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Do you need to stock up the bunker?
BBC News Magazine ^ | 2 May 2008 | Brendan O'Neill

Posted on 05/10/2009 5:42:44 PM PDT by appleseed

In the 1950s and 1960s, bunkers were a feature of many American suburban homes, populated by families fearful of the prospect of nuclear war. That threat has subsided, but now many reasonable people are stocking up on essential supplies in preparation for a new cataclysm.

When you hear the word "survivalist", what image comes to mind?

Or maybe you think of end-of-the-world religionists retreating to a fortified camp with enough food and drink to last them until Judgement Day.

But today there is a new breed of survivalist – and they're well-heeled, well-educated and more likely to wear an immaculately pressed suit than a camouflage flak jacket.

Civilisation breakdown

Barton M Biggs is about as far as you can get from the old John Rambo-style survivalist. Forget long, unkempt hair and a sweat-stained vest. Mr Biggs is a former chief global strategist for Morgan Stanley, who now runs the hedge fund Traxis Partners in New York.

Yet in his latest book, Wealth, War and Wisdom, he suggests that all right-minded people should "assume the possibility of a breakdown of the civilised infrastructure".

"The four horsemen of the apocalypse ride out every two generations, and they come in different disguises," he says. "We are due to see the horsemen again some time in the next 10 to 20 years – and the prudent person with wealth should take out an insurance policy against them."

{Cut}

The price of food is rising dramatically and oil is at record prices. Even brief periods of crisis can have severe consequences.

Blackout looting

Mr Biggs cites the massive power outages that struck north-eastern and mid-western America and parts of Canada in 2003 – also known as The Northeastern Blackout – when for a few hours an estimated 50 million people were without electricity.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho44; husseinobama; preparedness; preppers; second100days; survivalists; teotwawki
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To: Prodigal Son

You may need shots guarding against parasites before eating a lib. Or rabies. Probably both, better to be safe. ;)


61 posted on 05/10/2009 7:32:31 PM PDT by AirForceMom (Locked and loaded, and sharpening wooden stakes.)
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To: KarlInOhio
Down! Down Dammit!


62 posted on 05/10/2009 7:34:09 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

I love a cool gun! Just fired my first shot gun about a month ago. I know for home defense they are awesome. We have had home invasions around here where the perps are kicking in the doors in the evening and sticking a firearm in the homeowners faces. They know people are home and don’t care. I told my hubby about it and that I wasn’t going to leave lights on when I go to bed to put them at a disadvantage. Told him all I need are nvg on my M4 and if they come in my house I am gonna clear room by room. I’m just a little intimidated trying to build one while he is gone, he is definitely the one with the most trigger time and weapons knowledge.


63 posted on 05/10/2009 7:34:34 PM PDT by joesjane (The strength of the pack is the wolf - Rudyard Kipling)
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To: Batrachian
And possibly AK47s to fire over the heads of any guys

Only if my aim is off.

64 posted on 05/10/2009 7:35:25 PM PDT by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: southernnorthcarolina
First, and perhaps most importantly, my new house is way out in the sticks -- 25 miles from downtown Charlotte. Away from "the hood," in other words. Living in the auto-dependent exurbs might not meet with Algore's approval, but I don't much care. I won't be in the line of fire in the case of civil unrest.

We got a hint of that last week when Oprah promised millions of free servings of Kentucky notFried Chicken for her followers, but there wasn't enough available. Just imagine how bad it will be if no one can buy food either.

65 posted on 05/10/2009 7:35:50 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (No free man bows to a foreign king.)
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To: SIDENET

Aim small, miss small ;)


66 posted on 05/10/2009 7:36:06 PM PDT by AirForceMom (Locked and loaded, and sharpening wooden stakes.)
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To: appleseed

Yep, I know what you mean. I just catch myself buying an extra bag of rice and extra canned stuff every time I go to the store.


67 posted on 05/10/2009 7:36:54 PM PDT by joesjane (The strength of the pack is the wolf - Rudyard Kipling)
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To: joesjane

Get the saiga. You will love it. It takes the kick out of 00 buck


68 posted on 05/10/2009 7:37:21 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: southernnorthcarolina

I’m a “kook” Army Vet., white male, live in the sticks, gun owner, bitter clinger, on a well and septic, etc...

