Author Topic: "Preppers" Shows on TV (Read 2173 times)

Scibaer · « **Reply #30 on:** March 18, 2012, 02:25:31 AM »

yeah , i caught the show where the goofball was lured into the field at night

the best way to prep is to do it without running your mouth about it and certainly not in front of tv cameras

and im not convinced that building a bunker or some other installation is the way to go either.
having all your eggs in one basket, and all that

Couger · « **Reply #31 on:** March 18, 2012, 07:29:41 AM »

I watched most of last night's episode ...... And quickly thought about a saying I heard plenty of times growing up, that everyone's good for something, even serving as a BAD example.

With every episode the mistakes, and faux paus continue to add up as those reality T.V. preppers continue to look silly, or do things they can't undue as they act out in front of a cameras! (if would-be gangers or zombies aren't taking careful notes, who wants to bet the fedcoats are ignoring the scharade?! Including such dangerous organizations like the "Southern Poverty Law Center?" - and their anti-rightwing newspaper "HateWatch!?").

I did get a kick outta the fellow who couldn't convince his wife his new pyramid shelter is going to be the "rage," esp after dropping a car on the prototype! Then setting it on fire with him inside.

Personally I think such a shelter anchored to a foundation might make a great "hasty tornado/storm shelter."

But I'm reminded of the Maginot Line the Frenchies spent huge 'Francs' on after WWone, that the Nazis quickly "flanked" in the opening days of WWtwo! The mah-jin-know line prooved to be a joke and huge waste of money, never working as intended.

Then there was the couple with their non-hurricane-proof storm shelter that filled up with water and mud. First of the shelter was buried well below the top of the ridge or slope they were on, and no planning or engineering (it appeared) was done to ensure the safety/security of the air vent/s would be kept intact, which is how the water got it in the first place! Even if that shelter had not flooded, was any thought given to ensuring an attacker or fedcoats could NOT pump tear gas (or worse) into that shelter? The federalis or gangers after incapacitating (asfixiate!) the preppers could then leisurely take their time "cracking" it open!

Then there was the homeowner who was teaching himself and his children how to shoot trespassers from his 2nd story house! Apprently that nimrod has never studied how military and cop snipers will set up a sniper's HIDE, making sure the sniper cannot be seen (by counter-snipers or anyone else from outside the hide, hence the term "hide"!).

Also, if that was an average frame and sheetrock house, it would be suseptable to FIRE and would offer NO ONE inside any cover whatsoever (to stop centerfire handgun or rifle bullets ) from zipping in and right through that house. Not smart!!

If those "preppers" had started their prepping in much more isolated and discrete locations/states, maybe their efforts would stand a snowballs chance in hades!

Instead of looking like deathtraps?

I agree with many of Swampman's past comments on this nat'l geograffik series.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #32 on:** March 19, 2012, 01:34:40 AM »

It seems a safe bet that underground you will survive most disasters . The term go to ground isn't for nothing

. Like any critter your use of your hole will tetegraph your location . As for eggs in one basket , you could hide supplies in other locations incase you have to leave your hide. It would seem once you get thru. the first disaster in your retreat you will have options of staying or moving as the situation dictates. As for defending one home I would suggest forward positions rather than a last ditch stand. Wittle away at the attackers ( maing sure they are attackers and not help ).
Better to be a part of a group than a lone wolf with dependents

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #33 on:** March 19, 2012, 04:20:03 AM »

Should a "SHTF" event occur...There will be groups of marauders roaming around looking to take what they don't have and possibily hurt any who get in their way. If you have what they want and you are seen as weak, you will suffer their attentions. Best bet is to stay "Under the Radar"...

But I just don't see marauders being trained groups of para-military types. They're going to be composed of mostly desperate people, and probably a good number of pretty nasty gangs. But they all will pose a threat to a family or a group that has prepared for an event.

I do believe that if a group of marauders suffers a few casualties...that will be enough of an incentive for them to move on and look for easier pickings else where. Course they will not forget about your location.

