I dont get my news from the corporate media anymore. I try to glean what I can from the web, RT, France24, all kinds of independent pundits...and then try and find some kind of consensus of whats likely or even possible. This does lead to some over reaction at times but I am happier being open to a bunch of things than being surprised by nasty...well, surprises. Id rather be wrong than caught napping.
Its quite logical to feel more uneasy when there is so much being reported in the media at present. We are bombarded with information all the time these days and as with everything, being it historical accounts or a current news story, it is nearly always biased toward the person writing/reporting it. My younger daughter too is also studying GCSE history and they have had many a debate in class regarding comparisons and similarities to 20th century history and to current affairs. With so much being reported it is difficult to weave between the headline grabbers, the facts and the opinions. It all gives rise to a feeling of uneasiness. Things feel that they are changing far more rapidly than ever before. We are also aware of what other countries and what other people are doing/thinking and there is a feel in many countries of not being in control and of dissatisfaction, which has in turn given rise to the general populous voting for certain events/governments. In the age of drones, social media, and instant communication, we are fed so much information that it is bound to make some of us worried, some of us paranoid, some of us scared, and to increase feelings of uncertainty.
My advice is to enjoy every day that we have and to live a life that is cautiously prepared - prepared for that life changing illness, for that job loss and winter power cuts as well as the global events with their possible outcomes and effects on us. But do LIVE life and ENJOY it. We are only on this planet for a short while in the grand sense of time, so do be prepared for what ever life chucks at us but do make the most of what we have in the here and now.
"Today is the tomorrow that you worrried about yesterday" - unknown
"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" - Red Dwarf
(Area 3)
bettersafethansorry wrote:I am really beginning to think in my lifetime if not soon something will happen... is this a natural feeling we all preppers get or is it impending doom looming over us and in and out of the media daily...
With this in mind saying I dont have a nuke bunker in my 2 bed terrace
whats options do i have to prepare...
Whats the likely hood we will be in a blast zone or fall out zone?
Do the over counter radiation treatments work? (or would these just delay the inevitable)
Bar the usual food and supplies i really need to start thinking about home defense... strength in numbers.... communications.... etc.... Any help, ideas, links would be great.
-M
I can only speak for myself, but I have had an ever increasing feeling that something is gonna happen. And before anyone asks, no I have no data to quote or quirky internet news sites to link to. Its just .... A feeling.
So maybe it is natural for preppers to feel this from time to time. I don't really know.
I do think that if we did get into a fight with the Russians, we here would get taken early on. Russian fighter planes have (apperantly) been spotted circling Shetland within the last year or two.
If WW3 did kick off you make the assumption it will be nuclear. I don't think it would be, but if it is you need to plan for that. I'm not sure how home defence, safety in numbers and comms would help.
If in a fallout zone, I'm sure there are plenty of sites online with guides to trying to survive that.
If its 'conventional warfare' then it all boils down to where the war is being fought. If abroad, then I can't see hoards of refugees trying to nick your preps. At least, not early on in the conflict. If here on UK soil, then that could be a problem. Evacuated population, fleeing refugees, opportunists etc could become an issue.
Then, some sort of local group could be set up to try an ensure the refugees don't rob you all blind.
In short, I have no useful advice. But , you are not alone in having that 'feeling'
Thank you thats good to know i always feel like an idiot
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. - Sir Winston Churchill
I'd agree that any growing concerns that people may have are a sign of everything they see and hear and intuition fills in the gaps. I'm a firm advocate for intuition being your brain nudging you in the direction you should go based on probabilities and past experience that may not consciously be present in your mind at that time. It ain't right all the time but...
I'm not a prepper. Or maybe I am a prepper but just a brand spanking new one. But a number of things brought me here:
1) Global political instability
2) Terrorist threat levels
3) A look at facts beyond what the media churn out
I feel that if a outbreak of war extended to nuclear use it would be game over so I wouldn't ever prep for that. Becasue nuclear would only add to everything below.
What I would prep for is a growing sense of unease around radical idealogies, growing populations, lack of a tenable strategy for food or fuel shortages in the UK if supply chains break down. I'll talk in approximate values. The UK produces only 60% of it's own food. The rest (40%) is bought in annually at a cost of 20 billion pounds per annum. The population is growing rapidly. Since 1972 the population has grown by about 8 million. Government predictions for 2039 add another 10 million (that is inclusive of immigration). Doing an exponential population increase based on today's population increase says the government figures underestimate by about 5 million. So in the next 20 years we will double the population growth that we had in the last 40. We already use 70% of UK land for food production and have increased yields by 66% since 1972. Can you really foresee a significant increase that we haven't already put in place? GMO anyone? Depletion of soil nutrients aside, the food situation here is looking grim. And fuel supplies and strategy don't look much better.
You don't need to drop nukes if you can cut off supply of vital resources. Anarchy will do 80% of the rest of the job for you.
It is true that in a slowly developing conflict we could feasibly mitigate some of the problems but when things go wrong the population tend to be made aware of them too late to do anything. If things go to hell in 2 - 3 days then turning over your garden at that point means you're going very hungry. Most homes hold 2 - 3 weeks worth of food if they are lucky. Shops empty in no time at all. I have worked in retail during supply chain issues. The effects are rapid.
