Anybody watching this show?
Watch the clip until the end.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/...-out-vacation/
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Anybody watching this show?
Watch the clip until the end.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/...-out-vacation/
My wife and I watched this program and then dvr'ed the others and watched them. This guy actually got lucky just shooting his thumb. It appeared he has no idea of gun safety and easily could have shot himself or one of his sons. He actually held the gun with his left thumb covering the muzzle while his right hand was on the trigger.
Being prepared for something is one thing but some of these people on this show are just goofs and wont last long if there is a doomsday.
Their was an older couple that they showed living in the northeast somewhere and they had zero weapons. They believed that their stockpile of honey and other food would be good enough to keep them safe. They didnt think have a gun for protection would be needed.. LOL they were hippie libbies and the type of people that believe the world is a Dr. Seuss book.
LOL @ Dr. Seuss book.
I actually have not watched the show. I was to tired when I posted this and forgot to ask a couple questions.
Are they making people out to look like idiots ? Do the people actually have good plans? (sounds like some of them are naive ) Also the guy that took his boys to the desert , was that just a practice run?
I know if hell beaks loose and I have to depend on myself for survival I will not be driving to the desert. How is going to start a garden? Any of these people have a greenhouse for going food in the winter?
Some of the people are actually good to go with most of there prep. The only issue is the show typically shows a couple different families and they each have their own catastrophe scenario. Some are possible while some are less likely.
Some people are good with learning how to live off the land and have survivalist skills while others seem to think they can be hippies and there will be no threats after a doomsday event.
I like the show and its not painting them as idiots except for the people themselves that are actually idiots. The guy shooting himself and the hippies are idiots. There is a New York Fire fighter that is prepping for a Yellowstone Volcano blast. I understand his reasoning because of 9/11 the cloud after the towers fell had an impact on him. That scenario seems less likely than say a financial doomsday or mass terror attack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUM0TOkNALg
This looks like an older episode than the newer versions but still NatGeo produced.
Interesting video Eagle.
I wonder if he has a gun? I saw the knife , but no gun. I personally would not want to wait until became a knife fight.
I personally would not want to hang out in a city if society falls apart.
My personal belief is that the most likely "doomsday" scenario is a monetary collapse or when fuel prices become so high that almost all forms of transportation come to a halt.
My thoughts on what are the most likely "chaos" doomsday situations are like you suggest oil/gas skyrockets and causes hyperinflation on an already weak economy. Then people panic as they cannot afford basic necessities. The other would be something like 9/11 but if it were a coordinated attack on our energy plants. If they are able to knock out electrical grids for a prolonged period of time that would cause chaos and riots, looting and rampant crime. That was what happened after hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Another world war could create some unknown possibilities that cause a doomsday. Gas/oil prices spikes, terrorism on American soil, possible threats of nuclear attack on America from another nation involved in that war (Iran, Russia, China) all combined together at once would create a hystyria that may lead some to commit crimes and end of world (nothing to lose) actions. Our ability to prevent a default on our national debt and then go into the same shit hole that Greece is in could be likely. I have no confidence in obama to lead us out of our problems. So yes a monetary collapse is very likely possibility.
Some of the natural disaster events are less likely but possible like the solar flares that could knock out the electrical systems around the world.
http://www.mdpub.com/Wind_Turbine/
That one is small output wise. You can find plans online to make one big enough to run your house.
Would be very handy to keep your living area climate controlled and run your refrigerator and a large freeze.
Just a question for you all. what would be the best things to horde for survival situations? I'm not talking food, parts for a wind generator or anything of that nature which none of would do any good in winter, either southern or northern, without two things. I'm talking small, lightweight, and can carry thousands of and a second one can be found anywhere but may be unusable for consumption. Both are the basic necessities you absolutely cannot live without for very long and you would be able to get anything else you needed by trading them.
#1 is matches. just plain old dry book matches (I keep a couple flints) since you cannot keep warm, boil water, or cook food without heat. cold people will give their left nut for matches to start a fire.