It is highly probable that word of your location and stories of your wealth will be spread around in the marauder societies (for lack of a better term). If a group of mauraders hit you, and you survive the encounter and drive them off ...probably a great opportunity to leave your current position and high-tail it to a fall back location that your group has previously scouted, secured and hidden else where.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

Swampman · « **Reply #34 on:** March 19, 2012, 07:03:51 AM »

If you avoid them you won't have a problem. That's my plan.

bilmac · « **Reply #35 on:** March 19, 2012, 07:45:40 AM »

Where I live there are all kinds of 10 acre "ranchettes" surrounding the small cities. I expect people from the city to start raiding into the country side as soon as they start getting hungry. But they are going to run into these ranchettes as soon as they leave town. I expect that most of the people in the ranchettes have done some prepping, I know that most of them have firearms, and people that can use them. Anybody that tries raiding their way through these small farm areas are going to run into a buzz saw.

What I hope will happen is that the folks that own these small places will form pacts and instead of hiding out will come to each others aid when one is attacked. If that happens raiders will run into a double buzz saw.

I also hope that a lot of city dwellers have ties to land owners that will help them out. If the machinery that makes modern farming so productive is incapictated, then there will be a large demand for lots of labor. Especially the large farms will need help, people who weren't very prepared will need food and shelter. If people co-operate rather than fight the future may not be as dim as it could be.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #36 on:** March 19, 2012, 08:29:40 AM »

Yep, back in 1930 when the Great Depression started, 40% of Americans lived on farms. 60% were city dwellers. Because so many still lived on farms, the city folks had kin in the country somewhere and could get food from them occationally. Only the hobo's that had no kin in the countryside began roaming. Today not as many people actually farm. There is however lots of "ranchets" or homesteads. They can provide a lot of food for their kin if things got really bad. They need to keep lots of seeds for expanded gargening, and lots of canning jars, or a vacuum sealer for sealing up bags of dry goods. Even on this show, they said 45% of Americans are prepped for at least 3-5 days. 20% are probably serious preppers. Hopefully more people will prep in order to feed more of their friends and family so the inner city people will not be as many vomiting out of the cities. Most will sit there and wait for the government to save them. Then, when the government doesn't show up, they will begin killing for food and water. Hopefully, like bilmac said they will enter the buzz saw before getting to the real countryside.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #37 on:** March 19, 2012, 09:18:27 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on March 19, 2012, 07:03:51 AM

If you avoid them you won't have a problem. That's my plan.

Mine also but one must realize East of the Mississippi river it could be hard to do. Winter will be hard .

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #38 on:** March 21, 2012, 03:58:17 AM »

I've heard it said that you want to locate your sanctuary...bug-out-position...at least one tank of gas away from any cities or large towns.

I drive a suburban with a 40 gallon tank....HHhhhmmmmm!

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #39 on:** March 21, 2012, 04:39:39 AM »

Yep, I can go about 500 miles with a full tank on my Expedition. One tank away from large cities would put you somewere in Canada or Alaska. You do know in a total emergency situation, the Interstates will be isolated for military traffic only. Might have to use US, state, and county highways. I know of someone who left New Orleans when the flooding started. He grabbed all his guns, his family, family pictures, as much food and clothes they could load in their SUV's. He had already filled up when he saw the Hurricane was coming. He knew not to leave via the interstate, but followed a US highway to Vicksburg, MS, then went to Birmingham where relatives were. At his home in NO, he had two generators, extra fuel, food and water stockpiled in case of long term power outage. When the levee broke, he knew it was time to leave. He left a day or so before the panic.

I guess the best places are in the country within an hour drive of a big city. Ability to farm, raise animals, and be self sufficient "off the grid" in an extreme emergency. Gasoline might be hard to get once it got that bad, so some of the perps in big cities might not make it out. If martial law is declared, cities will be where the guard or military units will go to keep the peace, and give handouts of food and water to the non-preppers.

