# Are you a prepper?



## kehcorpz (May 14, 2016)

A couple times I watched shows on tv where they follow different preppers around and they show
them all their stuff. I assume many people watch this and laugh about it thinking these people
are just crazy and wear tinfoil hats. but i wouldnt laugh about this especially not in these times.

i really wish i had some kind of underground bunker with food supply and lots of weapons. sooner
or later ****'s gonna hit the fan and then these people can sit back in their bunker, watch the news
and just laugh about it.

it's only a matter of time. either it will be terrorism on a huge scale, maybe dirty nuclear
bombs or maybe a zombie apocalypse or a virus outbreak. it's inevitable the only question is when will it
start. will it be real soon or will it take a few more years or decades? 
a lot of people who believe the bible say that these are the final stages. 

just think about the whole issue with the paper money. it's pretty obvious where this is going. 
first it's the 500$ bill but this is just the beginning.
i have seen stuff on TV where they showed footage from scandinavia. there are towns where they're already testing
the rfid chips as payment options and the people there were embracing it!!!! they had the chips implanted under
their skin!!! they thought this is soooo practical and soooo
sophisticated. it's shocking how foolish these people are.

now i can buy my cappuchino at starbucks without having to take out my wallet awesome!
sooner or later they find a reason to remove all paper money. maybe it'll be so that they can fight terrorism more
effectively. 
if somebody warned against the rfid chip and the mark of the beast 20 years ago he was considered a conspiracy
theorist and now look at what's going on. it's right here. 

maybe they will go in steps. first the chip is outside of the body and the only payment option. then they will say
this isn't safe enough. people can steal it and then buy stuff with it. then they will say the chips need to be implanted.
this is also sooo helpful especially for sick people cause you can save all their medical data on the chips. yeah right....
i think I'd rather go for 2 chips. what if 1 chip has an error and cant be read anymore? better be on the safe side and
go for 2 or more chips. i bet they're also open to personal suggestions. maybe you can decide yourself where you want
the chip to be implanted. 

anyway, how many people here have underground bunkers?
and what do you think about the current times? do you have a reaaaaally bad feeling?


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## Bill Mattocks (May 15, 2016)

No.

I think most people refuse to recognize and train for actual danger, like being able to put out a fire, or even owning a fire extinguisher.

Some preppers build bunkers and stockpile weapons and don't know what its like to hunt, kill, and eat their food or how to go about it. 

If TSHTF, I will take their stuff.


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## drop bear (May 15, 2016)

Yeah. I am will bill on this. Start with a vegie garden or something.


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## MAfreak (May 15, 2016)

man, the cold war paranoia is over, now we have the terrorism paranoia.
just keep in mind, that all of us will die anyway. life is much easier then.
spend your money regularly on experiences to enjoy life as much as possible and so that not too much is left in case of your sudden death, and don't store too much money in your house (it might be go up in flames) or on the bank (it might be go broke).
however don't let fear rule your life.


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## Kenposcholar (May 15, 2016)

Not at all. A life of paranoia is worse than the possibility of a shorter life of relaxation.


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## kehcorpz (May 15, 2016)

Bill Mattocks said:


> If TSHTF, I will take their stuff.



That's not nice!

If you have tons of food in your bunker why should you hunt?
Also if everything is radiated hunting is no option either.

What's funny though is one guy i think he's a professor for something.
He is totally into preppering. He was in one of those docus.
But he's totally overweight. How does all the prepping benefit him when he
gets a heart attack in his bunker?


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## Bill Mattocks (May 15, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> That's not nice!



Yeah.



> If you have tons of food in your bunker why should you hunt?
> Also if everything is radiated hunting is no option either.
> 
> What's funny though is one guy i think he's a professor for something.
> ...



How long does the need to keep eating canned food go on ? One month, six months, more?

If society collapses, you die when your food ends. Sooner if I take it from uou.

Do you have medical issues? If so, do you have a lifetime supply of your meds? 

Eyeglasses? Dental care? 

