic, viscious beatings to innocent people – especially the elderly. If they don’t get their chicken McNuggets, it may cost you your life at the drive in window. Be prepared. Our economy is on the brink of collapse and just like the civil war era plantations, this house of cards is ready to fall.
Jan 22, 2012 11:04am EST -- Report as abuse
moosemiester wrote:
On just about every news site I find “sponsored links” that tell me a massive stock market crash is coming — for the last ten years.
A few years ago the end of the world programming on cable TV (History, Discovery, A&E) was practically non stop, all night, every night.
Now it’s the new 2012 Mayan calendar doomsday scenario.
Every election cycle the government is going to lock up the opponents in FEMA camps.
Turns out that the massive climate change Al Gore warned me about was basically a big hoax designed to funnel money into the right universities and companies, and the result was that Al Gore got fabulously wealthy. Hmmm, I wonder, can we learn something here?
I am told I need to buy food, buy guns, install solar cells, and turn my house into a fortress or… what? I’ll starve while my well prepared neighbors bask in the smugness of their shelter?
I also see on TV that if I use Old Spice soap, young beautiful women will find me attractive. And if I use AXE, I’ll be attacked by these same women.
Must be a lot of money in freeze dried food. Last time I checked solar panels and batteries weren’t too cheap either.
Jan 22, 2012 11:33am EST -- Report as abuse
WillTruth wrote:
I’ve never considered myself a person worried about economic collapse. But, when you see the largest amount of gun checks by the FBI in Dec. 2011, you hear about Aspirin being unavailable in Greece, you see the FED printing money non-stop for less and less economic growth, the US Debt jumping by trillions in short periods of time you start to think a lot? Think about it. The system could freeze very quickly. All it would take is for foreign govt’s which are already selling our debt and people to realize the FED is buying our debt and lose faithn in the system. Rates jump dramatically in a short period of time. Downward spiral increases in velocity.
Jan 22, 2012 11:42am EST -- Report as abuse
frankreed1 wrote:
Only one statement is accurate. That anything, at any time can happen. Other than that…just a single voice in the forest…a voice to which she is entitled.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
notassmartasu wrote:
bad things happen it is the normal state of the world peace is not the norm look back in history to believe that america will always be america is crazy im sure the romans and the greeks thought that there empires would always be there. im not saying its happening in are lifetime god knows when but it will happen. people who lived thru the depression know why you should be prepared for hard times.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
chicodon wrote:
Who knows what, if any, of this article is for real. Obviously it’s another hit piece from across the pond leveled at backwards Americans. I’m surprised Sarah Palin didn’t make it into the article. People will be sitting around their breakfast tables eating their fry-ups, drinking their tea and shaking their heads.
Jan 22, 2012 11:47am EST -- Report as abuse
MJgarrigan1 wrote:
One only needs to look into the past to find the truth, 9/11, WW1&2, and the desire to create the atomic age, and the shift from a christian world, to a dominate islamic, atheist and asian world in 20 short years. If you deny these facts, you might want to move to Egypt, and live on the denial river(pun intended).
Jan 22, 2012 11:49am EST -- Report as abuse
xJonx wrote:
It amazes me how naive people still are.
People don’t pay traffic ticks because they feel obligated. They don’t stay in jail because they feel remorse. They don’t follow the law because laws are divinely created. They do these things because they believe the government has the ability to force our cooperation in these matters. True, most of us WANT to believe in the government’s ability because that means our property is protected too. But when that belief is shown to be false, chaos ensues and all manner of ugliness rears its ugly head.
Throughout ALL of history, the one common, unavoidable, and greatest influence in any society, even more influential than the government, is the society’s monetary system. Money gives the government authority. Money converts opinion to law, and law to enforceable rules. How did Cloward-Piven strategies about taking down the US government, THE most powerful institution ever … by bankrupting the system. They knew that not even the mighty US government can decide not to pay its bills. The promises made to the people are breakable, but not the promissory notes to the money lenders.
It is naïve to think that the US government is mightier than even money.
Jan 22, 2012 11:50am EST -- Report as abuse
TheNobody wrote:
Thanks, Reuters, for this fine journalism consisting of, “Hmm… which label can best be used to stereotype this group of people as kooks?”
If you’ve never heard of “preppers” before this article is hardly a place to start in gaining knowledge of the aforementioned.
It’s really quite simple:
- The western world is borrowing to pay interest on debts. Bad idea.
- The US has more debt than will ever realistically be paid off.
- It’s only a matter of time. History is quire clear on this.
- Having some extra canned goods might seem prudent, even in a normal world, don’t you think?
- Judging by the aftermath of recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, being armed might not be a bad idea. If you want to trust in the inherent goodness of humanity, have at it.
- It may, by some miracle, not happen. If it doesn’t, fantastic.
Sure, some people really go overboard and fall prey to lousy, overpriced, freeze dried food. Some people fall prey to conspiracy theories. Most people I know that you might categorize as “preppers” are pretty normal – they’re just adding up 2+2 and realizing that our debt is unsustainable. They just want to have a little extra food and maybe grow a garden. Worst case, they just have extra food on hand. Really kooky, subversive stuff. They’re not like hippies, they’re not all Ron Paul supporters. Really. This predates Ron Paul’s most recent campaign by a lot. They’re not like anyone – except normal people who want to have a little extra food on hand. (Again, speaking of the ‘preppers’ I know) Laugh it up. Get it out of your system.
Reuters, please knock it off – expressing a bunch of opinionated labels for a huge demographic is not very respectable journalism. Quoting people who are “experts” and allegedly know best does not constitute fact. But hey, you’re still in print so it must be fact and not opinion, right?
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
These people are like sheep looking for shelter in a wind storm. They have no concept of what is happening around them, but they all share common fears and anxieties with little or no hope for themselves for others around them. What shameless, hopeless bunch of rednecks they are.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
Funny how they mention Glenn Beck who lives in 4 million dollar mansion in Southlake, TX a suburb of Dallas which is the last place you you want to be in the event of a social collapse, meanwhile he has become a multimillionaire preaching fear to his listeners while he gets rich off them selling his endorsements. Double standard? He does not believe what he wants you to believe.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
My grandmother was hearing the world was coming to an end in 20′s, guess what it never happened. Now people are getting rich stoking peoples fear that will never happen. FOOLS!!!
Jan 22, 2012 11:54am EST -- Report as abuse
littleredhen wrote:
So you invest in gold. What guarantee do you have it will not be stolen or that it will not be available as promised. Can you eat gold? You plant a huge garden and/or horde freeze dried food and water. Do you think no one else will steal it? You arm yourself to protect your property and possesions. Are you the only one doing so, and are you the biggest, badest one when people get hungry and thirsty? Are you prepared to die? We all do.
Jan 22, 2012 12:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
What I wrote above still stands, but it’s no longer aimed at Preppers. Why? Because I now realize I’ve been one, at least to some extent, for years now. Having been through several earthquakes, watching Katrina (and that with a President who actually likes America, instead of the one we have now), we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have a year or more of MREs and other supplies. BTW – MREs taste great. To the extent that this is just using your head for emergency planning, the Preppers are among the most patriotic this country has because they won’t be straining FEMA and other resources nearly as much when emergencies hit – and boy do they hit. But emergency planning is not doomsday planning. The first you can do something about; the end of civilization – not so much.
Jan 22, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Kutter_0311 wrote:
Laugh if you want, but preppers include the unpaid first responders who render aid when you have a heart attack walking around the mall, the guy next door who jump-starts your car when you left the lights on, and the people who stop to help you dig your car out of the ditch during those heavy winter storms. Preppers have helped me, and I, as a prepper, have helped others. We even make fun of ourselves. Visit the forums at www.zombiehunters.org to learn more about real preppers in the best prepper forum in the world. And, BTW, Zombie Squad is a charitable organization focused on disaster relief worldwide. You’re welcome ;o)
Jan 22, 2012 12:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
iKarith wrote:
I’m a prepper—but that said, I must add: If you expect the world is gonna collapse and you’re gonna head for them thar hills (along with everybody else) and survive on your own (again with everybody else) eating wild game (quickly hunted to extinction by everybody else) and be prepared to take on all comers with your superior tactical prowess… Well, if what you think is gonna happen ever actually does, you’re going to be first among the body count.
If you want to be prepared, prepare for more realistic scenarios. Number one risk is fire. For a lot of us, #2 is storms and floods. Fire is definitely a “bug out” scenario if ever I’ve heard of one—a fire can turn a room into a place firefighters cannot enter with all of their specialized gear in about a minute. You and I would be long dead.
Precious metals? If you’ve got wealth and want to protect some of it against inflation, sure. But what’s gold gonna buy you when you need FOOD? I don’t have an ounce of gold. I do have a couple of ounces of silver, but they were purchased as commemorative coins, not as investments. I don’t have much wealth to protect. A lot of you don’t, either.
But if there’s a spike in food prices (realistic), I’m not completely screwed. And if there’s a fuel shortage (Iran?—realistic), I’m able to limit how much of it I use. If there’s a fire, I’ll be out of here in mere seconds, with everything I need to recover afterward. If there’s a medical emergency, I’m prepared to treat it up to the level of my medical knowledge, which I add to when possible. If I lose power, I won’t freeze in winter or melt in summer. If the water becomes unsafe to drink (or stops flowing all together), I’m covered. If there’s rioting outside, I’m prepared either to stay inside (for days if necessary) until order is restored, and just as likely to have known the riot was out there and coming my way in advance so I could NOT BE in the middle of it. And if someone busts in my door at 3am, they can expect I’m gonna shoot them in the %@!$ face! It’s about recognizing what realistically can happen and mitigating those things so that you don’t have to live in fear.
That’s preparedness. It’s not crazy. It’s not (or shouldn’t be) about preparing for the end of the world. It’s not about a bunch of militia types stockpiling guns and MREs—though if you know how to use them and what they are (and aren’t) for, a few of them might serve you well. It’s about realizing that nobody’s coming right this second when you call for help, and seconds might save a life. It’s about sustainable living and protecting your family. It’s also about being ready to help your community in the event of something like an earthquake or a flood or something more major, confident that you can because your family is going to be okay.
And yeah, there are companies out there looking to fleece people experiencing end of the world panic. If you’re doing it right, it’s also about being smart enough to avoid the gimmicks and pretenders.
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
a_patriot wrote:
“survivalists in the 1990s who were hoping to escape the dictates of what they perceived as an increasingly secular and oppressive government.”
NICE clever AD HOMINEM attack, attempting to blame “survivalists” (Citizens and READERS, BTW) for Governments increasingly secular and oppressive ACTS.
Back in the 1990s, it wasnt so obvious (unless you were blind or not paying attention) I give you Waco.
Now its as obvious as the broken nose on your face..
“”With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,” she told Reuters.”
Thats not a theory, thats a FACT, and now that the IDIOTS in government and industry have jumped off the cliff of connecting infrastructure control to the INTERNET that can happen due to some Chinese hacker(s) in China. And it doesnt even take that, a bunch of armed 10th graders can take out an average city by just shooting out power substations. Then wheres the power to keep the refrigerators going for millions of people who only have 3 days food supply?
“Tegeler, 57, has turned her home in rural Virginia into a “survival center,” complete with a large generator, portable heaters, water tanks, and a two-year supply of freeze-dried food that her sister recently gave her as a birthday present. She says that in case of emergency, she could survive indefinitely in her home. And she thinks that emergency could come soon.”
Thats only news to people who are city dwellers (who think the world revolves around them). That was the NORM in the country over the past 100 years. SO now its only “crazy” when Reuters wants to demonize preppers?
Its been standard fare for Mormons for I dont know how long.
Heres where it does become a problem:
“”We could see a cascade of higher interest rates, margin calls, stock market collapses, bank runs, currency revaluations, mass street protests, and riots,” he told Reuters. “The worst-case end result would be a Third World War, mass inflation, currency collapses, and long term power grid failures.”"
This is right wing conspiracy theory run amuck, Ive been reading these folk for years, and conveniently, theres never any proof, no documentation… just theories. OK, sure, any one of those things might happen, say his “stock market crash,” after all, it happened in 2008, right?
WRONG. And this is where the Tin Foil Hat Crowd loses credibility, there was no “stock market crash” in 2008 (yeah, I fell for it too until I started seriously studying stock charts..), there was a slow sell off that took a YEAR, and there was no “crash” (a crash happens immediately), but a return to a NORMAL LOW, from an irrational high of DJI 14,000.42 (odd, almost exactly DJI 14K almost to the penny). Look up a Dow Jones (^DJI) chart from 1993 to today, youll see the pattern)
Stocks became inflated with value because of irrational behaviour in real estate, stocks were sold off. That is NOT a stock market crash.
There was a REAL stock market crash in 1929, did mass hysteria and violence of this sort break out then?
Ive no problem with stocking up on food, water etc and guns/ammo, it is our RIGHT to do so, and smart to have supplies in case trucking is cut off (grocery stores would run dry in a few days)_ but what I cant get on board with is running hysterically to the mountains at some un-predictible time where survival is difficult (thats why people dont tend to live in mountains!) to avoid some “FEMA camp”
Isnt sequestering yourself in some mountain compound ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING?
Geesh, if things get really, that bad, Im going to try to get IN a FEMA camp, they might have food!
We have much bigger things to worry about in America which is awash with food and water and resources. We have lost Constitutional control of our Government and THAT is the crisis.
second-amendment.tripod.com
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
msruth wrote:
When the current government refers to Republicans as the enemy, is making plans for regional centers to hold large numbers of people, is quickly passing legislation restricting freedoms we have had, and goes around the law and constitution, is it any wonder people across the nation are feeling the need to prepare? Democrats have demonstrated they go around the law so riots if the election doesn’t go their way or economy makes their government handouts go away, riots and looting like with Katrina would be expected. We just don’t trust that our President will protect his Republican “enemies” so will be prepared.
Jan 22, 2012 12:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
macroflux wrote:
Pardon to Ms Gutierezz (who may or may not have the simplistic view as presented in this article) but preppers are NOT Millerites. People who think that there may be something very, very wrong with our course of actions are not saying that we are going to be punished for our advances, they are saying that there is an increased chance of very bad hardship circumstances looming on the horizon. If you went back in time a few months before Hurricane Katrina and a New Orleans resident was stockpiling resources on the off chance they may have help delayed to them during a crisis, they would have been laughed at then. The government never would let citizens site and stew without aid, die being abandoned for more than a day or two. Right? They are at least halfway competent, have the resources, and the will to protect us?
Frankly, there is a general unease on some people’s parts that we are in a zone right now that if there was a disaster, or negative sequence of events, that the government, community, anyone would be stretched too far to assist them in the immediate timeframe. And once you acknowledge how precarious a balance we live in with just-in-time food deliveries, volatile gas prices and potential shortages ready at a moments notice with changing situations in the Middle East, and increased reliance on welfare, it is not an unreasonable thing to think that all it would take is one or two bad things to happen to put the majority of us in a very bad situation that could take a long time to get out of. Some people are stockpiling food and preparing themselves with knowledge of self reliance and sustainability – and living in this volatile phase of society, they’re the sane ones for doing so.
Jan 22, 2012 12:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
Allinmod wrote:
It’s like aesop’s fable “the ant and the grasshopper”. Remember that? They probably don’t let kids learn it in public school anymore. In today’s world it is smart to be prepared for anything, especially losing the grid, however it could happen. There is a new Christian fiction novel out that has some of this stuff in it that preppers would probably enjoy. Very easy read and suspenseful! It’s called Broken Pottery by Joan K Smith.
Jan 22, 2012 12:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveColeman wrote:
A stable society relies on the vast majority of people voluntarily respecting property rights. Nowadays, there seem to be more and more people who believe their “need” authorizes them to demand others “share” their property. That is, they want things without having to earn them. (Eg. the Occupy Movement, food stamps program, Obamacare, etc.) As the number of people like this grows (given comfort by obsequious politicians like Obama), society approaches the tipping point of breakdown. In the Great Depression, a stranger would knock at the door and ask to share the family meal, and most people did. Now, most people would be too fearful to invite the “bum” in for supper, and the “bum” would likely not ask, but rather stage a home invasion, terrorize the family, and take what he wants (and then maybe burn the house down). Paranoid? Maybe, but this seems to be the direction we are heading.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
hednsand wrote:
I suppose most of the naysayers on here work in the banking industry or some associated business, and deepthroat all of the garbage they are fed. Prepping is not “being scared” , it is simply being prudent for the climate, akin to donning a coat in cold weather, or using an umbrella when raining,,,,, however they may be right , it isn’t rain, but a urea saturated emission from our govt.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
yzguy247 wrote:
I think it’s funny that some people like E2 say things like “thanks to Ron Paul the country has undermined it’s belief in itself”. – Do your homework. When the world realizes that the US is cheating with all the money it prints in secret, they will stop using it as the world’s reserve currency. When that happens, america’s economy will go through a correction the likes of which we have never seen in our country’s history. If you have not researched nor understand fractional reserve banking, what happened in 1913 and again in 1971 to american money, that’s fine; but to think our neighbors are going to get our food and supplies is laughable. Most “preppers” do not reveal they have them, and most know the first things you get are guns and a lot of ammo. I would love to see you or anyone else try and make it within .5 acres of my home day or night, locked & loaded over here. Have fun in your fema camp when the world cuts off our credit cards, we produce nothing in this country and have taxed, spent, and inflated our way into oblivion. God help us all and kudos to those who are looking ahead and want to be able to feed their children and survive. Survival of the fittest has been the way of the world since we were created.
Jan 22, 2012 12:42pm EST -- Report as abuse
bobber33 wrote:
@RangerDan You are on target but the collapse will not be over night, it will happen over a couple week to months. During this time preppers will remain strong and other get weaker.
@Sueque I have been prepping long before Y2K. Most preppers are students of history and understand economics and human dynamics.
@e2verne Most preppers even in urban environments are very low key. Most likely only prepper neighbors know each are preppers unless they go on TV. Ron Paul is neither the cause of this mind set nor the messenger of it.I’ve been a prepper long before I heard of Ron. I can remain “bunkered” down for almost 2 years. If I could get out and small plot farm, almost indefinately.
Jan 22, 2012 12:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
WavyChips,
Most folks would say that YOU have no concept of what is happening around you and are one of the sheep being led down the path. People with your views are shameless and hopeless. The redneck dig is very typical of your ilk.
You do realize the economy of the entire western world is at an all time low. The amount of debt held by almost every Country is unpayable in two generations. The US is no exception right down to the State and municipal level. Yes, this alone concerns rational folks who have concerns for the future of their children’s future. But that is just one concern. There are many more.
Continue on as you are, there is nothing to see here. Best Buy is having a sale on Big Screens, you go buy one and enjoy it.
Jan 22, 2012 12:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Backflip wrote:
Yeah, but being a member of iphone app subculture doesn’t feed me or protect me. Call a cop with your phone and see how long it takes for them to protect you from crime.
Jan 22, 2012 12:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
imsickofit wrote:
I just conducted a workshop on Sat where I debunked most of the popular doomsday scenarios. The world isn’t coming to an end in 2012, and we’ll not have a total collapse of society. Those who spend thousands making preparations for such events are just wasting their money. However, we will face some tough times as the world begins to deal with the debt crisis and international turmoil, but there are no apocalyptic scenarios that seem likely in the near term. Those who are promoting such nonsense are doing so for notoriety and monetary gain.
Jan 22, 2012 1:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
SurvivAllExpert wrote:
I think it is perfectly right to attack these preppers as nuts!!! Who would want to be self sufficient or prepared for severe weather, natural diasters, terror attacks, inflation, job loss, death or diability of families breadwinner, disease, pandemic, food shortages, fuel disruption because of middle east war, infrastructure failure – electricty, natural gas, fuel… what could possibly go wrong?
O.K. Lets all just live like there is no tomorrow and we’ll all just eat, sing songs and live on love and togetherness if anything bad ever happens. All together….”I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony., I wish we had some food to eat and some electricity…”
Even the U.S. Gov’t is encouraging people to prep: www.Ready.gov
Jan 22, 2012 1:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
Unlike in times past when the “apocalypse” was predicted, we are now so dependant on electronics and technology that it wouldn’t take much to bring America to it’s knees. Just read “One Minute After”(book) to get a feel for what it would be like after a terrorist attack called an EMP-electro magnetic pulse. This is a very plausible scenario, and after you read the book, go to the author’s website, then follow the links to the US Government websites concerning this subject, as well as how to prepare for “disaster”-they allude to Katrina, but who do you think is trying to hack into our electrical grid? Think, people!
Jan 22, 2012 1:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
soveryjaded wrote:
My family and I have a plan…we even bought a place in the woods to escape the jungle that the major city we live in will become when this strikes.
How will the teeming millions of welfare parasites react when their supply is cut off? They are already criminals, thugs and gangstas. Can you even imagine what it will be like when they no longer receive all their taxpayer-funded freebies? Dear Lord. The entitlement mentality will turn the general population into even worse savages when this happens.
Glad I never had children for this very reason. I worried about this 20 years ago. How could anyone not see it coming?
THANK YOU LIBERALS!
Jan 22, 2012 1:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
It’s hard to believe how many people in this country are still living in that “bubble” of the world superiority of the US. We are very very vulnerable right now, and may never recover from this. Did you EVER think that you’d see a horror movie like Katrina in this country-all of those people just helpless there, waiting for the government to come to their aid…or did you ever think you’d see THE landmark of NYC, World Trade Twin Towers, collapse before your eyes? Things in this world are changing fast..economically, and otherwise. Do what you like, just don’t ridicule those who think that preventative measures are smart..and oh yeah, don’t come to our doors when you don’t have food or water, or even aspirin for pain. We won’t be the Federal Gov’t with a handout for everyone, and most of us will be armed!
Jan 22, 2012 1:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
lingsun wrote:
The Fed has printed trillions of bogus dollars. It’s only a matter of time before we have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. I have a year’s supply of food and water, guns and ammo, a way to cook my food, and a way to heat my house. The collapse of the eurozone will be a disaster for the US as well.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
marcopantani wrote:
It’s as the preppers want the end to come. There is a certain high that comes from preparing to survive collapse. I jumped on the Peak Oil band wagon in 2005 and rode that for a bit…really…you start thinking about nothing else but collapse and survival….againit’s a bit of euphotia that you get from all this. While our house sits on an acre in a fairly small city with endless organic farms and water sources inc. our own 1/4 acre garden and back up well….I felt comfort in the fact that we could prep and survive what ever was coming…..the truth is, things happen and will continue to do so. I’m sure we’ll come back here in a year after reading yet another “collapse” article…and do it all over again.
