"We'll Come to YOUR House"

Call me jaded E.L., but not only does it NOT sound bad that you were thinking she was casing the place, it is unfortunately the most plausible conclusion. I'd bet good money that her story was a lie, and if I were you, I would not let my guard down for some time still. Call me callous, but I've seen this crap too many times bite well meaning people in the butt. I woulda probably turned her away in a very kurt manner. All she has to do is tell the wrong crackhead that your generous and you've got a situation.

Sorry for the bad outlook on humanity folks, but people suck, and I'm reminded of it every single day. I obviously have very few friends, but those that I call "friend" I cherish and protect like they were family.

 

B. Carry bag / backpack
Games, CD players and CDs
Spare batteries – and when those batteries run down, that’s it
SORRY LET ME GET THIS OUT FIRST BWAAHAAAHHAAA...
In a "carry" bag!
can't eat it, drinkit, shoot it or use it as a tool, In my somewhat pompous curmudeonly opinion. This stuff has no place in a (carried!) bug out bag. ( Hey You're not headed to cozumel on spring break bucko...)Especially with the laughably "hardcore": 1set of batteries only; when they are gone thats it( how much use is that?carry thus crap for weeksfor 10 hours of gameboy?) I'd rather stash a nice mountain house freeze dried backpackers gourmet feast. or more small survival book. But I didnt grow up on gameboy...I'm gonna miss my cable modem bad.Would you carry this stuff the length of the appalachian trail.?Folks routinely jettison items from their pack the first two weeks or so.

Sitting around in shelters playing gameboy? If you're dragging you preparedness bag I'd think time would be better spent poring over those survival manuals included in your storebought 3 person Suv survival kit..
They are gonna get to a community center shelter hungry and thirsty plop down on "their" spot, dig through the bag for something to feed the hungry kids who
haven't earten too much since the Mcdonalds closed down and come up with: Gameboy or Janet Jackson live???

 

I still think that the only way to handle the problem with the sheeple is to Sgt Schultz it. "I know nosing" and only have 40 packages of Ramen noodles in my emergency supplies. Here are 30 of them, they are a little gritty without water, but you know you are welcome to them. I don't tell even my "friends" of most of my supplies. The sheeple have been taught from birth and had a post graduate course in our "modern" education system that big brother knows all and must take care of you. Survivalblog had an article on "Ten things that will kill you" if you bug in. Don't know how to link it or such but it is a short consise statement on what this thread is saying. Most of your neighbors, the ones who belong to the PTA and go to the local church and are on the planning board, are probably much more dangerous and a greater threat to you than the mutant crazy bikers. They already have some idea of what you have and reguard it as a God given right to share it if their kids need it and they know all of the local police and government people. You know my rant by now. I think that if TSHTF, the bigest danger I will face is the local people wanting my "community resources".

Where do you move to? We can't all live on a ranch in Montana and make a living and at my age the access to medical care etc before the event is of great importance. Thus I think that keeping a low profile and having visable resources that aren't worth taking is very important. The good book said that we would have to hide in the hills in the last days. I think the important word is "hide" even if it is in plain sight and in your own community. The big danger is that all of the local and national planning for a disaster is based on a 48 hour to 14 day event and with the rest of the nation still functioning as a backup. Katrina has shown that even that doesn't help the poor soul caught in the middle of it and after about 14 days and a truly national event, be it a disaster of nature or of man, you are pretty much on your own and a hoard of sheeple are going to make the plague of locosts in the good book look like a warm spring day. And by the way, they will be led by the local police and PTA members who now have a real use for that homeland security SWAT gear they were supplied with and are just enforcing special order number 45?? on hoarding and community resources in order to feed their children in this present emergency.

 

I just hope that someone in the 'get his supplies cause we were too lazy to prepare for ourselves' crowd wears body armor that's in my size. I'd hate to have to wear something too big or too small after they had no use for it, though I can make do.

 

good time to build a 2x6 stud wall in the basement insulated to R38 with "Del monte..except it doesnt get rotated that way...Or thought about puting some 3"pvc plumbing among the exposed joist of the basement "ceiling" filled with bags of dried beans.

