The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast

Have you noticed in the past few years that the term "Survivalism" is no longer solely associated with Rambo-wannabes who run around the woods in camos?  Has it caught your attention how even the mainstream media covers the idea of "Preparedness" with a surprisingly fair perspective (at least much of the time) these days? Well, I have too.  And I'm a bit surprised, especially having grown up in a time when the very idea of "survival" was denigrated at every opportunity by nearly everyone with a media platform.  In a strange way, the horrific events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina have made it acceptable to think about being proactive in protecting your family.  And all the focus on being environmentally conscious has led to self-sufficiency/self-reliance becoming in vogue. On this episode I discuss these ideas and the good and bad aspects of this new-found respect of Survivalism. A few examples to illustrate my point: http://articles.cnn.com/2008-04-20/world/survival.feat_1_survival-guide-survivalists-canned-food?_s=PM:WORLD http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_vs._Wild http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32108020/ns/today-today_people/ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27244465/ http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/the_new_survivalists_oregon_pr.html http://www.slate.com/id/2148772/entry/2148775/ http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/may/25/environmental-survivalists-prepare-for-peak-oil-de/ http://www.smh.com.au/national/survivalists-stock-up-ready-for-the-worst-20090501-aq6w.html http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2228908.htm (NOTE: I'm not suggesting that all coverage is positive these days, but it certainly is better than what it was in the 70s and 80s).

Welcome to this Weekend Edition of The Chip Monk Family Survival Podcast.  In this episode we listen to the Lux Theater version of "The Birds" (also made into an Alfred Hitchcock movie) from 1953.  In much the same way other "nature disaster" stories compel us to think about how we would deal with the unthinkable, "The Birds" causes us to consider steps we would take if the world around us ever changed drastically overnight. I chose this version of the story (roughly 1 hour long) to give some extra listening material and add more depth to the story for those of you traveling for Thanksgiving who want something interesting to listen to.  I hope you will enjoy it.

Hooray!  It's here!  Episode 100!  Wow...  When I began this show back in August I wasn't thinking about how many episodes lay in front of me or how I would come up with topics to discuss.  Instead I was concentrating on trying to share useful and practical survival/preparedness information with interested people, especially those with families or on a budget. Man, has it succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Although, since I'm not one to let too much "self-horn-tooting" go on I talk just a little bit about the significance of reaching this milestone...  And then jump directly into today's topic. Which is... wait for it... Survival Mechanics.  That is, all the stuff to think about when it comes to keeping your vehicle(s) up and running in a survival situation.  I share some of my own experiences, some general concepts I think you should consider, and go through suggestions for building your own "survival car kits".  Not the most exciting topic, I'll admit, but with the coming of winter perhaps an indispensable one regardless. Thanks as always for supporting this show by listening, sharing it with others, and for sending me the kind emails I have received providing encouragement.  The Chipper appreciates it muey mucho! :)

I used to think of reloading as something of a science.  Some arcane technical practice that only the super-wise could take part in. Then I tried it. Turns out it really is a simple as my brother said it would be.  Basically, if you can cook from a list of ingredients you can reload. And in this episode I walk you through the basics of how...

Ever been curious about alternative ways of generating electrical power?  Ever heard of a wind generator? Well even if you have not, today is your lucky day. :)  On this episode I talk about some basic aspects of wind-based generators and some of the considerations to think about when deciding if one should be part of your plans.  I discuss my own experiences putting together plans for such a system and what I'm hoping it will do for me as part of my survival plans. You can find out much, much more about the topic by going to the following web sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_wind.shtml http://www.bergey.com/ (Available at Lowes?  Yippee!) I've also posted some interesting graphics that might provide some additional clarity on the topic at my blog: http://thechippermonk.blogspot.com/2010/11/wonders-of-wind-power.html

Growing up I loved to listen to old time radio shows with my dad.  He introduced me to many of the classics ranging from Fibber McGee and Molly to X Minus One to Dragnet and scores of others.  Often we would listen to these shows on Saturday nights and since we didn't have a TV until I was in fifth grade, it was a type of entertainment I very much looked forward to. So...  Flashforward a few decades later and now your friend Chip got to thinking that it would be fun to track down old shows with survival and preparedness themes and present them to you along with a teensy bit of commentary as a special Saturday Night program treat for my listeners.  If you like old time radio, you'll really enjoy this weekly experiment.  If you don't, well, give it a try.  You might like it after all. :) Today's episode is from a 1960s OTR program called Theater Five.  It is entitled "The House of Cards".

And now Part Three.... ....The final part of the "Retreating Arc" of the CMFSP.  In this podcast I talk about the good and bad of connecting with others in a retreat setting.  I discuss the potential for interpersonal conflicts, issues to consider when it comes to possibly buying land, and various options for groups who can't afford or don't want to buy land.  Towards the end of the episode I shift gears a bit and touch on how to make sure your current residence is optimized as your main retreat regardless of any other arrangements you may choose to make.