#2 is water. any drinkable supply is going to be gold. bottled water included.
while stores and such are pillaged these will be two items most will never think of. food is usually first on ones mind even though you can go for up to 14 days without eating. but you cant go without water or warmth for very long. dehydration and hypothermia are your enemies, hunger is just a nuisance until your set and can get game or trade.
a 3rd would be some sort of shelter, but most of us can figure out something quickly for that.
otherwise grab your guns, ammo, and sleeping bags and head for ground you know if shit hits the fan.
This is just my opinion folks. :)
You are absolutely correct.
I for one will not be staying in the city. I'm about an hour away from my Grand Parents farm. That's where you will find me.
Plenty of land, springs, near a river, and lots of wildlife.
I am however short on guns. I only own one pistol.
Probably should get a bunch of matches.
My list will come tomorrow, I have thought about this a lot recently. Good lists so far though.
Well with how the world is right now several of these possible doomsdays are not paranoia of a kook but very real possibilities. War with iran will send oil and gas higher and how high will it go if russia gets involved in the war? Will America get involved or stay out of a war with iran? That is a huge question for what it means for either answer. If we do join Israel that is the proper thing in my opinion but it could lead to Russia joining iran and of course other countries joining. Its a very big wild card but it is going to play out at some point I have no doubt.
So oil/gas goes way up and cost of living goes way up and food, gas, our fuel to heat and cool our homes goes way up. All these things going very high compared to what we are comfortable with then at some point it reaches a mark that many people beginning with the poor cannot afford. The essentials( gas for vehicle, heat for warmth, AC for cooling in summer, higher food expenses from higher gas prices). The poorest people who are hurt the most by these necessities being too expensive have to resort to drastic measures to secure these vital necessities for themselves and their families. Crime goes way up and widespread riots can begin to happen. Chaos as people are being attacked and killed at a rate never before seen. The danger of going out in public is a serious threat to everyones safety as it is rampant crime.
That is a very real possibility and let me share this.
I have been approached or witnessed others being approached for money for gas alot over the last year. I am someone who doesn't go out as much as I used to. I was approached at a Home Depot by a guy who needed money and I had my daughter with me. He didnt show a weapon while asking for some money but he began his request with "man I really dont want to do this" I handed him some loose change and he went away. I let him know I didnt have cash in my wallet. Had he had a weapon he would have had some serious charges on him with my daughter being there with me.
It is one instance that forced me to religiously take my concealed S&W bodyguard revolver with me now every time I do go out. I am fortunate that our housing situation is that we dont need to go out very much for things but shit is very bad for people right now and all signs point to it getting worse and possibly way way worse.
I am purchasing things I feel I need for some of these possibilities. Water purification items, fire starter items, I am adding some new guns to my collection and stocking up on ammo. I am going to buy some survival gear/ camping gear. I was a boy scout for only 6 months as a kid but the Boy Scout motto is a good one 'be prepared".
I've watched every episode and though some have legitimate plans and could possibly survive longer than others... some are just comical.
The comical:
I don't remember which episode it was but there was one guy that was a "typical airsofter" that we see every so often. Pushing 400lbs and packed into his camo pajamas that his mom bought him when he was 12 running around with a .22 thinking he's a ninja.
There was also the female web designer that thought she was some sort of bad ass because she could do a pull up and went on about how she plans to put a bullet to the back of her cats head when the time comes. She tried to impress everyone with her physical prowess then 2 miles into her 6 mile hike was gasping for air as if she hasn't left her comfy Herman Miller chair in the past 10 years.
The guy that shot his own thumb... he was a nutcase that covered it well. He appeared normal on the show but there was something really off about him, like that crazy old Vietnam vet at the end of your street that seems nice but puts glass in front of his doors and windows every night just in case Charlie tries breaking in. (No offense to Vietnam Vets, my father was one, but that wacky guy in my subdivision creeps me out)
The legit:
The very first couple they showed with the steel container compound seemed to be the most legit but there is a fine line between being prepared and being a nut case.
The big gourmet cook lady actually had her crap together.