Jan 22, 2012 1:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Romperstomper wrote:
Disasters can be big or small. Integrate prepping into your everyday lifestyle by buying necessities and non-pershables in quantity when they go on sale. Use your tax refund for big ticket items like guns and generators. Most important of all, plan ahead.
Jan 22, 2012 1:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
miker5 wrote:
I read through the first thirty comments and saw the letters O-B-A-M-A only once. How can a discussion of the end of our way of life not include numerous mention of him? The censors at Reuters are apparently very busy. Enjoy your power while you can. Newt let the cat out of the bag about the intentions and motives of the media and your days are numbered, Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
After witnessing the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, I made “prepping” a priority. After the quake, if you were one of the unfortunates who did not store water, you had to wait in line at a water truck once a day for one gallon of water (complete with sediment floating in it). Please realize that the Northridge quake pales in comparison to the “Big One” that is due to hit California at any moment.
I now store one month worth of food and water. I wonder…if I decide one day to store more than one month’s worth that does that make me paranoid according to the author of the article?
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
One thing to keep in mind: Just-in-time goods delivery systems.
Jan 22, 2012 1:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
x76 wrote:
I was a Boy Scout and their motto was and remains BE PREPARED. I certainly don’t have two years of freeze-dried food or anything like that, but we have food on hand, firewood, propane, et cetera… who wouldn’t? It’s just common sense.
Jan 22, 2012 1:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stambo2001 wrote:
All preppers know the ‘same old addage’, and that being:
“It is better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”
Prepping is like having a spare tire for your life. It’s like having a life jacket in a boat. How is being prepared for an emergency in any way, shape, or form being ‘fringe’?
What kind of person drives without their spare tire or gets in a boat without a life jacket? A moron.
Jan 22, 2012 1:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
11ozman wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
This, of course, completely ignores what is perhaps the greatest underlying concern for those who don’t take the survival of our country for granted: the replacement of our Constitutional government with an oppressive dictatorship/oligarchy. Reuters, of course, is in the tank for the Obama regime and consequently steers the discussion away from the fact that this “prepper” movement has largely developed since the coronation of Obama and has only gained momentum since. Anyone who has not flinched from looking at Obama’s (et al) increasingly obvious disdain for the restraints imposed by the Constitution would eventually come to the conclusion that he is part of a freight train heading towards absolute state control of our property and activity. The most glaring evidence of this trend are the imposition of Obamacare and, more recently, the secretive passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. And those are only the most obvious and recent. I’m sure any “prepper” (another flippant nickname along the lines of “tea baggers”) could cite many more examples.
Jan 22, 2012 2:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
bpmw wrote:
No comments, just statements of fact.
1. Being prepared is never foolish.
2. We are only 9 meals removed from a breakdown of society.
3. The more complex any object (machine, society, economic system), the more likely it is to fail.
4. Anyone who doesn’t believe that all great societies eventually fail is ignoring history and is bound to repeat it.
5. Most great societies collapsed from within – after their government looted the treasury.
6. Keep thinking what you want. If you don’t care enough to purchase the materials and make the preparations to provide for you and your loved ones in a time of need, please don’t think it obligates me to do so.
Jan 22, 2012 2:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
ogobeone wrote:
These prophecies have gone on for millennia and all the world gets is disasters to some people and some areas. Black and white thinkers are fools. Everybody has their own personal disaster eventually. It’s called death. But we all go alone, even if a friend is standing beside you in the same disaster.
Jan 22, 2012 2:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
JeffRosenbury wrote:
Historically the type of chaos the preppers are preparing for is the rule not the exception. Whether it’s war, civil disorder, or natural disaster, being prepared makes sense.
But most survivalist types are crazy loners. Hiding in a cave with guns is a fantasy. Real survival means being prepared to help your neighbors when things go wrong. Joining a community organization, developing social contacts and a useful, specialized skill is a far better survival plan than weapons training and underground bunkers.
The golden rule works as well during disasters as it does in ordinary life.
Jan 22, 2012 2:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
Jeepgirl wrote:
Preppers do not want the end to come. We want a happy stable life with a government that provides us the freedoms under the original constitution. We want a president that obeys the constitution, which is a document with laws that OBAMA does not follow, even though that document is what let OBAMA get where he is.
A happy, free & stable life with a government that does not impose nanny doctrines and decrees, is all we want. That takes a congress and a president that follows the constitution.
What do you want out of life? Is it not the same thing? Or do you want your government to coddle you and bottle feed you?
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
J.Prokhorov wrote:
Instead of random worrying, start thinking. Stop listening to binary locutions. Start observing the real physical environment and real physical people. Observe how much civilization has already been instilled in each one. Observe your local supply chain. Ensure your food, water and electricity supplies are in clear thinking, logical brains and hands. Be in your community as much as is doable per communication constraints given by language, education and intelligence. Rely on brains, which is different from saying ignore emotions since emotions are part of what brains produce. Yeah, something went wrong. At two litres consumption plus more for cleanliness usage per day per person, I observe in Chinese culture, water storage for three to four days seems to be a good practice.
Jan 22, 2012 2:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
LillithGoby wrote:
Ever watch Mad Max? If you have it, they are coming after it from the cities and in gangs. IMO only God can save us-put your preparation there, to survive spiritually and be quick on your feet.
Jan 22, 2012 2:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Landforfools wrote:
FACT: The 99% does not trust this government. Why should they when politicians try to strip our constitutional rights!! It is a fact that presidents come out of office richer than they ever were before- corruption.. politicians come out office richer than they were before, and often cannot explain why- corruption.. Corporations LIE about information, bribery and everything- corruption. Recent legislation has consisted of censoring the internet, searching and arresting without a serch warrant (which became law) out local law inforcement is being equipped military style. All of my tax money is going to things that i dont agree with and i have to pay a higher tax rate than Romney, who gutted companies and sent them into bankrupt. The 1% LIES about the products they create, the loop holes they take to make more money and the chemicals that are used in the process. They dont care about our health, our planet or they soil that we use to farm… and you wonder why we are stocking up on supplies and guns. The US of A is a joke. OUr prisons are overwhelmingly overcongested with minorities-racism. Private prisons now take good jobs and hand them to prisoners that get paid 60 cents per hour, those are supposed to be American jobs- corruption. Boehner is a joke, why does he even get out of bed… and the former house speaker Gingrich, leaving your wife (on 2 seperate occasions) as they get treated for grave illness, just shows the heartless a**holes that we are given to vote on for president. Get it?
Jan 22, 2012 2:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 2:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 2:57pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Hairywall wrote:
Have to agree with RangerDan. If the liberal fascists get a second term in the White House they may very well tip us into collapse and thus bring on their dream of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The fact that the socialist/communist experiments of the last couple of centuries have all ended in misery and abject failure, they just keep coming back. Bringing chaos and murder to the general population, ending in some form of totalitarianism. At that culmination personal preparations won’t really matter, the jackboot will be firmly on everyone’s neck. But in the mayhem leading up to that end game, having reserves of arms, food, and shelter would be helpful.
Jan 22, 2012 3:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
ThaBigPerm wrote:
@e2verne and others for whom the natural reaction to this is to denounce any and all conern for our future as crazy, tin-foil-hattedness, conspiratorial, misinterpreted-Myan-prophecy-clutching, etc, etc…
Let us see… preparing for major economic meltown in developed economies and the social explosion that could result therefrom is lunacy… and buying into merketing-fed hype…
After all, we live in the rock-solid 21st century. Money is paper (and increasingly even better, DIGITAL!), and food comes from the store or drive-through.
Besides, we have a rock-solid government, as well as other governments around the world, who would NEVER let anything like this happen. Since Reuters already regaled us with a tale of kooks prepping for something bad, let’s see what the governments are doing. You know, the non-kooks.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361898/Pentagon-reveal-financial-terrorists-triggered-economic-crash.html
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/army-future-unified-quest/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21053.html
http://publicintelligence.net/vigilant-guard-2010-riot-control-detention-drills/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079184/UK-prepares-emergency-measures-euro-collapse.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917077/Prepare-for-riots-in-euro-collapse-Foreign-Office-warns.html
Jan 22, 2012 3:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
SOS4USA wrote:
IF being a prepared person is kooky and paranoid, then take the jack and spare tire out of your car, you might be a prepper. Take that insurance off your valuables, and your life, or you might look kooky. The FEMA preparedness brochures that were sent out to us by our neighborhood watch captain told us to be prepared to take care of ourselves in case of a natural disaster. Are they kooky?
Jan 22, 2012 3:14pm EST -- Report as abuse
wrote:
The multiple failure modes of complex “systems of systems” are too to vast to enumerate. Past challenges to ‘the system’ came at a slow enough rate to allow gradual adjustments to occur. But current challenges are rushing toward us all at rates far too fast to allow for anything ‘gradual’ to be adequate to meet the threat.
Peak-energy, climate change, global social/political ‘springs’, sunspot cycle peaking with threatened attendant possible catastrophic CME disruption of continent-wide electrical and communications nets, and on & on….
Past natural events show how few people are prepared to live on their own for days or weeks. Drinkable water, food & a means to prepare it, A way to keep, at least a portion of their home, warm, a means to receive news from outside their neighborhood; all during a two week [or longer] lack of grid electricity – are all needs each family should be prepared to meet.
Our universal dependence on electricity and ‘just-in-time inventory control” mean that supply chains run dry in just a day or two when they are disrupted. Witness the ‘bare shelves’ syndrome whenever a hurricane threatens!
Few people have the knowledge, equipment or supplies ON HAND to save the contents of their freezers when it starts to thaw. Few know how to deal with human waste safely when there is no water available. Few have any conceipt of what to do when they need something other than DRIVE to the local store and BUY it.
[Roads blocked? ATMs & CC Machines don't work? Gas stations can't pump gas? Stores bare or closed? WHAT? How could that happen? Somebody HELP ME!!]
When disruptions extend beyond local or state boundaries, help from “outside” will not be available. Each locality and family must cope with supplies and manpower on hand. If the worst happens, that could include growing next years food from seeds, livestocks and land available locally.
Natural disasters, terrorists attacks [perhaps not too likely, but still possible], financial system collapse, even political system collapse leading to civil conflict are all possible causes of a need for individual autonomy in supplying ones needs.
Assuming life will always proceed in the future, as it has in the past, can easily prove fatal to the unprepared.
The choice is there: either be prepared to give up and die, or be prepared to forge through on your own, with your own knowledge, supplies and energy.
Even WITH individual preparedness, neighborhood and community cooperation will be vital for success. So true preparation must involve advance contact and planning for such coordination and cooperation.
May the Force be with you,
Wynn
Jan 22, 2012 3:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
julianpenrod wrote:
A characteristic of all who display craven absorption with self preservation, in all its forms, even that of scrabbling after everything that isn’t nailed down during otherwise lush times, is a deonstrated lack of faith in God. The fact is, many people seem willing to bleat a belief in God, but few actually show faith in His intercession. Many say that it’s because they saw many who were not benefited by God, but they carefully leave out whether those individuals deserved God’s favor! If God approves of you, He won’t allow you to be harmed. If you are promoting His plan, He won’t even allow yu to die. That’s why the rich, with all their craven acquisitiveness, don’t show the fear of death that malingerers like they would show. Bu providing a force for those who have acted decently to work against and improve themselves, even the craven corporate rich are helping in God’s plan. But the fact is that many have just tossed out acting in a way that promotes God’s wish for humanity. And, in fact, all the disasters of the past decade at least express His displeasure, if not outright anger. Tornaodes occurring where they were unknown, like Brooklyn; a fault bigger than San Andreas being announced along the Eastern Seaboard; an anomalous earthquake on the fault, affecting, among others, Wahington, D.C.; bees disapparing, threatening crops; a tidal wave of unprecedented proportions; the worst hurricane season on record; earthquakes being seen where they were previously unknown, like Ohio, and, where they were known, occurring in never before seen clusters; supervolcanoes forming beneath Mt. St. Helens and Yellowstone National Park; a bridge evaporating in Minnesota; a two football field long crack in the ground suddenly appearing in Michigan; family extermination murders on the rise; food poisoning outbreaks becoming a regular occurrence; diseases no ever ever heard of suddenly appearing; a giant steam main exploding in New York City; cranes at work sites collapsing regularly; bus crashes in unprecedented numbers; an electric art starting up on its own and crashing into a crowd. Even things that are described as man made, like the weird weather, the New World Order fabricated events of September 11 or the “sub prime” economic collapse would not have been allowed by God to happen if He wasn’t so enraged. Even the number of meteroite falls is a hundred times what it was only a few decades ago. No amount of survivalist style preparation will protect someone if God is truly angered by their actions. And, if they think that trying to sidestep God’s punishment is going to improve their standing in His sight, they should think twice.
Jan 22, 2012 3:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
MikeAreno wrote:
Collapse doesn’t have to happen
No Obama…….No Collapse
Jan 22, 2012 3:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
Funny stuff, just reminds one of how nuts people can be. Few things that stand out form this thread, the normal Obama is a socialist(people really need to learn the definition of Socialist before using it) out to destroy our economy, can we please get more bluster unsupported by facts people. People saying the NDAA is ‘Obama’s law’ is just plain BS, the facts are the GOP stuck it in the defense authorization bill, knowing that Obama could not veto, you need to read Obama’s signing statement, where it said his Admin will never enforce the law. One guy said the Pac NW is due for 10+ earthquake, not true it may be due for a 9.0 on the order of the Japan earthquake, but that ALOT different then a 10.0, think someone has watched 2012 a bit too much.
Anyhow all that being said, it is only smart to be prepared for some kind of natural disaster. But the people that believe in these doom and gloom theories with regards to “socialist Obama destroying the economy”, the second coming of Jesus Christ, or terrorism are just plain nuts.
Jan 22, 2012 3:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
LOL, leave up to the mainstream media to get it wrong AGAIN!!1 We are not afraid of no government, in fact many relish it (a return to a small government would be great for most of us) Pathetic and sickening that you statists think our well being dpeneds on a government. We prep because we see how a corrupt and overspending government, and a puch towards a “New “world Order” is going to bring about the collapse of our society as we know it, for a while.
Jan 22, 2012 3:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
I fantasize not about the world ending, but all you idiotic naysayers showing up at my door looking for handouts if and when things get bad, (not ending). I will have no problem letting the door hit you in the a$$.
Jan 22, 2012 3:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
Don’t prep, you’ll help thin the herd out some.
Jan 22, 2012 4:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
TheOutlawX wrote:
Just another “those people are crazy stories.” You know, don’t worry about that here’s the new iPhone story
Jan 22, 2012 4:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
rider237 wrote:
i was talking to a relative in another country. we were joking that people are “nesting”. it’s not just us. all around the world there is a feeling that something is about to tip.
if nothing happens, we have lost nothing by being prepared. if something does happen….don’t come to me looking for “stuff”. :-)
Jan 22, 2012 4:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
NukerDoggie wrote:
@USAPragmatist: The financial/economic collapse IS coming, attendant with all the social disorder you can imagine, but it matters little what political party is in the White House – both parties are shoving us toward disaster.
Our economy is massively over-developed, in debt and primed for the Big Collapse. The crash of 2008 and the Euroland earthquake that began in early August of 2011 are just advance tremors. Anyone who can’t discern these facts is an ‘ostrich’ with his head in the sand.
All these preppers are going to get a very rude awakening, though. Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer. If the military doesn’t raid the preppers then their hungry neighbors will. You guys can’t stand up to those kinds of forces for long. I’m all in favor of making reasonable preps for disasters, but when you carry it to such extremes you make yourselves targets. Not smart.
Jan 22, 2012 4:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
sfmercurius wrote:
Well,these people may make it a week or so, but eventually the trouble will find them. There won’t be enough bullets or concrete to keep it away.
Jan 22, 2012 4:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
How can an article about people preparing for the end of society not even mention Barack Hussein Obama? Whether or not you think he’s destined to cause the end of America is irrelevant. The people who are taking preparation measures think Obama is causing the events that are going to bring about the subject of the article. Boy, the media will do anything to even write one sentence about Obama that could be interpreted as negative by even one person.
Jan 22, 2012 4:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
MoReport wrote:
The Preppers may be right for the wrong reason;
Modern society is far more fragile than at any
time in the past, subject to massive mortality
given even a one week interruption in the flow
of necessities; The ability to survive without
resupply for a month could keep one alive, and
available to participate in the recovery of a
much smaller USofA.
Jan 22, 2012 4:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
strikezone wrote:
It appears that you are referring to William Miller rather than Joseph Miller?
Jan 22, 2012 4:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
John2244 wrote:
Statistically speaking, Preppers have no chance; if you believe society is going against your way and try to arm/store your way out of a crisis then you’ll end up getting overrun by the majority. Theres never been a historical case otherwise.
Through my marriage I have two different sets of ancestors that lived for centuries in a land where a crisis occurred; Jewish family in Austria and Sikh family in Pakistan. Both families have stories of people who saved food and guns and built a fort to protect themselves….they got killed. We also have relatives that saw the crisis coming and did what most normal people do – started buying property in other places, opening up accounts elsewhere, converting cash to gold, making business deals to diversify into other areas, and acquiring second citizenship. On both sides the survivors were always the ones that were financially savy in the world not the ones with guns – let me repeat – they all died.
I myself as an American also fear a collapse but I do what many Americans do – diversify into economies with growth, a young population base and low government debt. We are not preppers, because we dont believe in 2 day meltdown… we believe in long term decline which really shouldn’t impact are lives but later are creating options for our kids like are forefathers did – just in case.
Jan 22, 2012 5:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
DonQuixokie wrote:
I suspect the end is a near as the next Republican Administration. Republicans refuse to acknowledge Bush/Cheney and their policies role in the Wallstreet melt-down, housing crisis (which continues unabated,) the costs of the Bush era tax cuts and the Bush Wars.
Romney wants to double down on everything that Bush and Cheney did that was so disasterous for our nation and economy.
Santorum wants to do all of the same + bonsai our proud nation into the Christian equivalent of Iran…turn us into a Christofascist sharia nation. Both Santorum and Romney want to push for war in Iran, but neither has yet said just how they will pay for it.
Ron Paul, from a distance, looks sane. Until you squint. His past statements from his newsletter are racially odious, and his belief in personal freedom does not extend to a woman’s right to reproductive freedom. Worse, his foreign policy presents a genuine threat to our national security. His plans to cripple the federal govt lays open the real possibility of actually dissolving it…Balkanizing the United States into seperate individual nations who would then fight over natural resources while being hegemonized by corporations.
Let’s get real. Obama will win this election, and our nation will limp its way out of recession. And democrats will problably win 2016. But Republicans WILL take the White House at some point. The question is will our nation have recovered enough from the last galloping parade of corrupt criminality to survive another one. Not for another 20 years at least.
Jan 22, 2012 5:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
@nukerdoggie. Please give one shred of CREDIBLE evidence that “Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer.” ? You are the exact type I was talking about, unsubstantiated hysteria. There is ZERO reason that there is going to be any martial law in this country in the foreseeable future. Your type has always been around, but one of the side effects of the connectivity of the Internet is that a VERY small minority can make it seem like there are more of them due to being vocal. Just like the paulites, not many but sure are noisy.
Jan 22, 2012 5:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@nukerdoggie- yeah, that’s why preppers don’t advertise. As for making ourselves “targets”, if you don’t advertise, you don’t become targets. Preppers aren’t mindless pack rats.
Jan 22, 2012 5:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@sfmercurius- so what do you suggest? Lay down and accept the inevitable? Better a week meals than not.
Jan 22, 2012 5:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
RichardGC wrote:
We can solve so many problems by minding our own business. What do we care if other people prepare for something we do not believe will happen? What do we care if others believe our government is corrupt and not to be trusted? Treat them like another religion. No, I do not believe I will be “raptured” into heaven. If you get raptured into heaven, have fun! No, I do not believe in genital mutilation of children, male or female. Those who do are none of my business. No, I do not take sides in the many religious wars and conflicts all over the world. I wish everyone well and ask only to live my life unmolested. I do support Ron Paul, but if you do not, fine. I do not care one way or the other about Israel or Palestine; if you do, good for you. Feel free to send your money and your children to either side. Not my problem! If you love Britain, fine; I do not care one way or the other, even though many of my ancestors lived there. Some Americans are such Anglophiles that they even learn to talk with a fake accent. Fine; enjoy! I want to trade with and visit other countries but I do not want my country to accept responsibility for them. STOP being a busybody.
Jan 22, 2012 6:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ian1 wrote:
I am no ‘Prepper’, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared.
That being said I do expect a complete global derivative economic meltdown. We’ve been experiencing it for years, right before your eyes. I believe 2008 is just a ‘ripple’ in a pond compared to what is about to happen. This is just my speculation, however King Dollar is being phased out as we speak. What we are witnessing is the rise of Eastern Civilization and the Fall of the West.
The Dollar hegemony is over, when we lose the Petro-Dollar status (China has made SEVERAL strategic moves, both financially and militarily) is when the proverbial you know what will hit the fan…yes we will see martial law in the streets of America. Again just my speculation, but the Dollar is being challenged.
Good luck.
Jan 22, 2012 6:03pm EST -- Report as abuse
Newmexicoprepp wrote:
Ok so for all those who wish not to be prepared just in case… I bet you have no health insurance or a first aid kit or even a fire extinguisher because if you do your prepared for something that may or may not happen also. Simple people make me laugh. Prepping is the same people , It is about being able to feed and protect in case of an emergency.
Jan 22, 2012 6:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
AlfredReaud wrote:
“When seconds count, authorities are minutes away.”
Don’t know who wrote that, but it’s true all over. Also don’t know who came up with that silly term “prepper”. I have the knowledge I need to survive in the event of societal collapse because it’s part of camping and fishing and outdoors-craft. I don’t have to be around y’all. I can head “out back” and disappear.
Personally, I never looked at it as prepping for anything but being ready. Am I paranoid about society collapsing? No. Societies have collapsed many times in history.
When the “Changes” come, those that live by the gun will die by the gun, and those that cooperate will survive. Having a gun doesn’t guarantee survival, when the best recourse is to not fight and help each other. Everybody should watch “2012″. And think about what the Georgia Guidestones says about the optimum world population being 500,000,000 people.
Jan 22, 2012 6:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
botflyguy wrote:
I live north of New Orleans about 45 minutes. After Katrina hit, we were without power for about 8 days. I went to a Walmart near us after a couple of days because I heard they had power. There were National Guard soldiers outside regulating how many people could enter. Had to wait for people to exit before more were let in. I got in after awhile and the first area you normally see, the bread and produce section, was only empty bins and bare shelves. It was eerie, like an apocalyptic movie. The rest of the store (grocery part) wasn’t much better. I see the ads for ‘food insurance’ and don’t think that’s such a kooky idea anymore.
