What you propose we prepare for (current affairs) is a social issue that has been around since the dawn of government. Should we be concerned with what happened in High River? Well, sure, but NOT as preppers...as responsible adults. Japan has been melting down for quite a while, but as much as I keep an eye on it, it has made absolutely no effect on my life, other than to make me aware of how close I am to nuclear reactors and the dangers associated with them. War in the middle east is also nothing new, and has about the same effect on me as a mouse fart in my pantry. Is all this stuff real? Well, ya, but it's not anything new! China, Russia, US...what SHTF are you suggesting will come out of all this? Foreign invasion? Please help us understand exactly what you expect.

I'm still new around here, but I haven't seen too much lack in planet-earth disasters. I regularly see posts about civil liberty/basic rights infringements, there was a pair about nuclear and oil threats recently, and not too long ago some heated debates about various end-of-the-nation/NWO conspiracy theories that stemmed from exercises that were supposed to end the normal way of life via electrical power or force control measures spanning Sept.-Oct. and then Nov.

Possibly as those threats fade, this site experiences the same things as others - those who bought in go silent for a few weeks or months until some scar tissue forms and embarasment fades about being wrong (no need; people should get to pick their pet EOW scenario just like their religion and spouse and nobody started out being able to tell a merganser from a wood duck with a quick glance).

The last couple of months -- which may have been more quite, I couldn't really tell you -- have also included some busy seasons, busier in some ways than even spring and summer garden season.
There are holidays, up to last month you're into the serious starch collecting season for foragers and from Aug-Oct some bulk tree fruit and melon harvest season, and in a lot of places autumn is good garden prep season, tree-planting season, shrub-planting season, and pruning season. Once out of August and September dove season, you have the start of a lot of small game, large game, and furbearer seasons that are also competing for time. The combination of foraging, garden yield and hunting makes for some serious dehydrating and canning prep hours. In the Deep South, you're also coming out of some of the prime camping and backpacking periods, where a couple of frosts have killed off some of the bugs and the heat is not quite so miserable, and in a lot of places it's campfire and bonfire season, a gathering of loved ones and like minds.

It's easy to scoff off the holidays, but the time spent together, the family aspect, no matter which religions or national holidays are being celebrated, are what make preparedness a worthwhile endeavor. If it wasn't for the family and loved ones, the friends so close they might as be family, surviving and thriving wouldn't be worth it.

Even so, there have been talks. One of the things that attracted me to this site over some of the others was the fact that there isn't as much discussion over individual, specific concerns or conspiracy theories, but ways to survive, period, ways to add resilience and insurance against the common winter travel threats and other annual and seasonal weather issues, reliance on JIT shipped products, and the common threads all disaster scenarios seem to include.

It's that focus on increased self-reliance from the guy who was looking for ways to travel with tools to the one who was looking for sugar sources, the interest in growing and producing even in inclement weather and the focus on reusing and repurposing items to lower costs and reduce wastes, and the varied alternatives to accomplish things on our own without interference and to pass along skills to younger generations that creates the strongest set of skills.

It doesn't matter what disaster is being predicted, is the choice pick for the thing that ends the current path of civilization, or that strikes when people are able to do for themselves, include and train and provide for their families, survive their area's shelter-in-place and evac-necessary weather events, and regrow their communities.

Well, I can name a few things. Right now were trying to assert some kinda ownership over the Arctic, for what, i can only guess is oil. I think the idea that our say trumps Russia, China, and the USA, is a joke.

It's just been released in an apparent cable that our government is more than willing to let the USA spy on us, hell it sounds like they were begging them to do it(As this government is quick to avoid being held accountable for anything, especially illegal spying on their own people). Basically I always generally think that the USA is our number one ally, and I believe if anyone screwed with them it would be our duty to help them as such. If they fall, we will be next.

THAT SAID, the idea that so many of them view us as mentally retarded versions of Americans(much like the British used to think of the Irish) Is disconcerting.

