I am subscribed to a Homesteading/Survival page on Facebook and for the most part, enjoy reading their tips about living a minimalist lifestyle. Some of the posts, however, make me SMH in amazement.
For example, in this post someone asks about what to do about the medicine that people need in order to survive. The question goes on to mention the "upcoming storm". Quite a few people chimed in with some common sense solutions (but probably futile) and others responded with idiotic answers.
It wasn't this question that makes me shake my head so much, but the attitude of many in the forum. There are many questions about the best preparations for the "storm" and far too many people answer with what sort of weapons one "needs" with specific requirements for ammo and such. Others blather on about where to live and how much land one might need for various numbers of people and what sort of garden to have. Others talk about how it's best to own gold and silver; they even advise to not purchase bullion, but invest in small denomination/sizes of coins.
Sorry, but if "it" does hit the fan and food is scarce, I wouldn't trade my last can of beans for all the gold in Fort Knox. (if there IS gold there) I'd think cigarettes and whiskey would be worth many times more than gold. I wouldn't swap one laying hen for a Krugerand. (OR the goose that lays golden eggs) A roll of toilet paper would be worth a lot more than a roll of silver coins. (paper money might have SOME use in case of "the storm", come to think of it)
It's something I've seen in common with these sort of people; it's almost like they're looking forward to the breakdown of society. Sure, it's not a bad idea to be prepared for disasters, but I think most of these folks don't have a clue about just how bad it would be.
Stop and think about it; if society breaks down completely, you're on your own. There will be minimal medical care- only what you know how to do- no law enforcement, no electricity or other comforts of modern civilization. One small cut on your hand could quickly turn into gangrene...appendicitis or other "minor" ailments mean you die a slow, agonizing death. An abscessed tooth could be your death warrant, an ACL tear could mean you're crippled forever. In my own case, if I broke my glasses I would pretty much be disabled. I certainly wouldn't be much use on sentry duty, couldn't be a hunter...I wouldn't even be much good as a gardener - couldn't tell the weeds from the vegetable plants. (I'd probably only be worth something by being boiled down for my lard!)
All right, let's say you are fortunate enough to have a hundred acres up in the mountains near...oh, let's say Denver. If the "storm" hits, don't you think that as soon as the food runs out (I've read the average grocery store has a 3 day supply) people will soon be spilling out of that huge city, trying to survive just as you're trying to do? There's no way you could defend your hideout forever. Many people in the forum talk about hunting one's own game, but it's easy to see that even if you have managed to get off the beaten path, many, many others will be hungry and armed and competing for the same animals.
OK, let's assume you're prepared to the max; you've got your great survival cabin, plenty of freeze dried foods, a nice garden, your own water well, a generator and loads of weapons and ammo. First of all, you can only shoot one gun at a time. Even if everyone in your family becomes a soldier, you could quickly be overwhelmed by a force only a few times your numbers. What about trying to fight people who have managed to obtain military weapons, such as automatic rifles, mortars, heavy machine guns? How are you going to defend against REAL soldiers who have banded together and also want to survive and are using advanced tactics to assault your "fort"? Your trusty, rusty .22 won't quite cut it against an armored personnel carrier. One homemade Molotov cocktail could drive you out into the open.
What about your neighbors? Are you going to take them in? If so, your supplies and resources will immediately be reduced by a factor of how many you've taken in. Or, do you turn them away and think of your own family first? Fine, but you've just made enemies, your former friends who are thinking of THEIR families too. You've just shown you care nothing about their welfare, why should they consider yours? A desperate and hungry man will take desperate action for his own hungry family.
You HAVE to sleep sometime, you HAVE to go out to tend your garden, go hunting, turn off/on or service the generator, feed and water your animals, even go to the outhouse. Easy enough to pick you off from a distance then. The noise of a generator, a rototiller, even the sound of talking carries a long way. Lights at night? Like moths to a flame, here comes the 2-legged predators. The smell of a fireplace, meat on the grill, will also bring them, human animals who want what you have, too.
I could go on and on about how relatively simple it would be to kill you and/or take away your supplies and survival cabin, but no need. I want to tell these people in the survival group that they shouldn't look forward to the "storm" they're so sure is coming. Like I said, it bothers me that people seem to be eagerly anticipating it.
What are you going to do if you run out of your insulin? Why, you're going to die.
You might be the lucky one.
October 5, 2011
The Upcoming Storm
bandersnatch
bandersnatch \BAN-der-snach\ , noun;
1. An imaginary wild animal of fierce disposition.
2. A person of uncouth or unconventional habits, attitudes, etc., especially one considered a menace, nuisance, or the like.
Wow, by the second definition I guess I could be considered a bandersnatch.
September 30, 2011
Lady Gaga or Elton John?
Sometimes I just have to shake my head at some Facebook posts. A young friend of mine, the son of a h.s. classmate, had a post the other day: "Who is this Lady Gaga and why are so many people offended by her?"
I knew it was a loaded question, as the friend is a very talented singer who happens to be gay. (I say I know he knew who she was because she's been very vocal in her support of the LGBT - hope I did the abbreviation correctly community.) She's also commented that she considers herself to be bi-sexual. I replied that I had nothing against her, just that I thought her schtick was more about being outrageous than her talent. I mentioned Elton John as someone who was once considered outrageous for his dress (and enormous glasses!), but that his talent was so great that it overshadowed his costumes.