Jan 22, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
punkster023 wrote:
It must be exhausting to live your one life in fear and paranoia. I feel sorry for these people who constantly stress and “prep” instead of enjoy and live. I guess its possible that any one of these disasters could happen, but I’m going to have as much fun as I can before it does. I urge the rest of you to do the same. :)
Jan 22, 2012 7:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
scorchedearth wrote:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have. I guess nobody has been paying attention to the increased frequency of Public service announcements espousing the point of having extra fresh water and a family emergency plan in place. I Don’t know if anything is going to happen and I hope it never does but…
Jan 22, 2012 8:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
LobaAzul wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.” WRONG!!!!! Most preppers want far less government because they realize government cannot be depended upon to provide solutions. Government IS the problem.
Jan 22, 2012 8:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
With seven billion of us now on the planet, it’s only a matter of time before Nature does something to severely cull our numbers. No amount of disaster preparedness is going to help significantly.
Jan 22, 2012 8:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re no after you. Think about it.
Jan 22, 2012 8:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
just1of99prcnt wrote:
Sounds like some of you people never saw news coverage of rioting in L.A. and how uncivilized people can become in such a short period time over nothing. I can imagine what would happen if something really bad happened. I personally do not think staying in one spot and trying to defend it is that great of an idea. As soon as you help your neighbor the rest will be at your front door wanting the same. I hope nothing that bad ever happens but I certainly don’t blame people for being prepared. I don’t store food and water but I am armed and capable of surviving off the land and not too far from 4 legged transportation. First thing I will do is get away from the rest of you. Half of you will go crazy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Prepped wrote:
It is often said that anarchy begins after the ninth missed meal. Given the precipice the world finds itself on today, like the prospect of peak oil, war with Iran or worse, China, economic destruction from un-repayable debt, earthquakes and other natural disasters, it only makes sense to prepare and not become a burden to others or find it necessary to steal or worse, kill for the prepared person’s supplies…
Jan 22, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
What disturbs me most about this subculture is they are, for the most part, being led by a quitter. James Wesley Rawles was an Army captain before resigning his commission upon the election of President Clinton. If Captain Rawles was unable to follow the orders of his Commander-in-Chief in the defense of his country, how would have it had possible to lead his men into battle to defend America? Clearly, the man lacks the leadership to lead anyone anywhere. But in these uncertain times, this coward has taken it upon himself to lead others. Shame on him, and pity upon those who chose to follow this man’s questionable thinking.
Jan 22, 2012 9:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Dantes wrote:
Subculture. Heh.
Millions of people in this subculture.
As for those on this board who think they will be able to just pluck the fruits of our labor…
Molon labe.
Jan 22, 2012 9:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
skaven44 wrote:
Being Prepared should not be considered a Sub-Culture lol
It’s far better to “have it when you need it, than to need it and not have it”…that’s my belief.
People need to play the “what if” game in their heads and actually take some time and think, how would I provide some/all of my basic day to day needs in the event of a catastrophe be it economic or natural.
Too many will find themselves in truly dire circumstances if an emergency strikes.
Better to of thought about it some and prepared as best as possible…certainly better than the alternative imo
Jan 22, 2012 9:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveJ1948 wrote:
There is nothing like being prepared but you can take it a little far. I know people who still have beans and rice from the Y2K era.
Jan 22, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Coldwarrior1984 wrote:
According to the Comptroller of the Currency (Treasury Dept.) U.S. commercial banks hold $248 TRILLION in unregulated derivatives. I think there’s only about $70 Trillion in currency in the entire world. Think about that for a moment. The 5 year (so far) economic crisis we have been in and that is disolving the European Union was caused by derivatives that were made of bundled bad mortgages that had been rated as AAA+ and then shorted by the folks selling them. NOTHING has changed systemically to prevent another crash. What has changed is that we are now over $15 Trillion in debt and going further into debt every year by more than a Trillion dollars. But hey, if you wan’t to see the glass as half full, who am I to disagree?
Jan 22, 2012 10:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
CountryGurl wrote:
I am sitting here in my nice warm farmhouse; the woodstove is fired up against the snow. I just had a supper of all homegrown items – a stew made from the steer we butchered this October, canned and fresh vegetables from the garden. Breakfast was a bartered-for neighbor’s-pig sausage, homeraised eggs, homemade butter and cheese. This spring I am putting in over 100 fruit trees and starting my own beehive; the cows have already started calving.
I have been working towards self-sufficiency all my life; at 10 I had my own vegetable garden, as a young mother I made my own baby food, as a mother of teens I taught them to grow and shuck corn,raise vegetables, butcher a wildkill.I have always canned and dehydrated my own produce, learned to make my own soap, can sew a pair of pants, a pair of curtains, or a quilt by hand.
We do not “live in fear” we live quite happily and comfortably, eat well, raise our animals and produce, kill the occasional wild turkey or deer and make everything from canned turkey to beef jerky. We grow heirloom plants and collect the seeds to replant every year.I render my own lard from pig fat – makes excellent piecrusts and fries the river-caught bass and trout.
If a tornado comes thru, we have food stored in a safe room in our basement. If an EMP occurs, we have lamps that burn fat, a reliable horse if we need her. Winter blizzards are no problem – the deadfalls alone here provide plenty of wood for the wood stove, and I can cook on it too. I’ll miss the Internet and a few things, but we will eat well and be self-sufficient. If another Depression comes, we’re far enough away from ‘civilization’ to not worry about folks coming out this far – we have neighbors with whom we trade and barter – and we all open-carry, too. If something happens, we’ll be fine. If nothing happens, we’ll still be fine, and do what we are doing – because it is healthier, gives us satisfaction, and makes us happy.
I have never heard of these so-called ‘bibles’ and prepper-leaders, and wouldn’t waste my money or time on them if I had. During the Y2K scare, I operated a free blog and chat room telling people how to be self-sufficient; didn’t try to sell them a thing and wouldn’t do it now. Self sufficiency to us doesn’t mean we are huddled in our basement in terror, but rather that we live a life free of Frankenfoods, out in the sunshine and the snow, loving life and living it to the fullest.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 10:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
westcoastsailor wrote:
Are we preppers?
My wife and I chose to disconnect from the matrix about 5 years ago, just before the real estate crash. We sold up and now make our home aboard a self sufficient 50′ motorsailor. We’re somewhere in the 1000s of islands and fjords on the Canadian coast between Washington and Alaska. We’ve got some silver dollars stashed on board, 1000 gal of fuel, 1000 gal of water, 10 months of food staples, otherwise, don’t have anything to do with banks and stay below radar. We’re both skilled with our hands, and do just fine picking up a bit of work here and there. The key is our cost of living is so low, most people pay more for their monthly fitness club than we spend per month. Native peoples thrived while living off these waters for thousands of years, we are too, as they said “the tide goes out and the table is set”. Shit can hit the fan, as it probably will, we’ll hear about it over the ham or ssb, then I’ll go pull up the crab traps for dinner.
Jan 22, 2012 10:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
maxgomez wrote:
What’s the connection between these people and the hippies in communes? Your own story says these preppers may be living next door — which obviously isn’t in a commune separated from society.
Jan 22, 2012 10:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
YouLikeRonPaul2 wrote:
e2verne – a shot at Ron Paul, really? The guy perfectly predicted the 2008 housing bubble collapse in 2002. He tried for six years to get the rest of Congress to listen. If there was ANYONE worth listening to . . . jeesh! Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDisyWkIBM
I’ll tell ya’ll what, I’m into prepping. Do any of you carry car, home or health insurance? Prepping is just day-to-day living insurance.
It blows my mind how some people get so bent about somebody’s private beliefs. It does not affect you nor infringe on your rights. That’s part of the problem with our country as of late, nobody can MYOFB.
When we had Hurricane Irene come to town, I took my kids on a “social studies” sight seeing tour down past our local WalMart and grocery store so they could see what it was like for people who did not have any “preps”. Then we went home, had a barbecue and woke up the next morning with our lights on and food and water a plenty.
For those who think prepping is being fearful or a waste of time and money, drop your car, health and homeowner’s insurances. Don’t be afraid – just “let life happen!”
Jan 22, 2012 10:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
deowll wrote:
There is always a risk of being off the grid but the biggest threat is the economy. Anyone can see what is going on in Europe. Our debt is growing past the point anyone can bring the situation under control and we are utterly dependent on foreign fuel and we are utterly dependent on imports.
New York Life warned customers not to send it to much money to invest. Metro Nashville had to pay banks to take multimillion dollar deposits.The banks aren’t offering anyone a reasonable rate off return on anything. It’s just a matter of time and we are only going to be able to do limited amounts of foreign trade backed up by whatever reserves of foreign cash we have and our gold reserves because our currency will be worthless. That isn’t going to allow most people to drive…
Jan 22, 2012 11:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
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Close ArticleComments (249) ReadSubculture of Americans prepares for civilization's collapse
21 Jan 2012
1U.S. aircraft carrier enters Gulf without incident
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2U.S. aircraft carrier enters Gulf without incident
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3Tornadoes possible in southern U.S. as snow threatens
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4Joe Paterno, revered coach tainted by scandal, dies |
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5Discussed249Subculture of Americans prepares for civilization’s collapse
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Sat, Jan 21 2012 Obama breaks into song at the Apollo
Fri, Jan 20 2012Subculture of Americans prepares for civilization's collapse
Comments (249)RangerDan wrote:
I’m not a kook, but I am well armed, have food stored, and a safe place to go. Most of all, I have an attitude of survival at all cost. It would take a matter of minutes during a big upheaval for the most doscile people to become raving lunatics.
Jan 21, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sueque wrote:
I actually moved to Maine to prepare for Y2K. When the federal government set up a center to monitor the anticipated disaster that was the last straw. Now in retrospect I see that the people who perpetuated this idea of world collapse made a LOT of money on speaking engagements, books, selling supplies, and promoting whatever they could in order to sell anything related to the impending disaster. Then they moved on when it didn’t happen. Rich from their endeavors. They knew it wouldn’t hurt anyone, just part them from their money, so they had no qualms engaging in the fraud. Same thing now.
Jan 21, 2012 12:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
e2verne wrote:
Apparently I am the first reader to find this article worthy of comment. I have to say these folks are NOT like “hippies in the 60s; they are, however, like the doom people from the 50′s building bomb shelters in their backyard to preserve themselves from an atomic bomb blast. The doom sayers were preposterous in their thinking- it was highly unlikely their “shelters” would have survived a direct blast, and even more unlikely these folks would have survived the resultant radiation. The “preppers” are not giving their neighbors credit. If all civilization breaks down, these folks will be swept away precisely because their neighbors will know they have supplies. Humans are mentally and physiologically created to survive- whatever the cost. But this is all nonsense. I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground. I guess ‘thank you, Ron Paul, for undermining the country’s belief in itself.
Jan 21, 2012 12:19pm EST -- Report as abuse
Tommorow wrote:
Subculture! goodness makes this prepper feel subhuman reading accounts comparing me to the 1960s hippies who only wanted a hand out instead of a hand up. We prep because we are not dependant on the Government to provide that hand out. We choose to live as our parents and Grandparents did in order to prepare for a economic collapse brought about i might add by those who are corrupt not only in our Government but in our media. I for one do not need the socialist crap you in the media and the Government dish out. I prepare for any and all disasters in this unstable world and if that makes me part of a subculture then those who do not must be as blind and willing to follow as those Zombies we are so fond of comparing them to. IF those in Sarajevo had prepared then there may have been less graves dug in the center of the Olymoic stadium. And if the Sheeple of New Orleans had been better prepared instead of waiting for the Government to come save them.they also may have lived… there are millions and millions of us..you can call us AMERICANS.
Jan 21, 2012 1:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ralphooo wrote:
I once bought a year’s supply of dried foods. Time passed, gasoline prices started going down, and eventually I decided I had to eat it all or have it go bad. The stuff is good for two or three years.
I very quickly became sick of many, many meals of a thick packet they called “beef stroganoff.”
Yuck! Never again.
Jan 21, 2012 2:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
philbutrin wrote:
just for the record, the mayan calendar does NOT predict doom this december. that’s a popular fallacy. the calendar actually predicts that 12/21/12 will be the end of the current cycle of civilization, and the beginning of the next. rather than doomsday, their writings point to it being an important point in mankind’s evolution and not its destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 2:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
JWBAIM wrote:
Preppers, we are normal everyday folk who are prepared for disaster small or large but never wishing for it. We have large stocks of food water and defense. This is a lot like our pioneer forefathers.
Because society has conditioned us to rely on the daily supply to the grocery store and other stores, we have become less self sufficient. Most folks can’t even grow there own food on a small scale.
We just don’t want to be left to the wolves or become the wolves in a bad situation. I buy car insurance, but I never plan on having a crash. Just sayin.
Jan 21, 2012 3:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
DarylN wrote:
Wow….how do I get into the money making scam of selling army surplus to the “preppers.” I kind of feel bad for them, people are taking advantage, and stoking, their over-amped fears of apocalypse.
Jan 21, 2012 3:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
AZWarrior wrote:
There was a time I would have chuckled at the article, but with this government and world economy, I’m not laughing. “Oh fiddley dee, I’ll worry about that tomorrow.” Scarlet
Jan 21, 2012 5:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
starkrayz wrote:
A lot of fear-mongering going on. An educated person understands the economy, trade and national relations shift thru the decades. There’s no problem with stockpiling a few weeks of food and water (and cash) for the unexpected disaster. But this end-of-the-world ranting is just plain silly. Jeez, we could get hit by an asteroid for all we know. These “preppers” living in fear is just sad.
Jan 21, 2012 6:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
neiman1 wrote:
It isn’t just rural folk in Tennessee. Many with wealth are accumulating gold as an investment. Everyone is buying weapons. Most are making sure they have a supply of food staples, even if they tell their family its for a cushion against a weather disaster. People are uneasy and preparing for much worse times and a breakdown of the social fabric. Riots would surprise almost no one.
Jan 21, 2012 6:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Libslayer666 wrote:
It really isn’t very smart to go to the trouble of preparing for anarchy and social collapse and then tell everyone what you have. Believe me, if and when the time comes, there will be those that will come and take it from you. Don’t be stupid and keep it a secret. It would also be a plus to surround yourself with like-minded folks you trust and together you will be able to protect your loved ones from the degenerates and reprobates on the prowl.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Pointfinder wrote:
Read Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road.” If society collapses, a stack of canned goods doesn’t mean much. You’re going to need ammunition, tough friends, and lots of luck.
Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.
Jan 21, 2012 6:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stonehillady wrote:
Look If you were a Greek right now & your income was decreased by the 30% they are dealing with now, if they had provisions, they could at least eat ! People realize the Numbers don’t add up. There is no Trillions coming down from heaven to bailout the world from the criminals that compounded interest & credit Default Swapped us to death. The Elite want to depopulate the world as said by James Wolfensohn from the World Bank to Stanford U & said the Eastern World is where the wealth will go & the western world will NOT be as it any more……So be ready for what the powers that be will do !
Jan 21, 2012 6:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
freods wrote:
As an old boy scout, “be prepared,” was the motto. Yes, I can defend myself and I can support myself outside of our so called civilized society. What folks who live in housing projects, collect food stamps and checks from someone else, and who dont have a clue about living without a fast food restaurant or convenience store will do when there are not so called services available, well, I dont want to think about it.
Jan 21, 2012 6:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
JoeThePumpernel wrote:
@e2verne
You don’t have a clue that the currency is about to collapse, do you?
You think just because you can bury yourself in credit card debt and survive, nations can too?
Jan 21, 2012 6:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
hartley8184 wrote:
E2Verne,
Anyone who thinks that “this can’t happen in America” is naive at best. America came within a hairsbreadth of thermonuclear war with the Soviet Union in 1963. The only thing that saved us was the sanity of two leaders who decided they didn’t want to bear the guilt of blowing up the world. There is absolutely NOTHING that seperates you from the Middle Ages except those power lines outside your window, and the oil tankers that crisscross the Atlantic.
I don’t necessarily agree with the Preppers. But I don’t see your point of view either. If the US goes down, there won’t be any safe place to live in this hemisphere. But, at least they’ll be able to hold out longer than somebody like you will.
E2Verne, wake up and realize you aren’t living in Disneyland any longer.
Jan 21, 2012 6:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
I find this trend interesting in light of the popularity of Austrian economics on the right. Austrian economists say that nobody knows how to make a pencil in his home workshop, for example, because the knowledge and skills for making pencils lie dispersed throughout the world. The market, through the price mechanism, coordinates all this knowledge and these skills to produce pencils so that we can buy a package of them at the corner drug store for pocket change. The prepper world view says that this system will break down suddenly so that we have to make pencils, and everything else we’ll need, at home despite the fact that we simply don’t know how to do these things.
Jan 21, 2012 7:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
roccotool wrote:
When you’ve got unemployment higher than the cooked numbers, nobody can find a job, a Regime that wants to control banks and insurance companies, an economy that is getting worse with no end in sight, and a country that is headed the same way as Greece and Italy, it’s no wonder a society feels pessimistic. The sad part is many want to vote this Regime back in.
Jan 21, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Chaylon wrote:
Of course, anything can happen. But the government cannot continue to spend our future like it does. At some point the party will be over and we are right to think it’s soon. I just dont think it has to mean the “end of the world as we know it”. Probably just a sad slide into mediocrity like the rest of the worlds nations. So long land of the free, home of the brave.
Jan 21, 2012 7:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
georgelcsmith wrote:
Everyone should be prepared to survive for a few days in an emergency. We shouldn’t need to rush to the store to stock up in anticipation of a weather emergency, because stores only have a few days of supplies on hand. The question is whether we need to be prepared for a long-term breakdown in the supply of necessities. Before our current President, I would have gambled on sufficient supplies, but I an no longer certain.
Jan 21, 2012 7:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
margi wrote:
When you have a president that labels disagreeing American citizens as “enemies” you know there is trouble ahead. Couple that with Homeland Security’s unConstitutional intrusions into our lives, the destruction of the Bill of Rights with obama’s latest law, and tyranny through obama regulations, what do you think is going to happen?
What is obama’s self-described “million (man) well-armed civilian army” for? Many believe it is to attack American citizens, just as Clinton and Reno at Waco only on a much more comprehensive, pervasive scale.
Liberals with weapons are VERY dangerous to individual liberties.
Jan 21, 2012 7:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
sgbarnes wrote:
It is not just major upheavals that prompts us to prepare. It is also life’s little surprises like losing a job, a divorce etc. When my son divorced last year I was able to go to my stockpile to give him things to set up his new home. The most likely disturbances are going to be personal and/or local. Remember how long it took to get help to New Orleans. The government won’t be around for several days. We need, at least, to be prepared to make it for a week without help.
Jan 21, 2012 7:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
Things just cannot continue down their current path without America being destroyed and our society collapsing. There comes a point where you can’t print more money (or quantitative easy as the democrats like to spin it) and charge reckless spending on a credit card.
This is the scariest time in my lifetime. This is MUCH scarier than the cold war with Russia. We have a ridiculous debt owed to a country that hates us and wants to see us destroyed. We have 15-20 million people illegally in the country who believe the US belongs to Mexico. We have an incompetent, unqualified president that has a chip on his shoulder.
Even scarier is that there’s a huge percentage of the population who have been duped into thinking someone George W Bush caused the crisis rather than Fanny, Freddie, and Glass-Steagle. Those same idiot don’t realize that if we confiscated every dollar that rich people have and taxed them at 100%, it wouldn’t even make a dent in the real issues.
As soon as I get myself out of debt, I’m going to do all the preparation steps that others are doing. If Obama gets re-elected in 2013, collapse is inevitable (and desired by the Francis Fox Piven crowd). The current path is crashing fast and Obama is trying to take us even further down the path of destruction.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
thirdeye wrote:
Uhhh-don’t think you need to be too concerned about the lights and next weeks dinner in the event of World War 3. A little lipstick and a mirror might be more worthwhile.
Jan 21, 2012 7:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
mnehrling wrote:
I love how these articles always focus on the fringe, the ‘end of the world as we know it types’, however, most ‘preppers’ I know are simply people who want to be self-reliant. If one looks at history, almost every generation has faced something where some sort of preparation was the difference between surviving or not, or simply barely getting by or thriving. Think about the Great Depression, WWII with its rationing, Katrina, the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami, tornadoes that take out power to entire towns for weeks, almost every hurricane or blizzard event, etc. A little preparation is beneficial. In these type of events, wouldn’t you rather know you have a stock of food to feed your family for a few weeks or more versus wait in line at some Red Cross or FEMA shelter in the hopes the government will have something left for you?
Jan 21, 2012 7:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
books4me wrote:
Argentina 2001
Jan 21, 2012 7:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
Parker1227 wrote:
Anyone who doesn’t keep at least a couple of weeks worth of extra food and water (or a good water filtering device), in case of emergency is a fool.
Earthquakes, and floods, and storms, and epidemics (and even wars) do happen.
The coastal area of the Pacific NW is due for a 10+ magnitude quake.
As we saw with hurricane Katrina, when thousands of square miles are impacted by disaster – it takes weeks for the government to get help to everyone.
Jan 21, 2012 7:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
espaceman wrote:
Just finished reading what an EMP would do to this country. I wonder why the U.S. Congress said that every American should read this book “One Second After” and the media ignored this? Folks… this is real and those who ignore are going to be placed into a very bad situation.
Jan 21, 2012 7:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cartman wrote:
Funny the people pitying us “preppers” (I’ve never heard that term before this article – sounds lame) as sad and pathetic. There is simply nothing wrong with having a stocked pantry, loaded weapons, and mucho gallons of fresh water on hand. We don’t need a third world war or a zombie apocalypse to justify what might be down the road. If I was fired from my job tomorrow that would qualify as an apocalypse to my household. It’s nice knowing we can shop for food straight from our pantry for quite some time in that instance. We save money for the future, for the unforeseen, and no one balks at that notion. It’s responsible. Same with storing food and water – you just never know. Rule 1, though, is not telling neighbors about your stores. They’ll inevitably come calling and, well, I’m not saving for them. Only downside is beer doesn’t keep as long – so drinking through the Guinness on hand to keep up with the fresh ones is a great problem to have.
Jan 21, 2012 7:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
WyoDutch wrote:
I “prep” for the same reason I buy insurance on my property.
I “prep” because I never want to shuffle along in line for a chunk of government cheese and a bag of flour.
I “prep” because I am responsible for my familys well being.
I “prep” because I am wise.
.
Jan 21, 2012 7:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
conversionvan wrote:
In response to e2verne’s comment “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground” tell that to those who lived through Katrina. However the bigger picture here is that these people are taking more responsibility for the lives and that is exactly what America needs. Less reliance on systems we can’t controll and more reliance on ourselves. The fact that this concept is odd, is one of the major reasons that our governments, big businesses, and environment are all failing.
