There. Ive made my manditory post. Can I still be part of the club. LOL 😎

C-5,

Of course, you are still welcome here.......but you will have to surrender one "sock"!!!!

Just kidding,

Mountainman.

Well, the secret conspiracy has finaly been reveiled as to where single missing socks go. Its been GC all along and hes been ghosting through my drier. Wait a minit. I dont own a drier.Cloth line only. Well it all made sence 5 minits ago when Alex Jones Town uncovered the plot

Well, the secret conspiracy has finaly been reveiled as to where single missing socks go. Its been GC all along and hes been ghosting through my drier. Wait a minit. I dont own a drier.Cloth line only. Well it all made sence 5 minits ago when Alex Jones Town uncovered the plot

There are monsters inside your washing machine!!
Shhhh! Be werry werry Quiet!!!

27 pages of 0 posts..... I was looking over them and alot of them are from 2011 shouldnt they be goten rid of? Sorry to sound mean but theyre obviously innactive imo. Couldnt even say hi!? I understand fully this is about numbers and everyone learning but some kind of line should be drawn, dont you think?

I agree JAB, I really don't care where you hide your hammers. And, I think the powers that be should be very happy that we are all prepping, such that they won't have to send a helicopter out to rescue us and we won't be the ones smashing and grabbing when SHTF.

What I do know is that I would like to hear more philosophy's on prepping, and and how you talk to others (friends, family) about it without seeming paranoid, because some people just don't want to talk about what could go wrong.

gc_mountainman:
This has been an interesting thread. I think you've got some great feedback so far.

I've only got 20-some posts or so. And I've pretty much stopped posting. Here's why:

#1 - There are lots of "free loaders" who post "weak" questions or what ifs because they are too lazy to think for themselves or too lazy to do there own reading. That annoys the heck out of me. I know a forum is for sharing information, but that doesn't mean people can come and ask already answered questions because they don't want to spend more than 5 mins reading the site. And there is no reason to play "what if" games on these forums. "What if the sky turned black, what would you do?" There are a number of these "what if" threads with no constructive value. Also, I couldn't possibly read another "I'm a {blank} type person, what should I prep?" thread or I'll go nutz! The amount of personal preferences/opinions and infighting in those threads is amazing. Usually the real answer to the original post is "think for yourself and evaluate your own personal needs" which will vary from other peoples needs. How many threads do we need to repeat that message? There are already hundreds of websites with basic lists out there. The rest should be personal evaluation and research.

#2 - Know it alls. Yes, I am a know it all. But I don't post unless I actually have experience or knowledge on the subject. The number of completely wrong posts on this forum about faraday cages and electronics is amazing. People with no electrical background and a youtube education on engineering posting "information" about EMPs and faraday cages, etc... That annoys me too. And I've learned that I'll never win. If you think your Faraday cage is awesome, or that electronics turned off can't be fried, I won't convince you otherwise. So I just don't post there anymore. Interestingly enough, again nobody actually tests any of this scientifically. Its just hear-say from youtube or other forums. I want a physics student to do some tests in a university lab and post those up here! That would be worth discussing instead of a bunch of hypothetical opinions.

#3 - trolls and people who blow up if any opposing viewpoints are presented. I've yet to see a thread where opposing viewpoints were discussed in a civil manner where each subsequent post contributed more value to the discussion with supporting information that later came to a solid conclusion. Think about that one for minute. People rarely want to arrive at any conclusion except the one they already have.

In the end the wisest people are the most quiet and loudest people only have something valuable to say 1/10 posts (sorry you high post count people, lets be honest, does every single post help someone else? is every single post 100% verifiably true from a reputable source?)

#4 - tinfoil hats. In all the introductory threads people keep saying "no tinfoil hats here", then in the topic threads people starting talking about all sorts of crazy things without prepping for something as basic as an earthquake/fire/flood. We don't need to prep for a solar flare storm if you don't prep for a 9.0 earthquake/hurricane flooding/forest fire. You don't need to prep for foreign invasion if you couldn't stop a home invasion/robbery. You don't need to prep for nuclear food contamination if you couldn't survive a 3 week truck driver strike resulting in empty stores or high prices. You don't need to prep your vehicle for EMPs if you never keep even a week's gas on hand in rotated storage (because as luck would have it, your vehicle will be near empty when the EMP hits). People love the hyped up "movie-esque" dramatic situations but then fail to address some really basic stuff. I want to see more down to earth preps and less what-if movie scripts. Also every prep you have should be used at least yearly or it doesn't count! If you have a survival fishing kit, go catch a fish sometime!

I think a lot of the above is common to all forums on the internet. But some are exaggerated when you start talking opinions/viewpoints instead of factual stuff. I want to see more photos/videos from people documenting techniques or ideas rather than just untested "thoughts" from everyone.

Why dont you start us off Elrond. It seems you are upset about content so perhaps you can share some photos and experience of yours as to guide a certain topic. As for high post counts I found when starting off it was like dominos. Perhaps it wasnt the be all and end all of a comment, but rather got me thinking in a different direction. Sparks start fires just as fire continues fire and this goes for topic and conversation. IMO of course.

In response to Elrond's post.....
Yup!
100%!

I am confused by the post Elrond. Do you want experts only with experience to post replies to any specific question?

I find that brainstorming ideas is how things evolve or am I way off base? Your opinion on this matter is encouraged.

In response to Elrond's post.....
Yup!
100%!