How are your medical skills when you get appendicitis down in that bunker?

By the way, where you gonna crap and pee?

Electricity? Solar, maybe. When it breaks, can you fix it?

Can you defend yourself against me? Remember, I'm armed. Oh, and I'm a US Marine, so I've had some training.

But let's get back to real risk analysis. Biggest risks? Natural disaster and common household injuries due to fire, tripping, electrical issues, etc. 

How about prepare for those before figuring how much dehydrated H20 you need to stock up on.

Get a set of good flashlights and keep them stashed around the house. Fire extinguisher. A tested plan to escape from your house on fire. A weather radio. Take a free weather spotters course, learn how to do CPR.

Now if you want to take it further, learn to shoot, dress meat, and stitch wounds. But not until you can get out of your own house in an emergency, spot a tornado, and put out a kitchen grease fire. Far more likely, but not as cool with the bearded menchildren.


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## drop bear (May 15, 2016)

MAfreak said:


> man, the cold war paranoia is over, now we have the terrorism paranoia.
> just keep in mind, that all of us will die anyway. life is much easier then.
> spend your money regularly on experiences to enjoy life as much as possible and so that not too much is left in case of your sudden death, and don't store too much money in your house (it might be go up in flames) or on the bank (it might be go broke).
> however don't let fear rule your life.



Having said that. If zombies get you out hiking camping and learning skills then go for it.


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## drop bear (May 15, 2016)

Bill Mattocks said:


> How long does the need to keep eating canned food go on ? One month, six months, more?



I was on canned food for two weeks during a cyclone.

Learn to hunt. Canned food gets real old real quick.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 15, 2016)

I don't understand all the hate for preppers. If it's at the point that it's taking over their life, then yeah there's an issue. If not, let them have fun. My official reason for taking MA is self-defense. However, I live in a safe neighborhood. I don't have the police on speed dial on my phone. I'm also not practicing any grappling arts currently, even though the place I most likely would need SD is at work, and I can't strike any of my clients. If I were to really evaluate it, I just enjoy any and all MA, and the self-defense is secondary to me. 
I imagine a lot of the people on here could find better ways to remain safe, improve your character, stay in good shape, or deal with your anger (whatever your purpose may be; exception is probably the people who compete) if you really wanted to think it through, yet you still practice MA. Likewise, my guess is that enjoyment comes first for many of them, and safety from natural disasters/zombie apocalypse is a distant second. 
It is also probably tough for them to admit that, since "I enjoy spending my money on things that may or may not help me if a zombie comes at me" sounds even crazier than "I enjoy spending money to get beaten up and beating those people up in return, then maybe head out together for pizza."


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## Bill Mattocks (May 15, 2016)

I don't hate preppers. I laugh at them, mostly. Ridicule isn't hating.

Often just because their claimed raison d'etre is surviving the supposed immediate collapse of society, but many of them can't be arsed to keep a functioning smoke detector in the house. Of the two, which danger is more likely?


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## MAfreak (May 16, 2016)

seems some of you take the possibility of zombies seriously.
also i'd prefer collecting fruits, because its not the animals fault, that humans are freaking dumb.


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## Tames D (May 16, 2016)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I don't hate preppers. I laugh at them, mostly. Ridicule isn't hating.
> 
> Often just because their claimed raison d'etre is surviving the supposed immediate collapse of society, but many of them can't be arsed to keep a functioning smoke detector in the house. Of the two, which danger is more likely?


That is funny.Where do you get your material?


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## Tez3 (May 16, 2016)

kempodisciple said:


> I don't understand all the hate for preppers



It's because they look down on those who don't believe as they do. I don't believe in life at any price, I believe in quality of life.


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## Flying Crane (May 16, 2016)

Bill, did you actually say, "dehydrated H2O"?

Now THAT is funny!


