APOCALYPSE 101 part 1 of 2
This last weekend we acquired Netflix streaming. The girlfriends new TV had Amazon and Netflix
built into the remote control so those technologically challenged such as
myself ( my first real computer was a Mac, and I never owned a Microsoft
machine until after “95” came out. I own
computers to write, with the Net thrown in as a bonus. I don’t own machines that make me work too
hard at using them, else why did I pay good money for them? ) had few issues
using the service. Well, at first I was
all agog at the movies-if not an extensive selection at least good enough, but
then I realized for longevities sake I needed more TV series. And so once I started searching,
appropriately starting in the A’s, I stumbled on “Apocalypse 101”. It is just another sensationalized slam on
preppers, a “reality” show about as realistic as professional wrestling, but I
couldn’t help but watch the thing as it gave me article fodder ideas. Season one show one ( only one season and I
have yet to find out how many shows here. So I’ll amend that to “premier episode” ) had
some uber-nerd 14 year old fixated on his bug-out bag doing “warrior mindset” unarmed combat drills
that made my testicles retract into my body cavity in embarrassment, but more
interestingly they had a couple living on the prairie trying to set up for
invasion.
*
First, allow me to back up a bit and tell you that the show follows a
group of former Marines opening a Colorado business selling survivalism
consulting ( think Rawles, had he sold out to TV Trash Talk ). On the face of it, this seems an improvement
over the crap on National Geographic and like ilk, as anyone paying for advice
must be serious, but when the film starts recording the magic behind the screen
does strange things. For instance, the
old daytime TV show Judge Judy gets its participants by paying any cash
settlement judgment. Suddenly, everyone
is lining up out the door if they can get a dispute legally resolved which
costs them nothing. The result is
obviously guilty people putting on a dog and pony show for the camera. Not exactly true justice at work ( I won’t
veer off on to a tangent about our kangaroo courts and justice for hire to big
corporations or K Street lobbyists ).
When a TV crew offers to reimburse you if you hire a consultant ( I have
no idea of the actual contracts here, I’m guessing at how the show draws in
participants ), suddenly you have the usual band of idiots on display. Both the participants sacrificing operational
security and willing to display embarrassingly lacking tactical plans (
really? A Honda GoldWing motorcycle bug
out plan? With a blowgun as a primary
weapon? Do you know how hard it is to
get the parts for those bikes nowadays?
And he’s been concerned with society taking a crap since the ‘70’s, and
this is all he’s come up with? A farm in
the mountains would have been paid off long ago, to mention only one better
plan ) and the consultants themselves needing to temper their astonishment at
same while in front of the filming crew.
More next article
END
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They'll poke and have fun at out expense until they realize we were right. My latest and greatest form of entertainment lately has been kindle unlimited. There are lots of amateur authors on there that have written some good stories. Theyre not all full length novels but even the shorter ones are good reads. I've even found its brought a few new ideas my attention.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten stupid on KU, neglecting my paper ones, but once I slow down even to just two books a week from them it is still worth the money. A heck of a lot better selection than previous. Even the zombie crap is a tad better, not that that is saying much.
DeleteThey won't be in stock until 09-08-15 James, but the Sportsman's guide has a good deal on the French military wool blankets, for $25.00. These are different than most issues, because they are the larger and heavier version, 90” x 60" and weighing 5 1/2 lbs. I ordered two right off.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/getproductcartdata?AdId=1672723
They also have a good price on the faux Swiss army wool blankets, which are still bigger and heavier than most at 86 x 66" size, and 4.4lbs, for $20.00.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/swiss-army-military-wool-blanket?a=1123939
I was going to get the Italian military wool blankets, but they're harder to find now, and even Amazon wants $60.00 for one. I then planned on getting the Swiss Army blanket, until I discovered the French blanket.
I had originally set out to get a Hudson Bay blanket, but at $400.00, that idea soon faded from reality. Filson Mackinaw and Pendleton make really nice wool blankets as well. But at a price of between $125.00 to $300.00, still too rich for this poor survivalists blood.
I'm going to check those out. Thank you. Can't have enough wool blankets in this neck of the woods. I mean, I think I already have enough, mostly bought in warmer climes cheap or bought when they were one forth the price of today, but I guess they are like ammo in that I can't stop buying more.