Jan 21, 2012 7:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
citizenserf wrote:
Think of every obnoxious neighbor, every unstable personality, every menacing group of teenagers you’ve ever encountered in line at a shopping center, movie theater or public space. Now imagine if they went to the supermarket to find empty shelves and the police are nowhere to be found. Do any of you who do NOT own a gun think those people will respect you or your family or your property in any way? If you dismiss these preppers as kooks and paranoids, that’s YOUR problem. If you have complete confidence in this country’s monetary system, fiscal policies and the responsiveness of public safety agencies, that’s YOUR problem. If you wish to be on the other side of Pascal’s Wager, that’s YOUR problem.
Come to think of it, Ms. Tegeler shouldn’t have given her real name because in a break down of law and order, people like her could be subject to anti-hoarding orders by desperate neighbors and rogue authorities.
Jan 21, 2012 7:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
No mention of AGW alarmists. Aren’t they predicting and regulating us on so called predictions of melting glaciers, sea rise, etc. etc. Why no mention of that? hmm well wouldn’t want to make the AGW believers look like kooks?
Jan 21, 2012 7:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
jackthom wrote:
here in earthquake prone CA the powers that be advise being preperared for disaster. Store food, water, etc, flashligts, radio. Even my kids were taking a bag with supplies to last three days. What’s kookie about that.
Jan 21, 2012 7:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
2ndAmendment wrote:
With this administration we are going into debt to the tune of 1.5 Trillion a year. We have printed approximately 1 trillion in money called Quantitative Easing 1 & 2 and now the Feds are proposing printing another Trillion in play money. Why more money printing you ask? Well things aren’t looking so good economy wise and if the anointed one wants to have a chance at re-election he must hide our economic troubles until after the election. The Fed will pump another Trillion into the markets as required to get past the election. What happens after November will just have to be a surprise. The sad part is it looks like that is when our worst fears play out and hence the “Preppers”. I for one do not think preparing for a natural disaster, man caused disaster, civil unrest or even economic ruin is unreasonable. All it takes is a modest earthquake to bring modern society to its knees. The concept is “at least I tried to due something to prepare for a contingency of things beyond my control”.
Jan 21, 2012 7:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
LtScrounge wrote:
The Motto for the Boy Scouts is “Be Prepared”. The US Federal Emergency Management Administration says that individuals should have AT LEAST 4 days worth of food, water and medicine as well as flashlights, batteries, heat sources, radios for news and weather reports, etc etc etc. Wouldn’t that type of planning been more than a little beneficial to those living in New Orleans during Katrina and the aftermath thereof? How many times have some rural (and in some cases not so rural) areas lost power due to storms, often for days or weeks at a time? A BBC documentary concluded that chaos would break out in Britain if the food deliveries to the major cities were stopped for only a few days. With the riots and looting that occurred in Britain this past summer and Los Angeles in 1991 which would you rather be, the unarmed guys who watched their family owned businesses burn to the ground, or the ones standing on the roof with rifles and shotguns protecting their businesses? Most “preppers” look at what has gone on throughout history and say “Hey, I don’t want to be the person sitting in the dark, hungry and afraid waiting for someone to come help who might never make it.” As for the neighbors grabbing a prepper’s supplies when things go south, that’s a possibility, but unlikely considering most preppers not only prepare to feed and clothe themselves in an emergency, but also to protect themselves as well. Most thieves and thugs find the idea of being punched full of bullet holes less than desirable.
Jan 21, 2012 8:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
invicta1 wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
You have got to be kidding me? “Preppers” are probably more concerned about an out of control government more than anything else. All of the other end of the world scenarios such as economic collapse will be in response to the governments actions. The government is the biggest threat to the American way of life especially when you have people like Obama and Napolitano in postions of power with virtually no oversight. Congress and the Senate would not dare challenge Napolitano. She is today’s J. Edgar Hoover. There is no telling how much dirt she has on our politicians. This would be a laughable article if it were not so serious. No government worries……..LOL!
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
mpoconnor7 wrote:
I don’t think it is a bad idea to stock up; I have stocked up on food and weapons and have a water purification system. If there is any economic disruption in the US, every supermarket and Walmart will be promptly looted and within two days there will be no food available. Most people don’t have more than a week’s worth of food, and in a disaster situation the government will not be there to help those people.
Jan 21, 2012 8:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
colliertng wrote:
Can you really blame them? You’ve got Politicians that don’t listen, Money whose Value is going down the Toilet, Jobs that are going overseas, etc. Is anyone surprised that this is happening? I’m not!
Jan 21, 2012 8:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
Progdef wrote:
Er, uh, not the strategic brilliance to tell the world you have those suppies. I’d keep my resources secret sincerely.
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
rudebutcool wrote:
Read “Cold Sun” by John Casey…you’ll be storing food too…..and other essentials as well..vegie seeds, water purification, charcoal, silver coins, it’s a distinct possibility…hope for the best, prepare for the worst
Jan 21, 2012 8:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
Longdrycreek wrote:
The professor does not understand those who prepare for the future. They are not 1960 type folks; they are those who look at the U.S. Government that is out of control with spending and crazy legislation and regulations and understand the U.S. cannot be sustained on its present course.
Never forget the same academic types never expected the collapose of the former Sovient Union. It came, and came suddenly.
As matters stand financially and in society and the reign of lawlessness along the Border and within the cities, there is a strain
on the ties that bind us as a people.
Unlike the Depression generation that indeed valued religion and guns, which are made fun of by Obama and the academic and cultural “elite,” today the residual of people who indeed “cling to their guns and religion” and possess the Depression sense of virtues [not values!] will survive. That is the preparation that mystifies the academic types and confounds the political establishment. They are the last ones to know when the wise folk in the country understand. “Signs of the times” are visible and soon will become all too apparent.
Jan 21, 2012 8:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
JustPlainFolks wrote:
I remember the “Survivalism” of the late ’70′s with its Tappan’s, Saxon’s, and all the other entrepreneurs of that for profit bogus milieu. Though it was more fun than playing cowboys and indians.
When I started to look at surplus CD Geiger counters and which cartridge was the be-all/end-all while burying my supplies where I’d never be able to get to them in an emergency, I called a halt to that insanity and lived life a lot less worried about when the sky was going to fall on my head.
In this day and age there’s a “prepper” born every minute. Just like “Survivalists.”
Jan 21, 2012 8:28pm EST -- Report as abuse
userly wrote:
I’m not sure why the author insists that these people are AFRAID or FEAR something…. they aren’t afraid of anything, that’s their point. They’re ready for anything.
Jan 21, 2012 8:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
Abilene wrote:
It’s not being kooky or a conspiracy theorist to be prepared in your own home — not that all conspiracies are theories. To not be prepared is to be at the mercy of anything and everything, such as what happened in New Orleans, post Katrina. The most important thing is to plan to be without electricity and communications. Without electricity, you won’t have heat, light, refrigeration, gasoline, and probably without cooking. It doesn’t hurt to store 90 days of food, some candles, water for cooking, hygiene, and flushing, and of course, ammunition, because when hungry people find out you have food and water, you will need it. Beyond that, it’s God’s plan what happens to this planet, and what happens to you. Then it becomes a personal decision whether your name is written in the Book.
Jan 21, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
curmy60 wrote:
It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark…
Jan 21, 2012 8:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
cv51 wrote:
You insure for a house fire, medical emergency, hurricanes, earth quakes, car wreck and your death. To insure for financial disaster or the breakdown of society when the immorality of our leaders and wall street is blatant well it’s definitely smart. Those who poo poo this may become the zombies.
Jan 21, 2012 9:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
10000Lakes wrote:
I live in northern Minnesota on 440 acres that includes two private lakes and access to a major recreational lake. I sold 100 acres with lake access to a Wall Street investment firm in October 2011. They kept calling me about my parcel for sale for over 2 months. I had to hire a local pilot to photograph every acre from above. They paid 45% above what I was asking. I refused to sell. I’ve heard enough b.s. buyers from around the country. Finally two of the guys from the firm flew out to talk. They are Obama donor Democrats. The entire firm is Democrat donors, for a reason that surprised me. They plan on building two huge storage units and five ICF homes (Insulating Concrete Forms). ICF’s don’t exist in northern Minnesota. These guys have millions. They are dead serious about a place to flee once the economy collapses. Our city has a municipal airport for them to land, but what they fly should not be landed on this strip. They say they can do it. They are paying me to clear more land, though it’s rocky as heck, for hay and grain. When these idiots have plans to run from the east coast, I believe them now. I couldn’t afford to put away food storage or update my house. I’m doing exactly what these guys are doing now.
Jan 21, 2012 9:11pm EST -- Report as abuse
advancedatheist wrote:
The zombie apocalypse serves as a kind of socially acceptable “prepper porn.” Look at the heroes in shows like “The Walking Dead”: Blue collar guys, rednecks and rural dwellers who know how to shoot guns, repair machines and live off the land. Most urban people’s skills in fields like law, real estate and finance have become useless, except doctors’ and nurses’ skills. Even companies which sell to this demographic, like producers of tactical knives, ammunition, shooting targets and gun magazines, use the zombie apocalypse in their advertising & marketing.
Jan 21, 2012 9:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
wiser2098 wrote:
Knowledge is rife(not to be confused with experience), but is useless until wisdom to use same is acquired. In my area of rural bliss, common sense and experience has taught me and my fellow neighbors to prepare for various inconveniences and plans for loss of power, foul weather.Food storage is commonplace(canning of fresh veggies and juices).
I was raised by wise kin who lived through what is called the great depression. Independence is vital to survival and prosperity. Anyone who doesn’t see the volatility and W/wide struggles for power must truly live under a large stone. Preparedness is easier in my area as opposed massive urban hives. I would rather be over-prepared, than become a victim of my complacency.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
I know a few “preppers” and they are very discreet about their preparations. Hardly anyone knows what they’ve got or where they store it.
BTW, “Preparing” has been a serious part of the Mormon doctrine for generations.
Jan 21, 2012 9:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
Concerned_2012 wrote:
If you don’t want to prepare, don’t. No one is going to make you prepare.
However, you will be ignoring the advice from our own government and relying on the kindness of your neighbors, who might not have extra to share.
It’s always entertaining to hear people foolishly say “I don’t need to prepare because I have a gun, I’ll just take whatever I need.” Good luck with that, most preppers I know probably have them outgunned 10 to 1.
Jan 21, 2012 9:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
Sugah wrote:
Properly stored certain foods can last decades. If for no other reason than the impending wide spread unemployment and food shortages which WILL occur if Obama is re-elected, it is wise to at least buy up and store food and other essentials NOW.
Jan 21, 2012 9:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Phocker wrote:
It isn’t the neighbors I woudl worry most about, it is the desperate people from other areas seeing your area as a target…ie Katrina neighborhood that held off invasion from other areas. Being prepared and being nuts about it are two different things. And Katrina showed us you can’t count on the government to help you with everything.
Read “One second after” it is fiction, but a good read about a disaster that hit the US and took out infrastructure.
We are too pampered, it woudl only take a day or two for supermarkets to empty and then nothing more coming in, even the nicest people are gonna start looking to take care of thier families.
Jan 21, 2012 9:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
zanzara2041 wrote:
Those living in the Seattle area now who are preppers are warm, fed and have communications and entertainment.
The unprepared have no power (could be off for weeks), the cell phone towers are going down, the grocery stores were stripped bare and have shut down, 45 mile-long traffic jams on I-5 keeps the groceries from getting restocked…and on and on.
Don’t prep, nothing will ever happen to you.
Jan 21, 2012 9:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
fawaz03 wrote:
From the tone of this article, it’s obvious the author is trying to marginalize people who endeavor to prepare for disasters, making them (myself and my family included) seem like some small, crazed faction of nuts. I wonder if it ever occurred to Mr. Forsyth to interview survivors of disasters that have already happened – like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, the loss of the power grid in the northeast, etc – and ask them what THEY thought about having food, water and other supplies at their disposal. I would encourage everyone to read the book “One Second After” by William R. Forstchen. If you read that book and still think it’s kooky to prepare for disasters (natural or otherwise), I wish you well.
Jan 21, 2012 10:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
Celesta wrote:
I don’t blame people for being prepared, but the problem I see with those who can afford to prepare and are prepared to survive a collapse is that they’re not trying to do much if anything to prevent a collapse. Then there are those who aren’t preparing and doing nothing to prevent collapse because they are in denial or don’t believe a collapse is coming. Then there are those who suspect there is a collapse coming who can’t afford to prepare and can’t afford to do much to prevent it and are preparing to die or maybe be raptured. But let’s face it the U.S. is $16 Trillion in debt and climbing. We are NEVER going to be able to pay that. Right now the economy is being artificially kept afloat, but sooner or later the bubble is going to burst. Americans do need to wake up and realize what is happening and we all need to be doing whatever we can to prevent a collapse. That’s why I support Ron Paul who is the only candidate making proposals for real change that can reverse this. The other candidates and Obama are going to continue the “status quo” which is headed for collapse.
Jan 21, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
nooni wrote:
Preppers, Birthers, Thruthers.
VS.
Slackers, Deathers, Liars.
George Orwell is happy!
Jan 21, 2012 10:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
dencal26 wrote:
America is in deep decline.We now have 47-50% who pay no federal income tax. Class Warfare and hatred for the wealthy is being preached every single day. What happens when 55% or 60% pay no federal income tax but have the majority vote and can vote more freebies for themselves?
Jan 21, 2012 10:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
STLAdamSmith wrote:
Has e2Verme ever heard of the Roman Empire. He says “I am thoroughly amazed that anyone in the 21st century has the slightest belief that our government and civilization exists on such shaky ground.” I am certain that the Roman’s had the exact same sentiment around their 600th year or so. The collapse of civilizations is not a new or novel thing. It has happened countless times throughout human civilization. Ever hear of the dark ages? Ever hear of the world dominant British Empire from only 70 years ago? Historian Nigel Lawson eloquently points out that the most common pattern is that it also happens quickly not gradually. I don’t think that most “preppers” as he dismissively call them are imagining a dark ages scenario like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, but more likely a very large version of the economic collapse that happened in Argentina in 2000, or before that in Chile under a government similar to the one we have now, or like what happend to Germany during the two world wars. If you add up the numbers some awfully bad scenario seems inevitable. We are living in a world wide Ponzi scheme of debt and spending and we (actually the Fed and the Treasury) are trying to keep everything afloat by borrowing and printing more money. It is impossible that that can continue forever and highly improbable that it can be orderly stopped or dismantled. The only alternative to continued borrowing and printing is to drastically dismantle the government and drastically cut the spending. Either way a world wide depression seems inevitable. What makes this time different from other 20th century collapses is that this time there is no equivalent of the frugal, hard working and creative America to quickly pull everyone else back to the surface. And like I said it will not be The Road, but there will be a time period (hopefully only a year or so) while we are reorganizing our society where it will likely be very wise to have some guns, ammo, food and some sort of real money(gold, silver, gasoline) on hand. When the money runs out, it is hard to barter enough food to keep everyone fed in the big cities, it takes awhile for the military to organize a forced feeding, and truly hungry people are very dangerous. There are many of us out here that are wise enough of history and economics to know of these already. Others can feel it coming in their bones. And yes, with such insights as those from Austrian economics and history, we know that civilizations are fragile. We are not the fringe in any sort of way the author here thinks of us. We are simply main stream middle Americans that liked and understood the footings of traditional America and sadly realize that a “transformed America” with socialist footings desired by the American left won’t work, has never worked and is not sustainable. Unfortunately the left won, and it is likely too late to avoid the suffering and severe pain of the left’s hubris. Readers should ask someone that lived through Argentina in 2000 if guns and extra food would have come in handy? They should ask a Jewish person with unarmed relatives that lived through it if guns would have come in handy in Weimar Germany? I am hoping we turn out more like Argentina but these things are like Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s black swans, they are always a surprise to the elites (like Reuters’ journalists for example) and the masses alike, more common than almost anyone knows and are hard to predict. How do you avoid black swans? Taleb suggest we first acknowledge they exist and then prepare for them. We wish we did not have to, but that is exactly what us “preppers” are doing. Make fun of us if you wish. We will not be laughing at you outside our well fed , well stocked and guarded compounds. We will just be protecting ourselves from you and suggesting to you that you rob the next guy down the street.
Jan 21, 2012 10:26pm EST -- Report as abuse
theoverwatch24 wrote:
Been prepping for years. People are just getting hip to this? To me its an every day thing. If something happens, I am ready, have been training as well with all tools, preps, gear, and other things.
Welcome to where I have lived for the last 12 years.. Prepping becomes a normal part of your life when you do it.
Jan 21, 2012 10:27pm EST -- Report as abuse
FadedC wrote:
I live in a very remote part of the U.S. and it must be somewhat of a safe haven for the coming collapse because Purina Mills chose to put one of their large self-sustaining compounds about 5 miles down the gravel road from me.
Wake up! If you don’t want to hoarde, then at least learn to be self-reliant and willing to bend your narrow little minds.
Jan 21, 2012 10:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
MaryWaterton wrote:
All you have to do is look at the soaring national debt and you know calamity is on the way. Common sense.
Jan 21, 2012 10:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
UnPartisan wrote:
Hindsight is always 20/20. Preparing for something that doesn’t happen may seem like a waste to many people. Being prepared in case something happens isn’t a bad thing. There is a fine line though. Letting it control your life is something different. We should all be prepared in case an emergency happens.
Jan 21, 2012 10:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
student1776 wrote:
In a period where the powers in charge of our national economy are engaged in behaviors – increasing our debt by 9% of GDP on average EVERY YEAR for the last three years with plans to continue doing so in the future – behaviors which are absolutely impossible mathematically to sustain without default and collapse, it seems to me that doing what you can to protect yourself and your family from the consequence of obviously unsustainable activity is mere prudence. Like storing food when you know winter is coming. Reminiscent of Aesop’s fable of the grasshopper and the Ants. Obama is the king of the Grasshoppers. The preppers are the ants preparing to survive the damage Obama is wreaking.
Jan 21, 2012 10:54pm EST -- Report as abuse
walfourth wrote:
I do not think that there will be a collapse of civilization. However, that does not mean that tough times are not coming. The Great Depression was not the end of it all, but there were disastrous consequences from it in the economic and political realms. I would say that that this small group is correct to fear for the future. However, stockpiling food and ammunition, building shelters, and other apocalyptic planning is really a waste of time. Even if the worst happened and their plans were executed flawlessly, they would be at most buying themselves a few months. Also, as one person commented here, anarchy breeds criminal conduct. A handful of shotguns is not going to permanently drive off a determined mob. If you have food and other stores locked away, this mob with either acquire it, or destroy it.
Jan 21, 2012 11:00pm EST -- Report as abuse
MDCCLXXVI wrote:
Another prepper, reporting in.
You have to have your head already buried 6′ under to not see that there is no bailout coming for the USA. Greece is in a depression, and they have bailouts.
What happens when the people doing the bailouts, need bailout themselves?
The house of cards collapses.
$17 trillion in public debt, and thats conservative numbers excluding rehypothecation, unfunded liabilities and insolvent financial derivatives.
Its over.
Realize it, adapt and move on.
Or,
Have your head on the block when the guillotine drops.
Its up to you.
Jan 21, 2012 11:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
GettinReady wrote:
I’m a bit surprised that the news media are just catching on to this “subculture”. People have quietly been preparing for bad times for years. I don’t know why anyone would trust a government that can’t fix the pothole in front of their house to take care of them if the lights go out. I saw the handwriting on the wall ten years ago and left the big city for a farm. The tone of the article suggests that people who are worried about societal collapse are somehow simpleminded, uneducated or some kind of a cult follower. Not so. I’ve never heard of any of the people mentioned in the article, except for Glenn Beck. Most of the preppers I know have advanced college degrees. Last month my big-city doctor friend jokingly asked me if things really went south, could he come and stay with me? I don’t think he was joking, as he asked me to draw him a map. A wise man once said, “If something can’t go on forever, it won’t.” The world wide financial house of cards can’t stand forever. It won’t. Be ready.
Jan 21, 2012 11:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
jessicasuave wrote:
@e2verne, I highly doubt neighbors who try to “sweep me aside” to steal my preps will live to tell about it. Those of us who prepare for such events tend to be heavily armed and well trained, with little patience or love for thieves. I hope for your sake, you keep that little tidbit in mind should TSHTF and you find yourself eyeballing your neighbor’s back door wondering what he might have that you could steal. Otherwise, it’s highly likely the only thing you’ll walk away with is a few extra ounces of lead and some after market ventilation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:34pm EST -- Report as abuse
tina848 wrote:
The end of the world economy collapse may be a stretch, but under normal circumstances you still need to prepare.
The power goes out here several times a year. During snow storms, severe thunderstorms, and other weather related issues, the large trees come down and sever the power lines. The last time the power on the main commercial strip (US 30) was gone for 3 days – no grocery stores, traffic lights, or restaurants. Some areas went over a week. I live in suburban Philadelphia and not the middle of no-where.
The last 2 years we have storms of 20+ inches of snow. It paralyzed the area for a few days.
Knowing how to keep your frozen food safe, having a generator, flashlights, potable water and food which can be prepared without electricity are not crazy, it is a practical way of dealing with these situations.
Jan 21, 2012 11:37pm EST -- Report as abuse
yirgach wrote:
@Sueque,
Yes, some made money from popularizing the threat, but actually billions of dollars were spent to prevent Y2K. Things would have been a LOT worse without that level of investment. Your move to Maine was not an error in judgment and it should not cloud any decisions on the present situation.
Jan 21, 2012 11:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
The eugenicists want 90% of the population to die. They will do anything to make that happen. That is why anything can happen.
Jan 21, 2012 11:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
CleanFun wrote:
Honk if you’re a 90′s survivalist and have at least 3 preppers marked on a topographical map.
Jan 22, 2012 12:48am EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
Ask Mitt Romney if he has prepared for the worst.
His Mormon Church instructs all Mormons to have a two-year supply of food, medicine, clothes and, yes, even cash, in reserve because the faith believes the world is on the edge of some kind of global catastrophe which only the well equipped will . . . survive.
If you can’t ask Romney, ask any Mormon.
Jan 22, 2012 12:50am EST -- Report as abuse
muell wrote:
People who prepare are doing what the government has said to do. Having a few months supply plus the means to make/grow/store your own food & water is not exactly a bad plan. It’s not as much anticipating some impending doom, rather, it’s ensuring your and your families well being if a problem does arise.
