Last night on Doomsday Preppers, the smash hit on the National Geographic Channel, the program was slightly misleading with the title, ′Take from the Haves.′ I was expecting them to cover a prepper, or group of preppers, who intend to go marauding after doomsday, looting and pillaging their way to survival. Now wouldn′t that be a twist! But actually, NatGeo TV featured some pretty good preppers, including two neighbors trying to out-prep each other with their elaborate aquaponic gardens. This is something folks should really take a serious look at!
Our first prepper is an inventor, John, from somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. He is getting ready for EVERYTHING and ANYTHING! John′s house is a state-of-the-art 21st Century techno-fortress. Roomy and comfortable, John plans to bug-in during whatever disaster, natural or man-made, in true style. His home is located on a rugged hilltop with a cliff on one side. There is only really one way in or out and a dozen cameras monitor the property 24/7. The smart security system will even email him if something pops up and John can access his system from anywhere using his smart phone. Along with the usual firearms, as well as a .50 caliber Beowulf rifle, John also has an automated defense system of pepper spray modules built into the walls. A security expert runs a drill with John as two attackers assault his home. John ′shoots′ one and the second gets sprayed inside the house, then gets chomped by John′s German Shepard. He is scored an 80 by the experts, giving him 16 months of post-apocalyptic survival.
Then we meet Jeff from Vancouver, Washington. He′s worried about the Yellowstone super volcano, or caldera. If it blows, it could coat half the USA in several inches of ash and set off a nuclear winter scenario. Jeff has a bug-out sight to retreat to, but also keeps a supply of food at his ′real′ home. His eldest son, Hayden, 13, has become a prepper, too, and helps dad when they go to storage auctions seeking bargains. Jeff has also been learning to fly a Cessna, including emergency procedures for dead-stick landings. He only scored a 57, giving his family of 5 about 6 months of survival.
Then we meet Allen and Franco, our two prepping neighbors from a small town in Missouri. Allen has been prepping for almost 30 years, worried about an economic collapse. Franco is new to prepping and his fear is that there will be food shortages due to a public uprising over genetically modified food. Umm…, yeah…, I can almost see THAT happening! These two guys are driving their families crazy with their elaborate preps. Both have taken up aquaponics, combining raising fish with growing food hydroponically. Now pay attention because this is VERY useful information!
Allen uses a complete system where water from the fish tank, which holds some 200 tilapia, is circulating through his hydroponic garden, as the water is loaded with fish waste, an excellent fertilizer. The water then goes through a multistage system of filtering, including pools filled with water lilies and another with duckweed. Once cleaned up, the water then returns to the fish tank. Allen′s system is about 95% efficient in its use of water. Franco has a similar set up, except that he uses a bell-drain system, where each hydroponic bed is drained separately. Water reclamation is not as efficient. Both men are also raising other forms of protein, Allen has a ′maggot mansion′ and Franco raises earthworms. The experts scored Allen with a 77, giving him 15 months but Franco only got a 49, just 4 months of survival. Franco′s problem of not having enough fresh water, as well as being a Moonbat goofball without any firearms is why he scored so low.
Thus ends another fun episode of Doomsday Preppers on the National Geographic Channel. Real preppers are not about taking from ′the Haves′ as self-sufficiency is what they strive for. Allen and Franco both show a lot of initiative with their aquaponic systems. This technique is one that I thoroughly encourage people to look into. What could be better than having fresh fish with your garden fresh veggies everyday? Add a high-density fruit orchard into the scheme, along with some chickens, rabbits, goats and a few pigs and you will be a post-apocalyptic supermarket!
December 5th, 2012 at 9:05 am
I tripped over 5 minutes of the show last night; just long enough to witness a father taking his 12 year old boy, along with his much younger brother (maybe 5 or 6), out to kill a goat.
The Father asked his son if he was excited and his son made it clear he would like to be anywhere but there.
“You have to know how to do this son, so you have something to eat after a nuclear or terrorist attack.” (Or nuculear if you are a certain ex-President clearing brush in Crawford.)
