That's why I prefer this website for all things prep/survival over all the others, no hysteria-mongers, a great bunch of intelligent people who do know their stuff but are more willing than not to learn something new.

I hope this helps, i always try and look for real event know how, it was real events, or even history first hand accounts, then if that fails , do some home work, go to writers i trust , and look for several reports to back up a point........ sorry but you are right , lots fear , and selling i have been ripped off , say a book that is mostly BS or the GOP or DEMS ... send me nuts...I am getting to the point of not trusting lots of what is said... but i have found a few to trust , go that way....... watchman does good job, of weeding out trash like Glen Beck etc........

Some of the hysteria-ists (is that even acceptable as a word?) are actually planning to have generators with enough capacity to use their AC systems after the fall of the grid. Fueled by what I have no idea, although many are pushing for wood gasification, so that they can both have cooling and heating and a source of water to drink, cook with and wash with.
Actually, they may not be drinking just that water, they may have been dippin' into the kool-aid a lot more than the water because most residential AC systems will not provide enough of that water to make it worth the while, and justify the fuel requirements, to make the water. Chlorine anyone?

Shhhh...just let em drink the water. Wonder how they will power their ac units though when times like that are here. Strange thinkin going on there.

You got it Watchman, they didn't know what they were dealing with and in my naivete', I attempted to help and was summarily dismissed as a crackpot. The Big Berky is a wonderful device and I would like to purchase one eventually but, it is not the be all and end all of water filtration. If it could filter each and every possible contaminant that may or may not be in water, the water would not even be able flow through the filter elements.
This is the kind of misinformation and hysteria mongering I rant about, some people who claim to be the most knowledgeable and most capable of surviving their fantasy scenarios are hauling others along by their noses to their deaths. And too many refuse to listen to reason, logic or scientific fact.
I'm quite glad that we have real, intelligent people participating in these forums.

Making something clear, if that forum said Big Berkey distills water, they don't know what they are talking about. Berkey consists of either two or four ceramic elements that filter (repeat, filter) many contaminants- but not all. The filters have to be replaced periodically too at about $100 for four. Distillation is done by heat, either electric, stove top or solar.

"I heard it through the grapevine", know all about that one too. My biggest beef with the hysteria mongers is they will not even give any credence to any ideas that are contrary to their own. I even have a perfect example of this.
At one site I used to frequent before this one, there was a discussion about using condensate water from air conditioning systems as a supplemental water source. Having worked in the HVAC/R trade for 17 years, I have a bit better knowledge than most people about what goes on with an air conditioning system. I made my recommendation that this condensate water be avoided at all costs due to what I know is in that water. Using it for consumption purposes puts the person at risk for nasty infection, severe health distress up to and including death if they have a seriously adverse reaction to what is in that water.
I made my recommendation and immediately became beset upon for throwing trash around the forum, spreading lies and "fear mongering" with blatantly false information. "Didn't I know that a Big-Berkey would remove any and all contaminants from that cold distilled water that by nature of being distilled is cleaner than any other water source around"? I know better and I expressed my misgivings then suffered the wrath of the thread participants ranting and raving about how I did not know anything about the subject and that I could best aid anyone about survival and prepping by getting the h#ll out of the forums and staying out. I was even admonished and banned by the moderators for a time for standing up for my knowledge and rebutting the arguments being thrown all around the forum. I left and haven't been back other than by lurking. Sad to say,the people who would not listen to reason, logic and scientific fact may be doomed to death or destruction due to those hysteria mongers who will not abide by their being a bigger dog in their yard.
My curiosity gets the better of me from time to time and i peruse those sites to see what is going on in the discussions. Nothing's changed yet so I do look for some useful information, not much to be found other than hysteria type writings, then I leave yet again.
I do believe that truth will win out but, I get frustrated having to deal with those who insist on peddling their lies and false information simply to be the big dog, they're not going to be the big dog for long and they will take down numerous others when they fall.
Comes under the "tell a lie long enough" maxim.

Do you remember the old adage from school/college about the art of communication? Stand 25 or 30 people in a line or column and give instructions to the first person who will then give them to the 2nd and so on. By the time it gets to the end of the line it is changed in some way and will not convey the original intent.

A hysteria monger probably heard it from a hysteria monger who probably heard it from a hysteria monger................

Good information stands the test of time - look at the Gospels!

Ranters who give bad information and preach to the choir set the stage for "fear or ignorance of the art and necessity of preparation". We all have a duty to teach as many people as we can so that they will teach, so that they will teach, so that our "circle of security" is constantly expanding - if we stay on the right track our message won't be dilluted. Hell, this old dog has learned so many new tricks that I feel young again.