Jan 22, 2012 1:07am EST -- Report as abuse
ONTIME wrote:
They are not advocating violence, they ae preparing for the worst and if they are wrong then all that has happened is their guess didn’t pay off….what happens if they are right?
Jan 22, 2012 1:23am EST -- Report as abuse
emdragon wrote:
First you supply a catchy name (Preppers), and imagine that anyone who falls for this kind of mass media drivel calls themself by it. Then you marginalize and divide into terms that provide a portion of desperation. There are plenty of sentient individuals who do not have to be rocket scientists to see a globalist attempt to control every person on earth in Orwellian terms that will tyrannize every one of us who have lived our entire lives through the process of liberty. This article is an offense to reason, and an attempt at pooh-pooing the real dangers that lie ahead. They are not dangers from the sky. They are not dangers from terrorists, which are almost exclusively portrayed in this globalist banking cabal’s campaign of control. These fears further are not vague. They are imminent. And further, I refuse to play by your devilish terminology. . . Preppers! Go prep your sophist brain into bed, and give us someone to provide real reason to these pages.
Jan 22, 2012 1:24am EST -- Report as abuse
Intriped wrote:
Have been Preparing since 2003! Plans A through C will be completed by 2014.
Jan 22, 2012 1:31am EST -- Report as abuse
AnJ1 wrote:
I wear my seatbelt every time I drive my car. Does that mean I live in constant fear of car accidents? Of course not.
The probability that I’ll ever face a crisis that will force me to live off of my food storage for a year is slim. But since I buy it on sale, eat from it daily and rotate it regularly, the worst that will happen from keeping a year’s supply is that I’ll save quite a bit of money on my grocery bills. And if the unlikely does occur, I won’t have to stand in lines taking up resources needed by others.
Win-win.
Jan 22, 2012 1:33am EST -- Report as abuse
rbblum wrote:
The progressive path created with the establishment of the Federal Reserve coupled with abandoning the gold standard is completely contrary to the basic views of our founding fathers.
And, today, the majority of Americans do not know what they do not know in regards to WHAT the founding fathers’ views were and WHY.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41am EST -- Report as abuse
kc777911 wrote:
You would be very foolish not to at least be able to feed your family for at least 6 months if all of the food went away. One out of control flu pandemic could easily knock out the supply chain that feeds us. If you did not prepare, you would be left foraging in a flu infested city hoping to get handouts from the government. You would be competing with starving deperate people who would probably kill you for what little scraps you have….sad but true, just look at what history tells us. It’s worse now…just look at how many people eat out! The’re lucky to have a few days of food in their pantry.
Prepare for the worst…and hope for the best. The best motto to have!
Jan 22, 2012 1:42am EST -- Report as abuse
Orange2012 wrote:
All the talk about survival. I think some are actually subconsciously suicidal. They yearn for a scenario that they will probably never see. They all share a deep distrust and hatred for people. There is a cult like quality to them, taking comfort in a living state of constant paranoia.
Jan 22, 2012 2:05am EST -- Report as abuse
rovid wrote:
i think it will take some time but as usual what can happen will happen and the preps may have some advantage ,society will change in a bit and saying that all those people were fools is not wise like in the days of Noah nobody had rushed in building big boats on dry land avoiding an impending flood,thinking that he is a lunatic until it was too late ,remember! no one knows the future and hoarding food with fools may not be that bad of an idea after all.
Jan 22, 2012 2:11am EST -- Report as abuse
A_Passerby wrote:
The world has always had a paranoid segment, but it has also suffered very real and severe economic disruption. Could the US see a massive economic event? Our entire economy depends upon energy to provide electricity and move goods. Most electricity comes from domestic energy sources (coal and natural gas, with growing amounts from fracking) so even a severe economic disruption with hyperinflation isn’t likely to take down the grid.
Oil is the problem. If debt grows to the point that bonds don’t sell and the Fed buys bonds to keep the government afloat (an increasingly likely scenario), the resulting inflation will make it very, very difficult to convince people in other countries to accept dollars for oil. Without our oil imports, we can’t make the diesel to move the trains or drive the trucks that deliver food. Most cities have less than 3 weeks of food supply…
The strategic petroleum reserve provides a small buffer, but a serious disruption in oil imports followed by a severe disruption in food distribution is a realistic, scary “doomsday scenario” that “preppers” will be able to handle better than most of us.
Jan 22, 2012 2:16am EST -- Report as abuse
angelofmercy wrote:
Living in Oklahoma you kinda have to be a prepper. Tornadoes,wildfires ,droughts.With the droughts you have water main breaks.We get small earthquakes,but you never know when a big one might hit. High temperatures in the summer causes Electric grids to go down. You either find ways around these obstacles, prepare for them , or suffer. At anytime where I live,you could loose everything in a matter of mins. Has nothing to do with being a hippie ,a Glen Beck listener, or even being a survivalist. You either adapt to the conditions, or move.
Jan 22, 2012 2:21am EST -- Report as abuse
JeremyH wrote:
It boggles my mind that anyone would not make an effort to be prepared for disasters of any kind. It’s not a matter of being extreme, but simply having the forethought of being prepared. Like the good old Scout motto, Be Prepared, it’s a wise principle. Though there may be no massive upheaval to our way of life, there are life events and localized disasters that your preparation will be what saves you.
Jan 22, 2012 2:35am EST -- Report as abuse
wereallgonnadie wrote:
The real question I have is why is everyone so afraid to die? I thought the US was a Christian nation? Your are going to die some day and you are going to meet your Maker. Why is everyone desperately afraid of that outcome?
Jan 22, 2012 2:53am EST -- Report as abuse
barberrr wrote:
A brief word from our sponser: life is 100% fatal.
Jan 22, 2012 2:55am EST -- Report as abuse
zardinuk wrote:
It cost me about $1,000 to become prepared for, my ballpark estimate, 99% of the foreseeable disasters. It’s a game of odds, taking no preparations at all didn’t seem like a good bet, building a nuclear bunker in case a 10 megaton bomb blows up on top of my house doesn’t seem like a good bet either, but buying a year of food for everyone in my family, a little bit of propane and a stove, keeping a box of old blankets and stuff like that… easy. Over the course of the next few years I will spend this much on my term life insurance policy. This is sort of the same thing in my mind, life insurance policy for everyone in my family.
Jan 22, 2012 3:01am EST -- Report as abuse
gregio wrote:
Maybe all these “preppers” are just getting ready for the new culture of Chicago style “injustice” that will be called justice when Obama gets re-elected and decides that driving the USA financial bus over the cliff would be a great way to get even with the neocolonialists and get the oil/gas price to $10 gallon thus making “green energy” competitive. The insanity of the greens knows no bounds, don’t forget global warming!!!
Jan 22, 2012 3:33am EST -- Report as abuse
VinceVega wrote:
With all due respect to the writers, they missed the point. So called “preppers”, in the main, are not about “end times scenarios”, they are about being prepared for emergencies. Is it just me, or is this not just common sense?
Jan 22, 2012 3:47am EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
The way I see it, Preppers are making a key mistake. If there’s the kind of post-apocalyptic world that they envision, and, assuming we haven’t nuked life back to the cockroach, then it’s going to be the era of the warlords. And those who have not just the biggest guns and fire power, but those who have the most powerful ability to swarm – and to keep the swarming hordes coming at you no matter how many you kill – they are the ones who will be in power. So unless you plan on becoming a warlord, you’re going to be toast – just like me – only maybe a few days later.
All this said, there is a vast middle ground between PreppersWorld and where we are today. I believe that, where President Kennedy had us targeting a moon landing in 10 years, President Obama has us targeting 3rd world squalor in 10 years or less. I don’t know why he would want this. But I think it’s undeniable.
Jan 22, 2012 3:53am EST -- Report as abuse
MeHe wrote:
In 1970, gold was $35 per ounce
Today, Gold is over $1650 per ounce.
Same gold. Same weight. What changed?
Oh right, that’s just “normal” inflation.
A few 1000% over 40 years is completely normal.
Go back to sleep.
Jan 22, 2012 4:20am EST -- Report as abuse
RDBlakeslee wrote:
To those who think preparedness advice, goods and services are a hoax, what do they think of FEMA? FEMA is attempting to do for all what Preparednass folks are doing for themselves and their families. If history is any guide, the later endeavor is likely to be more sucessful, in the event.
Jan 22, 2012 4:25am EST -- Report as abuse
Jim-in-HCMC wrote:
I do not consider myself a survivalist, per se, but I can understand why so many Americans are arming themselves and contemplating worst case scenarios. The “system” in the USA has been gamed by opportunists and the time has arrived that the US financial system, education system,network and printed news media, political system, et al have been compromised and can no longer be trusted.
Actually, the more I consider the current situation in the USA, the more anxious I become. And although I seriously doubt there will be nationwide collapse and anarchy, I do expect to be reading about riots in the Nation’s largest cities.
Jan 22, 2012 4:40am EST -- Report as abuse
uncomplicated wrote:
As someone who lives in a Hurricane-prone area, it just makes sense to be prepared. I don’t have 2 years worth of supplies but certainly a month or two worth of staples and an emergency evacuation pack. Part of being prepared is that if something does happen, self-reliant folks won’t be adding to the burden of emergency workers. Plus, you’re more able to assist others when you’re not worried about your own situation.
Jan 22, 2012 4:58am EST -- Report as abuse
greatscott wrote:
Anyone that cannot see the economic collapse-run away freight train coming directly at you has been watching too much American Idol and has consumed way too much fluoride.
Thank you Ron Paul for educating us on the Un-Federal Federal Reserve. Obama promised an investigation into the housing-stock market bubble criminals on Wall Street. Instead, all we got were chirping crickets and the middle finger pointed at main street Americans. Now run along everyone, there is nothing to see here.
Jan 22, 2012 5:05am EST -- Report as abuse
littlesky wrote:
There is a difference between a survivalist and a prepper. A prepper is prepared for almost any scenario. A survivalist is more oriented on weapons and surviving the end of the world.
A prepper is more concerned with getting thru any emergency. I live in an area prone to hurricanes. I prep with that in mind. I make sure I have a few days worth of food and water. I have books to read and cards for solitaire for the days the power is out.
I know the economy is bad but I hope that it gets better. I don’t rely on it tho. I know families that have suffered thru job loss or health issues that have been grateful they had some stuff stored.
It doesn’t always have to be about the end of the world or nuclear bombs. Sometimes its just a divorce or a health issue.
It doesn’t hurt anyone to be prepared so why worry about preppers? I’m sure they aren’t worried about you…lol.
Jan 22, 2012 6:11am EST -- Report as abuse
cajunright wrote:
I got out of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina was beginning to hit New Orleanss. The post storm insanity and lawless actions of many people. (including some policemen and government officials). But the city got hit hard, but rebounded. Yes government did help some, but most pulled themselves up by the bootstraps and resumed life.
We evacuated during Katrina, leaving our home as it approached. BUT some neighbors stayed behind and turned our subdivision into a militay camp. We did not get looted because of their actions. But the next subdivision did get abused. People can help people,
The world will keep spinng. The economy may hit walls, but humans
Jan 22, 2012 6:21am EST -- Report as abuse
Stoat wrote:
Saying that Preppers have ANYTHING to do with hippies is utterly ludicrous and instantly causes the author to lose all credibility.
Biggest differences: Preppers bathe, aren’t Communists and don’t hate America.
Jan 22, 2012 6:26am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
I would be considered a “prepper” and anyone who is not to one degree or another is living with there head in the sand. When Katrina exposed the complete falicy of the government being able to respond to a disaster, the economy crashed in a few short months, a tsnunami wiped a nuclear facility leaving thousands homeless I felt some of my effort should be geared toward minimizing the effects of something similar if I was involved. Even Homeland Security says that we all should be prepared for two weeks of isolation.
This article and any other ones I’ve ever seen written on the subject projects people like me as bunker dwelling, doomsday wishers. That’s fine with me and all of my suburban neighbors. We all have deep larders of food, the means to protect each other and are working to eliminate all debt amoung other things. Turning a spare bedroom which is unused into a pantry isn’t crazy at all. Paying off debt is not crazy. Utilizing our second amendment rights is not crazy. It’s down right smart.
Jan 22, 2012 6:36am EST -- Report as abuse
drobarts wrote:
Nothing wrong with BEING PREPARED, makes totally sense. Can’t imagine anyone ever criticizing someone for that. Use common sense, keep your food storage on the down low, that way you don’t have to worry about those that can’t even survive a day without help.
Jan 22, 2012 6:38am EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
Subculture? Bombshelters? 60′s hippies? What an obvious hit piece on people that are simply doing what any prudent person would do and what the Government says we all should be doing.
Jan 22, 2012 7:07am EST -- Report as abuse
cbpelto wrote:
TO: All
RE: The Article….
….was written by someone who had not done very much in the way of homework.
It has some valid points. But elsewhere it is abysmally lame, e.g., preppers = hippies? How stupid can you get?
Another point is that preppers and survivalists are one-in-the-same. Their intention is to survive whatever life-changing event occurs. Be it short-term, e.g., Katrina, or long, e.g., One Second After scenario.
RE: The Nay-Sayers Here
Heh.
I spent 27 years in the infantry. The last part was working exercises for State Area Commands (STARCs)—think state National Guard Adjutants General and their staffs—on how to prepare for national emergencies and natural disasters.
Right now, Iran is moving heaven and earth in order to develop (1) a nuclear weapon and (2) the means to pop it 300 miles over Omaha. The result of that one device going off would be a knock-out punch to US, wherein 98% of the 48 states would lose 95% of their electrical capacity. It would take several years to bring power back. In the meantime, it is estimated that 50-90% of the population would die of starvation, cold, pestilence and just tearing each other to pieces just to survive.
You want to get a clue of this? Read One Second After.
The preppers-survivalists have the best chance of making it through such a scenario. Or any other that is markedly less intense.
Hope that helps….
…but I have serious doubts for these sorts.
Regards,
Chuck(le)
[Chance favors the prepared mind. -- Louis Pasteur, the Father of Modern Microbiology]
Jan 22, 2012 7:30am EST -- Report as abuse
suemarie000 wrote:
I never thought for a second about an impending disaster until this President came to power. When it was realized by a large majority of Americans that he and his administration was just “winging” it…I got nervous. I am as prepared as a very reluctant believer can be. If we skate through this term with a new President at the helm…I’ll start using up my supplies…but NOT until we get a new President into office.
Jan 22, 2012 8:21am EST -- Report as abuse
MarketFree wrote:
The writer seems smarmy and arrogent. We just had 400,000 homes out of power in Seattle by the 25 year storm. Our business had no power for 9 hours, our home for 2 days. Many people in the area had no power for 5 days. As our government becomes less dependable, it is smart to be self reliant. There is no way the government can afford to keep spending like it is. The sharp and solid people I know are preparing for difficulty. Arrogent less sharp ones like the author and the academic quoted here think they are deranged. Time will tell who is the dummy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:26am EST -- Report as abuse
moose1553 wrote:
interesting article, but factually incorrect (typical Reuters) they focus on the fringe elements..but I can tell you most could not survive for 48 hours with no power, water, supermarkets. Be ready for any emergency, such as a hurricane for at least 72 hours and preferably;y up to 2 weeks. What if, just what if, there was a national disaster. I would much rather rely on my neighbors and myself them the FEMA Morons.
Jan 22, 2012 8:28am EST -- Report as abuse
femalegunowner wrote:
History always repeats itself, so there is nothing wrong with prepping. I for one, have started storing food, water, and ammo. I have a long way to go and a short time to get there, but at least I can go to sleep at night knowing that my family will be taken care of. Only my sister knows I am preparing, she is welcome in case of a collapse, which I fear is imminent. I am also thrilled that there are many more like me. An ounce of prep can go a long way. If the imposter in chief is reelected, it may be too late.
Jan 22, 2012 8:38am EST -- Report as abuse
msbpodcast wrote:
Betting on the end of the economy as we have known it is a smart bet.
We’ve become a government
• OF the thousandaires (the 99%, that would be me and thee,)
• BY the millionaires (the 1%, that would be the extremely insular privileged overlords and bosses,)
• FOR the billionaires (the 12,400 individuals identified by the IRS as the people who count (though they don’t really count as they hire some thousandaires to run machines to do that.)
Accountancy is insuring that the US will not survive because we don’t have the tariffs and other barriers which would stem the internationalist tide and keep jobs here in the US.
Nor do we have a political system which is capable of enacting those tariffs.
The people who actually bought the BS that Reagan sold (trickle down economics) and that Bush junior reinforced (tax cuts during war time,) are about to be so betrayed.
The weather will do what the weather will do (and its warming up) and the land will do what the land will do (and shake) and the beaches will do what beaches will do (and a 60 tsunami wave coming from the collapse of the La Palma volcano in the Canari Islands is inevitable but the eastern seaboard was built up before before the risks of building there were appreciated.)
Jan 22, 2012 8:40am EST -- Report as abuse
libertyville wrote:
Under Barack Obama, we have seen the worst decline in American stature, pride, prosperity and values in over half a century. He is being compared to the captain of the Costa Concordia. Hoovervilles of a century ago have re-arisen as Obamavilles. Is there any wonder people are concerned?
Jan 22, 2012 8:53am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Does anyone in their right mind really want to survive in the nightmare world that these looneys see? I don’t think so.
Jan 22, 2012 8:54am EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
PointFinder wrote, “Don’t waste your precious time on Earth fearing the future.” This life on Earth is temporary. It’s what comes after it that is important, unless you believe that when you die you just stay dead.
Jan 22, 2012 9:00am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
Government can print food stamps, but the cannot print food. Government can print currency notes, but they cant print value. The Federal Reserve was created 99 years ago to stabilize currency value and the economy. The currency has lost nearly 95% of it’s value and the economy is a disaster with nearly 20% unemployment. Our monetary base increases at over one trillion per year. Does anyone think that the more they print the more valuable each will become? The Baby Boomers are at retirement age and will be selling their big homes and stock investments, but to whom? And at what price?
On the bright side, and by experience gained in surviving major hurricanes, humans are very self organizing, but they must eat. Food is far more important than government “assistance”. Civilization is the result of people, not governments. Governments are consistent destroyers as might be witnessed by the estimated 270 million killed in the past century. Oh yeah, it can’t happen here. I sometimes forget, American Exceptionalism! If one is prepared, one does not have to live in fear.
If unprepared, and not fearful, one needs to cut back on their drug intake!
Jan 22, 2012 9:13am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
Wow….right here, has the be the single most horribly written article I’ve ever read. Not only is such a ridiculous title as ‘preppers’ being used, its being used to imply that a very large and very diverse group of people who simply share an opinion are a vast organized subculture that all fit neatly into the exact same category. Not to mention the fact no one is ever quoted in the article saying
‘preppers’, only ‘being prepared”*cough* Bad journalist made up a term for his article*cough* This is a horrible article that instead of going over the groups rationale, simply compares them to ‘Other groups’ from when ‘we were in high school’(To make up my own quote). This is a horribly blended and written attempt to ‘educate’ you about something while painting such people a lunatics.
Jan 22, 2012 9:22am EST -- Report as abuse
thehindmost wrote:
e2verne…to wake you up from your delusional world. Imagine the power grid of the whole country goes poof. Now imagine the long, long, winding roads all across the country that your food has to take to get to you. Now imagine all the people along the road who are eating all the food near them faster than they can find new food. Then picture the truck with your food driving past them. Is it going to make it to you?
Jan 22, 2012 9:25am EST -- Report as abuse
ThomasUSA wrote:
Who will be there to help you, in a major emergency or disaster? The Government? When will they arrive and how long can they help? What can they provide that you will need? Was Katrina a good example? If anyone is depending on the Government for help they do not understand the limitations of the quality and quantity of help they can expect. You are on your own when it comes to taking care of yourself, family and friends. So who is being more realistic? The “prepper” or those who just “hope” they can get by any disaster?
Jan 22, 2012 9:35am EST -- Report as abuse
kpv wrote:
A population that is prepared promotes Liberty, and in the event of disaster, reduces the burden on government and charity services. A self-sufficient population reduces dependence on imports and the need for foreign entanglements. It should be in the interest of governments that the people be prepared. It is certainly in the interest of the family. Prepping is not about buying a two-year supply of dried food. Why anyone would want to eat that crap is beyond me. Store what you eat, eat what you store. It’s not hard to figure out. Having supplies on hand means I don’t have to run to the store for single item purchases-it makes good sense. Why aren’t YOU prepared? Storms, labor strikes, power failures…these occur all the time. Can you bear a shutdown of services for 2 weeks without experiencing hardship? Or are you one of the millions of fools running out the day before a hurricane strikes searching for candles?
Jan 22, 2012 9:36am EST -- Report as abuse
nortonburgess wrote:
I have news for you. It’s not a “subculture” at all. I am quite sane, as are a number of my friends who anecdotally see a connection and series of events that are disturbing.
We’re all executives, and it’s not a subject that we talk about at cocktail parties. But when one of us sees a sale of something of value at Costco for instance, we send an email to each other for a “stock up” item. We also have alternate plans to meet at a certain friend’s cottage if things get really ugly. And yes, the cottage is stocked, armed and fully self sufficient.
Jan 22, 2012 9:41am EST -- Report as abuse
lunabin wrote:
or a huge CME from the sun comes and cripple the power grid. at that point it is Madmax life. meet up with fellow preppers at lunabin dot com. free and no ads. we just want good conversation
Jan 22, 2012 9:46am EST -- Report as abuse
Robert_Sciolino wrote:
How wrong…
“‘With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,’ she told Reuters.”
It has nothing to do with an individual not being able to control the power grid or the internet. When did individuals EVER have control over vast systems? How absurd! It has everything to do with a massive bubble of debt that is growing exponentially on a daily, weekly and monthly basis while a natural correction looms far below. Many people are getting the very tangible sense that we are climbing higher up a burning building to avoid the smoke and fire as the foundations of the building go unchecked and continue to burn! In past recessions, we allowed painful corrections to occur which reset our economies at a lower level and allowed for natural rises. We have avoided this since 2008 and we’ve avoided a natural correction in the housing markets which were already artificially inflated. THESE THINGS are what terrify so called “preppers”, NOT a loss of control over infrastructure that no individual ever had control of in the first place. Talk about utter diversion and denial!!! That an expert comes up with such drivel is as frightening as out-of-control debt bubble!