DeleteHarbor Freight has some stinky Chinese made and scented (smells like tires and goat balls) 80% wool for $10 or less with coupon. I got a couple washed and sun dried. The stench has lessened. Have not test them in Michigan winter yet. Lake Erie pirate
DeleteI normally don't care for blended blankets, but have never tried them in the cold so I can't judge. Did you mean "golf balls" ? :)
DeleteYeah, I saw those blankets Lake Erie Pirate, and actually posted about them here a couple of months back. I was going to run down and get 4 of them, but I never did. The only problem with them is that they are the standard length of around 80”. I'm tall enough that I want to be able to sufficiently wrap the blankets around my feet. But they are probably an excellent bargain for a shorter person.
DeleteI'm reading a lot on wool blankets, and the general consensus is to buy quality made 100% wool if you can afford it. Filson Mackinaw, Pendleton, and the Hudson Bay blanket, all have an excellent reputation. To me, the Filson Mackinaw is probably the best bargain for a price of around $200.00
This company appears to have some very nice blankets, but they do not mention the weight?
http://www.faribaultmill.com/royal-carefree-blanket-charcoal.html
If you can get 10 Swiss surplus blankets for one FM, why limit yourself? It's like getting five Corona grain mills for one of the type advertised on survival blog. They aren't complete trash, not commie junk, just a below-best-of-bunch. Then you don't have the one-is-none issue. Why I don't think one AR, no matter how much you love it, is a good idea. Better two bolt guns at the same price, for redundancy if nothing else. I am not saying buy the cheapest-the cheapest is total crap anymore. But middlin quality has far better bang for the buck
Delete“If you can get 10 Swiss surplus blankets for one FM, why limit yourself?”
DeleteFair points James, and sound logic. I do have the French military Blankets on back order from the sportsman's guide, and I also have an old wool army blanket that I bought several years back. I haven't been able to determine as of yet what percentage of wool the French blankets are made from? But apparently you can buy the 100% lanolin for treating old wool, and restoring it back to its former highly water repellent state.
Still, someday I wouldn't mind splurging and getting a really nice wool blanket. But I suppose that you are right in that acquiring more of the thicker cheap blankets, along with a fresh lanolin bath would be a more practical way to go about it.
Not saying a bigger thicker blanket isn't worth the money, but between fires, bugouts, theft or other mayhem, one item no matter how nice is a recipe for disaster. If I remember correctly those Swiss dudes are four pounds and seven by five. And $20
DeleteNever mind, I didn't notice the "wool blend" part. Still, upgrading to $25 all wool, while painful, is still in the neighborhood.
DeleteLiving on a prairie and trying to prep for an invasion!? Have those people never accidentally opened a history book???
ReplyDeleteI contend that public school intentionally makes history boring so as to turn people away from it. The slaves should not be connecting the dots. I got lucky with mine, but it was the 70's in a rural town. Still, I think even public schools cover the Mongol invasions. He must have tuned out by personal choice, an even better approach as far as the PTB.
DeleteThe thing to do if you live on an invaded prairie is to have a network of tunnels and all your people and stuff below ground. Fake buildings to suck up fire. Like the VC, who btw won that conflict. American style might involve some deluxe clean quarters, gensets, refrigeration, fuel tanks, graineries, and ammo factories. More like the Irgun in British Mandate Palestine, but the important part is almost-invisible, and bunkered by dirt, really-well all the time. Going topside would be a big deal. Modern sensors help farmers grow crops and can also let farmers know when and where the opfor is on the property.
DeleteVs. criminals, you could hunt them down and win, against tanks/infantry and air assets, no way.
Heck, I remember reading great books on WWII and the Civil War in the elementary school library in the mid-80s!!! I imagine that these little tomes have been culled off...In favor of total BS (then again these books were filled with Rah! Rah! We saved the world in WWII crap). Old "Establishment" history had kernels of truth and frankly some mythology useful to the average person. I can only imagine what they teach kids today.
Deletepdx, I think it is far better to resettle to the mountains than need to stay underground on the prairie. Let them have those flatlands, without irrigation they suck monkey balls anyway.
DeleteI was using the premise of "must stay to defend the FlatLand". Agree completely that PNW/Western US Alpine/Sub-Alpine tanker-hostile country is the place to be. 2000-2700 feet ASL, >175 miles from Boise and Spokane. Proximity to Libby is acceptable. I'll take some South-facing hillside (surrounded by 3.7 sides of inaccessible National Forest ) with year-around springs and creeks for $5400 in paper currency, pls. Any size- I can mow. Betcha a 34' Itasca can get in there one-way. Hook a minion up. ;-)
DeleteI expect to see this quoted (maybe with attribution)
" Once you remove white males from history, not much is left." James M DakinAugust 20, 2015 at 5:24 AM
Perhaps, as a bumper sticker to cover the "well-behaved wimmin..." sticker.
Cheers.
pdxr13