I agree with everyting you say. Welcome to the jungle (Sticks), We have fun and games...


69 posted on 05/10/2009 7:38:56 PM PDT by appleseed
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To: KarlInOhio

Good point. I did a search for news articles and it was on line. Like you, I didn’t see it on the local news. However, the postal carriers delivered bags and post cards a week before the food drive. Anyone who checked their mail would have seen it.


70 posted on 05/10/2009 7:50:17 PM PDT by appleseed
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To: mylife
Saiga-12 is going to be my next shotgun.

Last week, I picked up a Mossberg 590A1 with 9-shot capacity and 20" barrel.

I just couldn't resist a mil-spec shotgun that came with its own bayonet!

71 posted on 05/10/2009 7:51:12 PM PDT by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: southernnorthcarolina
"Will I be secure against all eventualities? Of course not. But I'll be in better shape than most. "

Likewise, we're in better shape than many. We're in the suburbs, near main roads, which isn't necessarily the best. However, we have some other advantages. Our house was built with a fallout shelter, which is well stocked with extra supplies - food, medical, camping, pet care, gardening, etc. The house is on a well with septic system, and we have a stream in the back yard, so no problem with water supply. We heat with oil, and have a gas-fueled backup generator, so even in a power outage we're good for heat and basic household functions for a while. Two fireplaces and plenty of fallen trees and limbs are another option for heat or cooking. Our lot and the surrounding area are wooded, and if necessary, deer, rabbits, turkeys or squirrels could become dinner.

We also have a lot of basic skills. My husband is very handy mechanically, and can fix, fabricate and improvise out of most tight spots. I can cook, garden, can, sew and live simply. Our sons are inventive, calm, and capable teenagers. I'd hate to see a societal breakdown, but we've done what we reasonably can to protect ourselves.

I find that it reduces stress to know that we have some self sufficiency. I'm surprised at how little some people do to prepare for emergencies. When I talked to a friend recently about flu preparations, she said she didn't think she had enough food on hand to get her family through more than a couple of days if they were quarantined. These are the sorts of people who pack the stores buying toilet paper and milk before every blizzard or tropical storm.

72 posted on 05/10/2009 7:51:15 PM PDT by Think free or die (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money - M.Thatcher)
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To: SIDENET

I love me some Military guns.

There is so much history there besides, Italian over and unders are out of my price range


73 posted on 05/10/2009 7:55:28 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: SIDENET
I want the winchester 1897 trench shotgun


74 posted on 05/10/2009 7:58:24 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

That’s a black powder gun, right?


75 posted on 05/10/2009 7:59:59 PM PDT by 50cal Smokepole (It's only recoil)
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To: appleseed
"I do the Postal food drive every year, mainly to help my wife out (postal carrier). We did it on Saturday."

I intended to donate to the USPS food drive, but it slipped my mind. We had the first good weather in a long time, and other priorities took hold. I have to say that in our area (suburban Phila), it wasn't well publicized. We got a postcard, but that's the only communication I recall seeing. We didn't get a bag - that would have helped.

Our Boy Scout food drive was in November. Our troop had very good support from the local community, but this was before some of the big economic hits took hold. If we held it today, we might not do as well.

76 posted on 05/10/2009 8:00:07 PM PDT by Think free or die (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money - M.Thatcher)
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To: mylife
I love me some Military guns.

I'm a Mosin Nagant fiend.

Heck I love SKSs and AK variants, too. As for modern stuff, it just occurred to me that I have two current US military weapons with my Mossy 590A1 and my Beretta M9.

77 posted on 05/10/2009 8:01:16 PM PDT by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: 50cal Smokepole

Nooo

Pump shotgun


78 posted on 05/10/2009 8:01:50 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

Those are sweet.


79 posted on 05/10/2009 8:02:05 PM PDT by SIDENET (Hubba Hubba...)
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To: SIDENET

I chased Commies around the planet. Now I own their stuff.

How cool is that?


80 posted on 05/10/2009 8:02:58 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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