Article – How Accurate Were the Survivalist Elements in The Last of Us? A Real Prepper Explains

Episode 3 of TLOU was pretty much the reason I subscribed to the series. I’d heard they had a survivalist character from the game that was going to be shown and I wanted to see how it went. And, lets get the elephant in the room outta the way, the survivalist dude was gay. Ho-hum.

As the episode opens, we see an awesome hidden basement strong room, a man having an entire town to himself, all-you-can-take shopping trips, perimeter defense construction, active defense, and, ultimately, self-deletion.

It’s a beautiful story, but how does Bill’s prepper character stack up against the real thing? Is it believable that one man could defend a whole town from zombies and marauders and also live self-sufficiently for so long? To find out, Inverse spoke to Levi W., a prepper who requested anonymity for privacy reasons. To Levi, Bill reacts exactly how a prepper would in a SHTF (prepper lingo for “Shit Hits The Fan”) situation, showing just how important emergency preparedness is even if you’re not hunkering down for the zombie apocalypse.

Personally, other than ‘bugging in’ right in the middle of town, I thought it was pretty good. I really admired the secret entrance to the basement and the radio codes. Not sure I’d have been running around with a 7-shot 1911 and a shotgun, but you do you, man. (I mean, c’mon, theres an FAL right there on the wall!)

Was there anything to take away from the episode? Not really, in my opinion, except that apparently when all the other humans are forcibly relocated out of your AO, you can have a pretty nice quiet life. And, sooner or later, someone will want what you have and you’d best be ready to stand or run.

It’s unfortunate Bill won’t be a recurring character, but it was nice to see survivalists portrayed in a somewhat more sympathetic light.

Article – Eagle bar to give away AR-15 rifle on ‘conspiracy theory trivia’ night? Welcome to Idaho

Way to fight the stereotype, guys.

If you fall asleep each night hugging your gun safe and listening to “The Alex Jones Show,” a downtown Eagle bar has a perfect evening planned for you.

Old State Saloon, 50 E. State St., is hosting “Conspiracy Theory Trivia” on Wednesday night.

The prize? An AR-15! You know, the semi-automatic firearm in the news all the time! The military-style one that makes many Americans mistakenly think the “A” and “R” stand for Assault Rifle!

What a blast, right? Will Dorothy Moon be there?

Go get your QAnon on, Boise.

I really feel like I should go this just to see who shows up. Between spaace aliens, Trilaterals, Blue Helmets, Planet X, Denver airport, chemtrails, MK Ultra, shadow government, and Wayfair human trafficking, it should be a very entertaining evening. Bonus points to the first person who stands up and yells “Theyre in the parking lot videoing all our license plates!”

Can AI make a post for a survivalist blog?

So with the rather suspiciously sudden appearance of consumer-grade AI theres been some talk about how it can be used to fab up term papers, reports, etc. Can it make a couple posts for a survivalist blog? Les find out. I found a ‘Blog Post Generator’ and throwing in the keyword ‘preparedness’ gave me this:

Title: The Key to Survival: The Power of Preparedness

Introduction (30 seconds):
In today’s unpredictable world, being prepared for unexpected situations has become essential. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a medical emergency, or even a sudden job loss, readiness empowers individuals to navigate through challenging circumstances with confidence and efficiency. In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of preparedness and discover how adopting a proactive approach can make a significant difference in our lives.

Body (2 minutes):
1. Understanding the Importance of Preparedness (30 seconds):
Life is full of uncertainties, hence being caught off guard at some point is inevitable. Preparedness involves arming ourselves with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to minimize the impact of unforeseen events. It enables us to respond effectively, reducing the potential risks and damages associated with emergencies.

2. Assessing Potential Risks and Creating a Plan (1 minute):
The first step towards preparedness is to identify potential risks in our environment, both natural and man-made. Researching local hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods can help us understand the probability of these events occurring and their potential impact on our lives. Once identified, we can create a comprehensive plan tailored to address each specific risk, including evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and essential supplies.

3. Building a Survival Kit (30 seconds):
A well-stocked survival kit serves as a lifeline during emergencies. It should include essentials such as non-perishable food, water, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, and a battery-powered radio. Regularly check and replenish these supplies to ensure they are up to date and readily available in times of crisis.

4. Developing Key Skills (30 seconds):
In addition to supplies, acquiring specific skills can significantly enhance preparedness. Learning basic first aid, CPR, fire safety, or even self-defense techniques can prove invaluable in emergency situations. Taking courses or attending workshops can help us develop these crucial skills and boost our confidence to handle any unforeseen events.