Jan 22, 2012 9:51am EST -- Report as abuse
droddyc wrote:
There is nothing wrong with this women. My grandmother put up food in cans every year of her life. She was a child of the depression and she wanted to make sure her family never suffered for food. I learned this at her knee. We were taught by our father to hunt for our food. He was retired military. He believed that you can never be too prepared. Living in today’s society in the US you see ever major convenience at the tip of your fingers. Like the post above these conveniences can be taken in seconds by mother nature. I was raised to depend on myself. I see nothing wrong with self-reliance. The citizens today are too dependent on the government. We are too dependent of foreign governments. Family business like family farms are slowly disappearing. Some call this progress but I see it as dependance on something that could collapse on the whims of others. I watched the news from New Orleans. As a person born in LA, I think that was one of Americas most telling times. The people didn’t loot food or medicine. They looted shoes – tv’s. This to me shows that being dependent on the government breeds lazy. So for all those who are self-reliant – keep up the good work and ignore idiots like this articles author. Always remember that we come from founders who were self-reliant.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
Biscayne wrote:
This phenomenon is nothing more than a reaction to the lawlessness espoused by the leadership in government and business and the media as well the intellectual elites who provide all of the above with the ideological support as needed. This total contempt for the law and morality and the obsession with wealth and power has led the U.S. to economic decline and social fragmentation.Unless you wake up and get to grips with the fact that a society is built on cooperation and a common purpose, then the disasterous end foreseen by these survivalists will come to pass.
Jan 22, 2012 9:53am EST -- Report as abuse
freecheese wrote:
I’ve known my share of these kooks. They all believe that the U.S. Gov. blew up the twin towers; that the 1969 moon landing was a hoax filmed in Hollywood studios; JFK is still alive in a nut house, and Elvis is flipping burgers in Memphis.
Most sit on the porch of their single wide swilling beer while they wear John Deer baseball caps — watching for UFOs!
Must be a slow news week for Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 9:55am EST -- Report as abuse
paintcan wrote:
@illl1942- what’s to fear in dying and just “staying dead” as you put it? If that happens than one could say (as I have pondered occasionally) that DEATH CAN’T KNOW ITSELF.
There would be nothing to fear in a state that doesn’t have the capacity to fear.
“Drowning men clutch at straws” the saying goes, but it is a pathetic and undignified way to exit one’s existence.
It isn’t death that should worry people. It’s the high cost of dying and there are industries designed to fleece the poor souls until their resources run out.
The survivalists-at-any-cost seem to forget that if civilization collapsed as they fear, everything they saved up for that very rainy day is likely to be grabbed from their greedy hands while it departs.
@advancedathiest- that was an interesting puzzle about how to make pencil. It would make a mess trying to make one for the sake of the exercise in practicing old skills. But, one way to get the pigment for ink is to burn oil lamps to collect the lamp black on a plate suspended over the flame. Mixed with oil, the soot could be compressed into a paste and extruded to form the lead. The wood part is easy and doesn’t require explanation.
Jan 22, 2012 9:59am EST -- Report as abuse
mommasaid wrote:
How can you call it a “subculture”? Have you been to Ready.Gov much? Have you watched the news or read anything at all? Subculture? No, a contrived program designed to terrorize its own citizens! Criminal.
Jan 22, 2012 10:05am EST -- Report as abuse
AlSledge wrote:
While not an Obama supporter by any means, the economic fiasco is one that he inherited from a number of folks dating back to Wilson. Of all the GOP crew wishing to grab power only one has a real understanding of the economic problems and the cure. The rest have pretty faces and good hair dos. My bet is the public will vote for good hair. Our fate will then be sealed.
Jan 22, 2012 10:11am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist: Alternatively, the Zombie video games and movies may be an attempt by the Government to
Jan 22, 2012 10:14am EST -- Report as abuse
deadpammy wrote:
We just went through a bit of a snow storm this last week. Power down for 2 days, trees down everyplace so you could not get to town. I was as happy as a bed bug. Did get low on the wine supply though ;) Point being, be prepared, you never know what or will happen. Certainly does not make you a person on the fringe. It makes you self reliant, something all of us should be.
Jan 22, 2012 10:15am EST -- Report as abuse
carlos23 wrote:
Those who preach and write about the end of the world make money by their fear mongering and many fall prey and pay. Have we completely lost faith in God (look at your dollar bill-it says In God We Trust-not in the Money Makers We Trust). And note that they say the end of the world as we know it. That might not be a bad idea. Most are not happy as the world is today. Many believe the end of the world is in progress as we get rid of the old to make room for the new which will be a much better world for all of us. And you can learn more about this new world on my website, which archives my radio shows, and others for free. Just look for the ascension of 2012. You will like the coming future that God is providing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:20am EST -- Report as abuse
timeoutofmind wrote:
Subculture? Everyone I know is prepping to some degree. lol.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22am EST -- Report as abuse
realestatepup wrote:
What this article fails to mention is the difference in today’s economy. The earlier dates mentioned did NOT have the current world econonomic sh$%t storm. We are a global economy, and as one goes, we all eventually will feel it, in one form or another. The other development is our nanny state government. Recent laws passed, such as the National Defense Act, take away American’s constitutional rights all in the name of “terroism”. Other bills, such as SOPA (shelved) would do more of the same. We are constantly having our personal freedoms curtailed or taken in the form of the food we are sold, water we drink, and prescription meds we are brainwashed into thinkin we ‘need’ (millions of people are on antidepressants!!!). Our government irradiates and gropes citizens “for our own good”. Our congress is increasingly more and more corrupt. We now have drug resistant TB, MRSA, and other bugs, all thanks to CAFOs and animal antibiotic feeding. THIS, and many other things, are vastly different than the past. Looking at the Weimar republic in it’s hyperinflationary state after WWII, Argentina not so long ago (and continuing down that path again), we can see the increasing devaluation of our fiat currency and the money and power grab by our government, is going to tip us into either long-term deflation (we can only hope) or hyperinflation. Our 14 TRILLION DOLLAR debt CAN NEVER BE REPAID. It’s not possible, so our government’s only solution is to inflate it away or default. I have read some of the comments below, and find it surprising that so many people believe it could never happen here. What is it, exactly, that instills such confidence in you? Where has the government shown fiscal responsibility? Look it up, our contemporary dollar buys far less than in 1960. It would be unwise to proclaim the impossibilty of collapse. There has never been a government or empire that has not folded. The same factors ALWAYS contribute to this, it has never changed. The only thing different this time is we are now all linked globally.
Jan 22, 2012 10:25am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
Advancedatheist, Zombie mentality will allow the Government to say “we have to destroy them or they will destroy us.” This could refer to those infected in an epidemic or possibly just people who have spoken out about government. I believe they are already using this to war monger against the rest of the world. And about your first comment: Yes, Austrian economics is popular with the right, but the right doesn’t control the world. The powers that be (or the powers that b…-f… the rest of us) seem to desire destruction.
Jan 22, 2012 10:26am EST -- Report as abuse
toomanyidiots wrote:
Better to be out 2 weeks early than 1 minute too late…
Jan 22, 2012 10:27am EST -- Report as abuse
Texas_Patriot wrote:
I believe in being prepared. Does that mean I believe society is going to colapse. Not really, but Do I have an emergency suply of food, water etc? Most certainly. Looking at getting a generator for standby and emergency use as well. Being prepared in a disater is never a bad thing.
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
ellington wrote:
It is imperative that US citizens comprehend the “Patriot” Acts and the NDAA in tandem: These two Acts combined create a Totalitarian State to be inherited by our children.
Remember, it was Bush that gave us the first wing of this vulture: The “Patriot” Act. It was Obama that gave the vulture it’s second wing; NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act).
We are endowed by the Creator with unalienable rights: Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness, Freedom of Religion, Speech, Travel, Self Defense, Due Process, Trial by Jury etc. If We remove the Creator from our Law we are subjects and slaves under their Law. Those that forfeit Liberty for security deserve neither.
Left, Right – One Vulture, Two Wings.
To properly understand the NDAA and ” Patriot ” Acts you have to learn to think like lawyers. They create a web of legalese statements that are cross-referenced, paraphrased and specifically engineered to obfuscate their intended purpose. New Years Day 2012 Obama was on a 4million dollar golfing vacation in Hawaii when he signed the NDAA / Indefinite Detention Act. The Bill of Rights is NONNEGOTIABLE
Jan 22, 2012 10:30am EST -- Report as abuse
botsallover wrote:
e2verne: I guess “Thank you public schools and mass media” for undermining the ability of people to think clearly and learn from history.
Jan 22, 2012 10:32am EST -- Report as abuse
MacvTM19 wrote:
Best way to get this country back on the right track is to get rid of the marxist in the White House and the liberal DemoRATS in our congress, that is to include any RINO’S !!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
weewilliewinkie wrote:
What do you think would happen if the welfare and disability checks stopped going out?
Jan 22, 2012 10:35am EST -- Report as abuse
Hugoesque wrote:
For an entertaining and provocative perspective on this subject, see Quent Cordair’s short-story “Sheltered” on Amazon (Kindle books can be read on just about any computer or smartphone with Kindle’s free reading app) — ““A year and six days underground without sunlight or breeze or contact with the world above — whatever might be left of the world above. A year and six days without touch, without unrecorded voice, without contact, without friends or family. If only they had listened, if only they had been ready. But he — he had prepared. He was Reginald B. Wakefield, and he hadn’t died. A wave of vindication washed over him, lifting and sweeping away all doubt and fear. He had been right. He raised his eyes again to the hatch cover above. . . . He had been right.” See the readers’ five-star reviews.
Jan 22, 2012 10:50am EST -- Report as abuse
dancer2s wrote:
There is nothing wrong with having extra food, water, and ammo just in case. It is better to have a gun and not need it that it is to need a gun and not have one.
Jan 22, 2012 10:53am EST -- Report as abuse
chillywilly wrote:
There are two kinds of people out there…. The “sleds” and the “sled dogs”. A message to you sleds out there, the sled dogs are tired of dragging you and your load around. It won’t be long before they leave the sled behind. To my fellow Preppers… be proud of your “subculture”. The system wasn’t built to last, but we are built to endure and rebuild.
Jan 22, 2012 10:56am EST -- Report as abuse
TDTony wrote:
Let’s face it since 9-11 the world keeps turning at an ever more dangerous pace.
Jan 22, 2012 11:01am EST -- Report as abuse
Hedley_Lamar wrote:
You need lots of guns, ammo and food. Get ready because the barbarian hoardes the liberals have been cultivating for decades in the cities are on the edge. Daily we ready of psychotic, viscious beatings to innocent people – especially the elderly. If they don’t get their chicken McNuggets, it may cost you your life at the drive in window. Be prepared. Our economy is on the brink of collapse and just like the civil war era plantations, this house of cards is ready to fall.
Jan 22, 2012 11:04am EST -- Report as abuse
moosemiester wrote:
On just about every news site I find “sponsored links” that tell me a massive stock market crash is coming — for the last ten years.
A few years ago the end of the world programming on cable TV (History, Discovery, A&E) was practically non stop, all night, every night.
Now it’s the new 2012 Mayan calendar doomsday scenario.
Every election cycle the government is going to lock up the opponents in FEMA camps.
Turns out that the massive climate change Al Gore warned me about was basically a big hoax designed to funnel money into the right universities and companies, and the result was that Al Gore got fabulously wealthy. Hmmm, I wonder, can we learn something here?
I am told I need to buy food, buy guns, install solar cells, and turn my house into a fortress or… what? I’ll starve while my well prepared neighbors bask in the smugness of their shelter?
I also see on TV that if I use Old Spice soap, young beautiful women will find me attractive. And if I use AXE, I’ll be attacked by these same women.
Must be a lot of money in freeze dried food. Last time I checked solar panels and batteries weren’t too cheap either.
Jan 22, 2012 11:33am EST -- Report as abuse
WillTruth wrote:
I’ve never considered myself a person worried about economic collapse. But, when you see the largest amount of gun checks by the FBI in Dec. 2011, you hear about Aspirin being unavailable in Greece, you see the FED printing money non-stop for less and less economic growth, the US Debt jumping by trillions in short periods of time you start to think a lot? Think about it. The system could freeze very quickly. All it would take is for foreign govt’s which are already selling our debt and people to realize the FED is buying our debt and lose faithn in the system. Rates jump dramatically in a short period of time. Downward spiral increases in velocity.
Jan 22, 2012 11:42am EST -- Report as abuse
frankreed1 wrote:
Only one statement is accurate. That anything, at any time can happen. Other than that…just a single voice in the forest…a voice to which she is entitled.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
notassmartasu wrote:
bad things happen it is the normal state of the world peace is not the norm look back in history to believe that america will always be america is crazy im sure the romans and the greeks thought that there empires would always be there. im not saying its happening in are lifetime god knows when but it will happen. people who lived thru the depression know why you should be prepared for hard times.
Jan 22, 2012 11:45am EST -- Report as abuse
chicodon wrote:
Who knows what, if any, of this article is for real. Obviously it’s another hit piece from across the pond leveled at backwards Americans. I’m surprised Sarah Palin didn’t make it into the article. People will be sitting around their breakfast tables eating their fry-ups, drinking their tea and shaking their heads.
Jan 22, 2012 11:47am EST -- Report as abuse
MJgarrigan1 wrote:
One only needs to look into the past to find the truth, 9/11, WW1&2, and the desire to create the atomic age, and the shift from a christian world, to a dominate islamic, atheist and asian world in 20 short years. If you deny these facts, you might want to move to Egypt, and live on the denial river(pun intended).
Jan 22, 2012 11:49am EST -- Report as abuse
xJonx wrote:
It amazes me how naive people still are.
People don’t pay traffic ticks because they feel obligated. They don’t stay in jail because they feel remorse. They don’t follow the law because laws are divinely created. They do these things because they believe the government has the ability to force our cooperation in these matters. True, most of us WANT to believe in the government’s ability because that means our property is protected too. But when that belief is shown to be false, chaos ensues and all manner of ugliness rears its ugly head.
Throughout ALL of history, the one common, unavoidable, and greatest influence in any society, even more influential than the government, is the society’s monetary system. Money gives the government authority. Money converts opinion to law, and law to enforceable rules. How did Cloward-Piven strategies about taking down the US government, THE most powerful institution ever … by bankrupting the system. They knew that not even the mighty US government can decide not to pay its bills. The promises made to the people are breakable, but not the promissory notes to the money lenders.
It is naïve to think that the US government is mightier than even money.
Jan 22, 2012 11:50am EST -- Report as abuse
TheNobody wrote:
Thanks, Reuters, for this fine journalism consisting of, “Hmm… which label can best be used to stereotype this group of people as kooks?”
If you’ve never heard of “preppers” before this article is hardly a place to start in gaining knowledge of the aforementioned.
It’s really quite simple:
- The western world is borrowing to pay interest on debts. Bad idea.
- The US has more debt than will ever realistically be paid off.
- It’s only a matter of time. History is quire clear on this.
- Having some extra canned goods might seem prudent, even in a normal world, don’t you think?
- Judging by the aftermath of recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, being armed might not be a bad idea. If you want to trust in the inherent goodness of humanity, have at it.
- It may, by some miracle, not happen. If it doesn’t, fantastic.
Sure, some people really go overboard and fall prey to lousy, overpriced, freeze dried food. Some people fall prey to conspiracy theories. Most people I know that you might categorize as “preppers” are pretty normal – they’re just adding up 2+2 and realizing that our debt is unsustainable. They just want to have a little extra food and maybe grow a garden. Worst case, they just have extra food on hand. Really kooky, subversive stuff. They’re not like hippies, they’re not all Ron Paul supporters. Really. This predates Ron Paul’s most recent campaign by a lot. They’re not like anyone – except normal people who want to have a little extra food on hand. (Again, speaking of the ‘preppers’ I know) Laugh it up. Get it out of your system.
Reuters, please knock it off – expressing a bunch of opinionated labels for a huge demographic is not very respectable journalism. Quoting people who are “experts” and allegedly know best does not constitute fact. But hey, you’re still in print so it must be fact and not opinion, right?
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
These people are like sheep looking for shelter in a wind storm. They have no concept of what is happening around them, but they all share common fears and anxieties with little or no hope for themselves for others around them. What shameless, hopeless bunch of rednecks they are.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
Funny how they mention Glenn Beck who lives in 4 million dollar mansion in Southlake, TX a suburb of Dallas which is the last place you you want to be in the event of a social collapse, meanwhile he has become a multimillionaire preaching fear to his listeners while he gets rich off them selling his endorsements. Double standard? He does not believe what he wants you to believe.
Jan 22, 2012 11:52am EST -- Report as abuse
AmericanJoe wrote:
My grandmother was hearing the world was coming to an end in 20′s, guess what it never happened. Now people are getting rich stoking peoples fear that will never happen. FOOLS!!!
Jan 22, 2012 11:54am EST -- Report as abuse
littleredhen wrote:
So you invest in gold. What guarantee do you have it will not be stolen or that it will not be available as promised. Can you eat gold? You plant a huge garden and/or horde freeze dried food and water. Do you think no one else will steal it? You arm yourself to protect your property and possesions. Are you the only one doing so, and are you the biggest, badest one when people get hungry and thirsty? Are you prepared to die? We all do.
Jan 22, 2012 12:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Cleary wrote:
What I wrote above still stands, but it’s no longer aimed at Preppers. Why? Because I now realize I’ve been one, at least to some extent, for years now. Having been through several earthquakes, watching Katrina (and that with a President who actually likes America, instead of the one we have now), we’ve taken it upon ourselves to have a year or more of MREs and other supplies. BTW – MREs taste great. To the extent that this is just using your head for emergency planning, the Preppers are among the most patriotic this country has because they won’t be straining FEMA and other resources nearly as much when emergencies hit – and boy do they hit. But emergency planning is not doomsday planning. The first you can do something about; the end of civilization – not so much.
Jan 22, 2012 12:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Kutter_0311 wrote:
Laugh if you want, but preppers include the unpaid first responders who render aid when you have a heart attack walking around the mall, the guy next door who jump-starts your car when you left the lights on, and the people who stop to help you dig your car out of the ditch during those heavy winter storms. Preppers have helped me, and I, as a prepper, have helped others. We even make fun of ourselves. Visit the forums at www.zombiehunters.org to learn more about real preppers in the best prepper forum in the world. And, BTW, Zombie Squad is a charitable organization focused on disaster relief worldwide. You’re welcome ;o)
Jan 22, 2012 12:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
iKarith wrote:
I’m a prepper—but that said, I must add: If you expect the world is gonna collapse and you’re gonna head for them thar hills (along with everybody else) and survive on your own (again with everybody else) eating wild game (quickly hunted to extinction by everybody else) and be prepared to take on all comers with your superior tactical prowess… Well, if what you think is gonna happen ever actually does, you’re going to be first among the body count.
If you want to be prepared, prepare for more realistic scenarios. Number one risk is fire. For a lot of us, #2 is storms and floods. Fire is definitely a “bug out” scenario if ever I’ve heard of one—a fire can turn a room into a place firefighters cannot enter with all of their specialized gear in about a minute. You and I would be long dead.
Precious metals? If you’ve got wealth and want to protect some of it against inflation, sure. But what’s gold gonna buy you when you need FOOD? I don’t have an ounce of gold. I do have a couple of ounces of silver, but they were purchased as commemorative coins, not as investments. I don’t have much wealth to protect. A lot of you don’t, either.
But if there’s a spike in food prices (realistic), I’m not completely screwed. And if there’s a fuel shortage (Iran?—realistic), I’m able to limit how much of it I use. If there’s a fire, I’ll be out of here in mere seconds, with everything I need to recover afterward. If there’s a medical emergency, I’m prepared to treat it up to the level of my medical knowledge, which I add to when possible. If I lose power, I won’t freeze in winter or melt in summer. If the water becomes unsafe to drink (or stops flowing all together), I’m covered. If there’s rioting outside, I’m prepared either to stay inside (for days if necessary) until order is restored, and just as likely to have known the riot was out there and coming my way in advance so I could NOT BE in the middle of it. And if someone busts in my door at 3am, they can expect I’m gonna shoot them in the %@!$ face! It’s about recognizing what realistically can happen and mitigating those things so that you don’t have to live in fear.
That’s preparedness. It’s not crazy. It’s not (or shouldn’t be) about preparing for the end of the world. It’s not about a bunch of militia types stockpiling guns and MREs—though if you know how to use them and what they are (and aren’t) for, a few of them might serve you well. It’s about realizing that nobody’s coming right this second when you call for help, and seconds might save a life. It’s about sustainable living and protecting your family. It’s also about being ready to help your community in the event of something like an earthquake or a flood or something more major, confident that you can because your family is going to be okay.
And yeah, there are companies out there looking to fleece people experiencing end of the world panic. If you’re doing it right, it’s also about being smart enough to avoid the gimmicks and pretenders.
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
a_patriot wrote:
“survivalists in the 1990s who were hoping to escape the dictates of what they perceived as an increasingly secular and oppressive government.”
NICE clever AD HOMINEM attack, attempting to blame “survivalists” (Citizens and READERS, BTW) for Governments increasingly secular and oppressive ACTS.
Back in the 1990s, it wasnt so obvious (unless you were blind or not paying attention) I give you Waco.
Now its as obvious as the broken nose on your face..
“”With our current dependence on things from the electric grid to the Internet, things that people have absolutely no control over, there is a feeling that a collapse scenario can easily emerge, with a belief that the end is coming, and it is all out of the individual’s control,” she told Reuters.”
Thats not a theory, thats a FACT, and now that the IDIOTS in government and industry have jumped off the cliff of connecting infrastructure control to the INTERNET that can happen due to some Chinese hacker(s) in China. And it doesnt even take that, a bunch of armed 10th graders can take out an average city by just shooting out power substations. Then wheres the power to keep the refrigerators going for millions of people who only have 3 days food supply?
“Tegeler, 57, has turned her home in rural Virginia into a “survival center,” complete with a large generator, portable heaters, water tanks, and a two-year supply of freeze-dried food that her sister recently gave her as a birthday present. She says that in case of emergency, she could survive indefinitely in her home. And she thinks that emergency could come soon.”
Thats only news to people who are city dwellers (who think the world revolves around them). That was the NORM in the country over the past 100 years. SO now its only “crazy” when Reuters wants to demonize preppers?
Its been standard fare for Mormons for I dont know how long.
Heres where it does become a problem:
“”We could see a cascade of higher interest rates, margin calls, stock market collapses, bank runs, currency revaluations, mass street protests, and riots,” he told Reuters. “The worst-case end result would be a Third World War, mass inflation, currency collapses, and long term power grid failures.”"
This is right wing conspiracy theory run amuck, Ive been reading these folk for years, and conveniently, theres never any proof, no documentation… just theories. OK, sure, any one of those things might happen, say his “stock market crash,” after all, it happened in 2008, right?