I honestly don't trust anyone. I hate to be globally paranoid, but I don't trust any world powers. I think in a flash, we could be reduced to a pawn country, used as political fodder in a war. Were too all over the place and the National Identity is weak, we would not pull together I think.

If anyone thinks all the business in the middle east is winding down, they are perhaps uninformed. Is some ways, I believe the "war on terror" is just getting started.

I don't think you're looking far enough back.
What we'll live through is the decline of the American Empire as the BRICS empire rises. This will take decades to unfold.
Look back into history for the effects empires in decline. Canada is one of the economic satellite states of the US. First a demand for better terms for our resources (softwood lumber), then hostility as we seek other markets for them(Keystone XL Pipeline). See the relationship between Russia and the Ukraine today.
Scarcity of the resources that were in abundance before - food, energy with corresponding rise in the cost of obtaining them. Think how you'll get by on about half your income - or less. The backyard garden is what saved many Russians from starvation in the 90's.

As for High River..... there's an appropriate name for the land around a river, flood plain. Basic shelter questions for any prepper would tell you it's a bad choice to locate there.

Not trying to propose anything Mr Denob. I just sometimes question myself as to why I prep and I just like to here others ideas. Social issues have been always here and will remain but I believe they do effect my life. Japan as been melting done and although it does not directly effect me there are nuclear plants close enough that could. I live in a oil control area, what happens in the middle east does effect my life. That little mouse may only fart in your pantry but he shits in mine. I think there is a higher chance of a invasion from other countries than from aliens, more like to get hit by a nuc than a comet and get sucker by our neighbour than get sucked up by a black hole. Just thoughts that's all. Not trying to poke the bear

I'm always somewhat interested when I read posts that describe someone preparing for a specific event (like doomsday Preppers on NatGeo : "My name is Jim and I prepare for an alien invasion") It seems to go against the concept of preparedness. Those folks so concerned about hoarding guns and junk silver for a societal collapse may not be able to survive getting stranded in their cars during a snowstorm. Those with EMP-proofed house may not make it through a glancing tropical storm or an approaching wildfire. Or others will be paranoiac about Nimburu, living in bunkers but die from their 4th heart attack because they are so out of shape (or go bankrupt because they got laid off).

My point is, does one need to declare their fear(s) or rationalize their preps? Can't trying to be self sufficient, prepared for everyday emergencies (car accident, storm, losing power, unemployment) be a reason in itself to prepare? Then if a flu pandemic, an EMP, etc happens, then it's just an extension of those small preps you've done... 72 hr being stretched to 72 weeks.

At the end, worrying about an invasion of a foreign power, conspiracies, black flag events and NWO seems futile. Even if this was to happen, what's one to do, re-enact the movie Red Dawn? I can't see myself losing sleep over things I can't control, that's what the serenity prayer is for.

Well said helicopilot. I sometimes stop reading the news because worrying about all of it doesn't change it. I try to channel my energies into something productive. It's good to be informed of course but there's a balance to knowing and living in fear and knowing and doing what you can about it and leaving the rest to prayer. The latter makes my life much more peaceful!

Well, at least we all seem to agree on one thing...
A Russian or Chinese invasion is more likely than the little green space men, but still, not all that likely.
Not saying that a world war is out of the question, but I think you would be hard pressed to see foreign troops marching into Ottawa or Calgary.
Concentrating on world events can lead down a very bad path in that you end up consumed by the idea and forget about almost anything else.
Governments have had corruption in their ranks since the dawn of government itself, and political posturing by the so called super powers is nothing new either.
That being said, still no Russian or Chinese flags flying on Capitol Hill!
Instead of concentrating on events, simply prepare for a lack of systems of support...you know, utilities, emergency services, government subsidies,etc.
These are the common issues with any scenario that a prepper can dream up. Once you become self reliant in that way, it's simply a matter of extending the time you can go without outside injection of supplies or services.
There really is no use thinking about what happens if yada yada yada...the answer is always the same...systems of support become lacking or disappear all together.
Remember one thing though, no matter how bad a situation gets, the lights always come back on, the flood always recedes, the homes always get rebuilt.
It's just a question of when.