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Post by SA Hunter on Dec 31, 2022 22:47:49 GMT 10
So, what was the BEST prepping decision you made in 2022, and what was the WORST decision you made? What worked? What didn't?
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Jan 1, 2023 7:52:48 GMT 10
Best, inviting my sister and her kids to move onto the property. Worst.....they did !!! Not really, glad to have them here.
I was told to check my attitude, I did and its still there, its not going anywhere, whats the problem ?
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Jan 1, 2023 8:13:02 GMT 10
Best, inviting my sister and her kids to move onto the property. Worst.....they did !!! Not really, glad to have them here. I was told to check my attitude, I did and its still there, its not going anywhere, whats the problem ? Mate not interest in prying but for the sake of individuals such as myself where there is an expectation that come SHTF some of my family members would show up here can you elaborate / teach us / warn us with this?
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Jan 1, 2023 8:32:11 GMT 10
Expectations of whose coming.
I did invite both sisters and their families to move up. One did, along with one of her two daughters.
Invited mum and step dad as well, but they are over 90, and told me they would prefer to die in their own place. So be it, their decision. Ive done my bit as the oldest child to look after them.
The other sister and brother in law don't seem to think anythings wrong. They have their 4 bedroom apartment overlooking the beach, and are settled. They will have a great view of the tsunami as it rolls in.
However, your comments are real, as they jokingly said that if it does fall over, they will be up here quick smart.
My reply was. No you wont. If you do turn up, you'd better be prepared to work, have your own independent accommodations and enough food and supplies for at least 6 months. You also better have some skills that can be used, 'cause if you don't, u are gunna be working in the gardens.
Several close friends have been invited, and they have skills needed, one is a builder, and the other a sawmill operator. Both useful skills. And my sister who moved up, is a retired registered nurse, so a good addition.
I myself couldn't turn away family in a crisis, but they have to be told firmly, whats expected of them BEFORE they just "turn up".
Hard as it is, its your property, your call, your and your immediate family's survival and anything that threatens that must be dealt with as a real threat. No body will be sitting on the handlebars whilst everyone else is peddling furiously to survive.
What about 'street' people who just turn up ? Luckily, we are quite a ways out and this issue isn't particularly worrying for us. But the same principles apply, except that you don't know who they are and their belief systems. Would you trust them to do perimeter patrols with a firearm ? What about stealing from the groups limited resources ? Its a hard decision, but they would be turned away at the gate. The risk just isn't worth it. What about the girl who turns up with a toddler or even a baby at foot ? That's a call I hope I never have to make.
This may be an idea for a separate posting to be made concerning this issue.
I'm old, but I'm like...cool old.
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Jan 1, 2023 8:56:53 GMT 10
Good one mate! I chose my place for it's "remoteness" but at the same time it's relatively close travel time to a half decent "town". By road there is one way in and only the same way out, but for us there are multiple "escape routes"! Nearly thirty years ago when I bought this place everyone thought I was an effing idiot but now they all "get it". It's the Mid North Coast and I spent many years as a young man buying and selling properties until I found this one!
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Jan 1, 2023 13:06:32 GMT 10
Same here, 3.5 km from a 'main' road, 45 mins to a largish town, a few smaller (100 people) towns within 1/2 hr. Plenty water from 3 large dams, solar equipped, lots of water tanks and space to stretch. Even for a rifle range for the mates when we feel like it.
2 large mountain ranges in each direction to travel over to get here.
Thinking about yr question, and maybe, a points system may be the way to go. Something like.
Surgeon in an ER hospital, 100 points straight away.
Likewise engineer from NASA, or a SAS soldier.
GM of Ford, -100 points, useless skill after TSHTF.
Comments ?
Sometimes I impress even myself.
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Beno
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Post by Beno on Jan 1, 2023 13:11:39 GMT 10
Best: I have two both economics based. 1A was to start a side business which will raise my income significantly and allow great tax deductions. 1B was to keep my mouth shut at work after being shut down repeatedly by the boss for having new ideas. this went on for 4 years the things went to crap recently and we were eventually restructured. My boss got all pissy and spat the dummy big time and left as he didn’t get things his way. I piped up to the director who thankfully is a listener and gave 15 mins of wisdom on how to turn the pile o poop into fertiliser. I got old mates job and a $25k payrise.
worst. Using black builders plastic to kill weeds in my soaked garden. It’s still recovering but at least it is producing.
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Post by Stealth on Jan 1, 2023 17:33:48 GMT 10
Best: (Although technically a 2021 decision, follow through happened 2022): Retraining into a new job role which gave me the freedom and flexibility to move into a job where I was paid significantly more for what is frankly a whole lot less work. I still do it to my absolute best capacity but I'm not expected to work miracles on the daily anymore. Follow on was then having the capacity to buy a house which has moved us not only back in direct proximity of family but also very close to the region we're looking to buy a BoL in. Without the choice to retrain we absolutely wouldn't be in the position we're in now.