WRONG. And this is where the Tin Foil Hat Crowd loses credibility, there was no “stock market crash” in 2008 (yeah, I fell for it too until I started seriously studying stock charts..), there was a slow sell off that took a YEAR, and there was no “crash” (a crash happens immediately), but a return to a NORMAL LOW, from an irrational high of DJI 14,000.42 (odd, almost exactly DJI 14K almost to the penny). Look up a Dow Jones (^DJI) chart from 1993 to today, youll see the pattern)
Stocks became inflated with value because of irrational behaviour in real estate, stocks were sold off. That is NOT a stock market crash.
There was a REAL stock market crash in 1929, did mass hysteria and violence of this sort break out then?
Ive no problem with stocking up on food, water etc and guns/ammo, it is our RIGHT to do so, and smart to have supplies in case trucking is cut off (grocery stores would run dry in a few days)_ but what I cant get on board with is running hysterically to the mountains at some un-predictible time where survival is difficult (thats why people dont tend to live in mountains!) to avoid some “FEMA camp”
Isnt sequestering yourself in some mountain compound ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING?
Geesh, if things get really, that bad, Im going to try to get IN a FEMA camp, they might have food!
We have much bigger things to worry about in America which is awash with food and water and resources. We have lost Constitutional control of our Government and THAT is the crisis.
second-amendment.tripod.com
Jan 22, 2012 12:09pm EST -- Report as abuse
msruth wrote:
When the current government refers to Republicans as the enemy, is making plans for regional centers to hold large numbers of people, is quickly passing legislation restricting freedoms we have had, and goes around the law and constitution, is it any wonder people across the nation are feeling the need to prepare? Democrats have demonstrated they go around the law so riots if the election doesn’t go their way or economy makes their government handouts go away, riots and looting like with Katrina would be expected. We just don’t trust that our President will protect his Republican “enemies” so will be prepared.
Jan 22, 2012 12:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
macroflux wrote:
Pardon to Ms Gutierezz (who may or may not have the simplistic view as presented in this article) but preppers are NOT Millerites. People who think that there may be something very, very wrong with our course of actions are not saying that we are going to be punished for our advances, they are saying that there is an increased chance of very bad hardship circumstances looming on the horizon. If you went back in time a few months before Hurricane Katrina and a New Orleans resident was stockpiling resources on the off chance they may have help delayed to them during a crisis, they would have been laughed at then. The government never would let citizens site and stew without aid, die being abandoned for more than a day or two. Right? They are at least halfway competent, have the resources, and the will to protect us?
Frankly, there is a general unease on some people’s parts that we are in a zone right now that if there was a disaster, or negative sequence of events, that the government, community, anyone would be stretched too far to assist them in the immediate timeframe. And once you acknowledge how precarious a balance we live in with just-in-time food deliveries, volatile gas prices and potential shortages ready at a moments notice with changing situations in the Middle East, and increased reliance on welfare, it is not an unreasonable thing to think that all it would take is one or two bad things to happen to put the majority of us in a very bad situation that could take a long time to get out of. Some people are stockpiling food and preparing themselves with knowledge of self reliance and sustainability – and living in this volatile phase of society, they’re the sane ones for doing so.
Jan 22, 2012 12:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
virginianick wrote:
The people who believe this stuff aren’t new. There have always been doomsday proponents. Every generation has had its share of people who think society is coming to an end. The kids of their generation would never make it and so on. So while no one knows what tomorrow brings, it most likely won’t be the end of the world.
Jan 22, 2012 12:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
Allinmod wrote:
It’s like aesop’s fable “the ant and the grasshopper”. Remember that? They probably don’t let kids learn it in public school anymore. In today’s world it is smart to be prepared for anything, especially losing the grid, however it could happen. There is a new Christian fiction novel out that has some of this stuff in it that preppers would probably enjoy. Very easy read and suspenseful! It’s called Broken Pottery by Joan K Smith.
Jan 22, 2012 12:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveColeman wrote:
A stable society relies on the vast majority of people voluntarily respecting property rights. Nowadays, there seem to be more and more people who believe their “need” authorizes them to demand others “share” their property. That is, they want things without having to earn them. (Eg. the Occupy Movement, food stamps program, Obamacare, etc.) As the number of people like this grows (given comfort by obsequious politicians like Obama), society approaches the tipping point of breakdown. In the Great Depression, a stranger would knock at the door and ask to share the family meal, and most people did. Now, most people would be too fearful to invite the “bum” in for supper, and the “bum” would likely not ask, but rather stage a home invasion, terrorize the family, and take what he wants (and then maybe burn the house down). Paranoid? Maybe, but this seems to be the direction we are heading.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
hednsand wrote:
I suppose most of the naysayers on here work in the banking industry or some associated business, and deepthroat all of the garbage they are fed. Prepping is not “being scared” , it is simply being prudent for the climate, akin to donning a coat in cold weather, or using an umbrella when raining,,,,, however they may be right , it isn’t rain, but a urea saturated emission from our govt.
Jan 22, 2012 12:40pm EST -- Report as abuse
yzguy247 wrote:
I think it’s funny that some people like E2 say things like “thanks to Ron Paul the country has undermined it’s belief in itself”. – Do your homework. When the world realizes that the US is cheating with all the money it prints in secret, they will stop using it as the world’s reserve currency. When that happens, america’s economy will go through a correction the likes of which we have never seen in our country’s history. If you have not researched nor understand fractional reserve banking, what happened in 1913 and again in 1971 to american money, that’s fine; but to think our neighbors are going to get our food and supplies is laughable. Most “preppers” do not reveal they have them, and most know the first things you get are guns and a lot of ammo. I would love to see you or anyone else try and make it within .5 acres of my home day or night, locked & loaded over here. Have fun in your fema camp when the world cuts off our credit cards, we produce nothing in this country and have taxed, spent, and inflated our way into oblivion. God help us all and kudos to those who are looking ahead and want to be able to feed their children and survive. Survival of the fittest has been the way of the world since we were created.
Jan 22, 2012 12:42pm EST -- Report as abuse
bobber33 wrote:
@RangerDan You are on target but the collapse will not be over night, it will happen over a couple week to months. During this time preppers will remain strong and other get weaker.
@Sueque I have been prepping long before Y2K. Most preppers are students of history and understand economics and human dynamics.
@e2verne Most preppers even in urban environments are very low key. Most likely only prepper neighbors know each are preppers unless they go on TV. Ron Paul is neither the cause of this mind set nor the messenger of it.I’ve been a prepper long before I heard of Ron. I can remain “bunkered” down for almost 2 years. If I could get out and small plot farm, almost indefinately.
Jan 22, 2012 12:45pm EST -- Report as abuse
DesertSteel wrote:
WavyChips,
Most folks would say that YOU have no concept of what is happening around you and are one of the sheep being led down the path. People with your views are shameless and hopeless. The redneck dig is very typical of your ilk.
You do realize the economy of the entire western world is at an all time low. The amount of debt held by almost every Country is unpayable in two generations. The US is no exception right down to the State and municipal level. Yes, this alone concerns rational folks who have concerns for the future of their children’s future. But that is just one concern. There are many more.
Continue on as you are, there is nothing to see here. Best Buy is having a sale on Big Screens, you go buy one and enjoy it.
Jan 22, 2012 12:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
Backflip wrote:
Yeah, but being a member of iphone app subculture doesn’t feed me or protect me. Call a cop with your phone and see how long it takes for them to protect you from crime.
Jan 22, 2012 12:53pm EST -- Report as abuse
imsickofit wrote:
I just conducted a workshop on Sat where I debunked most of the popular doomsday scenarios. The world isn’t coming to an end in 2012, and we’ll not have a total collapse of society. Those who spend thousands making preparations for such events are just wasting their money. However, we will face some tough times as the world begins to deal with the debt crisis and international turmoil, but there are no apocalyptic scenarios that seem likely in the near term. Those who are promoting such nonsense are doing so for notoriety and monetary gain.
Jan 22, 2012 1:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
SurvivAllExpert wrote:
I think it is perfectly right to attack these preppers as nuts!!! Who would want to be self sufficient or prepared for severe weather, natural diasters, terror attacks, inflation, job loss, death or diability of families breadwinner, disease, pandemic, food shortages, fuel disruption because of middle east war, infrastructure failure – electricty, natural gas, fuel… what could possibly go wrong?
O.K. Lets all just live like there is no tomorrow and we’ll all just eat, sing songs and live on love and togetherness if anything bad ever happens. All together….”I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony., I wish we had some food to eat and some electricity…”
Even the U.S. Gov’t is encouraging people to prep: www.Ready.gov
Jan 22, 2012 1:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
Unlike in times past when the “apocalypse” was predicted, we are now so dependant on electronics and technology that it wouldn’t take much to bring America to it’s knees. Just read “One Minute After”(book) to get a feel for what it would be like after a terrorist attack called an EMP-electro magnetic pulse. This is a very plausible scenario, and after you read the book, go to the author’s website, then follow the links to the US Government websites concerning this subject, as well as how to prepare for “disaster”-they allude to Katrina, but who do you think is trying to hack into our electrical grid? Think, people!
Jan 22, 2012 1:24pm EST -- Report as abuse
soveryjaded wrote:
My family and I have a plan…we even bought a place in the woods to escape the jungle that the major city we live in will become when this strikes.
How will the teeming millions of welfare parasites react when their supply is cut off? They are already criminals, thugs and gangstas. Can you even imagine what it will be like when they no longer receive all their taxpayer-funded freebies? Dear Lord. The entitlement mentality will turn the general population into even worse savages when this happens.
Glad I never had children for this very reason. I worried about this 20 years ago. How could anyone not see it coming?
THANK YOU LIBERALS!
Jan 22, 2012 1:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
cmflygirl wrote:
It’s hard to believe how many people in this country are still living in that “bubble” of the world superiority of the US. We are very very vulnerable right now, and may never recover from this. Did you EVER think that you’d see a horror movie like Katrina in this country-all of those people just helpless there, waiting for the government to come to their aid…or did you ever think you’d see THE landmark of NYC, World Trade Twin Towers, collapse before your eyes? Things in this world are changing fast..economically, and otherwise. Do what you like, just don’t ridicule those who think that preventative measures are smart..and oh yeah, don’t come to our doors when you don’t have food or water, or even aspirin for pain. We won’t be the Federal Gov’t with a handout for everyone, and most of us will be armed!
Jan 22, 2012 1:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
lingsun wrote:
The Fed has printed trillions of bogus dollars. It’s only a matter of time before we have hyperinflation like Germany had in the 1920s. I have a year’s supply of food and water, guns and ammo, a way to cook my food, and a way to heat my house. The collapse of the eurozone will be a disaster for the US as well.
Jan 22, 2012 1:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
marcopantani wrote:
It’s as the preppers want the end to come. There is a certain high that comes from preparing to survive collapse. I jumped on the Peak Oil band wagon in 2005 and rode that for a bit…really…you start thinking about nothing else but collapse and survival….againit’s a bit of euphotia that you get from all this. While our house sits on an acre in a fairly small city with endless organic farms and water sources inc. our own 1/4 acre garden and back up well….I felt comfort in the fact that we could prep and survive what ever was coming…..the truth is, things happen and will continue to do so. I’m sure we’ll come back here in a year after reading yet another “collapse” article…and do it all over again.
Jan 22, 2012 1:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Romperstomper wrote:
Disasters can be big or small. Integrate prepping into your everyday lifestyle by buying necessities and non-pershables in quantity when they go on sale. Use your tax refund for big ticket items like guns and generators. Most important of all, plan ahead.
Jan 22, 2012 1:46pm EST -- Report as abuse
miker5 wrote:
I read through the first thirty comments and saw the letters O-B-A-M-A only once. How can a discussion of the end of our way of life not include numerous mention of him? The censors at Reuters are apparently very busy. Enjoy your power while you can. Newt let the cat out of the bag about the intentions and motives of the media and your days are numbered, Reuters.
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
After witnessing the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, I made “prepping” a priority. After the quake, if you were one of the unfortunates who did not store water, you had to wait in line at a water truck once a day for one gallon of water (complete with sediment floating in it). Please realize that the Northridge quake pales in comparison to the “Big One” that is due to hit California at any moment.
I now store one month worth of food and water. I wonder…if I decide one day to store more than one month’s worth that does that make me paranoid according to the author of the article?
Jan 22, 2012 1:47pm EST -- Report as abuse
Clavius wrote:
One thing to keep in mind: Just-in-time goods delivery systems.
Jan 22, 2012 1:49pm EST -- Report as abuse
x76 wrote:
I was a Boy Scout and their motto was and remains BE PREPARED. I certainly don’t have two years of freeze-dried food or anything like that, but we have food on hand, firewood, propane, et cetera… who wouldn’t? It’s just common sense.
Jan 22, 2012 1:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
stambo2001 wrote:
All preppers know the ‘same old addage’, and that being:
“It is better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it.”
Prepping is like having a spare tire for your life. It’s like having a life jacket in a boat. How is being prepared for an emergency in any way, shape, or form being ‘fringe’?
What kind of person drives without their spare tire or gets in a boat without a life jacket? A moron.
Jan 22, 2012 1:59pm EST -- Report as abuse
11ozman wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.”
This, of course, completely ignores what is perhaps the greatest underlying concern for those who don’t take the survival of our country for granted: the replacement of our Constitutional government with an oppressive dictatorship/oligarchy. Reuters, of course, is in the tank for the Obama regime and consequently steers the discussion away from the fact that this “prepper” movement has largely developed since the coronation of Obama and has only gained momentum since. Anyone who has not flinched from looking at Obama’s (et al) increasingly obvious disdain for the restraints imposed by the Constitution would eventually come to the conclusion that he is part of a freight train heading towards absolute state control of our property and activity. The most glaring evidence of this trend are the imposition of Obamacare and, more recently, the secretive passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. And those are only the most obvious and recent. I’m sure any “prepper” (another flippant nickname along the lines of “tea baggers”) could cite many more examples.
Jan 22, 2012 2:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
bpmw wrote:
No comments, just statements of fact.
1. Being prepared is never foolish.
2. We are only 9 meals removed from a breakdown of society.
3. The more complex any object (machine, society, economic system), the more likely it is to fail.
4. Anyone who doesn’t believe that all great societies eventually fail is ignoring history and is bound to repeat it.
5. Most great societies collapsed from within – after their government looted the treasury.
6. Keep thinking what you want. If you don’t care enough to purchase the materials and make the preparations to provide for you and your loved ones in a time of need, please don’t think it obligates me to do so.
Jan 22, 2012 2:04pm EST -- Report as abuse
ogobeone wrote:
These prophecies have gone on for millennia and all the world gets is disasters to some people and some areas. Black and white thinkers are fools. Everybody has their own personal disaster eventually. It’s called death. But we all go alone, even if a friend is standing beside you in the same disaster.
Jan 22, 2012 2:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
JeffRosenbury wrote:
Historically the type of chaos the preppers are preparing for is the rule not the exception. Whether it’s war, civil disorder, or natural disaster, being prepared makes sense.
But most survivalist types are crazy loners. Hiding in a cave with guns is a fantasy. Real survival means being prepared to help your neighbors when things go wrong. Joining a community organization, developing social contacts and a useful, specialized skill is a far better survival plan than weapons training and underground bunkers.
The golden rule works as well during disasters as it does in ordinary life.
Jan 22, 2012 2:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
Jeepgirl wrote:
Preppers do not want the end to come. We want a happy stable life with a government that provides us the freedoms under the original constitution. We want a president that obeys the constitution, which is a document with laws that OBAMA does not follow, even though that document is what let OBAMA get where he is.
A happy, free & stable life with a government that does not impose nanny doctrines and decrees, is all we want. That takes a congress and a president that follows the constitution.
What do you want out of life? Is it not the same thing? Or do you want your government to coddle you and bottle feed you?
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
JQEvermann wrote:
The really sad thing is that only a “subculture” is prepared for disaster. As an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Marine, it is second nature for me to be prepared for any scenario…but as an every-day-citizen, I find that most people only have mocking comments when they ask why I’m buying 300 pounds of rice and 50 gallons of salt at a time. They laugh because they think the FEMA trailers will pull up and help them out…and if not FEMA, then someone like me. They’re wrong on both accounts.
Jan 22, 2012 2:15pm EST -- Report as abuse
J.Prokhorov wrote:
Instead of random worrying, start thinking. Stop listening to binary locutions. Start observing the real physical environment and real physical people. Observe how much civilization has already been instilled in each one. Observe your local supply chain. Ensure your food, water and electricity supplies are in clear thinking, logical brains and hands. Be in your community as much as is doable per communication constraints given by language, education and intelligence. Rely on brains, which is different from saying ignore emotions since emotions are part of what brains produce. Yeah, something went wrong. At two litres consumption plus more for cleanliness usage per day per person, I observe in Chinese culture, water storage for three to four days seems to be a good practice.
Jan 22, 2012 2:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
LillithGoby wrote:
Ever watch Mad Max? If you have it, they are coming after it from the cities and in gangs. IMO only God can save us-put your preparation there, to survive spiritually and be quick on your feet.
Jan 22, 2012 2:39pm EST -- Report as abuse
Landforfools wrote:
FACT: The 99% does not trust this government. Why should they when politicians try to strip our constitutional rights!! It is a fact that presidents come out of office richer than they ever were before- corruption.. politicians come out office richer than they were before, and often cannot explain why- corruption.. Corporations LIE about information, bribery and everything- corruption. Recent legislation has consisted of censoring the internet, searching and arresting without a serch warrant (which became law) out local law inforcement is being equipped military style. All of my tax money is going to things that i dont agree with and i have to pay a higher tax rate than Romney, who gutted companies and sent them into bankrupt. The 1% LIES about the products they create, the loop holes they take to make more money and the chemicals that are used in the process. They dont care about our health, our planet or they soil that we use to farm… and you wonder why we are stocking up on supplies and guns. The US of A is a joke. OUr prisons are overwhelmingly overcongested with minorities-racism. Private prisons now take good jobs and hand them to prisoners that get paid 60 cents per hour, those are supposed to be American jobs- corruption. Boehner is a joke, why does he even get out of bed… and the former house speaker Gingrich, leaving your wife (on 2 seperate occasions) as they get treated for grave illness, just shows the heartless a**holes that we are given to vote on for president. Get it?
Jan 22, 2012 2:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 2:52pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 2:57pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
Hairywall wrote:
Have to agree with RangerDan. If the liberal fascists get a second term in the White House they may very well tip us into collapse and thus bring on their dream of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. The fact that the socialist/communist experiments of the last couple of centuries have all ended in misery and abject failure, they just keep coming back. Bringing chaos and murder to the general population, ending in some form of totalitarianism. At that culmination personal preparations won’t really matter, the jackboot will be firmly on everyone’s neck. But in the mayhem leading up to that end game, having reserves of arms, food, and shelter would be helpful.
Jan 22, 2012 3:06pm EST -- Report as abuse
ThaBigPerm wrote:
@e2verne and others for whom the natural reaction to this is to denounce any and all conern for our future as crazy, tin-foil-hattedness, conspiratorial, misinterpreted-Myan-prophecy-clutching, etc, etc…
Let us see… preparing for major economic meltown in developed economies and the social explosion that could result therefrom is lunacy… and buying into merketing-fed hype…
After all, we live in the rock-solid 21st century. Money is paper (and increasingly even better, DIGITAL!), and food comes from the store or drive-through.
Besides, we have a rock-solid government, as well as other governments around the world, who would NEVER let anything like this happen. Since Reuters already regaled us with a tale of kooks prepping for something bad, let’s see what the governments are doing. You know, the non-kooks.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361898/Pentagon-reveal-financial-terrorists-triggered-economic-crash.html
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/army-future-unified-quest/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21053.html
http://publicintelligence.net/vigilant-guard-2010-riot-control-detention-drills/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079184/UK-prepares-emergency-measures-euro-collapse.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8917077/Prepare-for-riots-in-euro-collapse-Foreign-Office-warns.html
Jan 22, 2012 3:07pm EST -- Report as abuse
SOS4USA wrote:
IF being a prepared person is kooky and paranoid, then take the jack and spare tire out of your car, you might be a prepper. Take that insurance off your valuables, and your life, or you might look kooky. The FEMA preparedness brochures that were sent out to us by our neighborhood watch captain told us to be prepared to take care of ourselves in case of a natural disaster. Are they kooky?
Jan 22, 2012 3:14pm EST -- Report as abuse
wrote:
The multiple failure modes of complex “systems of systems” are too to vast to enumerate. Past challenges to ‘the system’ came at a slow enough rate to allow gradual adjustments to occur. But current challenges are rushing toward us all at rates far too fast to allow for anything ‘gradual’ to be adequate to meet the threat.
Peak-energy, climate change, global social/political ‘springs’, sunspot cycle peaking with threatened attendant possible catastrophic CME disruption of continent-wide electrical and communications nets, and on & on….
Past natural events show how few people are prepared to live on their own for days or weeks. Drinkable water, food & a means to prepare it, A way to keep, at least a portion of their home, warm, a means to receive news from outside their neighborhood; all during a two week [or longer] lack of grid electricity – are all needs each family should be prepared to meet.
Our universal dependence on electricity and ‘just-in-time inventory control” mean that supply chains run dry in just a day or two when they are disrupted. Witness the ‘bare shelves’ syndrome whenever a hurricane threatens!
Few people have the knowledge, equipment or supplies ON HAND to save the contents of their freezers when it starts to thaw. Few know how to deal with human waste safely when there is no water available. Few have any conceipt of what to do when they need something other than DRIVE to the local store and BUY it.
[Roads blocked? ATMs & CC Machines don't work? Gas stations can't pump gas? Stores bare or closed? WHAT? How could that happen? Somebody HELP ME!!]
When disruptions extend beyond local or state boundaries, help from “outside” will not be available. Each locality and family must cope with supplies and manpower on hand. If the worst happens, that could include growing next years food from seeds, livestocks and land available locally.
Natural disasters, terrorists attacks [perhaps not too likely, but still possible], financial system collapse, even political system collapse leading to civil conflict are all possible causes of a need for individual autonomy in supplying ones needs.
Assuming life will always proceed in the future, as it has in the past, can easily prove fatal to the unprepared.
The choice is there: either be prepared to give up and die, or be prepared to forge through on your own, with your own knowledge, supplies and energy.
Even WITH individual preparedness, neighborhood and community cooperation will be vital for success. So true preparation must involve advance contact and planning for such coordination and cooperation.
