In honor of the Survival Weekly Facebook profile reaching 2000 friends, we’re doing a fun little contest where you can win some free books and maybe some other goodies.

At the end of the contest, I’ll pick two winners at random from all qualifying entries. I’ll present each winner with a list of books available and they will have their choice of two books from the list. I may just toss into the packages a few odds and ends I’ve picked up over the years as well.

The entry period runs from today, February 10, through next Friday, February 17.

Here’s how to enter:

1) If you are a friend of ours on Facebook, you automatically get one entry.

2) Every time you “like” a post of ours on Facebook during the entry period, you get an additional entry.

3) Every time you “share” a post of ours on Facebook during the entry period, you get an additional entry.

4) Every time you post a comment on a post of ours on Facebook during the entry period, you get an additional entry.

5) Bonus — if you purchase something from one of the advertisers found on SurvivalWeekly.com, you get five additional entries. Just email me — Jim@SurvivalWeekly.com — and let me know who you purchased from and the name on the order so I can verify it really happened.

I’ll pick the winners after the entry period ends and post them on Monday, February 20. Any questions, give me a shout.

Good luck!

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About every two or three weeks, I get an email from this or that casting company asking if I’d be interested in being involved with some new program or perhaps just helping to get the word out about a proposed new show. Please, before emailing me, read through the following.

If you are looking for a disaster readiness expert to be involved in a show that strives to be truly educational, I’m interested.

If you are seeking a true professional who has common sense solutions to problems preppers face, I’m your guy.

If you are trying to find someone who is comfortable on or off camera to provide commentary, advice, or tips on being prepared for whatever life may toss our way, give me a shout.

However…

If you are casting for a show that intends on portraying preppers as goofballs, wing nuts, or full blown whack-a-loons, don’t waste my time or yours.

If the show you have in mind has the goal of pointing a finger and saying, “Get a load of THESE nutters,” don’t bother contacting me.

If my involvement is going to entail giving a guided tour of my own preps, yeah, um, I’m gonna pass.

With interest in prepping at an all time high, it stands to reason TV production companies would like to take advantage of that fact. I’m all for using whatever means necessary to get people more involved with making their own preparations for potential emergencies. I’d love to see more TV programs devoted to this topic.

But, rather than focus on the few extremists who make us all look bad, how about doing something that might be both entertaining and informative? There are hundreds of thousands of people in the US who are looking for quality information on how to be better prepared. They don’t need nor want Hoarders. They want a prepper version of Mike Holmes.

Yeah, that’d be me.

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So, if you’ve been watching the news at all in the last few weeks, you are aware there are big doings going on down on Wall Street, as well as in several other cities. Apparently, the idea is to protest that 1% of the population holds the majority of wealth in this country and yet they pay less in taxes than us working stiffs.

At least, I think that’s what the protests are about. It seems as though if you ask any random ten people involved, you’ll get ten different answers as to why they are protesting.

Here’s what I don’t understand. What exactly is it the protesters are hoping to accomplish? To call attention to the great wealth disparity in the US? Really? Are there folks out there who aren’t aware of this already? The wealthy are sure aware of it and you can be double damn sure us poor working slobs know about it too.

Don’t get me wrong here. I’m with them on thinking something needs to change, and quickly. We should all have an equal say in how things are run in this country, regardless of wealth, social status, or what companies you have in your stock portfolio. But, I fail to see how these protests are going to do much of anything. All they are doing is calling attention to something that is already very well known. As well as incurring millions of dollars in taxpayer expense in clean up, law enforcement, and other such areas.

Kinda like “breast cancer awareness” programs. Honestly, are there slack-jawed mouth breathers out there somewhere who AREN’T aware of breast cancer at this point? Look, I’m all for the “save the ta-tas” initiatives. I’m a straight, red-blooded American male. In other words, I’m a big fan of breasts. But these “raise awareness” programs are just pointless. That’s not putting money towards cure research. All those programs do is make people feel good for a few minutes, making them think they’ve done their part to help.