Conclusion (30 seconds):
Being prepared offers a sense of control and peace of mind when faced with uncertain circumstances. By recognizing potential risks, creating a plan, and building a survival kit, we invest in our own well-being and that of our loved ones. Developing vital skills further strengthens our ability to navigate through emergencies successfully. Remember, disaster strikes without warning. So, let’s embrace preparedness as a way of life – one that can make a significant difference when it matters most.

Note: The time mentioned for each section is approximate and may vary depending on the reading speed of the reader.

Thats not awful. Lets swap out ‘preparedness’ for ‘survivalist’ and see what we get.

Title: Venturing into the Survivalist Lifestyle: Embracing Self-Sufficiency and Resilience

Introduction:
In an increasingly uncertain world, there is a growing community of individuals who are proactively preparing for potential disasters, both natural and man-made. These individuals, known as survivalists, adopt a mindset and lifestyle focused on self-sufficiency and resilience. Today, we will explore the motivations behind embracing the survivalist lifestyle and discuss some practical tips for those considering this path.

Part 1: Understanding the Survivalist Mindset
The survivalist mindset is built upon the belief that unexpected emergencies can occur at any time, and being prepared for such situations is crucial. For survivalists, self-sufficiency and resilience are of utmost importance. They place great emphasis on having the necessary skills, knowledge, and resources to survive and thrive in the face of adversity.

Part 2: Motivations for Embracing Survivalism
1. Natural Disasters – Survivalists recognize the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters worldwide. They aim to protect themselves and their families by being prepared for these events.
2. Economic Uncertainty – Surges in inflation, financial crashes, and job losses have pushed some towards the survivalist lifestyle. They focus on being self-reliant and minimizing dependency on outside institutions.
3. Political Instability – Geopolitical unrest and social upheavals have also played a role in driving people towards survivalism. The aim is to be prepared for potential civil unrest, societal breakdown, or even government collapse, ensuring they can protect themselves and their loved ones.

Part 3: Practical Tips for Aspiring Survivalists
1. Stocking Essential Supplies – Survivalists prioritize storing food, water, and essential supplies to sustain themselves during emergencies. Building a well-rounded emergency kit is essential.
2. Learning Survival Skills – Skills such as first aid, fire-making, foraging, and self-defense are valued by survivalists. Learning and practicing these skills enables them to adapt and survive in various scenarios.
3. Developing a Network – Survivalists often form connections with like-minded individuals to share knowledge, resources, and support. Community support can be instrumental in overcoming challenges during crisis situations.
4. Sustainable Living Practices – Survivalists tend to embrace sustainable living practices, including gardening, composting, and alternative energy sources. These practices foster self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on external systems.

Conclusion:
While the survivalist lifestyle may be perceived as extreme by some, it offers a sense of security and preparedness in an unpredictable world. The motivations of survivalists stem from a genuine concern for their own well-being and that of their loved ones. By prioritizing self-sufficiency, honing survival skills, and building a strong network, individuals can embrace the survivalist mindset and be better prepared to face any challenges that come their way.

Holy crap,I think I might be out of a job. I’m starting to now wonder how many blogs I read are just AI generated affiliate projects.

Sustainability by another name is…survivalism.

Man, I wish I could embed this rather than just have it as a link. Ronda Roussey, most recently of note for this:

Apparently has some mad prep skills as displayed in this Covid-panic-influenced video. Doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes, confident, and can take you to the ground in the blink of an eye.

Gotta admit, thats a pretty sweet setup

.Source:

10 Celebrity Preppers Ready for Anything

Video – Top 10 Post Apocalyptic TV Series

An interesting lineup.

I’ve only seen a few of these, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Jericho…not the least of which was because of Lennie James portrayal of the one person who takes it all in stride (although, to be fair, he had inside information.)

I wish Jericho could have been on one of the non-networks like Walking Dead was. The ability to have a bit more violence, gore, and harsh language would have been a more accurate foretelling of what the apocalypse would be like.

I’m not sure what I would look for in a show these days. My interest is less the typical ‘survivors vs bad guys’ shootouts that seem to be a staple of things. I’m far more interested in stories involving the coping with failed infrastructure, supply shortages, medical emergencies, and that sort of thing.

Hmmm… a multi-part documentary on Haiti would probably be the same thing.

The Last Of Us observations

So with The Walking Dead having sailed into history and devolved into what will, no doubt, be short-lives spinoff series, I need a new post-apocalypse show to immerse myself in. The Last Of Us is the latest installment in that.

The premise? Well, you can go look it up…I don’t really have the willpower to type out a synopsis that you can easily find elsewhere.