Worse case senario is like in the book "Patriots, Surviving the coming colapse" by Rawls. No national guard, no police, no military, because no one can get paid, so they walk off to take care of their families. Then you will really need to be prepared in a very remote place.

Problems:

1) Northern rockies and plains states "might" get covered if Yellowstone erupts. (It has risen 3" a year the last 3 years, more than any in recorded history). Just something to think about. Might not be in our lifetime.

2) Southwestern is much dryer, so water can be a problem, and there is the problem of illegals flooding across the border if our nation colapses.

3) Appalachin mountians and foothills. Lots of big cities within a gas tank away. Lots of cabins for tourists. They might become flooded with people.

4) Southern coastal areas are prone to hurricanes.

5) Western coastal areas might be prone to a tsunami, although these are rare in America, and most people in the "left coast" are liberals, but the California perps might head north to Oregon.

6) Alaska might be ok, but it is remote and cold.

7) The plains states have sparse population, but tornados are a problem, unless you build underground.

Ozarks might be ok, but there again, people coming out of St. Louis and Little Rock, might head for the hills.

So where do you locate. I say within and hours drive from your job as remotely rural as can be, away from interstate and US highways, and maybe even state highways. Know your neighbors, build or prepare defendable location in case a gang of perps find your location. Might be stupid, but that is my opinion. Keep it low key. You can prep with only $20 a week for supplies, food, ammo.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #40 on:** March 21, 2012, 06:53:31 AM »

from here Richmond , choices East 50 miles is where the population gets concentrated from Williamsburg to the Atlantic Coast. Not a good way to go. North about 60 miles you get to Fredricksburg and its city from there to some place in Maryland . Not a good way to go. South about 90 miles then NC . might be a good route. West or better South west might be the best bet but both West and South are well populated . In fact in most cases a 1/3 tank of gas will put you near heavy population . The moutians can trap you if things get bad weather etc.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #41 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:03:18 AM »

Yep hard to find a really perfect place. Pacific north west east of the big cities like Portland, Seattle, etc. In the bood "Patriots" they retreated to northern Idaho. However, lots of "lib" are going to Idaho for the "back to nature" bunch. I know the guy who bombed some chruches hid out for about 3 years in the North Carolina western mountain area. Was caught dumpster diving at McDonalds. He said he lived off the land for a long time, but missed fast food. He also said when they were looking for him, he hid around 35' from a seacher that never saw him in the thickly wooded area. Not to say that if they had infraread heat seeking scopes or cameras, they might have found him. Unless someone actually had a search team out trying to find someone, the local law enforcement people sometimes can't find them unless they have bloodhounds and something that has your sent on it. However, black pepper, or dried cayene pepper will burn the dogs nose. Wading a creek a long distance will also evade for a while.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #42 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:09:26 AM »

I feel sure where ever you go in the east you won't be alone.

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #43 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:16:33 AM »

Yep, 300 million, and about 250 million east of the Mississippi. Somewhere out west may be the best, except the far left coast.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #44 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:20:52 AM »

yep ! Bet the bridges across the Mississippi get closed if real trouble comes .

Dixie Dude · « **Reply #45 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:26:12 AM »

Yep, and they could also get closed or washed away if the overdue New Madrid fault decides to earthquake. It might also affect fuel like gasoline and natural gas crossing in pipelines. A lot of the pipelines are not burried in the river, but are on suspension bridges. I do know of a large natural gas pipe line crossing around Vicksburg on it's own suspension bridge. It is high enough for barge and riverboat traffic.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #46 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:46:14 AM »

If society collapses totally and small groups of preppers and survivors begin to rebuild; I picture the situation being similar to a Medieval Setting. This social structure would be logical since modern Cutting Edge Technology and our current Standard of Living will be lost; but Basic Knowledge like subsistance farming and metalurgy should still be available.