Companies love to get involved in crap like this too. If you buy their product and send in the special pink label, they’ll donate a half-cent to some charitable organization working towards breast cancer awareness. Great! Get 87 of your friends to chip in with their labels and you’ve covered the postage cost of just mailing in those stupid labels! If a company were truly altruistic, they’d just cut a check to the charity and maybe mention it on their website or Facebook and be done with it. Instead, they want you to buy their product and feel good about doing your fair share towards “awareness.”

The only awareness that needs to be raised is that instead of spending billions of dollars on the ever-more-pointless “war on drugs,” we should be using that money to provide meaningful health care to US citizens. (Hey, if you want to really revamp health care and Social Security in this country, make it a law that ALL politicians must receive the same benefits as everyone else.) Instead of sitting on their collective asses and receiving insane salaries and benefits packages, our politicians should be working around the clock toward creating living wage jobs for our unemployed. And rather than giving billions of dollars in aid to other countries, we should be keeping that money here and work on making sure no child goes to bed hungry, let alone wondering where that bed will be tonight.

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About once a month or so, I see posts made on various survival-related online forums by people seeking to either form a “survival community” or join an existing one. Here’s a hard truth these people need to learn — there just ain’t no such thing (for the most part).

Now, before my inbox explodes with emails from people who wish to argue the point, let me at least define a couple terms and state my case.

This is how I define a survival community: An established parcel of land, with existing structures, occupied solely or at least mostly by survivalists or preppers who have banded together to work with each other towards some degree of self-sufficiency. The way they are often portrayed by people who post about their plans for creating such an animal, they talk about hundreds of acres of both wilderness and tillable land, raising livestock, tending massive gardens, an established leadership structure, homeschooling for the kids, and of course the requisite security components (vast armory, trained soldiers patrolling the grounds, etc.). Think a hippie commune but with guns.

This differs from the much more common retreat group. A retreat group I define as being a collection of family and/or friends who have a spot of land somewhere they may visit from time to time as recreational property but also with some sort of plan to “get together” if something major were to happen. The land could be jointly owned, old family property, or perhaps an individual has the title but allows the remainder of the group access to it. There may or may not be established structures on the property. The group may rarely get together as a complete unit. Some of the group may not even really be considered preppers, but they are included in any overall survival plans because of their connection to the group. Think of a hunting cabin with acreage where family and friends go in the summers to ATV and winters to snowmobile.

Of all the thousands of people I’ve met online and in real life, I can count on one hand the number of people who have an actual survival community set up. I could count the number of people whom I truly believe have an established survival retreat group on all of my appendages with a few to spare.

Lots of folks like to dream about survival communities and that’s not inherently bad. But, if y’all are waiting (and hoping) to join one so you’re “set” if the feces hit the rotary air movement device, think again. That’s just not gonna happen.

There are all sorts of issues that come into play when you talk about these survival communities. Operated as described above, which is admittedly a pie in the sky description to begin with, it is pretty much doomed to failure. See, here’s the thing. Survivalists are generally, by their very nature, individualistic and kinda hard-headed. We don’t like being told what to do, do we? In fact, many of us downright chafe under authority. We like to go our own way, do our own thing. Getting a big group of us together to work on a project, especially a really long-term one, amounts to the old “too many chiefs, not enough indians” problem.

Plus, many of these so-called plans for survival communities have lists of desired occupations, don’t they? Gotta have a doctor or two, a few nurses, some combat hardened vets, a mechanic or three, farmers, ranchers, teachers, et cetera, ad nauseum. It just isn’t anywhere near realistic to somehow manage to get all these people together, most of whom probably haven’t met before, and put them in a room and expect them to all get along, agree on most everything, and start working on a major project.

How do you decide who leads such a community? Is it the person who contributed the most funds? What if that person develops into a raving lunatic under the pressure of leadership?

Many of the people who have these vast plans for a survival community have not one clue what it would take to actually get one running. They don’t understand just how much work it would be just on a day to day basis, let alone after all the external support services cease to exist.

I’m not saying it absolutely can’t be done. I know folks who are doing it. But, it wasn’t an easy road by any means and I’m double darn sure they aren’t looking to increase their membership right now. To join an existing community like that involves an extremely extensive vetting process. It isn’t like you can fill out an application, go through a thirty minute interview, and you’re in. We’re talking several months, at a minimum.