 

beware There was a thing called "hobo writing" durring the depression. Cryptic marks left on the sidewalk spreading the word "this house is good for a free sandwich or can of soup". Free ramen may expand exoponentialy till there's a line around the block one morning.
http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=561

 

Guess you could buy a bunch of 12ft timbers at home depot stand em up with severed heads on them around the frontlawn. Bit medieval, but it would dissuade freeloaders...

 

Personally, I like the door on the right for a deterrent.

 

That works for me too blackjack.

 

my own family

Knows I will allow the kids to stay and not even feed the 'adults'. Uh hem, they will not leave my AO. No shots no blood just a cord. Harsh? yeppers! Realistic....Yeppers. I travel and preach survivalism, I give seminars, school people in the survival mind set. Does my own family listen? Some times. Don't tell the sheeple what you have, instead have them tell you what they have, leading questions, general preparedness Q's, FEMA, hurracaney type things. I am a long term type person, my people are long term, years if need be. In the short term, oh, 3 months or so I will help out, how do you know it is only 3 months? I never will deny kids, they are always welcome, just gotta get rid of the unprepared parents. I have grandkids, 9 children, and alot of friends. (or so they think). I have few true friends, the ones you call at 3am and ask for...aglass of H2O ha ha.Then I have the 'group', my people. Rambled enough, hope Ya'll tink a bit snowbyrd

 

I somewhat agree with snowbrd here, I believe in teaching a man to fish rather than giving him my fish or even showing him my favorite fishing hole. I have invested years and lots of money seeing to my preparedness, too much to have it taken away by those that didn't but I will share and help my neighbors as long as I can without taking from my own family.

 

Wasn't it Johnathan Swift, in his "Modest Proposal" that summed it up with "Let's eat the children"?

 

I've got a slightly different take on this......

I believe that this guy was attempting, albeit clumsily, to form a group. I believe that he had a poor selection process, a poor pool of individuals to interview, and that he over played his hand. Finally, it is important to remember that alcohol was involved, and that name calling was used by both sides in the incident, thus making the issue rather personal in nature.

So what can be learned.....

1)-This is business. Yes it is serious, its your long term survival, but in the end its still only business. Sinking to name calling by both sides only makes it personal, degrades the issues that are being discussed, and makes it harder to reach a conclusion. (It could be argued that a conclusion was reached by the way the situation ended, however, it was not benificial to either party.)

2)-When discussing business don't involve alcohol. When the business is concluded, drink all you want, but until then keep it out of your system.

3)-When attempting to form a group, don't over play your hand. Don't present yourself as the guy with all the guns, gear or food. Don't be the guy trying to tell people what to do, people hate that. Rather be the guy that puts ideas in their heads. Something that they can chew on over a few days until they eventually reach the same conclusion you have and are now looking to do something constructive about it. Then you can see who, amoung your potential candidates, has taken the challenge and is now a potential ally in this. And, you have not told the whole world that you are sitting on what you believe is the mother load of SHTF supplies!

4)-When I am looking among my friends or family for potential candidates, political affiliation is one of the last things I consider. Instead, I look to see how the individual handles adversity, how they care for themselves and others, and what skill set they bring to the table. I also see what disadvantages they might bring, after all, no one is perfect. If the plus is greater than the minuses, then I attempt to bring them in. I take them to the range, go camping or hiking with them, run or exercise with them, feel them out to how they feel about stockpiling guns, gear and food. The entire time I don't overplay my hand. They may know that I own somethings, but never the complete picture.

5)-Finally, if this a group of people that I think might be useful, I make a mental inventory of their gear, skill sets, and whatever else they might bring to the table. I then attempt to figure out how we, the group, might plug some of the holes in our supply list and skill sets.

I do all of this because I realize that me and mine are not, nor ever will be, completely equiped to survive anything and everything.

I also feel that I am burning up a valuable resource, mainly time, in searching for that perfect group that will assemble at the drop of a hat and be capable of making it thru thick or thin no matter what comes our way. I believe that group is a myth and that while it is admirable and important to strive for it, when the SHTF, you must work with what you have available.

