preps

Do you know what a prepper is?

Back in the day, sometimes kids would call someone a "prep".  Which basically meant they were preppy or snobby or thought they were better. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are young and probably don't realize that the Jets are not just a football team from New York, but also an 80's pop group.

That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about preppers.

As in Doomsday Preppers, as seen on National Geographic.

I've watched a few episodes.  And for the most part, I think they are crazy.  However, it does make me think about what I may or may not be prepared for in case of a disaster or crisis.

I've been reading some blogs about gathering what preppers call a "bug out kit", which is basically an emergency stash of items that can keep you going for 72 hours, should you need to grab a backpack and flee from your home.

I decided maybe I would begin to gather some items that made sense to me.......like water, some granola bars, maybe even a hand-crank radio or flashlight.

Then I came across something that made me stop and think twice.

The Pocket Chainsaw.

Now, I don't know about you, but in my world, the words pocket and chainsaw don't go together.

Basically, it's the chain part of a chainsaw on a shoestring.  The description says that it "rolls up to fit in any pocket" and that it "can be used to cut through any wood surface".  emphasis mine.  

Yes, it can be used to cut through any wood surface.  Pretty sure any tree branch that can be sawed through by the pocket chainsaw could be snapped off by hand.  And if you really did need to use it to do any sort of real "chainsawing", I'm pretty sure you would have no flesh left on your hands.  But that's just me.

I also learned on one of the episodes that some preppers hoard buy large quantities of fish tank antibiotics because it's chemically the same thing as antibiotics we take when we are sick and they can get them without a prescription.  Hmmm.....do I want to take fish tank cleaner in lieu of penicillin? No!  But maybe the next time I'm in PetSmart, I'll stock up so that when the Black Market on Fish Tank Antibiotics goes crazy, I can trade them for some Vienna Sausages.