I've heard/read suggestions that society will collapse all the way back to the Stone Age, but that eventuality doesn't seem feasible and is more drama than a possible reality. It just couldn't happen simply because people would still possess a modern brain that would be used to problem solve; reason; and adapt. A basic social system founded on a system of protection and maintained through simple agriculture makes sense.

At any rate...would a highway over-pass make a good location to build a stronghold??

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #47 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:48:10 AM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on March 21, 2012, 09:20:52 AM

yep ! Bet the bridges across the Mississippi get closed if real trouble comes .

If a group of people felt that they needed to protect themselves...just blow the bridge and create a natural barrier. That action would stop most marauder groups cold.

Scibaer · « **Reply #48 on:** March 21, 2012, 09:59:47 AM »

It doesn't really matter where you live. if your area gets destroyed by the event then its over for you anyhow.
but should you survive or make it out ahead of time, then its not a matter of where but how.
adapting to the remaining environment, utilization of what you find, and improvising is more important. whether you find yourself in a rural town, big city or urban area or out in the hills somewhere. having the right mindset will separate the living from the soon desperate and starving. standard transportation routes, whether they be land or water will be a militarized area for some time and unusable. showing yourself to others, anyone else would be a bad idea, after people start experiencing mental breakdown and mania do to desperation, anxiety, starvation , death and the big one ( disease ) . the 300 million people east of ole miss aint going to be 300 million for long, as they suffer thru the above mentioned issues.
least ways thats how i see it

mechanic · « **Reply #49 on:** March 21, 2012, 12:05:49 PM »

My home is indefensible. Too many windows and doors, and the walls would not stop a 45. I've got bug out bags, but the only plan I can make is to get to the biggest patch of woods I can as quickly as I can, and plan from there. The problem is, you would have to keep moving. Stay too long you will be found out. Shoot a gun...people 3 miles away know it.

I'm too old to hold out for long, but it's against my nature to just lay down and die.

I may not survive, but I'll die trying....thats what many of us will do, prepared or not. Friends may become enemies if they get hungry enough.

The ones who will survive, are the ones who will band together and form alliances. Strength in numbers.

Ben

Scibaer · « **Reply #50 on:** March 21, 2012, 01:04:11 PM »

Ben, your right. cultures and civilations have survived 1000's of years in just that same way.
and thats my plan, using skills not tech. and keep moving. i do have a very special and specific location that i will aim for.
traveling by foot , and surviving and sustaining along the way.
a place i will never tell anyone about, and in all my years of reading researching and learning skills, on one has ever mentioned this location. and its not a targeted nuclear position or conventional weapons, on the last maps i seen anyhow.

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #51 on:** March 22, 2012, 02:58:54 AM »

It looks like the "Doomsday Preppers" series has run its course. They're advertising for new preppers for next season.

The series was fun and I did enjoy watching the episodes, but some of the reasoning of why these people were preppers and why they were prepping just did not make any logical sense...

I must say that it has given me food for thought and your posts have been informative and fun to read. Thank you.

The "Doomsday Bunkers" series is not nearly as entertaining...but still nice to watch.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #52 on:** March 22, 2012, 03:43:19 AM »

Quote from: mechanic on March 21, 2012, 12:05:49 PM

My home is indefensible. Too many windows and doors, and the walls would not stop a 45. I've got bug out bags, but the only plan I can make is to get to the biggest patch of woods I can as quickly as I can, and plan from there. The problem is, you would have to keep moving. Stay too long you will be found out. Shoot a gun...people 3 miles away know it.

I'm too old to hold out for long, but it's against my nature to just lay down and die.

I may not survive, but I'll die trying....thats what many of us will do, prepared or not. Friends may become enemies if they get hungry enough.

The ones who will survive, are the ones who will band together and form alliances. Strength in numbers.

Ben

yep agree 100%

Rock Home Isle · « **Reply #53 on:** March 28, 2012, 07:50:03 AM »

The latest episode with guy that buried 30+ school buses and made a survival complex was pretty interesting. After being in the ground for 20+ years...it looked to be in pretty good shape.