Yep, way to brighten the lives of your young boys and point them towards a truly paranoid future.
Wow, not exactly the “sins of the father”, but certainly cruel and unusual.
While the friends of the two young boys probably talk about playing football on Saturday (or Madden Football, I may be out of touch) these two get to respond to a question about what they are doing, “Ah, we’re gutting a goat for food”.
Yep, I am sure these two boys are going to turn out juuuust fine.
December 5th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Fear is the mind killer.
December 5th, 2012 at 1:17 pm
“Yep, way to brighten the lives of your young boys and point them towards a truly paranoid future.”
Hey, I wasnt crazy bout my first trip to a slaughter house (“processing plant” for the PC squeamish) but quickly learned the importance of proper process and treatment and voluntarily went other plants that processed everything else from fowl to 400 Ahi.
Its good knowledge to have if the sht does hit the fan and you’re the only guy in town who know how to break these animals down.
========================
This was written by the late Ted Hughes, most famous, I think, for being the husband of Sylvia Plath:
The pig lay on a barrow dead.
It weighed, they said, as much as three men.
Its eyes closed, pink white eyelashes.
Its trotters stuck straight out.
Such weight and thick pink bulk
Set in death seemed not just dead.
It was less than lifeless, further off.
It was like a sack of wheat.
I thumped it without feeling remorse.
One feels guilty insulting the dead,
Walking on graves. But this pig
Did not seem able to accuse.
It was too dead. Just so much
A poundage of lard and pork.
Its last dignity had entirely gone.
It was not a figure of fun.
Too dead now to pity.
To remember its life, din, stronghold
Of earthly pleasure as it had been,
Seemed a false effort, and off the point.
Too deadly factual. Its weight
Oppressed me—how could it be moved?
And the trouble of cutting it up!
The gash in its throat was shocking, but not pathetic.
Once I ran at a fair in the noise
To catch a greased piglet
That was faster and nimbler than a cat,
Its squeal was the rending of metal.
Pigs must have hot blood, they feel like ovens.
Their bite is worse than a horse’s—
They chop a half-moon clean out.
They eat cinders, dead cats.
Distinctions and admirations such
As this one was long finished with.
I stared at it a long time. They were going to scald it,
Scald it and scour it like a doorstep.
December 5th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Buzz, handling animals is a reasonable survival skill to learn. Kids don’t like to take out the garbage or help fix the car either.
December 5th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Why does a 12 and 6 year old need a survival skill?
I think arithmetic is more appropriate.
December 5th, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Geez, defending yourselves against a tyrannical government and learning survival skills.
Are people on this site watching Doomsday Preppers or simply waiting for their episode to air.
December 5th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
I watch ‘ Hardcore Pawn ‘.
There is where the first Squeals of Bloodlust will occur.
From there, rabid scavenging in the semi-deserted suburbs. More Blood over an undiscovered can of Dinty Moores.
Then the Ex-Burbs. Burning gas stations. People killed for their cars with ten more miles worth of gas.
The first small towns blacked off by residents who know these city folk have a reputation for violence. 10 year old boys and girls with bolt action 30.06’s with 12X scopes, who can pop a chipmunk at 300 yards.
The whole Bug-Out ends at exactly one tank of gas out of town.
Then again, if the Poles Shift, we’ll all be ice cubes. Eskimo’s dead from heat stroke.
Anybody ever see ‘ On The Beach ‘ ? The submarine pulls into San Diego. Gregory Peck and Co. go shopping. Everthang be Free !
December 5th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
“I think arithmetic is more appropriate.”
In an academic sense of course, but you’re missing the point.
As far back as man goes weve always educated our kids on survival be it swimming, CPR, first aid, how to spot perverts, or basic wilderness survival, Boy Scouts, what have you.
God forbid they learn how to feed themselves huh Buzz ?