Toepopper, generally I don't waste my time with the individuals that have made themselves known to me as hysteria-mongers. What really gets my goat are people who have recently joined the forums spouting the same gibberish, bile, vitriol and false information.
While the gene pool does need a little chlorine from time to time, I don't like the idea of people who it may actually be desirable for them to survive being sent down the road to ruin. Personally I prefer that those who are like minded and desire to survive so that they could have themselves able to render assistance depending on circumstances should be able to survive. Them being led onto and unstoppably down that road to h#ll and perdition by individuals that preach "do it my way or die" makes my blood boil because I believe that we all should have the opportunity to survive and make preparations for the unknown events that could put us into a whole different world. I also appreciate being able to provide what information and assistance I have so that they could make some intelligent decisions and have a better chance of making their way through the myriad of events and prosper. These hysteria mongers show themselves to be fascists and tyrannical despots themselves and I don't appreciate having to associate with them even with the option of ignoring them, they give the rest of us and survival/prepping a bad name.
Watchman, you may be onto something there. I wonder how many people who are just entering the preparation world are using this false information and considering it gospel or, just have no idea what is good information, or have the good information, but are too intimidated to ask questions about it since they see and read so much by the hysteria-mongers and don't want to be publicly embarrassed or ridiculed.
Personal opinion only, hysteria-mongers are the only ones who do not deserve to survive.

I want to advance an idea, a possibility. A couple of years ago we had a visit from a nationally-known author and her husband. She is since deceased. She was one of the foremost experts and authors on homesteading and old-time country skills and LIVED THE LIFE. She, in actuality, was a 'survivalist' through de-facto knowledge and use of it. Her husband was a "patriot" in the true sense of the word. I will not elaborate on that meaning. I was showing the husband my handgun that I had at the time and she completely distanced herself from the weapon and the room. She was deathly afraid of guns!!!!! I do believe it is possible to have knowledge but maybe have a part of it missing.

I just turn them off like a switch, pay them no attention and be glad they don't live in my area. There are a lot of wannabees out there who claim to be survival experts but don't have the common sense to know how to change a flat tire. I disregard their nonsense and delegate my time to less voiciferous, experienced people.
Had a visit from my brother in law and his new wife a couple of weeks ago. They are from Texas and live in a condominium in Dallas and between the 2 of them they don't know which end of a cow to milk, absolutely no common sense about anything. I showed B.I.L. my AR and his new wife asked me if I planned on shooting zombies. She would not even touch that rifle, totally citified anti gun type from TEXAS. So these people will be casualties when the SHTF, they are living in that college campus attitude that it will never happen because society has moved past that type of event and people are more educated today and it could never happen to this country. They are blind and there is nothing to be done about it. This is the nature of things. Take care of yourself and leave the non believers to their own destiny.

When visiting other websites that deal with survival techniques and preparation information I get very bothered by people at these websites who are suffering mightliy from what has come to be known as "chicken little syndrome".
Numerous participants getting quite irate about "If you expect to survive 'X', you had better have these items that I tell you you will need. Or," if you don't do this kind of training that I provide for a fee, you will not survive no matter what you do".
You'd better do this, you'd better do that. if you don't do as I say you don't deserve to survive the coming zombie apocalypse, the rise of the NWO, the imminent earth wide massive EMP that will destroy anything and everything you have that is electronic, the upcoming rise of the UNs armies and our president, who is their puppet, will declare marshall(their spelling) law and force everyone into internment camps to be re-educated to the manner of thinking that they, the NWO, deem acceptable.
I don't want to have to deal with this garb-age anymore but, from what I have seen the newer folks who join these discussions fall into the "chicken little syndrome" quite rapidly and immediately begin the dispersal of these ridiculous ideas and concepts while the originators of these ridiculous diatribes act like they are "king of the compound".
Reasoned discussion does nothing but increase their irrationality and serves to give them fuel for their misguided fire.
I've gotten so ticked off, being polite here, that most of the survival/prep websites I have visited I have abandoned. It's just not worth the effort I have had to make to provide what knowledge I have in response to the grandiose claims of death, doom and destruction that is right around the bend in these idiots mind.
I am concerned at the amount of totally false information being distributed by these fiends that will get someone killed in short order and logical, reasonable explanation to the contrary is rabidly ignored while the concerned contributor is summarily flamed, destroyed and run off from the site.
Mostly I say "Good Riddance" and ignore them. Sadly, I am concerned about all the harm that these individuals and groups are pushing forth as gospel because they have gotten so wrapped up in their end of the world fantasy that they cannot possibly see what is actually occurring around them.
Sorry for the rant but I don't see how anyone could possibly survive anything or prepare for anything when they have their eyes only on the sky waiting for it to fall with their heads firmly and deeply entrenched in their hind ends.
So, once more, how can you deal with all of the chicken little warners that scream long and loud about how the only way anyone else will be able to survive and prepare for the worst if they do not, will not or cannot do exactly as the warners proclaim. Any suggestions?