Worst: That's a tough one. I don't actually think I made any really bad prepping decisions last year because we were so limited in what we could do anyway. Perhaps buying some cheap kit. Some of the things that I've bought haven't lasted the distance because they were cheap and poorly made but they did fill a gap before I could get a hold of something better.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Jan 1, 2023 19:02:42 GMT 10
Best decision: not to submit to intimidation and get the untested jab.
Worst decision: there wasn’t one
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Jan 1, 2023 23:25:05 GMT 10
Best: Completed updated first aid and snake captor and release courses. Added substantially to preps, got a family member to get a Shooters Licence. Increased earnings.
Worst: Did improve on physical fitness, but not anywhere near where I want to be. Flooding was annoying and disruptive.
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bug
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Post by bug on Jan 2, 2023 21:20:21 GMT 10
Best: My other half is finally on board after being a quiet, trusting person, now totally detests the govt and wants a large stash of food in the house and a water filter. Also (though not in a prepping way) changed jobs into a higher paying, more flexible role.
Worst: Bought into the stockmarket (not in a massive way) at the second dip. Turned out there was a third dip which has not recovered yet...
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Post by ausprep130 on Jan 10, 2023 9:37:11 GMT 10
Same here, 3.5 km from a 'main' road, 45 mins to a largish town, a few smaller (100 people) towns within 1/2 hr. Plenty water from 3 large dams, solar equipped, lots of water tanks and space to stretch. Even for a rifle range for the mates when we feel like it. 2 large mountain ranges in each direction to travel over to get here. Thinking about yr question, and maybe, a points system may be the way to go. Something like. Surgeon in an ER hospital, 100 points straight away. Likewise engineer from NASA, or a SAS soldier. GM of Ford, -100 points, useless skill after TSHTF. Comments ? Sometimes I impress even myself. I see the funny side of your comment about 'GM of Ford', but in all honesty a GM has skills which I believe would be necessary - more so the larger community. eg: management, negotiation, strategic thinking and planning, cunning, ruthlessness just to name a few. It reminds me of a comment on a podcast many years ago. It compared drug cartels to fast food chains and discussed the triangle of least risk for highest reward for the small number of people at the top of the organisation compared to the most risk for least reward for large number of people at the bottom rungs of the organisation. The comment basically said a drug baron could switch places with the CEO of fast food chain and the organisation would continue as per normal as the skill sets are very similar if not the same. And vice versa. Many people have skills that you may not necessarily think useful in SHTF but I think you would be surprised at how adaptable people can be and how 'useless' skills can be transformed into 'useful' and necessary skills.
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bug
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Post by bug on Jan 10, 2023 14:58:49 GMT 10
That's a fair point. Fast food operates in a very similar manner to illicit drugs. Both are designed to hook and ultimately kill people, one legal, one not.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Jan 10, 2023 15:40:05 GMT 10
quote:
“The comment basically said a drug baron could switch places with the CEO of fast food chain and the organisation would continue as per normal as the skill sets are very similar if not the same. And vice versa.”
So you’ll get a free toy or monopoly scratchie with each deal of cocaine, whilst KFC and Maccas sort their turf wars with bombs and guns.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Jan 10, 2023 15:40:35 GMT 10
"I see the funny side of your comment about 'GM of Ford', but in all honesty a GM has skills which I believe would be necessary - more so the larger community. "
As long as he/she can weld a spade and knows which end of a gun is the nasty end, they may be welcome here. Survival will be the name of the game, and that means work producing food, hard work, not withstanding using a tractor for the really heavy jobs, like rotary hoeing.
But if anyone thinks they are gunna sit on the handlebars whilst everyone else peddles, you will be escorted, at gunpoint if necessary, from the farm.
Looking at a second tractor, backup, an old David Brown 1210 with a shot water pump. having just changed my DB's water pump, its not a hard job, and if its the right price........
Dark has many health giving properties. Dark helps prevent skin cancer. It can reduce the incidence of cataracts in the eyes and it can soothe sore eyes.
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bushdoc2
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Post by bushdoc2 on Jan 10, 2023 16:54:01 GMT 10
That's a fair point. Fast food operates in a very similar manner to illicit drugs. Both are designed to hook and ultimately kill people, one legal, one not.
The book "Freakonomics" gave an example of a drug kingpin who did his business studies then ran the drug empire.
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Post by ausprep130 on Jan 11, 2023 8:38:54 GMT 10
quote: “The comment basically said a drug baron could switch places with the CEO of fast food chain and the organisation would continue as per normal as the skill sets are very similar if not the same. And vice versa.” So you’ll get a free toy or monopoly scratchie with each deal of cocaine, whilst KFC and Maccas sort their turf wars with bombs and guns. Funny take on that but the comment was saying the organisations would continue as normal because the business models are basically the same ie: sell #### to the masses while simultaneously ignoring/denying the negative impacts of the product. It was not suggesting the specific practices within the organisation would switch as well. Regardless who is at the helm, a drug empire will continue using violence and intimidation, while a fast food organisation will continue using advertising and influence of government. Having said that, some practices are interchangeable. Street level dealers have been known to offer free samples and other enticements in order to attract new customers. Some have even offered rewards for referrals. And organisations have been known to resort to undue influence or corruption of government officials to get what they want (not quite bombs/guns but unsavoury nonetheless)
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