Any future war is probably already being fought covertly and dirty and we won't really see the impact until one of the players has manouvred sufficient pieces into place.
So I'm thinking some prep should be essential.
Interesting take on things there tricky, Very like minded i believe however i believe just if nukes are used wont be a case of MAD and may be a case of one or two launched and travelling fallout if my concern
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. - Sir Winston Churchill
I was reading a book called "why- answers to everyday questions" which answers questions like how does gravity work, why do we sleep, how do we remember the past but not the future, and it talked about oil and when it will run out....
In a nutshell, according to BP, we will run out of oil in around 50 years. But, they have updated this to say that the rate of usage is growing each quarter, and block countries like China are now future buying big % of future oil production by 'investing in those countries with an oil deal attached'. What they also say is that we will see the gradual decrease in production and increase in cost as oil (and gas and coal) becomes harder to find.
I think it may be more economic than bombs dropping. Already people have very low incomes cos benefits cut and reduced (even those working or trying to - zero hr contracts etc) Hospitals have recorded increased cases of malnutrition which shouldn't be happening these days! . but I see Govt further privatising NHS so we'll need Insurance to be seen by a Dr or incase of emergencies.
I'm not sure on how this Brexit will affect countries sending food that usually do (salads and exotic fruits from abroad etc) but if they stop I can see food shortages. Our country isn't hot enough to grow some stuff or prices will go up where they have been grown here with extra heat/light needing more electricity. Maybe there will be a 'black market' for food for those that can afford the prices, and basic rations for the poor as there was in the war?
I can see more people ending up homeless with rent hikes, benefit reductions and bedroom tqx increases.It's not always as simple as just moving somewhere smaller. I'm in 2 bed adapted bungalow and can only just get electric wheelchair into each room and out to back door (which is also a fire exit) I'd never manage to get it round a 1 bed flat as struggled in the one I was moved from. (had to use a commode as couldn't even get chair into toilet which is why I was moved in first place) so I'm going to be stuck with finding the money for whatever increases they hit me with and just praying my income doesn't get reduced so much I can't afford to live here.
I'm wondering if I could manage to grow some potatoes and root veg in my spare room, as they grow underground? I've seen some 'potato growing bags' online and could probably put other root veg in too. Though I've no idea what soil etc I'd need or where to buy it from online (to be delivered) to put in the bags. It would be good to be able to supplement cheaper food of out of date foods (like at freedom foods) with some homegrown potatoes and veg if there are to be food shortages or the cost of food basics going up significantly.
I can see panic buying in supermarkets happening,allotments being raided for people desperate for foods if things got bad,which is why I'd want to grow mine indoors out of sight and I'd probably stock up on emergency rations while the other locals were fighting over the last loaves on the shelves etc!
My biggest worry would be frequent power cuts if there was problems with supply, with my scooter needing 12hr charges every night and having dog to get out and also needing to go collect twigs etc to be able to use my Kelly Kettles during power cuts.
I can see more people ending up homeless with rent hikes, benefit reductions and bedroom tqx increases.It's not always as simple as just moving somewhere smaller. I'm in 2 bed adapted bungalow and can only just get electric wheelchair into each room and out to back door (which is also a fire exit) I'd never manage to get it round a 1 bed flat as struggled in the one I was moved from. (had to use a commode as couldn't even get chair into toilet which is why I was moved in first place) so I'm going to be stuck with finding the money for whatever increases they hit me with and just praying my income doesn't get reduced so much I can't afford to live here
I am in very similar situation and share your concerns
I agree that when things kick off, its all going to be because of economics – but economics are going to lead to other things.
I don’t think things like Brexit are going to stop goods being shipped to the UK – whilst there is money here, and a market, customers, and a profit to be made, bananas etc will still be available. Of course, that assumes that import rates don’t wipe out the profit. What may stop things coming into this country (including things like Russian Gas and Middle East oil) may be political changes – a total fall out with Russia or china, or a Commodity grab by states like China.
It does seem that things are coming to a head – with more and more going against the human race. The amount of debt in the world can only lead to a collapse (there is no other option), then we have antibiotics failing, running out of fuel, growing tensions in the west bank/Korea, and sea destruction (pollutants and death of the coral beds). As a diver, I have seen what rising sea temperatures have done – coral beds all dead – not pretty.
There is something in the wind – like the powers that be have been hiding from us. Further spending cuts here in the UK says that it is economic. Departments which have had their budgets cut 5 times in 8 years are being told to cut them again by 6%. You only have to look at the state of the roads to see that the money is not being spent to maintain the country – its all going into debt repayment (and maybe all still being pushed at the financial sector – the numbers are too cloudy to see).
It has me worried. As I say, a lot of bad things happening in the world, but when it starts, it will start with the next economic collapse, and will then all kick off from there. If I was a betting man (and I don’t bet) I would put my money that it will come from US in the way of defaults on sub-prime car loans. And that it will kick off around August/September this year. And between now and then, I think we will see a lot more strikes in this country, and a lot of protests on the streets regarding benefit cuts Verses growing inflation.
And lets not forget about Greece and the fact that they are about to default.
You live in a time of decay, when the worth of a man is how much he can pay (Flamboyant, Pet Shop Boys, 2006)