Funny, I remember the hippie communes of the 60s “its natural baby” where pretty much everything was as close to absence of modern commerce(and sanitation) as could be.
But, then again there was the Haight/Ashbury experiment, think they’d learn.
Seems like most liberals have turned into parasites or these rice paper girly fingered lilys who think Haavard is everything.
I’d actually love nothing more than to be free of all this sht and build a little cabin on a lake out in nowhere, hunt my own dinner, fish, grow my own.
(gotta have the killer sound system)
December 5th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Kaddle, you been watching too much “Revolution”.
Somebody turned off all the lights.
You cant even generate lectricity.
You got a cute dog and you’re in trouble
December 6th, 2012 at 6:07 am
I suppose Buzz does not think we should teach children what to do if a stranger tries to kidnap them either, since that is too scary for their young minds and a very remote possibility? What is the big deal about learning how to dress a goat? Children learn how to dress other game they might hunt or fish for with their parents. I suppose in Buzz’s mind, teaching a child how to fillet a fish is also too scary.
December 6th, 2012 at 6:10 am
“On the Beach” was a cool movie, though I liked “Damnation Alley” more. Can’t beat giant scorpions for post-nuclear war threats.
December 6th, 2012 at 8:48 am
You guys can teach them how to gut a goat (which is a long way from filleting a fish or not getting the car with strangers) and I will have them concentrate on calculus with the hopes that they do, indeed, get into Harvard (why again is that a bad thing?).
Which is most useful in the future?
Hey, I hunted as a child, but the difference was it was something I enjoyed and it didn’t come with the “fear lecture” of oncoming doom. Way to instill the parent’s paranoia in his children’s mind. How old was that youngest boy? 6? Perhaps his father should consider a game of catch instead, so his boy doesn’t go to bed with nightmares.
A dirty bomb in Houston? Why Houston?
It reminds me of our overreaction to 911. We had to have anti-terrorism measures and equipment in Des Moines.
Des Moines!
Why would that be a target? Heck, if aliens landed it would take them a year to get to Des Moines.
Darn, when is that falling sky finally going to land on Chickenn Little’s head?
December 6th, 2012 at 9:36 am
Geez Buzz, get over it. Only a liberal would demand a choice between math and hunting.
December 6th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
The father IS doing a great job of showing his sons applicable skills.
If the calandar reads 1870.
The previous week had a guy who brought some poor girl from Columbia to be his wife.
The first thing he does?
Shows her how to “bug out” and takes her to the middle of nowhere in an RV. I really did feel sorry for her.
My guess is she is living happily ever after, back in Columbia, while he resumes his search for a new victim..I mean wife.
December 6th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Buzz,if you dragged me into your house full of whatever I’d move to Columbia.
You think a mail order bride marries for love ?
Then you’re not to bright.
If shes willing to eat squirrel and bed some schmuck to be a citizen then I’d say shes just as much a survivalist as anyone.
“The father IS doing a great job of showing his sons applicable skills.
If the calandar reads 1870.”
Yeah Einstein, you missed the whole article.
Its not 1870. (never will be again) and 2012 just went kaput. (could happen)
“with the hopes that they do, indeed, get into Harvard (why again is that a bad thing?).”
You’re just being an argumentative jerk.
In the context of this article were talking about survival skills.
If you noticed in one of my back n forths with Ron over academia I supported math if for anything its ability to develop thought process.
But its not going to do you alot of good when you and a bunch of hungry people are staring at a dead buck not knowing wtf to do.
How fcking hard is that for you to understand ?
Obviously you’ve made my point that you snotty academics with your delusions of superiority dont get the simplest things.
I’ve done well in the world we know and would do better than you in one we dont know while your kids count their beans, and starve.
Sounds like you’re the idiot father.
I on the other hand would be able to figure out in my head how much to charge you in gold for the dinner you’re begging me for.
And if I really dont like you, I’ll remove my nice warm bear skin and bust out my abacus.