In Part One of this three-episode arc about "retreats" I discussed many of the general aspects of setting up a survival retreat.  I also covered the planning for such an effort and some of the questions you need to ask before going down such a path. In today's episode I talk about how to accomplish the same things as a retreat but in ways that retain as much mobility and flexibility as possible.  I cover the "retreat-in-a-bag" backpack, survival vehicles ranging from bikes to motorhomes, the use of pack animals, and some advantages of boats as mobile survival retreats.  Admittedly, I bounce around a bit and there's quite a bit of my own insights and opinions squeezed into this episode, but the hope is always to get you thinking about your own situation and any scenarios you might one day have to face. Tomorrow will be the final episode in this arc regarding Group Retreats.  :)

The idea of creating a retreat or "place of refuge" to go to during a disaster is common in modern survivalism.  For me, it is an idea that has some attraction but that is also a bit out of reach for some people.  In this episode (the first in a three-part series) I talk about some of the considerations in trying to secure a property to serve as a retreat, as well as the various factors one should think through before making a purchase.  I also discuss some of the potential dangers that would cause someone to want a separate retreat and a number of questions to ask yourself and your family before taking the plunge. Part Two of this series will cover "Mobile Retreats" and Part Three will be on the subject of "Group Retreats". (For more general information on retreats, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retreat_%28survivalism%29 )

As we near Episode 100 I decided to take a little time to share my "survival story" and give a little more depth to how and why I got into preparedness in the first place which ultimately led to the creation of this podcast.  Some of this story has been shared in brief snippets during past episodes but this is the first time I explain in depth what led me back to a survivalist/preparedness worldview and a desire to be self-reliant while encouraging others to be so. At the end of the episode I make a request that listeners send me their own stories of how they became a survival/preparedness person.  Also, if you do choose to send me your tale please let me know if I can read it on the air.  :) Chip and his little brother Ken on the farm, circa 1980. (BTW...  We ate that cow...

Fishing. Ah, I love fishing. But the truth is I'm terrible at it. Truly awful. There are a lot of fish breathing (through their gills, of course) easier tonight because of my lack of skill when it comes to fishing. However... As a survival activity, fishing is a must. It is one of the best ways to secure food with the least overall effort, provided you live near enough to bodies of water that contain fish. In this episode I discuss several aspects of "Fishing for Survival". From how to fashion fishing equipment (like poles, lines and hooks) from items found in nature, to options for bait and other ways to get meat out of the water without traditional fishing techniques. It's a bit of a long episode (over 45 minutes) but I truly hope you'll find it informative. :)

This was meant to be posted last night, but I've still been fighting off the final stages of this virus so I'm a bit late.  Sorry. :) Anyway, today I cover a few different topics including how I did on my 2010 Election Midterm predictions, a little about the Fed's new Quantitative Easing and the potential repercussions, and a whole bundle of thoughts about survival firearm considerations for women.  It was hard to try to not sound like a typical "dumb guy" when talking about this subject, but I do hope I provided some useful thoughts about this topic. And to show that women can be just as good (or better) shooters than men, here are two YouTube videos for your viewing consideration: http://www.youtube.com/v/TUMnNxOotSs http://www.youtube.com/v/U14GA-oKxOY

I wanted to talk a little more about foraging for food, especially considering what's happening with the sudden and potentially drastic increase in food prices at the grocery store (compare previous product sizes/weights and current price structures and you'll see what I'm talking about).  I discussed this subject in Episode 81 (http://chipmonk.podbean.com/2010/10/14/episode-81-foraging-for-food-in-city-and-country/) and this builds upon the information in that podcast.  There's nothing really deep or earth-shattering here, but perhaps some info to refresh your memory on the importance of being able to eat.... something.   :) Photo Credit: Foraging for Wild Edible Foods on Flickr, Creative Commons

It's November 1st.  How crazy is that?  Didn't 2010 just get underway?  Oh well....  Since it's the beginning of November it also means that the Midterm Elections in the US are tomorrow.  So...  Although I try to keep this show relatively politics-free I did use the first 8-9 minutes of today's show to make my predictions so that you can all laugh at me on Wednesday if I'm way off or be awed by my prescience if I get it right.  If you'd rather not spend time on that, just fast-forward to around the 9 minute mark or so.... The bulk of this long-ish 49 minute episode is about things you can do to prepare for various wilderness hazards ranging from high winds to flash floods to lightning strikes to plague-carrying squirrels (no, I'm not kidding about the squirrels... why do you ask?) Hope you all find it interesting and informative. :)

The topic of this podcast was submitted to me by a listener so let me start by saying "Thanks, Sean".   He appears to have a lot of knowledge on the topic of Survival Bikes and has posted a great article here: http://www.yunt.net/blog/?p=434 Be sure to check it out! Bicycles are great tools to have on hand in "normal" life, and could be even more valuable in a disaster situation.  In this episode I discuss a variety of factors relating to the selection and usage of bicycles for survival purposes.  I also suggest a few ways to pick them up on the cheap and how to gather equipment/tools, etc. to keep them running for long periods of time.  And, of course, I chose some appropriate "outro" music for the end of the podcast as well. ;) BTW...  Sean also recommends the following sites as "virtual bike repair encyclopedias": sheldonbrown.com and parktool.com You might want to spend a little time on those sites perusing their available information if this is a topic you are interested in. :)