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## Brian R. VanCise (May 16, 2016)

*Our ancestors were preppers in that they stored canned food, cut wood for winter, etc.* They didn't have a lot of choice in this matter.  If they did not take care of business they simply didn't make it.  Now a days, the vast majority of people are completely unprepared for even a three day run on food from a mild disaster.  Which can and does happen, think Tornado, earthquake, hurricane, etc.  Personally, I don't consider myself a prepper at all but a survivalist who is ready for natural disaster's, etc.  I grew up hunting, fishing and have trained almost all my life in the Martial Sciences.  Like Bill I have extensive training from work related to that which I have sought out.

*Bill makes a lot of good points in preparing for situations that could actually happen like natural disaster's, getting lost while hiking, etc*.  Out here in the west it is just plain practical to have lots of water not only in your house but in your car when you go on a tip.  Run out of gas out here and it may be fifty to a hundred miles before the next gas station.  That is why we fill up at a half a tank.  Or you could be out hiking and you better have an understanding of the geography of the land and how to get to some place safe if necessary.

Then there is the understaning of just having very common sense practical things like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detedctors, etc.  *If you do not have these now a days, what are you thinking?*

Now, I totally get having a good laugh at 98% of the people shown on Doomsday Preppers, etc.  My family always enjoyed those shows and yes, some of the people were wayyyyyy overboard and a little crazy!  That is exactly of course what the producers were looking for.


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## Bill Mattocks (May 16, 2016)

Flying Crane said:


> Bill, did you actually say, "dehydrated H2O"?
> 
> Now THAT is funny!



I did.  Glad you caught it!


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## Bill Mattocks (May 16, 2016)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> *Our ancestors were preppers in that they stored canned food, cut wood for winter, etc.* They didn't have a lot of choice in this matter.  If they did not take care of business they simply didn't make it.  Now a days, the vast majority of people are completely unprepared for even a three day run on food from a mild disaster.  Which can and does happen, think Tornado, earthquake, hurricane, etc.  Personally, I don't consider myself a prepper at all but a survivalist who is ready for natural disaster's, etc.  I grew up hunting, fishing and have trained almost all my life in the Martial Sciences.  Like Bill I have extensive training from work related to that which I have sought out.
> 
> *Bill makes a lot of good points in preparing for situations that could actually happen like natural disaster's, getting lost while hiking, etc*.  Out here in the west it is just plain practical to have lots of water not only in your house but in your car when you go on a tip.  Run out of gas out here and it may be fifty to a hundred miles before the next gas station.  That is why we fill up at a half a tank.  Or you could be out hiking and you better have an understanding of the geography of the land and how to get to some place safe if necessary.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the kind words.  I think we are in full agreement on this topic.

The first question that has to be asked with regard to disaster preparation is _*"What kind of disaster are you preparing for?"*_

It's a serious question.  There are all kinds of disasters, and although many of them are highly unlikely, that doesn't mean that they can't happen, and it doesn't mean that it's wrong to prepare for them.  On the other hand, preparing for a highly unlikely event may prevent you from being prepared for the more likely event.  For example, the Maginot Line.

Maginot Line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In my line of work (Information Technology), we are often called upon to evaluate risk and do disaster preparedness.  Although the means and methods are different, the basic logic is the same.

1) Analyze what kind of threats you face.
2) Rank them in terms of likelihood.
3) Decide what the response will be.
4) Make a plan.
5) Buy, build, or otherwise establish the selected solution.
6) Test the plan.
7) Continually refine all six steps above.​
So applied to my home and family, I rank a house fire or a tornado above civil unrest or terrorist attack in terms of how likely they are to happen.  Am I certain to be correct?  No.  But we have to do what we can.  We're playing the odds with the most facts we can gather and dispassionate and logical examination of those facts.

What is the response? For example.  I can decide to stock pile the drugs I need as a diabetic, but for how long?  A couple days is no problem.  A couple months is do-able.  It might be difficult to stockpile  my medication for several years, and a lifetime's worth is probably out of the question - and that's not including the possibility that my condition will deteriorate (diabetes is a progressive disease) and require access to medical attention and medication that I can't anticipate now.