The black firefighter in NY I don't believe would cut the mustard because he was all about knives because he couldn't legally own a gun. He was a big ass beast of a man that could handle himself in a knife fight, toss most people around like a ragdoll and the training he was taking would certainly help but I hate to burst his bubble. If it got as bad as he was thinking, that knife won't do much good when the non-law abiding citizens have firearms.
In all I like the show though I think most of the people they are showcasing are a bit over the top. It's good to be prepared for SOMETHING but as any wartime vet can attest to, things change quickly once bullets start flying.
Now I do not consider myself a survivalist, but there is absolutely no harm in being prepared.
There are many steps to being prepared for a situation where you have to depend on yourself and those around you to survive without any outside help. Being prepared is something that you can not just have by buying some stuff and calling it good. You have to be mentally prepared, physically prepared, and equiped properly.
One thing that seems to be over looked when people talk of survival situations is the mental aspect. Not just mentally prepared to do what you might have to do when interacting with other people you come across, but maintaining your sanity. In a bug out bag of mine is a new copy of my favorite game, stratego, a cribbage board, 5 decks of cards, 10 dice, and roughly 20 books. This will help myself and the people that I am with feel some sort of familiarity and sense of normalcy which in turn will lead to better mental health. It will allow for us to lead some what of a similar life style we had before, not leaving everything we knew behind. Maintaining a life style that you are used to is important to the morale of the group and the efficiency of the group. That also means not stocking up on freeze dried foods, or MRE's. While the MRE's would be fine for me, I am used to eating them, it would not be good for the rest of the group. They are not used to eating an MRE or freeze dried food. Anyone remember what happened to their bowels the first time they had an MRE? That is undue stress on a body that will need to be fit, it also is not a sense of normalcy that everyone will want during a time that everything else in their lives are changing.
Weapons- This is a short version. Ideally I would have 3 weapons to every person in the group, and 1 spare for every two people in the group. One would be a working weapon, I personally am satisfied with having a large stock of .22 rifles for working weapons. Working weapons should be weapons that you can carry easily, are light, and are able to do something with. I know you can bring down a deer with a .22 if you have to, I have seen it. Plus the ammo is cheap, plentiful, easy to store, and small enough to carry a lot. The .22 can also serve as a valuable training tool for your self defense weapon, allowing you to perfect rifle shooting skills without burning up bulkier more valuable ammo and undue stress on your SD weapons. On top of that I also have 4-12 ga. shotguns all with bird, slug, and SD barrels and extended mags. I only buy pump, I can foresee to many problems with fixing a semi auto if it needs fixing.
Two would be a handgun of some sort. This is a matter of personal preference. I have decided on 3 calibers for my handgun stash, .45 ACP, .22, and 9mm. Having eliminated my .357 and me .40 over the past year to cut down on ammo expenses. Also I have decided on purchasing Kimber for the .45, walther P22 and Ruger single six for the .22, and Spring field XD for the 9mm. That allows for purchasing replacement parts much easier and allows me to store less and purchase less while keeping all of the weapons functioning properly. Glock may be a better way to go just for the fact that pieces and parts would be much easier to come by.
Third is self defense, while the .45 doubles as a hunting and SD weapon, I prefer the AR-15. It is so easy to build one now, ALOT of people have them, ammo is relatively cheap and can be stocked easily, it is also a rifle I am very familiar with and would be able to train others that need the training. It can work as a hunting rifle but can also throw down alot of fire power if the situation arises.
Other essentials. Camping stove, a GREAT on I have found is the Biolite. The heat from the sticks you burn can cook, it also has a small USB port attached to it with which you can charge small devices ie cellphone, gps, small lights etc. Camping gear, rain coats/ponchos, cold weather gear, water proof matches, magnesium fire starters, camping pots and pans, light weight camping silverware, boots, two way radios with vehicle chargers, as much TP as you can fit, Isopropophyl 90% rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer in bulk, hydrogen, towels ( look for micro fleece towels light weight, easily dried take up no room), bar soap, Medical sets (tourniquets, chest decompression sets, band aids, cremes, athletes feet treatment, bandages in plastic wrap, asprin, multi vitamins), knives (good quality knives too not cheap 30 dollar buck knives), hatchette/axe/saw, portable hand crank weather radio, and protable ham radios. There is more but when selecting these items it is essential that you pick quality over quantity, and light weight as possible, these items should serve a purpose and you should practice with them all to make sure that you are efficient with them all and know when to use them and not to use them.
