Tess Pennington, 33, is a mother of three children, and lives in the sprawling outskirts of Houston, Texas. But she is not taking the happy safety of her suburban existence lightly.
Like a growing army of fellow Americans, Pennington is learning how to grow her own food, has stored emergency rations in her home and is taking courses on treating sickness with medicinal herbs.
"I feel safe and more secure. I have taken personal responsibility for the safety of myself and of my family," Pennington said. "We have decided to be prepared. There all kinds of disasters that can happen, natural and man-made."
Pennington is a "prepper", a growing social movement that has been dubbed Survivalism Lite. Preppers believe that it is better to be safe than sorry and that preparing for disaster – be it a hurricane or the end of civilisation – makes sense.
Unlike the 1990s survivalists, preppers come from all backgrounds and live all over America. They are just as likely to be found in a suburb or downtown loft as a remote ranch in the mountains. Prepping networks, which have sprung up all over the country in the past few years, provide advice on how to prepare food reserves, how to grow crops in your garden, how to hunt and how to defend yourself. There are prepping books, online shops, radio shows, countless blogs, prepping courses and prepping conferences.
That's me. A prepper. I live in the city but have ample stored food, water/purification, guns, ammo, gold and silver. I'm as ready as I'm gonna be. Bring it.
ReplyDeleteDitto 10:36 but keep it hushed...People used to make fun of my hoarding of guns/water/food and equipment.
ReplyDeleteI've recently found people are semi-keeping tabs on those that are prepared among our group.
There's even been a few "Well if anything happens I'm coming over" comments...What this means is they want to do a Grasshopper and the Ant scenario.
Before you get all "I have guns blah bla blah" remember no man is an island...So best to stay quiet as when there is a need you might have to shoo or scare a friend away because in the end survival kicks in...And if it's between you or that other person's family you going to lose that bet after awhile.
The title is nauseating. There will be no end of the world. That is not what we are prepping for at all. We are prepping to survive, to live. Man's most basic instinct that apparently 98% has not retained.
ReplyDeleteWe know a staged collapse and prolonged starvation is coming. We are as ready as we can be. We are the 2%. We will help each other and disregard those who thought we were foolish. They made their choice. May their death come swiftly and not after prolonged starvation.
Again...No one goes quietly into the night...If hunger comes an honest man will steal...A good man will rob etc etc.
ReplyDeleteI am 100% in it to win it but I also see a lot of bravado...Let me explain it as someone who has been shot and has had to shoot...It ain't that easy.
Hard choices will have to be made as to save your wife and kids AND your idiot brother and his family who never prepared etc etc.
Choose your allies well...I actually don't see a HUGE economic collapse I see a slow and painful chaotic fall like Argentina's.
So close family seems to work best.
I'm hooking up with a couple of ex-military guys who prep...I suggest the same for all.
You are correct there will be no end to this world. You will be a participant, you will be required to live through the collapse. There is no grand conspiracy. I have been employed by the county, state and federal governments in the past. The government does not have the ability or efficiency to coordinate anything of this magnitude.
ReplyDeleteIt is a matter of financial mismanagement and greed. It has occurred many times, in many nations, over the last 500 years. Some societies survive, some do not.
It is certainly a time to be prepared. It will be wise to have reliable allies and associates of the same state of mind.
You are also correct that no man will be an island. You will not survive a collapse of services and currency without assistance from family and friends.
Prepare your families now and prepare to endure to the end.
Blown out of proportion once again. Its just Prep by one person sharing her experience with others, its not like thousands of people expecting total chaos, if not for most of us its business as usual and for those who have been affected by the recession things are gradually going back to normal. Put it this way, death is a certainty for everyone but you don't live your life expecting to die tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteFor all the dickheads expecting hyperinflation:
ReplyDelete"Core US consumer prices fell for the first time in 27 years last month, supporting the Federal Reserve's contention it would keep interest rates low for an "extended period".
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/unexpected-fall-in-core-us-consumer-prices-1905249.html
Most people who know there MUST be hyperinflation at some point also know there will be deflation of pricing first. Many companies having fire sales to hang on by their fingernails.
ReplyDeleteMore money was created by the Fed in 2007, 2008, 2009 that the entire history of the country back to 1776.
Hyperinflation will be the result of the Fed directing its banks to let the flood gates open. The crash of the dollar will be at a time of their chosing.
Feb. 22, 12:16 am, Sounds like you've got a handle on things.
ReplyDeleteI betcha recurrent world history has no relevance in this instance.
Good luck sport.
For all the dickheads expecting US Dollar Collapse:
ReplyDelete"The US Dollar saw more bullish price action this week as the DXY (Dollar Index) traded at a 5 ¼ month high".
http://www.fxstreet.com/fundamental/market-view/fx-weekly/2010-02-02.html
"Since Nov. 25, the dollar is up 8.3 percent and has outdone all major currencies"
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ayKx_7H_Skcg&pos=1
For the guy that keeps on putting some Government #'s showing core prices down and Dollar up.
ReplyDeleteErrrrm we all know that Core Inflation #'s do NOT include food or energy costs...It has been SUGGESTED that the numbers on medical and educational costs MAYBEEEEEEEE slightly fudged and by fudged I mean big fat lies...You can't possibly be telling me that you actually believe living costs have gone down do you?