It is perfectly acceptable, by the way, to decide not to respond to a given threat.  For example, if the Super Caldera at Yellowstone blows up, a sizable chunk of the USA will simply cease to exist or become uninhabitable.  I have thought about that and decided that even though I live in an area that will be affected but not instantly annihilated, I am simply not going to plan for that event.  It would require a level of planning and preparation that I'm not able to do right now, nor do I want to.

However, getting back to basics, if you want to prep for survival, here's some things to think about.

Have a Will.  Keep valuable documents in a safe-deposit box or some similar off-site secure location.  Copies of valid credit cards, prescriptions for eyeglasses, medications, doctors' contact information, etc.

Quit smoking and engaging in other self-destructive behavior.  It hurts your health now, and you may not be able to indulge in it later anyway.

Smoke detector,  Carbon monoxide detector, fire extinguishers.  Get your learn on regarding how to prevent and put out various kinds of household fires.

Establish a plan to leave your house safely in an emergency.  TEST THAT PLAN.  That includes a rally point - where you make sure everyone is out safely.  It includes responsibilities like deciding who grabs this kid and who grabs that kid, what to try to take, what to abandon.  Grandad's treasured moss-covered three handled family credenza, for example, can be consigned to oblivion.  The kid, maybe not so much.

Take a few classes in things like storm spotting.  They're free.  The county sets them up in nearly every county I have ever lived in, and that's a bunch.  They are usually poorly-attended, and often only by retired folks, shut ins, and guys with overalls and radio antennas sticking out of the pockets who live in their parent's basements bother to attend.  With malice towards none, may I ask  WHY YOU SO STUPID?

If you want to keep some bottled water on hand, some canned goods, I get it.  Even a gas mask, presuming you have some idea how to actually don and clear one (most don't, they have some interesting ideas about how they work).  Here's a tip, that bro-beard won't make a good seal, so sorry, captain lumbersexual, you're gonna die in an anthrax attack, and you're going to make a silly looking corpse, since you'll be wearing a gas mask.

I don't have enough room to write a book here, but last tip - avoid anything labeled 'tactical' and intended for use by survivalists.  Unless you were in the military.  Most people don't really understand what the term means, and those that do aren't fooled by that kind of junk.


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## Tez3 (May 16, 2016)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Our ancestors were preppers in that they stored canned food, cut wood for winter, etc



Oi! less of the ancestors bit, I know I'm old but I'm not that old! Up here in North Yorkshire, up in't dales and moors we still have to do all that for the winter. Though we never ever run out of water sadly. We also love our Agas, nought better.  AGA | New to AGA?
It's not 'prepping' it's life.


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## Bill Mattocks (May 16, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> Oi! less of the ancestors bit, I know I'm old but I'm not that old! Up here in North Yorkshire, up in't dales and moors we still have to do all that for the winter. Though we never ever run out of water sadly. We also love our Agas, nought better.  AGA | New to AGA?
> It's not 'prepping' it's life.



My grandparents canned vegetables and were raising families during the Depression and WWII and  they knew how to get make, grow, or get along without things.  If the power was out for a week, they were fine.  They might have faced a strain if things had gone to hell for a month or more, but who knows.

My parents were more dependent upon society functioning as it should, and a power outage or other natural disaster might have become a real problem is somewhat less time.

My generation is pretty dependent on technology, modern medicine, cars, paved roads, and so on.  Probably not set up to deal with lack of fresh clean water, natural gas, gasoline, electricity, and so on.

I have no idea what the current generation is up to, but based on the things I have seen, I don't know.  It seems people are getting confused between the appearance of a thing and the thing itself.  Owning an ax and wearing flannel doesn't mean you can cut down a tree - but in the common parlance, it's the same thing.

On the other hand, most of my cousins are still living in rural central Illinois where I was raised.  They are the classic 'country boys' and girls.  They can and will survive, no matter what happens.  I am pretty sure they can still shoe horses, deliver calves, fish, trap, skin animals, and I know they eat what they shoot.  They'll be OK, no matter what generation they're from.


