Are you a prepper?

[3930dave]

I'm not a prepper, but I strive to be self sufficient.

The terminology has been sensationalized at times, to where that fundamental point is lost on some people.

People think of extreme conflicts (can't say that I don't), but for most of us, the triggers will be severe weather events, or non-hostile (ie. tech just failing on it's own....) system failures.

10+ years ago, perfect summer weather, a cascade-failure started in a NE State (NY or Ohio ?) and took down the grid here for many days. Recently, we had a major internet supplier (very restricted choices here) totally down for multiple days..... many businesses were pretty much non-functional.

With the complexity of modern systems.... it doesn't take much to create major disruptions, even without bad-actors involved.....

Rgds, D.

 

[workinonit]

What you call a prepper is to some degree what I thuink of as counrtry folk or farmers around here. I have enough food in my 4 freezers to last us quite some time. The day is coming and the youth of this country and the idiots in the entertainment and media business have no clue the severity of what's happening in the world today.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

You are right. However if it came to that, I have the capability to can everything in them. The toughest part would be learning to master the pressure cooker on the wood stove.

It is pretty much build a bed of coAl’s, and keep adding charcoal.

You can make charcoal with an old pressure cooker.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The terminology has been sensationalized at times, to where that fundamental point is lost on some people.

People think of extreme conflicts (can't say that I don't), but for most of us, the triggers will be severe weather events, or non-hostile (ie. tech just failing on it's own....) system failures.

10+ years ago, perfect summer weather, a cascade-failure started in a NE State (NY or Ohio ?) and took down the grid here for many days. Recently, we had a major internet supplier (very restricted choices here) totally down for multiple days..... many businesses were pretty much non-functional.

With the complexity of modern systems.... it doesn't take much to create major disruptions, even without bad-actors involved.....

Rgds, D.

My fear is that one of the nations making all of aour command and control computers for the critical infrastructure has hidden nonsense triggers deep in the firmware.

The first time we went to Iraq, their entire air defense and control radar system went nuts, showing planes that weren’t there, and not showing planes that were there, or showing them miles from where they were.

The French sold them the air defense system, including a hidden feature that if a certain nonstandard transponder code was received it went crazy.

How much of the PLC replacement systems running our water, sewer, streetlights, telephone, power, etc. we’re made in America?

How much of the internet of things, devices in our houses have controls made in America? What happens to your place if they all scramble.

I recently replaced a water heater at work, with an electric one. The control board for the fancy high efficiency propane unit went bad. The lead time was three to six weeks, for the new board. A replacement propane water heater with the same capacity and features had the same lead time. I went with an electric unit, which had more capacity, and four standard elements and thermostats which can be bought locally, and serviced by just about any maintenance tech.

Anything with a chip in it can fail from an electrical surge. Anything with logic could be controlled elsewhere.

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks Moss. As you can see I haven't read the thread but, I like to think about Dr. Pepper. It's a pity I can't handle carbonated drinks anymore.

BTW, Dr. Pepper provides the most vocal burps of any carbonated drinks that I consume.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Olde Tech beating Nu Tek..... who'd a thunk it ?

Big Wink

In my day, my one Gramma on the farm was canning less than when the family was young (b4 my time), but the one thing she still did was peaches. Those Mason-jar peaches were hands down, THE best preserves I'm sure I'll ever eat..... canned ones usually have a texture somewhat like rubber.

Rgds, D.

My old great uncle gave away some sorghum syrup he had in jars. I got a few jars, just what I fairly needed. Figured everyone was gonna want some, but they didn't. Literally a ton of it or more. I mean it was squeezed out with a syrup mill and cooked down thick. A lot of work was in it. What did them boys that he gave it to do? They stacked it up and had themselves a 22 shooting beer drinking good time. Now, to this day, there is a huge pile of broke glass and rusty mason jar lids where this happened. It was all quart jars. Those people are the ones you should be concerned about, and they are all over.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

What you call a prepper is to some degree what I thuink of as counrtry folk or farmers around here. I have enough food in my 4 freezers to last us quite some time. The day is coming and the youth of this country and the idiots in the entertainment and media business have no clue the severity of what's happening in the world today.

You need to can them freezers. I have that project going on right now. I have a freezer full of white perch next to do if you had one freezer I wouldn't say anything. But four, you can have a big loss.

 

[5030]

What you call a prepper is to some degree what I thuink of as counrtry folk or farmers around here. I have enough food in my 4 freezers to last us quite some time. The day is coming and the youth of this country and the idiots in the entertainment and media business have no clue the severity of what's happening in the world today.

I don't have 4, only 2 chest ones. One for meat and wild game meat and the other for prepared meals like stuffed peppers and garden vegetables that can be frozen, not canned. No issue with loosing power either with our diesel powered standby. Was just running the other evening, we lost utility power for about 8 hours, some clown down a utility pole up on the paved road, probably speeding and loaded.

 

[3930dave]

Anything with a chip in it can fail from an electrical surge. Anything with logic could be controlled elsewhere.

You only have to know a little (obviously you know a lot more than that....) about tech to grok how vulnerable these systems are.....

Many areas at work are on motion sensors for lights. Several lights were out in high activity area.... the regular electrical contractor eventually figured it out..... just one low-voltage relay that the sensor talked to needed changing - and he was able to scrounge one elsewhere.

Proprietary lighting control system involved - so if you call those guys in, it's $1k+ CAD just for the truck-roll..... to change a $5 relay......

Neighbour needs to order some RS485 chips (China suppliers seem to be the only ones stocking....) to hopefully get a huge HVAC system back online, after a ceiling contractor butchered up the control wiring......

Just two recent examples......

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Literally a ton of it or more. I mean it was squeezed out with a syrup mill and cooked down thick. A lot of work was in it.

No appreciation, for much, is too common....

Education comes in various forms. Many CAN/USA people today haven't seen really hard times - some will soon be getting edumacated...

Rgds, D.