You mean the whole $50 dollars that rents have dropped on the average or the drop in electronics and house buying?...WAIT that's a ONCE IN A WHILE PURCHASE...Not a weekly one like food, gasoline and gas/electricity.
As for your bullishness on the Dollar?...I'll give you that being every other currency is being dragged down worse than ours...FOR NOW.
I do believe the dollar will hold but at the same time everything will cost more...I see the dollar basically being the hooker with the least herpes sores in the alleyway waiting for her regular customer Mr.12:24 am/12:33 am.
I have been prepping for a while now. To all of you who ridicule, good luck. Something ominous is brewing, possibly beyond our lowly understanding. If nothing happens? Fine. All of our prepping can be used or eaten in the future. No harm done. However, I am not optimistic, and I continue to quietly prepare.
ReplyDeleteThe people that give their full names like in the article are stupid; do they want everyone knowing their biz?? Keep a low profile and keep in contact with others like minded for bartering purposes. Don't talk to co workers, neighbors, civic groups, vet. groups, or even fellow church goers; keep your group small and close knit family, long time friends. Don't tell your kids or teens as they have big mouths.
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it, collapse is only a matter of time. Living in S. California adds an extra element, the "Big One" that is very overdue. A 7 point or higher earthquake is another reason to prepp.
ReplyDeleteEvery plastic bottle that I would have tossed in the past, is now filled with water. Seven gallon storage containers are at WalMart for around ten bucks. Eventually I'll add a Brita drip filtration system ($18.00) and my stored water can be filtered before use.
A parabolic mirror, AKA Magified Make-Up Mirror when pointed at the sun and focused properly can burn anything in it's path. This also means I can heat water and cook a pot of whatever, all you need is a clear sky. I'm going to buy 6-10 of these mirrors at a Dollar store and build a small solar array.
I almost mentioned my stash to my brother last night, not even close family should know.
Not again. My fruits are missing. Must be my thieving neighbors who earlier thought I was crazy growing my own food. Can't they just ask?
ReplyDelete9:51 Put up a fence! at least 6 ft. I have a 6 ft privacy wood fence. When it get's bad, it will be everyone for themselves/family only. If nothing happens, rotate by expiration dates and eat what you store, and store what you eat. One or two people can buy from stores, larger families need #10 cans and larger containers from emergency food (mail order) companies.
ReplyDeleteDon't be worry warts. The dollar is exploding in value. Mortgage foreclosures are on the downturn and the market is recovering.
ReplyDeleteBesides the government will step in and redistribute the wealth of anyone that ever bothered to prepare. I am sick of hearing about all these folks worried about silly things like world war and collapsing equity markets.
I have to go now, it's time to feed my unicorns and water my magical lolly pop tree.
See ya.
the dollar is exploding, it is at its highest point ever, I just got some whores and coke and I am going out to get a rolls royce for cash right now and I think all americans are doing this well, am I right?
ReplyDeleteWhore is such a dirty way to say it, but the coke sounds great!
ReplyDelete12:06 yes the dollar has been gaining in buying power since 1913 to the tune of being down 87%...Keep up the misinformation please.
ReplyDeleteSo this morning I went to a shop and bought my AR-15 kit. I have to do some minor assembly, but it's worth the savings. On the way, I saw this hooker on the street corner, dressed in an ever so short dress with gold straps down her backless side, definitely a Night Club, dancing dress, except it was 11 AM! I watcher her approach a couple of Mexicans, cutting the grass and trimming the trees in an Industrial Park. Even the Mexicans turned her down! I guess a 20 dollar quicky these days is not part of the budget.
ReplyDeleteWhen you can't even afford a hooker, you know things are bad.
I've got another 7 gallons of water stored away. Funny how this shit is gonna be something to kill for in the very near future.
Remember that stupid ass movie "Independence Day", Joe Nothing says to Ass wipe in charge, "we need to tell the people"! Ass Wipe says "we can't tell them, if we did, we would have a global panic". This is exactly why 98% of the population is in the dark and we of the 2% know what's going on. 98% will suffer and or die and the 2% will fight and survive.
Even the Bible says: "Woe to he that says 'All is well in Zion'".
ReplyDeleteMy Uncle was in that movie. He played himself. George Putnam. He just died in 2008.
ReplyDeleteGeorge has been around all right. I'd see him on TV when I was a kid, and I'm a young senior citizen now. If Dick Clark ever does kick the bucket, that's when we'll know he was 135 years old.
ReplyDelete@Laura - I am fairly certain that not everyone uses their real name, including some of the preppers quoted in this article :)
ReplyDeleteHi im in the UK and am up on all the potential collapse. Do you think i should start the prep? Ive already bought gold. I mean its going to be the US that falls first isnt it.
ReplyDeleteI don't ever suggest that people buy gold.I myself buy silver because if you ever want to buy something with your gold,who will be able to make change for it?One ounce silver coins are alot easier to make change for,and maybe not cause you to overpay for something.That's my take on it,anyway.Yes,I think you better prepare.I think things are going to get rough real soon.
ReplyDelete