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## Brian R. VanCise (May 16, 2016)

Yeah Bill, you and I are in agreement in being practical!


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## Tez3 (May 17, 2016)

It's fine having all the gear to survive an apocalypse but what would be the quality of life? If you are an outdoors type person anyway, happy with your own company and feel you need nothing from modern society then I expect you'll be happy but if you are someone who enjoys things like the arts, academia, good conversation with close friends and generally a very civilised society then the loss of so much and the living of a primitive life is really not worth the struggle to try and exist. Living at all costs is not necessarily a good thing, it will vey much depend on the person. Do we want to descend back into the stone age just to survive or should some standards apply in what is considered a civilisation?


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## PhotonGuy (Jun 14, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> It's because they look down on those who don't believe as they do. I don't believe in life at any price, I believe in quality of life.



Not all preppers are like that.


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 15, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> It's because they look down on those who don't believe as they do.



Sweeping statements based on media driven stereotypes usually aren't very accurate, or valid.


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 15, 2016)

MAfreak said:


> seems some of you take the possibility of zombies seriously.
> also i'd prefer collecting fruits, because its not the animals fault, that humans are freaking dumb.



The term 'zombie' isn't referring to an undead corpse walking around looking for human flesh to feast on, it is referring to the name for the unprepared and often aggressive masses who will want to take what you have in an emergency situation.  In other words, a 'zombie' is someone that is uniformed and unprepared.  Someone who is content with relying on others for their survival rather than relying on themselves.  Often those who rely on the system and adopt an attitude of 'it can't happen to me'.  

The term 'prepper' is a catch-all that can encompass a rather wide swath of people.  Do some folks built underground bunkers with a couple of million rounds of ammo and think aliens are going to invade?  Sure.  There are always extremists in any community.  The more sensible prepper is someone, as has been mentioned previously;


That changes the batteries in the smoke detector on a scheduled basis.
Has fire extinguishers placed strategically in the home.
Has an evacuation plan for the family in the event of an emergency.
Has a comfortable pair of shoes in the trunk in case the car breaks down and the have to walk.
Has some food and clean drinking water set aside in case of a storm, earthquake, mud slide, oil spill, contaminated water supply or civil unrest.
Has the knowledge to make a fire, disinfect water, make a shelter, catch/kill something to eat.
Etc...

A prepper has a jack and a good spare tire in case they get a flat tire.  A prepper has a supply of food set aside in case a hurricane, tornado or blizzard hits the area so they don't have to run around like an idiot trying to get food/water from a grocery store whose shelves will be empty in less than three hours.  A prepper keeps the car filled with fuel and in good running condition.  A prepper has the means to protect themselves and their families in the case of natural and/or man made disasters (read looting/rioting).

Why?

Because these things happen all the time to real people.  Forrest fires happen.  So do hurricanes and tornadoes and blizzards and overturned semi trucks with toxic chemicals and riots in urban areas.  They may not happen to you ever day, but there happening somewhere to someone today.  That means no one is immune to disaster or an emergency situation.  So it makes viable sense to do something today, when nothing is happening and you're under no stress, that will prevent or mitigate an emergency situation if/when it does happen.  

Doesn't make you paranoid, it makes you prepared.


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## Tez3 (Jun 15, 2016)

Kong Soo Do said:


> Sweeping statements based on media driven stereotypes usually aren't very accurate, or valid.



Really? I've found that from personal experience, so hardly a sweeping statement and this is from someone you look down on for their beliefs.


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 15, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> Really? I've found that from personal experience...



Which would be quite limited because you're not really a part of the community based upon your comments in this and other threads on the topic.  Whereas I have been a part of that community for many years and have found the vast majority to be kind, friendly and always ready to step up with helpful advice.  In fact, in addition to the discussion forum I own, I've moderated a second and am a senior member of a third as well as being part of a larger online community that regularly holds webinars on all sorts of 'prepper' topics to include emergency preparedness, self reliance, homesteading, gardening, composting/vermiposting, raising animals and much more. So yes, I'd say you've made a rather sweeping, and very inaccurate statement against an entire community of people that are all about helping others.  



