Our Awful Situation

Archive for the ‘Last Days’ Category

Letter Re: Neighbors and Friends are Failing to Adapt and Prepare for New Threats

Posted by Charlie Kilo on June 13th, 2008

I thought this letter written to Jim Rawles, editor of Survival Blog, was worth reprinting here. If you don’t read Survival Blog on a daily basis then I highly recommend you start frequenting the site.

Mr. Rawles:

I stumbled upon your blog site last month and it was the equivalent of a “reboot” in terms of my own thinking about how to adapt to the conditions surrounding “Peak Oil” and Global Warming. I’m grateful for your web site and efforts. I commend your honesty. I envy your faith.

In the past months local and national events highlight the scope of the trouble we now all face. I’m afraid the direction is irreversible. To list a few, gasoline and diesel prices have climbed to new heights, both global and local weather conditions indicate a promise of drought and large scale crop collapse, and our infantile and narcissistic population is in grave denial. I would add this denial is paired with ignorance - as most people in American are unfamiliar with grave or harsh living conditions, nor do they care to learn about adapting to them. “Oh, that’s not going to happen here.”

As I urge those in my closest circle to begin to prepare for a number of increasingly bad scenarios - I am met with interest, curiosity, indifference and some ridicule. I am the family “kook”. My wife reminds me; “Jeremiah.” (This was discussed in the book, “Night” by Elie Weisel.)

People are not ready to think about what is coming. For example, in response to a Craig’s List ad I posted for a car pool rider (to share my commute.) I’ve received zero interest. A local news channel did a story on my ad and interviewed me for the story. The article included my comments about “Peak” and a “Long Emergency.” No takers. At the YMCA, where I train regularly, most men I speak to feel there is no global warming and either don’t know what Peak Oil is or feel the best solution is to bomb another country that has oil. I think to myself: these are the folks I’ll be defending my home against. Finally, when I suggested to my parents the need for spare supplies in their vacation house - my suggested list brought denials, anger and ridicule. They can’t even begin to think of survival scenarios or WTSHTF. (Their home is a McMansion built on some nice farmland - which I see has having great agricultural value in the future, provided there is adequate rain.)

James H. Kunstler, who wrote the book “The Long Emergency” recently spoke at our school auditorium. Only 20 or so people attended, and few had questions indicating any understanding of how violent these events may actually become. Another professor recently lectured at an area college on the same topic - and spelled it all out. He planned to bug out in advance. A local news paper carried the story. Perhaps this shows some progress? I commended the writer by e-mail.

To adapt, I began to prepare for the worst; I’m reading more about the subject, making no assumptions, stocking food, water and key equipment. I intend to train my 12 year-old to soon have familiarity with all weapons in our home (.22 rimfires, 12 gauge, and 9mm pistols.) Given our home location, its defensibility, and our firepower - I’m unsure as to how long we can make it - especially if civil unrest or military response is too strong, but I’m committed to dedicating resources to the cause - to do what I can for as long as I can and to educating those around me who will listen (this is tricky.)

From speaking with others on the same page, many are overwhelmed. I am too, but I always remind them that they can do a little every week. Underscored here also is that resources such as the bogus tax stimulus checks can be used to build food and supply stocks. I keep a purchase list ready - which will go against my fake tax give back. Grocery runs always include “extras” that will store well.

On a final note, although I’m dedicated to “hoping for the best and preparing for the worst,” I find it very difficult to bring my wife and only child into some of these scenarios. My wife is a great life partner and understands this situation very well - but some of this remains unspeakable. Further, I caution great care as to how to work with children on these matters. It is worse than the movie, “I Am Legend” because the “infected” will be real and much more plentiful, and the survival resources few. Camping and “activities” build the skill sets and offer the instructional opportunities, as someone already posted.

Thanks again for what you do, - Jon

JWR Replies: You are correct. Pollyanna denial is rampant. You aren’t the only one that encounters it.

Don’t worry about ridicule. Noah was considered a “kook”. So were the Jews that emigrated from Germany in the mid-1930s. Most of them survived, while those that didn’t ended up in the camps and many of them were subsequently victims of Nazi genocide.

Death toll in China earthquake rises to 7,600

Posted by Charlie Kilo on May 12th, 2008

Is anyone else noticing the incredible uptick in earthquakes this year?

A massive earthquake struck central China on Monday, killing more than 7,600 people and trapping nearly 900 students under the rubble of their school, state media reported.

The official Xinhua News Agency said 80 percent of the buildings had collapsed in Beichuan county in Sichuan province after the 7.8-magnitude quake, raising fears the overall death toll could increase sharply.

The earthquake sent thousands of people rushing out of buildings and into the streets hundreds of miles away in Beijing and Shanghai. The temblor was felt as far away as Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand.

Xinhua cited the Sichuan provincial government as saying 7,651 people died. The communist leadership said late Monday that “thousands” had died, and that the quake also had caused deaths in three other provinces.

The quake was one of the deadliest in three decades and posed a challenge to a government already grappling with discontent over high inflation and a widespread uprising among Tibetans in western China while trying to prepare for the Beijing Olympics this August.

Update: Cyclone death toll tops 22,000 in Myanmar

Posted by Charlie Kilo on May 6th, 2008

41,000 are still missing:

The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 on Tuesday and more than 41,000 others were missing as the international community prepared to rush in aid after Asia’s deadliest storm since 1991, state radio reported.

Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis, some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out, the World Food Program said.

Some aid agencies reported their assessment teams had reached some areas of the largely isolated region but said getting in supplies and large numbers of aid workers would be difficult.

An hour well spent

Posted by patriot on April 26th, 2008

Glenn Beck hosts Joel Rosenberg to discuss last days stuff:

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