And for the record, goats and mutton are the easiest. I would start a young one on that before he was expected to field dress a moose like Palin. (maybe thats where your hatred of all this comes from)
Nothin worse than some idiot who gets goat sht all over the meat
Which by the way happens to be a perfectly normal part of many families lives in them necks of the woods, and they’re not all republicans.
December 6th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
“Which by the way happens to be a perfectly normal part of many families lives in them necks of the woods, and they’re not all republicans.”
That last part snuck away from the Palin reference.
You never know whats in goat sht
December 6th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
You just can’t control the name calling can you? Oh well, too bad for you.
I wasn’t referencing the post; I was first referring to an episode that took place with a father and his two boys and then an earlier one about a man who must have tricked a Columbian girl to move in with him. Neither was referenced in the above post.
You also know nothing about my survival skills or lack thereof, nor what is in my house. You are obviously basing your assumption on information you do not possess or some predetermined prejudice and you know what they say about assumptions.
December 6th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Yeah, you’re a jerk.
“I wasn’t referencing the post; I was first referring to an episode that took place with a father and his two boys and then an earlier one about a man who must have tricked a Columbian girl to move in with him. ”
Yeah, right smart ass, shrink the context to suit your idiocy.
“Neither was referenced in the above post.”
So what ?
And idjut knows its about doomsday preppers.
Only you need to parse “which episodes” to get out of your bigotry for all preppers.
According to you they’re all the same inbred idiot hillbillies regardless of which episode, right ?
Argue the context of whether or not these levels of survivalism.
“You also know nothing about my survival skills or lack thereof, nor what is in my house. You are obviously basing your assumption on information you do not possess or some predetermined prejudice and you know what they say about assumptions.”
Right, as if you havent made it clear how fragile you truly are.
Lets get one thing straight so you dont have to spend so much time confusing yourself with minute irrelevant details.
I’m the guy with street sense you’ll never comprehend.
I took mt GED at 15, spent 2 months in high school and ended up in college at 16
I’m more of a scholar than you think.
I try not to flaunt it or use it to look down my nose upon others.
At 14 I had my own apt, job, and dog.
I’ve been homeless, dead, stabbed, shot at, jailed many times, including Mexico, sold more street drugs than you’ll ever see, served the nastiest biker gangs around,and managed some of the most prestigious dining rooms in America, OD’d countless times, sober now for over 15 years,and cook just about anything.
I’ve done ice carvings of Cinderella in a carriage drawn by four horses “life size”, and burned down a hotel.
Drove across the country non stop high on crank consuming a case of Jack on the way and driven every car you can think of up til 1995.
Studied Chinese Kempo from 13 til 55(now) and can still kick the flame off a candle a 6 ft.
Have played drums like a bat out of hell since I was 12. I have three drum sets, most percussion instruments, and a sound system that could blow the hair off your balls.
Survived cancer, had every bone broken, steel in both arms n legs,every limb sliced.
Did drugs since I was 12 til 40 and have sobered up more people in one year than any one licensed counselor.
Every year I feed more people than an average homemaker does in a lifetime.
Have cooked banquets for presidents and bums.
I’m the guy in the tux you want your daughter to marry.
I’m the guy in leather with hair to his ass who will convince you in 30 seconds to leave the state.
I’m the guy with a 450,000.oo house in Hawaii with a drop dead gorgeous Hawaiian/Portuguese/English wife and two beautiful trouble free successful children, and am set for life.
So dont even begin to think you rank with me when it comes to “SURVIVAL”.
I run circles around your little fairy glass encased ass.
December 6th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Aaaand… you didnt want to call the cops on me 20 years ago and dont today because they work with me.
December 6th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Shouldn’t this all be in the autobiography?
Keyboard warriors.
December 6th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
“Shouldn’t this all be in the autobiography?”
You’re sure as hell not in it.
You remind me of a little guy I knew during the years I ran blow from Mexico to S.D.
He was one of those squirrley little pimps, huge bell bottoms n platforms who had all the Bruce Lee moves and ran his mouth like Ali and had many an astute history laden speechs on the rich and white mans oppression of blacks since their was color.