Food and water. I am not a big fan of stock piling a vast amount of food or water. I maintain a diet which is familiar, high energy, somewhat light and long lasting. I feel that these food reserves should only be used when other food is not readily available. Canned fruits, vegi's, corned hash and pastas, are my favorites to keep on hand. Honestly Mary's Kitchen Corned Beef and Hash is great in my book, dang near 500 calories per can, the cans are small, it is cheap, and it lasts A LONG time. I do keep large quantities of canning supplies on hand, along with lare supplies of salt. You can can vitually anything and provide for yourself fairly easily if you are efficient at the skill. Practice makes perfect. Water is something I do keep on hand, but I keep purification methods on hand in a much larger quantity. From tablets, to filters, to steaming supplies all of which can provide a safe and secure way of obtaining water. I practice my various methods atleast 3 to 4 times a year for two or more days at a time to make sure I am efficient at obtaining water.
I am not a bug out fan, I STRONGLY believe that you should settle yourself in a community which has the possibility and capability to provide for itself. My surrounding community has large sources of poultry, beef and pork. It has a large quantity of farm land, and fresh water available within walking distance, it has its own power plant, and has renewable energy sources near by which can provide much needed power. I prefer to stay where I am, I have more stuff here and there is a better chance of survival.
Now bugging out. If the situation degrades past the point of relative stability and I need to leave I have a plan. My plan involves more than one vehicle, as much supplies as we can fit into the vehicles but also leaving space enough in each vehicle to carry essentials from another vehicle that may have broke down on the way, and enough space to fit those people from that vehicle into a different one. That guy with his two boys traveled 40 minutes to his location, if that vehicle breaks down 20 minutes into that trip they are screwed. They have a good chance of losing a bunch if not most of the stuff they have selected to bring and is essential to their survival. They would be 20 minutes from each location leaving them up a creek without a paddle. Routes, I did not hear him mention his routes. If you have only one route to get to a certain place, you have atleast two routes to few. Multiple routes to where you need to get to are essential for safe transportation to your final destination. The situation will determine which route you should take. Also having a backup spot to go to is essential also.
The number one thing on my list: Knowledge!!! You have to know how to use everything you have, you have to know how to use it in multiple situations, you have to practice to make sure that you are able to do everything you think you will need to do to survive. You can not have a weapon never train on it and expect to be efficient with it when you do have to use it. There are plenty of survival resources out there for people to use and learn from. This is a book that will come with me for sure, it offers everything from efficient heating and cooling, self defense layouts, food treatment techniques, food storage, food processing, all sorts of good stuff. "Back To Basics- How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills" I paid 40 dollars for this hardcover book, but well worth it. I highly recomend it.
This is just a short list of what I would have do and use. I think I could write a hole book on it. :)
Excellent advice Brendenf11
I agree with a lot this and yes it is foolish to see the world and know the potentials for doomsdays and not be prepared. It is smart to not go it alone regardless of your situation. If you live somewhere and you are a loner or little family or friends then start looking for some friends that will be like minded about this preparation. Its never too late to begin until it is too late to begin. I feel I am behind on my prep personally. I have many items but many that I feel I still need and I need to practice and train with weapons and situations.
I am in Florida, Tampa if there is anyone that is in central Florida that wants to connect and grow a small unit or group for a prep community that I think is ideal. It is in my opinion the smaller your group the more dangerous and less likely to survive. You eventually may run into a group larger than yours and at that point being out numbered is bad for winning or surviving.
Lets keep this thread going I will post more things as i find them.