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  • Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    I scanned several pages of topics in this subforum and found the usual list of topics on material preparation but nothing on forming partnerships and networks of like-minded people during times of societal upheaval.
    I don't spend a lot of time on prepping forums but one thing that the quiet and knowledgeable people stress over hoarding food and equipment, is forming relationships and developing plans with trustworthy people *before* things go sour. They stress that if you think you're going to roam alone with a rifle and a backpack and survive, "Walking Dead" style, you're lying to yourself.

    I run my mouth on MDS an awful lot but I am actually rather solitary and do not trust people easily, thus the forming of networks and partnerships has been very hard for me. Recently, I reconnected with some old friends and we have all agreed that our society is in the shitter and we're developing plans for mutual assistance and protection. I also have one very capable, intelligent neighbor whom I've formed a good relationship with for immediate mutual protection.

    How many of you are sitting in solitude on top of 30,000 rounds of ammo and 5 gallon buckets of Patriot Prepper food? How many of you have spoken seriously with neighbors, friends and family and formed at least some kind of loose mutual support agreement or plan?
     

    shootin the breeze

    Missed it by that much
    Dec 22, 2012
    3,878
    Highland
    We had two neighbors but they moved. We have a new one on the other side. He's an immigrant who escaped communism so he gets it but somehow wound up married to a MoCo teacher (libtard). She makes it interesting. Perhaps it was a greencard thing? Anyway, haven't figured out to to crack that nut yet. As long as society can hold it together for two more years we are good. Everyday though that seems less likely though.
     

    KingClown

    SOmething Witty
    Jul 29, 2020
    1,154
    Deep Blue MD
    I am sitting on 6 figures of ammo and reloading compnents to make another 6 figures. That Patriot supply food is horrible. I just bought a freeze dryer to make my own.
    Even though I dont currently hunt I need to start I live back in the mountains I have been planting different grasses and other things to get the deer in the area to spent some time in shooting range.
    However I only have one neighbor which is my sister. My elderly mother lives with me. The next closest people are atleast 1\4 mile away.
    I have solar panels and am getting ready to have a battery back up put in so I can have power for the well and stuff in a grid down situation. And I am about to build a greenhouse for year round fruit and veggies.
    I am trying to be able to live off grid and the only thing I will notice is I might not have to go to work every day.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,155
    I thought that's what this was about
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    I thought that's what this was about
    Ah, thank you. I'd never heard it called "MAG" before. That explains why I didn't find it in my searches.
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    Whenever I see posts of someone asking questions regarding number of weapons, rounds, LT food stores and the like it reminds me that The Grey Man concept is missing in many's survival plans.

    IMHO, MAGs or alliances will form based on the actions of individuals/small groups during the crisis as mutually-beneficial and trust relationships are form and tested.
     

    Alea Jacta Est

    Extinguished member
    MDS Supporter
    Whenever I see posts of someone asking questions regarding number of weapons, rounds, LT food stores and the like it reminds me that The Grey Man concept is missing in many's survival plans.

    IMHO, MAGs or alliances will form based on the actions of individuals/small groups during the crisis as mutually-beneficial and trust relationships are form and tested.
    It never hurts to be working potential relationships as a matter of routine. Being a good neighbor is more than a catch phrase.
     

    owldo

    Ultimate Member
    I scanned several pages of topics in this subforum and found the usual list of topics on material preparation but nothing on forming partnerships and networks of like-minded people during times of societal upheaval.
    I don't spend a lot of time on prepping forums but one thing that the quiet and knowledgeable people stress over hoarding food and equipment, is forming relationships and developing plans with trustworthy people *before* things go sour. They stress that if you think you're going to roam alone with a rifle and a backpack and survive, "Walking Dead" style, you're lying to yourself.

    I run my mouth on MDS an awful lot but I am actually rather solitary and do not trust people easily, thus the forming of networks and partnerships has been very hard for me. Recently, I reconnected with some old friends and we have all agreed that our society is in the shitter and we're developing plans for mutual assistance and protection. I also have one very capable, intelligent neighbor whom I've formed a good relationship with for immediate mutual protection.

    How many of you are sitting in solitude on top of 30,000 rounds of ammo and 5 gallon buckets of Patriot Prepper food? How many of you have spoken seriously with neighbors, friends and family and formed at least some kind of loose mutual support agreement or plan?
    Post like this make my antenna alarms go off ... IMO This is exactly the type of post I would start if I were a FBI or DHS operative tying to uncover "supremacists" ! "

    “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    Post like this make my antenna alarms go off ... IMO This is exactly the type of post I would start if I were a FBI or DHS operative tying to uncover "supremacists" ! "

    “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22


    If it's my final paragraph about sitting on ammo and food that set you off, the question was rhetorical. I'm not looking for an ammo/food report from the members.

    As for being a Fed, I don't know (or really care) what I can do to convince you that I'm not. I can tell you that there is at least one MDS member that I've known for a long time who would vouch that I'm not a glowie. If you're uncomfortable, don't participate in the conversation.
     

    Inigoes

    Head'n for the hills
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 21, 2008
    49,359
    SoMD / West PA
    Post like this make my antenna alarms go off ... IMO This is exactly the type of post I would start if I were a FBI or DHS operative tying to uncover "supremacists" ! "

    “Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

    Don't volunteer to bump off the Michigan governor.
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    Whenever I see posts of someone asking questions regarding number of weapons, rounds, LT food stores and the like it reminds me that The Grey Man concept is missing in many's survival plans.