One day I told him to stfu.
The little ass hole took his best gung fu stance and when thru the whole dance,(katas) Bruce Lee noises included, told me he’d kick my ass.
This was not going to be his dream reenactment of Enter The Dragon.
I was the far more qualified martial artist.
He did not know this.
He tried for 5 minutes to hit me and gave up.
I then pinned him on the ground, sat on his face, and farted.
December 6th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Buzz you don’t even have kids, which is to say you are talking about a topic for which you are unqualified. It’s just awkward for you, like liberals are awkward discussing sports.
December 7th, 2012 at 5:24 am
People with abnormally sized amygdalas tend to be Republicans, which is why fear is such a useful tool to use on them. It’s why Republicans love guns, it’s why they love war, it’s why they tend to be abnormally religious, it’s why they hate everyone who isn’t a white Christian Republican male, it’s why they love shows like Doomsday Preppers, it’s why fear machines like Fox are so successful, it’s why words like “progress” have been demonized by the right, it’s why gun sales go through the roof simply because a Democratic president was elected.
Fear is the mind killer, and that is very evident with Republicans. They have so much fear that they are unable to think clearly.
December 7th, 2012 at 5:34 am
It’s also why politics completely consumes their minds. They love to create boogymen to be afraid of.
I have lots of Republican and Democratic friends and family. Democrats are FAR more fun to hang around with. With Democrats we might talk politics for a few minutes, but we always move on to more interesting (and less depressing) subjects. Whenever I hang around with Republicans politics is all they f***ing talk about.
For Republicans it’s either doomsday BS, politics or Michelle Obama’s ass. Rarely can you have an actual intelligent conversation with Republicans.
December 7th, 2012 at 6:12 am
Hah, Snow, pretty funny! First off, its you Liberals who demonize words. A true Liberal in the classic sense is now what we call Conservatives because you folks have poisoned the language. Then you twist the term progressive into one supporting an ideology which wants to take us back to having an elite aristocracy running the show because we feeble-minded individuals cannot govern ourselves.
Yes, the modern Liberal is dedicated to lies and hypocrisy. Up is down, in is out, wrong is right. All spending programs are now investments. Anyone who makes $200,000 a year is now a millionaire, even if they live in a state like New York or California where more than half their income is confiscated while the cost of living is extremely high. What sort of an apartment do you think $2K a month will get you in Manhattan? Is there even such a bargain?
December 7th, 2012 at 6:19 am
Speaking of lies and hypocrisy, did you see that McConnell had to filibuster HIMSELF? It reminds me of the time when Republicans had to shoot down their own budget proposal last April. THAT is hypocrisy. And idiocy. You guys are like children.
December 7th, 2012 at 6:25 am
Sorry, I meant April 2011.
December 7th, 2012 at 6:26 am
If you filibuster yourself, then you might be a redne– dumbass.
December 7th, 2012 at 6:27 am
Hey Buzz, why don’t you help RonM with his calculus homework? The guy thinks he’s an astrophysicist yet believes he can deflect a neutron star with a butterfly’s wing.
If anyone bothered to notice, I usually have my tongue in my cheek when writing about most of this stuff. I gave kudos to the guy a week or two ago who, as part of his prepping lifestyle, started several home-based businesses. In the above article, I spent extra time on the aquaponics guys, because that really is a useful skill. Especially these days of the ‘New Normal’ of Barack Hussein Obama.
Just think if every vacant lot in Duh-troit were dedicated to urban farming. Moochelle Obama and others complain that inner cities do not have access to organic vegetables and truly fresh produce. I’ve talked with my neighbors about setting up a nice garden in the vacant lots on my street. There are plenty of tires about that can be used for raised-beds or growing potatoes in.
The key to good Doomsday Prepping is becoming more self-sufficient, more self-reliant. Are you telling me that developing such skills and attitudes are less important than learning calculus? Math skills are a fine thing to know, but first one must know how useful anything is.
