Suburban survivalists stock up for Armageddon (Food, guns, ammo., etc.)

msnbc.com (GAG) ^ | July 23, 2009 | Mike Hammer

[appleseed]

Some see the current economic downturn as tough — but temporary — times to be endured. But others see it as a harbinger of even grimmer days ahead. So they’re preparing for the worst by stockpiling food: piles and piles and piles of it.

Call them “suburban survivalists,” or call them, well, a little goofy. But they’re dead serious about being ready for a big crash … by making sure they have a nice little nosh in case of a catastrophe. Across the country, there are people preparing for the possibility that we will not have access to food by ensuring that their cupboards, at least, will be far from bare.

Postapocalyptic Pathmark Take Bill Cole, a dad and doctor who runs a successful chiropractic office. He seems like the guy next door … which is where you may have to go to politely borrow a cup (or a barrel) of sugar should a fatal financial meltdown occur.

Cole has turned his home in the suburbs of Pittsburgh into a virtual postapocalyptic Pathmark. “I’ve got enough to last two years for me and my immediate family,” he says. His stockpile is filled with foods that can stand the test of time — from peanuts to pancake mix, canned peaches to peas.

[GeronL]

Change that water once in a while.

[guitarplayer1953]

I was lead to believe that the water could be stored for several years if it is bacteria free being treated with Calcium Hypochlorite bleach in it. Is that correct or have you heard of some other time period?

[GeronL]

I just hear that if water sits too long it goes ‘bad’. I think this is especially true in metal tanks or something.
I don’t know. Something I heard, probably had to do with tanks on RV’s or something.

[guitarplayer1953]

That could very well be true the RV’s setting out in the sun and only being washed out periodically. This storage I'm speaking of should be in opaque containers and stored in a cool area.

[GeronL]

I gotta spend a buck on a lottery ticket tonight... I’ll let you know if I win =o)

[guitarplayer1953]

If you don’t play you can’t win. A bunch of us at work have been talking about pitching in and buying tickets each week and splittings it if we won. It seems like some of the winners have done it that way strength in numbers so to say.

[GeronL]

I’d like to buy a spread in Nebraska, build an underground warehouse and survival center. With high-speed internet of course.

[PLMerite]

“I bought a bunch of silver quarters. I figure they will be quite usable.”

Yes. You can go to a coin shop and get old silver coins (dimes, quarters, halves, dollars) at x-times-face value which will jibe with going bullion rates. They won’t be shiny collector coins, but they’re cheaper than gold and more people will recognize them than gold Eagles.

Just something to consider.

[WVKayaker]

We’re there........:o)

Me 2! My mailbox is three miles down the road, and you probably can't find me, even with directions. I just love WV. My road is dirt and gravel, but which keeps most others away. My "neighbors share our "WV privacy" attitude...

Spot helps keep me alert, and S&W, et al, make me safer. I have solar powered cameras arranged around the property. I can see the deer, and anything not so dear! I have dirt on top of the house, and steel roll-up doors covering all openings. I did that for when I'm gone, but it will work great with me here! I did leave some slits. My cameras feed me the necessary info.

IMHO, TSwillHTF. It's just not clear when! My neighbors are kinda like this guy! Sophistication is realized in many ways!

(Googled image for WV Redneck!)
Note my current tagline.

[bgill]

Would it not be better to get two electric and two hanf crank grinders, just as backups?

When you're thinking backups, make sure you get the same brand, size, model. That way you get three for the price of two when they break and you fix it or need to replace parts. Also, now is the time while we electricity and internet to print out any and all "how to" info you might need.

[GeronL]

Yes, that is a good idea.

[Munz]

PING.

this is what I was talking about ..

[appleseed]

Added to the list.

[hiredhand]

“People who engage in this survivalist lifestyle are exhibiting what I would call an extreme reaction,” says Columbia University’s chair of psychology, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman. “They revert to behavior designed to ensure their security.”

What is WRONG with these intellectuals?! It's as if there's been a shift in what's considered normal. If leadership in D.C. peers over their wall one night, and they notice that millions of us are all gathered ARMED across the plain as with Saruon's forces at the Keep in The Lord of The Rings, then THAT would be abnormal. But what people are doing now isn't abnormal at all. Less than a generation ago, it was considered wise, prudent, and good family stewardship to garden, hunt wild game, and freeze and can food, and keep a nominal collection of suitable firearms for hunting and home defense. But now it's being categorized as an extreme reaction?

While we certainly give no respect to the brainless liberal base of intelligencia, it can't be refuted that they are at least observant. They might not be interpreting their observations correctly, but they ARE observant. Far too many people are reacting to what they observe, and while some don't react correctly, for the most part, if you present a problem across a large base of people, a very large percentage of them are going to react in a very similar fashion. Then, because of these, another certain percentage who wouldn't have otherwise, will also react because they've been swayed. The good professor might feel mighty stupid when he finds himself in a difficult situation because he analyzed rather than reacting correctly if and when he realizes that all the crazies really weren't so crazy after all. But people like him that I've known tend to be a bit thick. In a way, they're a lot like three year olds. They're not IN trouble until they're in TROUBLE and then they react. It's a lot like a parachutist waiting to hit the ground before pulling the rip cord. The time to pull it would have been sometime BEFORE that! But the idiots will analyze the situation digressing around them, and toss around big titles and feel important right up until that day that calamity overtakes them.

He says we're overreacting, but what would he propose? I suppose he would recommend that we fawn at the feet of The One and wait for our government checks to arrive in the mail? Anybody who can do very basic math can determine that every financial forecast coming from every expert is currently leading to disaster. This is, unless of course, people only listen to what the MSM and the government say about it. Then it's different! It also happens to be a huge load of unbelievable crap! But it's different!

[hiredhand]

Oh, I’d make them stand guard.

But I’d give them shooting leasons with .22s, arm them with the surpluse rifles and then have them man the perimeter.

...

The liberals I know are worthless. I wouldn't trust them even with any of my .22s. They panic...don't function well under stress...suffer from disillusionment on a good day. I'd be afraid of one of them shooting ME!

They might stand guard at my place, but they'll stand guard armed with a stick! Plus, they'll be carrying water, and doing all the odd jobs and manual labor. If they don't like it, or get testy about it, we'll walk them out of the area with what they arrived with and tell them we'll treat them as outsiders if they return.

[parsifal]

Great. An informed conservative is a lot more likely to be able to hold their own in an argument.

parsy.

[sweet_diane]

Just a word of warning... Rotate your supplies. About 2005 I helped a friend clean her home and the room where she stored all her Y2K supplies had become a rodent diner. Huge bags of flour, rice etc completely devoured.

[boxlunch]

Thanks so much!

[boxlunch]

We’ve had wheat that we’ve kept for several years. As long as it is sealed in the large plastic containers with the little packets that keep it dry it is fine. Once the container is opened, you use one of the Gamma Seal lids and it will still last quite a long time, probably 6 mos to a year.

[Lee N. Field]

Whiskey
Rum
Sugar
Flour

These are some good tradin’ supplies....(IMO)

Four basic food groups.

Or was bacon in the list, I forget.