May the Force be with you,
Wynn
Jan 22, 2012 3:16pm EST -- Report as abuse
julianpenrod wrote:
A characteristic of all who display craven absorption with self preservation, in all its forms, even that of scrabbling after everything that isn’t nailed down during otherwise lush times, is a deonstrated lack of faith in God. The fact is, many people seem willing to bleat a belief in God, but few actually show faith in His intercession. Many say that it’s because they saw many who were not benefited by God, but they carefully leave out whether those individuals deserved God’s favor! If God approves of you, He won’t allow you to be harmed. If you are promoting His plan, He won’t even allow yu to die. That’s why the rich, with all their craven acquisitiveness, don’t show the fear of death that malingerers like they would show. Bu providing a force for those who have acted decently to work against and improve themselves, even the craven corporate rich are helping in God’s plan. But the fact is that many have just tossed out acting in a way that promotes God’s wish for humanity. And, in fact, all the disasters of the past decade at least express His displeasure, if not outright anger. Tornaodes occurring where they were unknown, like Brooklyn; a fault bigger than San Andreas being announced along the Eastern Seaboard; an anomalous earthquake on the fault, affecting, among others, Wahington, D.C.; bees disapparing, threatening crops; a tidal wave of unprecedented proportions; the worst hurricane season on record; earthquakes being seen where they were previously unknown, like Ohio, and, where they were known, occurring in never before seen clusters; supervolcanoes forming beneath Mt. St. Helens and Yellowstone National Park; a bridge evaporating in Minnesota; a two football field long crack in the ground suddenly appearing in Michigan; family extermination murders on the rise; food poisoning outbreaks becoming a regular occurrence; diseases no ever ever heard of suddenly appearing; a giant steam main exploding in New York City; cranes at work sites collapsing regularly; bus crashes in unprecedented numbers; an electric art starting up on its own and crashing into a crowd. Even things that are described as man made, like the weird weather, the New World Order fabricated events of September 11 or the “sub prime” economic collapse would not have been allowed by God to happen if He wasn’t so enraged. Even the number of meteroite falls is a hundred times what it was only a few decades ago. No amount of survivalist style preparation will protect someone if God is truly angered by their actions. And, if they think that trying to sidestep God’s punishment is going to improve their standing in His sight, they should think twice.
Jan 22, 2012 3:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
MikeAreno wrote:
Collapse doesn’t have to happen
No Obama…….No Collapse
Jan 22, 2012 3:33pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
Funny stuff, just reminds one of how nuts people can be. Few things that stand out form this thread, the normal Obama is a socialist(people really need to learn the definition of Socialist before using it) out to destroy our economy, can we please get more bluster unsupported by facts people. People saying the NDAA is ‘Obama’s law’ is just plain BS, the facts are the GOP stuck it in the defense authorization bill, knowing that Obama could not veto, you need to read Obama’s signing statement, where it said his Admin will never enforce the law. One guy said the Pac NW is due for 10+ earthquake, not true it may be due for a 9.0 on the order of the Japan earthquake, but that ALOT different then a 10.0, think someone has watched 2012 a bit too much.
Anyhow all that being said, it is only smart to be prepared for some kind of natural disaster. But the people that believe in these doom and gloom theories with regards to “socialist Obama destroying the economy”, the second coming of Jesus Christ, or terrorism are just plain nuts.
Jan 22, 2012 3:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
LOL, leave up to the mainstream media to get it wrong AGAIN!!1 We are not afraid of no government, in fact many relish it (a return to a small government would be great for most of us) Pathetic and sickening that you statists think our well being dpeneds on a government. We prep because we see how a corrupt and overspending government, and a puch towards a “New “world Order” is going to bring about the collapse of our society as we know it, for a while.
Jan 22, 2012 3:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
idiotsrule wrote:
I fantasize not about the world ending, but all you idiotic naysayers showing up at my door looking for handouts if and when things get bad, (not ending). I will have no problem letting the door hit you in the a$$.
Jan 22, 2012 3:56pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ozlanthos wrote:
I wonder if Cathy knows how to change the spark plugs in her vehicle, or how to swap a hard drive in her computer? If not, there are two factoids I have that will make me more likely to survive in the event of a total social collapse. How about track game? or catch fish? build a house? make a fire? Do you know how to do these things? You don’t need an earth-quake, tsunami, asteroid collision, nuclear war, social or economic collapse or alien invasion to happen in order for you to need to know how to do these things in order to survive. You only have to leave your house and go to where there aren’t too many people. As for prepping? Let’s just say that you don’t have to hit the iceberg to know the ship is heading directly for it…
-Oz
Jan 22, 2012 3:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
Don’t prep, you’ll help thin the herd out some.
Jan 22, 2012 4:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
TheOutlawX wrote:
Just another “those people are crazy stories.” You know, don’t worry about that here’s the new iPhone story
Jan 22, 2012 4:21pm EST -- Report as abuse
rider237 wrote:
i was talking to a relative in another country. we were joking that people are “nesting”. it’s not just us. all around the world there is a feeling that something is about to tip.
if nothing happens, we have lost nothing by being prepared. if something does happen….don’t come to me looking for “stuff”. :-)
Jan 22, 2012 4:30pm EST -- Report as abuse
NukerDoggie wrote:
@USAPragmatist: The financial/economic collapse IS coming, attendant with all the social disorder you can imagine, but it matters little what political party is in the White House – both parties are shoving us toward disaster.
Our economy is massively over-developed, in debt and primed for the Big Collapse. The crash of 2008 and the Euroland earthquake that began in early August of 2011 are just advance tremors. Anyone who can’t discern these facts is an ‘ostrich’ with his head in the sand.
All these preppers are going to get a very rude awakening, though. Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer. If the military doesn’t raid the preppers then their hungry neighbors will. You guys can’t stand up to those kinds of forces for long. I’m all in favor of making reasonable preps for disasters, but when you carry it to such extremes you make yourselves targets. Not smart.
Jan 22, 2012 4:31pm EST -- Report as abuse
sfmercurius wrote:
Well,these people may make it a week or so, but eventually the trouble will find them. There won’t be enough bullets or concrete to keep it away.
Jan 22, 2012 4:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
mrmikejohnson wrote:
How can an article about people preparing for the end of society not even mention Barack Hussein Obama? Whether or not you think he’s destined to cause the end of America is irrelevant. The people who are taking preparation measures think Obama is causing the events that are going to bring about the subject of the article. Boy, the media will do anything to even write one sentence about Obama that could be interpreted as negative by even one person.
Jan 22, 2012 4:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
MoReport wrote:
The Preppers may be right for the wrong reason;
Modern society is far more fragile than at any
time in the past, subject to massive mortality
given even a one week interruption in the flow
of necessities; The ability to survive without
resupply for a month could keep one alive, and
available to participate in the recovery of a
much smaller USofA.
Jan 22, 2012 4:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
strikezone wrote:
It appears that you are referring to William Miller rather than Joseph Miller?
Jan 22, 2012 4:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
John2244 wrote:
Statistically speaking, Preppers have no chance; if you believe society is going against your way and try to arm/store your way out of a crisis then you’ll end up getting overrun by the majority. Theres never been a historical case otherwise.
Through my marriage I have two different sets of ancestors that lived for centuries in a land where a crisis occurred; Jewish family in Austria and Sikh family in Pakistan. Both families have stories of people who saved food and guns and built a fort to protect themselves….they got killed. We also have relatives that saw the crisis coming and did what most normal people do – started buying property in other places, opening up accounts elsewhere, converting cash to gold, making business deals to diversify into other areas, and acquiring second citizenship. On both sides the survivors were always the ones that were financially savy in the world not the ones with guns – let me repeat – they all died.
I myself as an American also fear a collapse but I do what many Americans do – diversify into economies with growth, a young population base and low government debt. We are not preppers, because we dont believe in 2 day meltdown… we believe in long term decline which really shouldn’t impact are lives but later are creating options for our kids like are forefathers did – just in case.
Jan 22, 2012 5:10pm EST -- Report as abuse
DonQuixokie wrote:
I suspect the end is a near as the next Republican Administration. Republicans refuse to acknowledge Bush/Cheney and their policies role in the Wallstreet melt-down, housing crisis (which continues unabated,) the costs of the Bush era tax cuts and the Bush Wars.
Romney wants to double down on everything that Bush and Cheney did that was so disasterous for our nation and economy.
Santorum wants to do all of the same + bonsai our proud nation into the Christian equivalent of Iran…turn us into a Christofascist sharia nation. Both Santorum and Romney want to push for war in Iran, but neither has yet said just how they will pay for it.
Ron Paul, from a distance, looks sane. Until you squint. His past statements from his newsletter are racially odious, and his belief in personal freedom does not extend to a woman’s right to reproductive freedom. Worse, his foreign policy presents a genuine threat to our national security. His plans to cripple the federal govt lays open the real possibility of actually dissolving it…Balkanizing the United States into seperate individual nations who would then fight over natural resources while being hegemonized by corporations.
Let’s get real. Obama will win this election, and our nation will limp its way out of recession. And democrats will problably win 2016. But Republicans WILL take the White House at some point. The question is will our nation have recovered enough from the last galloping parade of corrupt criminality to survive another one. Not for another 20 years at least.
Jan 22, 2012 5:17pm EST -- Report as abuse
USAPragmatist wrote:
@nukerdoggie. Please give one shred of CREDIBLE evidence that “Martial Law is going to be declared very soon – good chance it will happen this summer.” ? You are the exact type I was talking about, unsubstantiated hysteria. There is ZERO reason that there is going to be any martial law in this country in the foreseeable future. Your type has always been around, but one of the side effects of the connectivity of the Internet is that a VERY small minority can make it seem like there are more of them due to being vocal. Just like the paulites, not many but sure are noisy.
Jan 22, 2012 5:29pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@nukerdoggie- yeah, that’s why preppers don’t advertise. As for making ourselves “targets”, if you don’t advertise, you don’t become targets. Preppers aren’t mindless pack rats.
Jan 22, 2012 5:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
ted1 wrote:
@sfmercurius- so what do you suggest? Lay down and accept the inevitable? Better a week meals than not.
Jan 22, 2012 5:55pm EST -- Report as abuse
RichardGC wrote:
We can solve so many problems by minding our own business. What do we care if other people prepare for something we do not believe will happen? What do we care if others believe our government is corrupt and not to be trusted? Treat them like another religion. No, I do not believe I will be “raptured” into heaven. If you get raptured into heaven, have fun! No, I do not believe in genital mutilation of children, male or female. Those who do are none of my business. No, I do not take sides in the many religious wars and conflicts all over the world. I wish everyone well and ask only to live my life unmolested. I do support Ron Paul, but if you do not, fine. I do not care one way or the other about Israel or Palestine; if you do, good for you. Feel free to send your money and your children to either side. Not my problem! If you love Britain, fine; I do not care one way or the other, even though many of my ancestors lived there. Some Americans are such Anglophiles that they even learn to talk with a fake accent. Fine; enjoy! I want to trade with and visit other countries but I do not want my country to accept responsibility for them. STOP being a busybody.
Jan 22, 2012 6:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Ian1 wrote:
I am no ‘Prepper’, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared.
That being said I do expect a complete global derivative economic meltdown. We’ve been experiencing it for years, right before your eyes. I believe 2008 is just a ‘ripple’ in a pond compared to what is about to happen. This is just my speculation, however King Dollar is being phased out as we speak. What we are witnessing is the rise of Eastern Civilization and the Fall of the West.
The Dollar hegemony is over, when we lose the Petro-Dollar status (China has made SEVERAL strategic moves, both financially and militarily) is when the proverbial you know what will hit the fan…yes we will see martial law in the streets of America. Again just my speculation, but the Dollar is being challenged.
Good luck.
Jan 22, 2012 6:03pm EST -- Report as abuse
Newmexicoprepp wrote:
Ok so for all those who wish not to be prepared just in case… I bet you have no health insurance or a first aid kit or even a fire extinguisher because if you do your prepared for something that may or may not happen also. Simple people make me laugh. Prepping is the same people , It is about being able to feed and protect in case of an emergency.
Jan 22, 2012 6:08pm EST -- Report as abuse
AlfredReaud wrote:
“When seconds count, authorities are minutes away.”
Don’t know who wrote that, but it’s true all over. Also don’t know who came up with that silly term “prepper”. I have the knowledge I need to survive in the event of societal collapse because it’s part of camping and fishing and outdoors-craft. I don’t have to be around y’all. I can head “out back” and disappear.
Personally, I never looked at it as prepping for anything but being ready. Am I paranoid about society collapsing? No. Societies have collapsed many times in history.
When the “Changes” come, those that live by the gun will die by the gun, and those that cooperate will survive. Having a gun doesn’t guarantee survival, when the best recourse is to not fight and help each other. Everybody should watch “2012″. And think about what the Georgia Guidestones says about the optimum world population being 500,000,000 people.
Jan 22, 2012 6:23pm EST -- Report as abuse
botflyguy wrote:
I live north of New Orleans about 45 minutes. After Katrina hit, we were without power for about 8 days. I went to a Walmart near us after a couple of days because I heard they had power. There were National Guard soldiers outside regulating how many people could enter. Had to wait for people to exit before more were let in. I got in after awhile and the first area you normally see, the bread and produce section, was only empty bins and bare shelves. It was eerie, like an apocalyptic movie. The rest of the store (grocery part) wasn’t much better. I see the ads for ‘food insurance’ and don’t think that’s such a kooky idea anymore.
Jan 22, 2012 7:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
punkster023 wrote:
It must be exhausting to live your one life in fear and paranoia. I feel sorry for these people who constantly stress and “prep” instead of enjoy and live. I guess its possible that any one of these disasters could happen, but I’m going to have as much fun as I can before it does. I urge the rest of you to do the same. :)
Jan 22, 2012 7:41pm EST -- Report as abuse
scorchedearth wrote:
Better to have and not need than to need and not have. I guess nobody has been paying attention to the increased frequency of Public service announcements espousing the point of having extra fresh water and a family emergency plan in place. I Don’t know if anything is going to happen and I hope it never does but…
Jan 22, 2012 8:32pm EST -- Report as abuse
LobaAzul wrote:
“Preppers, though are, worried about no government.” WRONG!!!!! Most preppers want far less government because they realize government cannot be depended upon to provide solutions. Government IS the problem.
Jan 22, 2012 8:35pm EST -- Report as abuse
RudyHaugeneder wrote:
With seven billion of us now on the planet, it’s only a matter of time before Nature does something to severely cull our numbers. No amount of disaster preparedness is going to help significantly.
Jan 22, 2012 8:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
bill1942 wrote:
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re no after you. Think about it.
Jan 22, 2012 8:43pm EST -- Report as abuse
just1of99prcnt wrote:
Sounds like some of you people never saw news coverage of rioting in L.A. and how uncivilized people can become in such a short period time over nothing. I can imagine what would happen if something really bad happened. I personally do not think staying in one spot and trying to defend it is that great of an idea. As soon as you help your neighbor the rest will be at your front door wanting the same. I hope nothing that bad ever happens but I certainly don’t blame people for being prepared. I don’t store food and water but I am armed and capable of surviving off the land and not too far from 4 legged transportation. First thing I will do is get away from the rest of you. Half of you will go crazy.
Jan 22, 2012 8:44pm EST -- Report as abuse
Prepped wrote:
It is often said that anarchy begins after the ninth missed meal. Given the precipice the world finds itself on today, like the prospect of peak oil, war with Iran or worse, China, economic destruction from un-repayable debt, earthquakes and other natural disasters, it only makes sense to prepare and not become a burden to others or find it necessary to steal or worse, kill for the prepared person’s supplies…
Jan 22, 2012 8:50pm EST -- Report as abuse
WavyChips wrote:
What disturbs me most about this subculture is they are, for the most part, being led by a quitter. James Wesley Rawles was an Army captain before resigning his commission upon the election of President Clinton. If Captain Rawles was unable to follow the orders of his Commander-in-Chief in the defense of his country, how would have it had possible to lead his men into battle to defend America? Clearly, the man lacks the leadership to lead anyone anywhere. But in these uncertain times, this coward has taken it upon himself to lead others. Shame on him, and pity upon those who chose to follow this man’s questionable thinking.
Jan 22, 2012 9:05pm EST -- Report as abuse
Dantes wrote:
Subculture. Heh.
Millions of people in this subculture.
As for those on this board who think they will be able to just pluck the fruits of our labor…
Molon labe.
Jan 22, 2012 9:13pm EST -- Report as abuse
skaven44 wrote:
Being Prepared should not be considered a Sub-Culture lol
It’s far better to “have it when you need it, than to need it and not have it”…that’s my belief.
People need to play the “what if” game in their heads and actually take some time and think, how would I provide some/all of my basic day to day needs in the event of a catastrophe be it economic or natural.
Too many will find themselves in truly dire circumstances if an emergency strikes.
Better to of thought about it some and prepared as best as possible…certainly better than the alternative imo
Jan 22, 2012 9:25pm EST -- Report as abuse
DaveJ1948 wrote:
There is nothing like being prepared but you can take it a little far. I know people who still have beans and rice from the Y2K era.
Jan 22, 2012 10:01pm EST -- Report as abuse
Coldwarrior1984 wrote:
According to the Comptroller of the Currency (Treasury Dept.) U.S. commercial banks hold $248 TRILLION in unregulated derivatives. I think there’s only about $70 Trillion in currency in the entire world. Think about that for a moment. The 5 year (so far) economic crisis we have been in and that is disolving the European Union was caused by derivatives that were made of bundled bad mortgages that had been rated as AAA+ and then shorted by the folks selling them. NOTHING has changed systemically to prevent another crash. What has changed is that we are now over $15 Trillion in debt and going further into debt every year by more than a Trillion dollars. But hey, if you wan’t to see the glass as half full, who am I to disagree?
Jan 22, 2012 10:02pm EST -- Report as abuse
CountryGurl wrote:
I am sitting here in my nice warm farmhouse; the woodstove is fired up against the snow. I just had a supper of all homegrown items – a stew made from the steer we butchered this October, canned and fresh vegetables from the garden. Breakfast was a bartered-for neighbor’s-pig sausage, homeraised eggs, homemade butter and cheese. This spring I am putting in over 100 fruit trees and starting my own beehive; the cows have already started calving.
I have been working towards self-sufficiency all my life; at 10 I had my own vegetable garden, as a young mother I made my own baby food, as a mother of teens I taught them to grow and shuck corn,raise vegetables, butcher a wildkill.I have always canned and dehydrated my own produce, learned to make my own soap, can sew a pair of pants, a pair of curtains, or a quilt by hand.
We do not “live in fear” we live quite happily and comfortably, eat well, raise our animals and produce, kill the occasional wild turkey or deer and make everything from canned turkey to beef jerky. We grow heirloom plants and collect the seeds to replant every year.I render my own lard from pig fat – makes excellent piecrusts and fries the river-caught bass and trout.
If a tornado comes thru, we have food stored in a safe room in our basement. If an EMP occurs, we have lamps that burn fat, a reliable horse if we need her. Winter blizzards are no problem – the deadfalls alone here provide plenty of wood for the wood stove, and I can cook on it too. I’ll miss the Internet and a few things, but we will eat well and be self-sufficient. If another Depression comes, we’re far enough away from ‘civilization’ to not worry about folks coming out this far – we have neighbors with whom we trade and barter – and we all open-carry, too. If something happens, we’ll be fine. If nothing happens, we’ll still be fine, and do what we are doing – because it is healthier, gives us satisfaction, and makes us happy.
I have never heard of these so-called ‘bibles’ and prepper-leaders, and wouldn’t waste my money or time on them if I had. During the Y2K scare, I operated a free blog and chat room telling people how to be self-sufficient; didn’t try to sell them a thing and wouldn’t do it now. Self sufficiency to us doesn’t mean we are huddled in our basement in terror, but rather that we live a life free of Frankenfoods, out in the sunshine and the snow, loving life and living it to the fullest.
Jan 22, 2012 10:22pm EST -- Report as abuse
Bombadil wrote:
Being prepared is a good watchdog approach… to ANYTHING.
Be it tornado, flood, hurricane, earthquake, or another 4-years with Obama.
When nature or politics is at it worse – it is best to have your beans ready and your powder dry.
Jan 22, 2012 10:36pm EST -- Report as abuse
westcoastsailor wrote:
Are we preppers?
My wife and I chose to disconnect from the matrix about 5 years ago, just before the real estate crash. We sold up and now make our home aboard a self sufficient 50′ motorsailor. We’re somewhere in the 1000s of islands and fjords on the Canadian coast between Washington and Alaska. We’ve got some silver dollars stashed on board, 1000 gal of fuel, 1000 gal of water, 10 months of food staples, otherwise, don’t have anything to do with banks and stay below radar. We’re both skilled with our hands, and do just fine picking up a bit of work here and there. The key is our cost of living is so low, most people pay more for their monthly fitness club than we spend per month. Native peoples thrived while living off these waters for thousands of years, we are too, as they said “the tide goes out and the table is set”. Shit can hit the fan, as it probably will, we’ll hear about it over the ham or ssb, then I’ll go pull up the crab traps for dinner.
Jan 22, 2012 10:48pm EST -- Report as abuse
maxgomez wrote:
What’s the connection between these people and the hippies in communes? Your own story says these preppers may be living next door — which obviously isn’t in a commune separated from society.
Jan 22, 2012 10:51pm EST -- Report as abuse
YouLikeRonPaul2 wrote:
e2verne – a shot at Ron Paul, really? The guy perfectly predicted the 2008 housing bubble collapse in 2002. He tried for six years to get the rest of Congress to listen. If there was ANYONE worth listening to . . . jeesh! Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDisyWkIBM
I’ll tell ya’ll what, I’m into prepping. Do any of you carry car, home or health insurance? Prepping is just day-to-day living insurance.
It blows my mind how some people get so bent about somebody’s private beliefs. It does not affect you nor infringe on your rights. That’s part of the problem with our country as of late, nobody can MYOFB.
When we had Hurricane Irene come to town, I took my kids on a “social studies” sight seeing tour down past our local WalMart and grocery store so they could see what it was like for people who did not have any “preps”. Then we went home, had a barbecue and woke up the next morning with our lights on and food and water a plenty.
For those who think prepping is being fearful or a waste of time and money, drop your car, health and homeowner’s insurances. Don’t be afraid – just “let life happen!”
Jan 22, 2012 10:58pm EST -- Report as abuse
deowll wrote:
There is always a risk of being off the grid but the biggest threat is the economy. Anyone can see what is going on in Europe. Our debt is growing past the point anyone can bring the situation under control and we are utterly dependent on foreign fuel and we are utterly dependent on imports.
New York Life warned customers not to send it to much money to invest. Metro Nashville had to pay banks to take multimillion dollar deposits.The banks aren’t offering anyone a reasonable rate off return on anything. It’s just a matter of time and we are only going to be able to do limited amounts of foreign trade backed up by whatever reserves of foreign cash we have and our gold reserves because our currency will be worthless. That isn’t going to allow most people to drive…
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