(I started to use Liberace as another example, but thought the gay references might be misconstrued, that I was using only gay performers to make my point. My young friend - and regular readers of this blog - know I don't have a problem with gay people. Well, except for lesbians and that's because that narrows the already narrow field - for me - of available women. -wink-)
I also thought of using - but didn't - the rock group KISS as an example of musical talent who relied upon a gimmick instead of talent. I like some KISS tunes, but never liked them well enough to purchase them. Tell the truth; when you think of Gene Simmons, do you consider him one of the greatest bass guitar players of all-time, one of the greatest singers, or does the first thing that comes to mind is his 7-in. tongue?
Back to the Facebook post: Well, I had several people, including the friend, say they thought Lady Gaga was as talented, if not more so than Elton John. I don't normally get offended if someone doesn't like who/what I like, only if they put ME down for my preferences. Still, it was hard for me to not say "Are you out of your rabid-ass mind?"
Sure, tastes in anything, be it food, music or hobbies, are subjective and if YOU like Lady Gaga, that's fine w/ me. I gave my honest opinion about her...well, tempered a bit, because I really don't much care for her music, but there's no way that she's better than EJ and I simply can't understand that opinion. Granted, my opinion is influenced by being an Elton John fan for 40+ years, growing up with his music and owning much of it, from 8-tracks to records to mp3's. Elton John did ALL kinds of music, from rock to pop to ballads as well as wrote songs for musicals. Off the top of my head, I could name at least a half-dozen movies that used his tunes, not to mention countless TV shows. Of course, he also re-wrote one of his most famous songs "Candle in the Wind" for the funeral of Lady Diana, making it another gold record in the process.
Elton John and Bernie Taupin are, IMHO, one of the best song-writing duos of all-time, up there with Lennon/McCartney, Rodgers /Hammerstein or Burt Bacharach / Hal David. It's not just MY opinion either; Google it to see what other people think. I'm not saying a consensus of opinion is correct, only that it lends some validity to my own opinion.
When Lady Gaga has been around for nearly 50 years and has sold a QUARTER BILLION records, then we can discuss who is the better musical talent. I'll be long cold in my grave and turned to dust before Elton John is forgotten. In fact, I would bet that Elton John's music will still be being played when Lady Gaga is but a footnote in musical history.
What next? Justin Bieber is better than Elvis? Good Grief.
September 23, 2011
copacetic
copacetic \koh-puh-SET-ik\ adjective, verb;
1. Very satisfactory; fine.
I usually (try to) make some semi-funny comment on the words I choose for these posts, but I couldn't think of anything this time. The "funny" thing about this word is how it used to be used all the time. "How are ya doin'?" "Copacetic, man, copacetic." It was in vogue when I was in college and for a few years after. Maybe it fell out of use because things really weren't so copacetic.
September 16, 2011
Shhhh! Take This Quiz!
Says I'm full of "wonder and curiosity". I've been told I'm full of it, but not that.
You Are an Imaginative Thinker |
 You are a nonlinear thinker, and you're even surprised by the places your mind takes you. You love to get lost in a story, whether it's your own or not. You love fantasy. You are a positive and uplifting person. You inspire others to be better. You are full of wonder and curiosity. You feel a strong connection to the world. |
September 9, 2011
The Skunk is on the Porch
I repeat: the skunk is on the porch.
Sounds like a coded radio message used prior to the D-Day landings, huh?
A few days ago I wrote about a skunk hanging around and I've since changed the outside cat's feeding procedure. I don't leave any food out for her, just enough to eat in one sitting and I pick up the foam plate after she's done. It's probably not as much food as she'd like, but I think it's more than enough to keep her alive and if she doesn't like it, she's more than welcome to go somewhere else.
I opened up the door earlier tonight to see if the Beej was ready to come in and eat something and a large bushy tail was just a foot in front of the door. As I reached down to give it a yank, I saw the female cat standing on the edge of the porch. Yup, was the skunk and I'm glad I didn't give the tail a yank. It was on the porch again later, and is currently out there as I type. I don't know what I'm gonna do about it; I have a small animal trap I used to capture the possums last summer, and I'm sure I could catch the skunk, too, but what would I do after I caught it? I *think* I could throw an old blanket over the trap to protect me from getting sprayed or to calm the animal while I picked up the cage to put in the back of my truck, but how the hell would I get the door open after going somewhere to release it?
It's that stay cat's fault, so to keep from having to put food out that will attract the skunk, she'll have to go. I hate to think of taking her to the pound, but I don't know of any other thing to do - no one is going to want a stray cat that's not been fixed or had its shots, but OTOH, if I take her to the pound, there's a near 100% chance of her getting...well, you know. I think maybe I might just have to shoot the skunk.
Maybe I could trap the skunk, then call animal control. They'd see that cat, then trap it too, or worse yet, see the Beej w/out a tag (he keeps losing them) and want to trap him, too. Like I said, looks like I'll have to shoot the skunk. Damn.