December 7th, 2012 at 6:33 am
And here I thought Republicans only shot each other in the face…
December 7th, 2012 at 6:33 am
And here I thought Republicans only shot each other in the face…
December 7th, 2012 at 6:44 am
Modern day Republicans shown in the form of a .gif image:
http://gifs.gifbin.com/032012/1330973730_goalkeeper_scores_wondassisted_own_goal.gif
December 7th, 2012 at 7:42 am
I just can’t stop watching it! You are supposed to propose bills in GOOD FAITH, it’s obvious that McConnell didn’t do that. And the party of treason wonders why they can’t win elections. This is AMAZING! WOW! Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dGo8E3shaIQ
December 7th, 2012 at 7:46 am
Hey Snow !
Wanna hear something really stupid ?
Buzzbee tuned into watch a show about how folks should prepare for a society totally void of any control or operable infrastructure. Doomsday.
One guy teachs his kid how to dress a goat and Buzz says he should teach him math instead.
Did he think he was watching “The Beaver Goes To College” ?
So please, spare us your constant dribble “republicans are idiots” when its clear that its you and Buzz whole be getting latrine duty if the world does take a sht.
December 7th, 2012 at 7:47 am
“Buzz whole” ?
I like that, think I’ll use it from now on.
December 7th, 2012 at 7:48 am
So please, spare us your constant dribble “republicans are idiots”
Click the link in 33. Republicans offer all the proof they need that they themselves are treasonous idiots.
December 7th, 2012 at 7:50 am
Here Snow, stupidity and treason all in one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUkWqpLo6TE
December 7th, 2012 at 8:00 am
Yep, I agree that’s pretty disgusting. Now can YOU admit that what McConnell did was disgusting?
December 7th, 2012 at 8:21 am
I dont have to admit sht.
I’ve already blasted my share of righties.
You, Snow and Ron go play your little game of whos dumber.
In 4 years there’ll be a republican administration.
Folks will tire of one partys bs and bring in the other. Historically thats the way its always been when one party rules for 8 years,cept for Reagan-Bush.
Grow up.
December 7th, 2012 at 8:25 am
So do you think what McConnell did was honorable or dishonorable? You can’t answer that? You’re just a little marionette for the right, that’s all you are.
What was the last right-leaning thing that you blasted? I’m curious.
December 7th, 2012 at 8:52 am
“What was the last right-leaning thing that you blasted? I’m curious.”
You were right there.
I bashed their ignorance on pot n drug laws.
Yesterday, on the Bob Costas thread I bashed O`Reilly for his ignorance on guns and pot.
I’ve repeatedly displayed my distaste for Hannity.
Also stated many times that government should stay out of a free market just it and religion should stay out of each other.
I hammered the right for promising future cuts in programs that never happen.
Which appears to be what will happen again in the present negotiations.
I’ve always called out the RINOs.
Your fight is childish, useless, and moot.
My fight focuses more on exposing socialists on both sides.
The left right games of chicken are just one hand grabbing your attention while the other takes more property and freedom away from you everyday.
Since theres still some semblance of conservative values on the right that is where I’ll give my positive input wheres its worthy.
So spare me your bs because I doubt you can show half as many instances of you being a free thinker.
December 7th, 2012 at 9:04 am
So, since you’re such a maverick, then answer me this:
What McConnell did – was that honorable or dishonorable? Why is that so hard for you to answer?
December 7th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Snow.
Lets try it this way.
Your-argument-is-stupid-and-not-productive.
I-have-examples-of-liberals-being-disgusting-too.
I-tried-to-tell-you-I-dont-want-to-play-a-stupid-game-of-”blondes-are-better-than-brunettes”.
But-you-refuse-to-get-a-grip-and-pull-it-out-or-are-just-too-simple-minded-to-escape-your-preschool-jousting.
I’m not your fcking monkey ass hole.
You wanna trade disgusting videos with someone else all day be my guest.