    IMHO, MAGs or alliances will form based on the actions of individuals/small groups during the crisis as mutually-beneficial and trust relationships are form and tested.
    As I told the other guy, the question was rhetorical. It was more of a warning that if you haven't at least spoken to any trusted acquaintances, you might be behind the curve.

    I understand and agree with being gray. I disagree that one should wait until things are burning down to seek out mutual support. How are you supposed to plan and train if you wait until your partners are dead because they were alone and unsupported?

    Don't answer- it's a rhetorical question. I don't expect to change your mind.
     

    owldo

    Ultimate Member
    If it's my final paragraph about sitting on ammo and food that set you off, the question was rhetorical. I'm not looking for an ammo/food report from the members.

    As for being a Fed, I don't know (or really care) what I can do to convince you that I'm not. I can tell you that there is at least one MDS member that I've known for a long time who would vouch that I'm not a glowie. If you're uncomfortable, don't participate in the conversation.
    I was never insinuating that you were any type of agent ... It was the phrase you used about "preparation but nothing on forming partnerships and networks" that caused my hackles to go up ! My apologies if I offended !
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    It was the phrase you used about "preparation but nothing on forming partnerships and networks" that caused my hackles to go up ! My apologies if I offended !
    No worries. Everyone's on edge these days. Ah, I see what you mean now. Yeah, government doesn't like it when people coordinate. :(
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Whenever I see posts of someone asking questions regarding number of weapons, rounds, LT food stores and the like it reminds me that The Grey Man concept is missing in many's survival plans.

    IMHO, MAGs or alliances will form based on the actions of individuals/small groups during the crisis as mutually-beneficial and trust relationships are form and tested.
    There's a guy who is the founder a large firearms-related company. He writes preparedness articles for his companies newsletters and elsewhere. He has some good information about some aspects of preparedness, others, not so much. One thing he's written about multiple times is radio transceivers. His advise has always been to buy used amateur radio High Frequency (HF) and to not pay attention to other writers of the same genre who say to buy handheld VHF/UHF transceivers. His rationale is that you can communicate to loved ones over long distances with the HF transceivers but with the handhelds you can't so everyone else's opinion is garbage.

    Every time I read this I think of advise I've read since the 70's about having a community of like minded individuals. A lot of people talk about buying "seed banks" for instance but how are you going to raise food during TEOTWAWKI by yourself, or even with a small family and keep an eye on it 24/7? And how are you going have lookouts call for help in the event of looters or other trouble? And that's just one example. You may have to go a good distance for water, for firewood. The list goes on...
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    As I told the other guy, the question was rhetorical. It was more of a warning that if you haven't at least spoken to any trusted acquaintances, you might be behind the curve.

    I understand and agree with being gray. I disagree that one should wait until things are burning down to seek out mutual support. How are you supposed to plan and train if you wait until your partners are dead because they were alone and unsupported?

    Don't answer- it's a rhetorical question. I don't expect to change your mind.
    OK, the issue with posting as opposed to talking is that without a statement of "a rhetorical question/statement" there's no way to tell.
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,234
    Millersville
    I’ve thought about this issue from time to time. At the moment I am at the lone wolf level, more out of circumstance than necessity. Five or six immediate neighbors are either grey man experts or sheep waiting for the Shepards protection. Beyond them I don’t know the others at all. I think for the most part everyone is busy with life and we don’t socialize together.
    Daughter, SIL, and grand kids would be the first to approach as they’re a known, and reasonably close.
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    @K31 Yeah, the comms issue is like guns- Everyone has an opinion.

    I've been a comms guy my entire adult life. Radio for the Navy and telecommunications and networks in my civilian life.

    The bottom line is this: HF lets you communicate over the horizon without satellites (if you know the little tricks) and anything higher frequency than that is "line of sight." If I can't see you, I can't talk to you. The tradeoff is that most UHF/VHF radios are compact and low power draw. HF rigs are bulkier and consume more power and are best utilized with larger antennas that are less portable. That's it. You make your choices based on your TEOTWAWKI plans.

    Your question about gardening also applies to simply surviving in your home. A guy and his wife will be hard pressed to maintain a 24/7 watch against intruders and also get enough sleep AND deal with day-to-day survival issues. Just one extra person to share the night watch makes a world of difference.
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    I’ve thought about this issue from time to time. At the moment I am at the lone wolf level, more out of circumstance than necessity. Five or six immediate neighbors are either grey man experts or sheep waiting for the Shepards protection. Beyond them I don’t know the others at all. I think for the most part everyone is busy with life and we don’t socialize together.
    Daughter, SIL, and grand kids would be the first to approach as they’re a known, and reasonably close.

    For years, I was also isolated from my neighbors. Didn't care to know them. Society in general has drifted in that direction, most likely to our detriment. Being isolated means that your neighbors won't think twice about preying upon you. They don't know you, don't respect you, and don't know or care if you'd be stronger together as a team. I have only recognized this recently and begun to fix it. The destruction of our communities is intentional and has been going on for 20-30 years.

    Not only do I have sheep in my neighborhood, I suspect a few of my neighbors are the type to lash out against people like me who they view as "responsible" for the state of things right now.
     

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