Instead of hoping to find an established community where you can live out your days, focus on your own immediate survival needs. Get together a retreat group if you’d like but don’t count on any of them riding in like the cavalry if the balloon goes up. Make your own plans, stick to them, and get prepared. Remember, the only person you can really, truly count on is yourself.

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I’ll be teaching two short, quick-n-dirty classes on family disaster readiness next month in Delavan, Wisconsin.

Session 1 will be Tuesday, Sept 20, 6pm-7:30pm. This session will cover building bug out bags and other survival kits. (Course number 93770.1)

Session 2 will be Tuesday, Sept 27, 6pm-7:30pm. This session will cover general family preparedness planning for the home. (Course number 93770.2)

If you have friends or family in the Walworth County area who are very new to prepping, this is a great way to help them “get their feet wet” and learn some valuable information.

This class is being offered through the Delavan Park & Rec Department as part of their overall community education program. Cost is $10 ($7 for city residents) per session.

If you or someone you know might be interested in attending, pre-registration is required. Contact the Delavan Park & Rec department at 262/728-5585 x138 or prdirector@ci.delavan.wi.us for a registration form.

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I’ve been contacted by another film company regarding a new TV show they are putting together. Here’s the gist:

Screaming Flea Productions, the creators and producers of A&E’s hit show Hoarders, is casting for a new show about preparing for the apocalypse or a natural disaster. Please contact mreindal@sfpseattle.com if you have any information about this subject, or know a “prepper” or “survivalist” who would be willing to appear on camera. We will provide full anonymity, as well as compensation.

Same caveats apply as mentioned previously here about appearing on a TV show. However, I will say this — these folks have been decent in their dealings with me. While I have no financial or other connection with them, my communications with them have been favorable. I get the distinct impression they want to do the subject justice, rather than just highlight the extreme whack jobs out there. Just my opinion though, for whatever that might be worth to you.

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The production company that did the show Doomsday Preppers on NatGeo a while back is looking for new recruits. One of their talent scouts has been in touch with me and I said I’d pass the word along.

The scout said this about the planned show: “Our show is geared towards having an educational purpose, and we’re looking for people that can show others something new to prepping.” If you saw the Doomsday Preppers show recently, you’ll be familiar with what they do and what they’re trying to accomplish.

They are looking for the more extreme type of prepper. I’d say you’d probably have to have at least several months worth of food and water, extensive medical supplies, and/or a fairly well tricked out armory to be of interest to them.

They promise to keep all information submitted to them at this time completely confidential. But naturally, if you end up on the show, folks are probably going to recognize you. You rolls the dice, you takes your chances, as they say.

It should be obvious but I’ll say it anyway — I have nothing to do with this show myself. I’m not connected to them in any way, shape, or form. If you choose to get involved and the experience isn’t to your liking, DON’T BLAME ME! I’m merely passing along the info for those of you who might be interested.

If you’d like more information about this opportunity, shoot an email to them at prepperstv@gmail.com.

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Several years ago, I worked in management. I was the Loss Prevention Team Leader at a store in a fairly large chain. I was not a rent-a-cop, just for the record. This job position was part of the overall management team in the store. As such, I participated in management meetings where we often discussed how best to motivate the employees. One idea that came down the pike was to use these little coupons that were good for one candy bar. The idea was to reward an employee you saw going above and beyond the call of duty with one of these coupons. Not a bad idea, I thought. But it didn’t take long before employees came to expect getting these coupons, just for doing the basics of their job. In fact, one manager began handing them out to employees just for showing up for work!

Personally, I’ve always felt your “reward” for doing your job was the paycheck at the end of the week. If you go substantially beyond your normal duties in the interest of doing a great job, then sure, you might deserve to get a little something extra. But, to get a special treat just for clocking in on time?

I know every generation looks down upon the following one. At times, I feel as though I’m turning into a grumpy old curmudgeon, bitching like I’m the just-caught villain in a Scooby-Doo cartoon and upset about “…those meddling kids!” But, facts are facts. The younger generation today is all about entitlement. What can YOU do for ME? And this has been going on for quite some time now.