So, historically, television and movies have done a wildy disparate job of portraying the dystopian future. One thing that separates TLOU is that while shows like Jericho, The Walking Dead, The Last Ship, etc, all start with an apocalypse, TLOU is actually about whats happening 20 years after the apocalypse. As a result, we don’t see how the world became rubble and ruin, rather, we just start at that point.

So what does the future look like twenty years after the apocalypse? Apparently we get walled cities that are operated by heavy-handed military governments. People work for chits, everything is in short supply, the guards are goons, and there’s always that contingent of people who want to ‘change the system’. Its virtually a trope.

The characters, after only one season, are a bit one-dimensional but you can see that there’s an attempt being made to flesh them out a bit. You can’t really develop a character into a fully-developed person that the audience cares about in only one season. But there’s plenty of foreshadowing about where those character developments will land…tough, hardened kid who just wants the joy of being a child again, gruff survivor secretly needing to love someone and have connection, that sort of thing.

Gunplay? A bit. There’s an interesting scene where a stolen M4 is squirreled away because finding ammo for it is too difficult. Personally, I’d think that in a world full of armed government goons carrying AR’s youd find that .223 is probably the more common round. And, flying in the face of real-world experience, the main hero carries a….Taurus revolver. Hmm. I’m not sure a Taurus has the build quality to last through twenty years of hard use.

One thing I noticed that seems interesting is that outside of the large cities, survivors carry hunting-type rifles (bolt guns) rather than AR’s, whereas inside the walled quarantine zones the government and the rebel faction both use AR’s. Obviously this is because the rebel faction takes the guns from the government faction as they’re killed, but you’d think the M4 would be useful in the rest of the landscape, not just the cities.

My guess is that, 20 years into the apocalypse, ammunition for the M4’s is widely available to .gov forces and those forces are predominantly in the cities…so the M4 prevails there. Outside the cities, in the sparsely populated outside world, all the 5.56 was burned up long ago and people use whatever rifle happens to be chambered for whatever ammunition they find.

Makes me wonder if this is finally the scenario that justifies the Scout rifle concept.

Last of Us

So I finally signed up for HBO so I could binge watch The Last Of Us. I watched the first three episodes last night because I really wanted to watch Episode 3 with Nick Offerman playing hardcore survivalist-not-prepper ‘Bill’.

Something that struck me as rather ‘yup, thats really how it happens’ was the scene where Bill, the hardcore survivalist, is in a relationship with Frank, the not-a-survivalist. Naturally, there is some butting of heads on some subjects. But I really resonated with this:

F: You live in a psycho bunker where…the government are all Nazis.
B: The government ARE all Nazis!!
F: Well…yeah, NOW, but not then!

Thats the kind of conversations you have when your significant other isnt on the same page.

Technically, I suppose those creatures in TLOU are a form of zombie so I dont feel that using the ‘zombie’ tag for TLOU posts will be amiss.

“Last Of Us” this weekend?

Since I need a new post-apocalyptic show to watch since The Walking Dead finally ran its course, it’s looking like ‘The Last Of Us’ will be my new fix. Honestly, I think that if ‘Jericho’ hadn’t had to work within the constraints of network television and instead could have had the brutality and harsh language that TWD and TLOU are able to emply it would have made things a bit more real. Because, lets face it, the apocalypse is not going to be clean and free of harsh language.

I should also mention that I think it would be quite a hoot if they could get Lennie James to guest star on Last Of Us. Given his predilection for end-of-the-word projects like Jericho and The Walking Dead, he could wind up being the new Charlton Heston (“If its bad and its the end of the world, Charlton Heston is there!”)

My plan was to wait until the entire season of Last Of Us was done and then watch the whole thing in one enormous binge session. So, it’ll be time to order some pizza, grab a few Cokes, fire up the TV, and let the bad times roll.

I have, however, watched a few highlights of the show on YouTube and what I’ve seen so far looks pretty good. There’s definitely some dark and grim undertones, and I’ve no doubt it’ll be rather gritty in spots. But….wouldn’t you think the end of the world would be?

And, of course, even though it’s fiction it is still a nice opportunity to wargame a bit and imagine what you’d do in similar scenarios and what your gear choices might be.

Anyway, if I can steal the time this weekend I’ll watch Season 1 and see how it goes.

The Last Of Us

Last time I saw Pedro Pascal, he was doing an admirable job at Hollywood Gun Fu in “Kingsman”.

But apparently he’s in the new HBO post-apocalypse series “The Last Of Us”. I’m familiar with the game a bit, and its a storyline I can get into. Now that Walking Dead is history, I need a good post-apocalyptic fantasyworld to climb into.

Any of you guys been watching this series and wanna share your opinion on it? I know it’s only three episodes old, but I’ve been seeing some good reviews on it.