Yuppers x2
pretty much summed up my thoughts on the matter as well. I did ask people who have less than 30 posts to chime in, so again, for GC and the Rest I thanks you muchly

Still looking for others with less than 30 posts to jump in, even if this is your first post, please add to the conversation.
Cheers from ME !
GC look for a PM soon off topic, writing related.

Gravalore: "experts" maybe not, but "some experience" with the topic, 100% for sure! Otherwise you are just making stuff up or repeating stuff you found somewhere else (which might not be correct).

- Several threads I see people with ZERO experience with radios providing advice on radio equipment, sources and legalities. We have lots of advice for completely illegal radio use on this forum because these people post when they shouldn't.
- In the Faraday cages topics people with ZERO experience or education in physics/magnetics/electronics posting advice on equipment, protection levels and conditions under which they are effective. Again they've never tested it, don't have an education in physics/electronics, they just read it on another forum and now think they know the truth. For example the common Matrix movie thing where turning off the vehicle means no damage is done by an EMP, that is totally false. But people can argue for pages and pages between people with no expertise here. So yes, I want you to either have a physics/electronics education (engineer) or have tried it and tested it out!

And yes, brainstorming does help things evolve! But we don't need to brainstorm simple things that already have a half dozen other threads brainstorming them. Its the repetition that gets irritating. If it's a new idea that is not well established, then of course lets figure it out! But if its an old idea (like the famous "what should I prep" questions) then do your own reading instead of starting another thread on the same subject again. Too many copies of the same "brainstorming".

Also, I will try to get us started with some better content! But right now I've been really busy (have a first baby on the way soon!).

One example topic that I think we should cover soon is food rotation in small houses/townhomes (I want to build a custom can rotation rack in a closet in my townhome because the commercial ones won't fit or waste space.) In fact I will order a few parts right away and start this thread as soon as I can! (maybe 2 weeks?) I haven't seen very many good pictures for custom size built in food storage. In this case I would say anyone who HAS food rotation already should comment, but no doubt lots of people will post who DO NOT have any food rotation at all and then proceed to give advice about products/techniques! That would be irritating. Does that example help you understand what I mean by "experience" with the subject? I don't mean an "expert" but you should have tried it out before if you want to provide advice.

I would love trial and error posts as to avoid some of the repetition in questions. I am going to avoid any new water posts, that annoys me.

As for radio I have no idea. EMP nobody has any idea either since we have never endured on and cant effectively simulate an exact event. After an EMP I guess we would have a better idea. A professor on a video walks into a steel mesh cage and his radio does not work, that is an experiment but does not come close to an EMP's strength. As for rotation there are hundreds of videos on this topic. I rotate in an apartment currently but thought it was too straight forward a topic to tackle. Perhaps others think the same.

BTW you use a lot of exclamation points and makes one think you are pissed about answering some of my questions for clarification.

Elrond,
congrats to the new baby.

There is a topic on food rotation just can not remember where though. A lady and her husband from BC, made and posted the pics here about a setup, very quick and effective setup that they use in their cupboard. The basics are, drop down from the top, pull out from the bottom, and about 4 or 5 cans wide? Memory ??

I do remember commenting on two of the Faraday or EMP topics with links to the NASA and Soviet articles online. There is much confusion there and yes, some only want others to agree to their own, one sided opinion.

Brainstorming is great, I also agree that things turn into personal attacks quite quickly as well.

This is a forum that provides a place for interaction for preppers and whose who have some interest in prepping. I would like to address some points that have been made and perhaps put some of them in a different light.

We have people who ask simple questions. That is they seem simple to some of us anyway. Some of these could very probably be answered by doing the prerequisite research however what then would be the point of joining the forum? Many times they just want to see what other people think. It is the pain in the side of some members that is true but there are always those that will lend a hand and offer up a suggestion or a solution. To me there are no bad questions. If you don't like the simple questions there is always a simple answer; don't post in that thread. Then everyone's happy.

We have a few Know it all types, also true. These people do post, that is to their favor. Sometimes they are right sometimes they are wrong. After all nobody is correct 100% of the time. Now if you have an opposite option you will probably not change your view. However if you post in such a thread everyone following the thread can see both sides. Hopefully they will do some research of their own to form their opinion. Again benefiting from the interaction.

Trolls, gotta love trolls. Not! I guess it is in some peoples nature to be obnoxious and attempt to get an emotional response from someone else. If you come a across one report it to a mod and we will deal with it.

Tinfoil hats. That depends on your point of view. There is no shortage of way out ideas (I hate to use the word theories) out there. Some are misunderstood natural phenomena, others are the results of extreme paranoia and yet others have a basis in fact. If the posts are not made and there is no interaction then it is possible that we would be totally oblivious to possible useful information or even dangers. Again there is a simple answer for everyone; If you don't like the thread don't post in that thread. Then everyone's happy again.

However I for one enjoy the perspectives that are offered by our many member that do take part. We have a good numbers of well prepared preppers here. Some, of course, are more prepared than others. Some have strengths in one area whereas others have strengths in another. Everyone has something to offer. It is about interaction. If a question or two get answered along the way then that is a bonus.

Out of curiosity and with respect Elrond.... Can you tell us your qualifications that you can judge what others post? How do you decide who has ZERO experience with topics and ZERO knowledge? I am curious as to the process. Regarding people with ZERO experience posting illegal radio usage... I believe the point of the exercise is to have some sort of dependable communications AFTER an event and in that situation functionality is paramount..not the laws or rules that have been left behind. Perhaps we are not all "experts"... nor engineers or PhD in anything...but we have a world of knowledge based on life experience and what I see is a lot of criticism and little building and sharing of knowledge.