I do advocate bringing in the unprepared if, and only if, their skill set or additional presence outweights the added cost to the group. I advocate handing out Ramon, medical care, whatever, if only to keep the unfed masses out of your hair. There is a line that must be drawn before you start down that path concerning how much you set aside, and what you do when it is gone. I advocate smiling a lot, both now and after a crash. You have to live with these folks, both before and after. No point burning bridges until you have to.

Just my .02,
phishi

 

O.k.... now I've actually been quoted by Melbo....

I agree with much of what Monkeyman, Phishi and Melbo have opined on this person's experience... and maybe a few others.....

I also agree in principle with what this person was trying to do... as Phishi said... maybe not the best approach... but he's out there trying, learned a great lesson and hopefully won't quit trying to educate and help his neighbors and friends.... because what he stands to gain longterm is worth his effort and risk... IMHO....
Here's a guy who's trying and I applaud him for that... can't remember all the folks who've helped me through difficult and tough times when it was risky or inconvenient for them... and didn't give up on me even when I was being a little less than receptive, attentive or appreciative... thick skulls are good for 3 on 1 brawls but require a few sessions sometimes to penetrate valuable verbal and mental life messages.....

Yup... I've got a little girl and her lightweight electronics will go a long way to comfort her through uncertain times... I think it was a very wise suggestion... make room for one or more comfort items is the message I see and I think that's very very smart... and I have a several lightweight solar rolls for power and charging that and other critical electronics.... so that wasn't a very large mental leap for me or a few others here....

I still try to send the preparation message to family, friends and people I've met that I want to help.... I guess I just give a damn about my fellow man and woman..... when either I'm lying in the gutter with what's left of my life flowing out or I see someone else there.... I gotta know I cared about folks, tried to help, did my part, didn't give up on the new ones, kept at it.... and learned alot of lessons and was smart about it... and maybe... out of all those folks... I helped one, one family, one tribe make it. Call me a "Sap".... that's cool.... you know the rubber / glue saying....

Being on a highly populated island in the middle of the Pacific and having been through 3 major hurricanes over the last 25 years.... its kinda hard not to want to make sure folks around you are prepared for the next one.... and they are... slowly they're getting better..... and wiser... and preparing....

So I think this guy was doing the right thing.... He's honing a critical survival skill... people skills... Yeah its easy to flame folks when it looks like they've blundered.... but none of us are perfect the first time, none of us will make it alone or in our family groups... none of us will have enough to last indefinitely... and none of us enjoy the skills, wisdom, compassion and endurance that a collective growing group of individuals would bring to a tribe....

I'm smarter now, having been through the same thing this guy has... I guess in the past I would have qualified as a sheeple... sure am glad I found a few to help me out... I'm no expert... no bunkers... no secret caches or bug out locations... and haven't prepared for 100% of the SHTF scenarios....

but I still share and help potential members of the tribe everyday and hold the door open for a small few out there that know they are always welcome here in a good, bad or ugly situation.... with just the clothes on their backs..... and for those of you who aren't....

"Just don't touch the fence"

 

Yup... mines that age now.... used to contain just a stuffed animal and a couple of her old favorite books...

Melbo is better at this than me... but an electronic item that can store family pictures, favorite music and even some video... is small (Ipod) lightweight and could be very valuable in a crisis to young ones and adults as well... small battery... easy to charge (don't forget those itty bitty hand crank chargers with leds for your small electronics... the don't cost much and they work) I've got recordings of Grandma reading my daughter's favorite stories to her when she was very young... she thinks its silly now... but later in life... I think she'll appreciate hearing her grandmothers voice read her favorite books and her voice as a child....

I've got smaller Bibles as well in the bobs.... all vacuum packed over zip lock bags..... very very important to me anyway....

I think there are a few things that are worth making room for... nutrion for your body is important.... feeding and nutrion to fight despair and maintain healthy sanity is another important part of mental health... for all of us....

IMHO....