Society encourages this by rewarding mediocrity like it is excellence. We don’t have losers anymore in juvenile athletics. EVERYONE gets a ribbon or trophy, just for playing along. We’re ALL winners! This, quite frankly, is a load of crap. I’m not saying we should discourage kids from trying. I’m just saying that by treating them in this way, they become “programmed” to expect it throughout their lives. Heaven forbid one of these kids faces the reality that they just aren’t absolutely perfect human beings.

Academically, they are graded on a curve in many classes or other means are implemented so as to prevent any student from feeling even slightly inferior. Much of the time, teachers are hamstrung from the get go, what with all this “No Child Left Behind” nonsense. The predictable result of No Child Left Behind is No Child Gets a Quality Education.

Kids all have different abilities, different talents. Part of the job of both parents and professional educators should be to help kids determine their individual talents and how to best use them in their lives. Being able to fog a mirror should not be considered a major talent and it certainly isn’t a skill worthy of reward.

When did mediocrity become excellence? Well, my buddy John Burks might have the right of it when he says, “When we tried making everyone the same.”

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There are several places online I tend to frequent. Most, but not all, are survival related.

Post-Apocalyptic Forums: A great little message board devoted to all things post-apocalyptic (books, movies, video games, etc.). There is even a subsection of the board where real world survival tactics are discussed.

Post-Modern Pulps blog: My buddy Jack Badelaire is an even bigger geek than me when it comes to those cheesy action/adventure books from the 70s and 80s. He has a great blog here where he posts reviews and news. I’d encourage you to check out his new ezine, Hatchet Force Journal. It is just awesome.

Survival-Gear blog: Full disclosure, I write this blog. Monday through Friday, I post here on pretty much any topic imaginable relating to survival. From bug out bags to food storage plans, expedient wilderness shelters to choosing a survival knife, I’ve covered it and will continue to do so. Topic suggestions are always welcome!

SurvivalistBoards: This is a HUGE message board with literally thousands of registered members. From the newbie to the old pro, they have it covered here. Word of caution — you can’t go into this one thin-skinned. Lots of great, helpful people here but if you act like an ass, they’ll chew you up and spit you out. They do not suffer fools.

Bug Out Survival blog: Scott Williams has become one of my favorite survival writers. He has truly been there and done that and it shows. He knows what works, what doesn’t, and how to improvise on the fly when needed.

I also belong to several Yahoo Groups. For those who aren’t familiar with them, here’s how it works. You join a group by going to the group’s home page and clicking the Join button. Some groups are set up such that you can join immediately, while with others you have to be “approved” first. The approval is typically just a means to prevent spammers. Once you’ve joined the group, you’ll receive via email the posts made to the group by the members. Essentially, it is a way to discuss topics with hundreds of people all at once. The best thing to do is to join a group, then just sit tight for a couple days and read the posts as they come to you. This allows you to get a feel for how the group operates. But to truly get the most out of the experience, you have to participate in the discussions. Ask questions, give feedback, and get to know folks. I’ve made several very good friends over the many years I’ve been on various groups.

Here are a few I heartily recommend:

Women Survivalists: The focus is on the female perspective on survival matters but there are several of us tripods on the group as well. Deborah in the UP (author of The Self-Reliant Woman blog here on SW) formed this group with the idea being to provide a safe place for women to post questions and have discussions without fear of ridicule from the more vocal male segment of survivalists. It is truly a wonderful group and one I’m honored to be involved with.

Survival Retreat: One of the largest survival-related Yahoo Groups currently active. Chock full of sage advice from those who have been around the block more than just a couple times.

Survival Creed: Very similar to Women Survivalists above, but with more male presence.

Survival Homestead: I haven’t been on this group very long but I’m impressed with the knowledge represented here. Seems to be a good, solid group of nice folks.

Frugal Folks Life: If you want to learn ways to save money, do more with less, and pretty much any other topic relating to being frugal, this is THE group to join. I’ve been a member for many years and learn something new every day.

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For a while now, I’ve been mulling over starting a new blog here. This one is going to be sort of a catch-all for posts that don’t seem to fit elsewhere. Random musings on the state of the country, news about the Survival Weekly website, information about other sites I might stumble upon, perhaps even a cartoon or two.

As always, any questions, concerns, or insults can be posted as a comment here or emailed to me — Jim@SurvivalWeekly.com.

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