Tez3 said:


> and this is from someone you look down on for their beliefs.



Ah, I see you're still offended because of another conversation, months ago on a different forum.  Disagreement on a topic doesn't denote looking down on them.  If anything, I'd say it was quite the reverse.  But as it was on another forum I'm not going to go into it here.


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## Tez3 (Jun 15, 2016)

I wasn't and am still not offended by any conversation, just amused at the presumption of your being right and *everyone* else wrong.
My statement was not a sweeping one, my impressions and opinions are mine and mine alone based on what has been posted on here in the past, perhaps these people are all warm and fuzzy when you 'know' them but the point is they aren't to people who don't hence my saying they look down on people.


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 15, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> My statement was not a sweeping one...



This was your exact statement:



> It's because *they* look down on those who don't believe as they do.



The term 'they' would be preppers in general and not as a specific.  Since you are not in the 'prepper' community, nor can you lay a claim to know all 'preppers' then yes, your statement was a sweeping statement and as such, inaccurate.  Your later claim that it was your 'impression and opinions' of the small number of people here on this board was not in your original statement and is nothing more than back peddling on your part. 




Tez3 said:


> I wasn't and am still not offended by any conversation, just amused at the presumption of your being right and *everyone* else wrong.



Yes, this is the tone you usually go with when someone dares to disagree with you or challenge something that you've said.  But I've made no sweeping statements to negatively label an entire community of individuals, which you have little experience with. You did and I challenged you on it.


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## Tez3 (Jun 15, 2016)

Kong Soo Do said:


> This was your exact statement:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Dear me, I hit a nerve didn't I? Sorry but I'm not going to burn in hell nor am I going to apologise for existing but there you go. You need to differentiate between an opinion and a statement. Mine was an opinion which you are doing nothing to change. I understand how much you think my kind are an anathema to you and really comments like yours do absolutely nothing but amuse me.

To those not following this, I will apologise, it comes after many comments on another site that I was invited to go on under false pretences, I didn't realise it was an attempt to convert me from my religion. In that attempt I was several times insulted which was actually quite funny but looked at soberly it was unpleasant and so I left, the above attack by the poster is a personal one based on my rejection of his beliefs and preferring to keep my own despite being told I would burn in hell etc etc etc. Now I shall proceed to put this poster in ignore so will miss the invariable attack to come. It's quite possible to disagree with someone and just say so rather make an attack on someone. But there you go.

Okay normal service resumed,


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## Kong Soo Do (Jun 15, 2016)

Tez3 said:


> Dear me, I hit a nerve didn't I?



Nope, no nerve hit at all.  



Tez3 said:


> Sorry but I'm not going to burn in hell nor am I going to apologise for existing but there you go



Um, okay.

The rest of your diatribe concerns a discussion on another forum in which you attacked other members and generally went wonky.  And I believe it is against the rules to bring a discussion elsewhere to this forum.  I believe you are aware of that rule.



Tez3 said:


> Now I shall proceed to put this poster in ignore so will miss the invariable attack to come.  It's quite possible to disagree with someone and just say so rather make an attack on someone.



It is not an attack to challenge someone on the veracity of something they said.  The OP asked the question of 'are you a prepper'.  You are not.  And the first statement you made in this thread was a negative remark on an entire community of people.  Not correct or helpful in any way nor did it promote the conversation.  

So goodbye.


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## PhotonGuy (Jun 17, 2016)

Kong Soo Do said:


> In fact, in addition to the discussion forum I own, I've moderated a second and am a senior member of a third as well as being part of a larger online community that regularly holds webinars on all sorts of 'prepper' topics to include emergency preparedness, self reliance, homesteading, gardening, composting/vermiposting, raising animals and much more.


So what are the prepper forums you run and participate in? Im always looking to join prepper forums.


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