tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60861577250600021732024-03-14T06:29:24.973-04:00The Couch Potato PrepperSubverting the dominant paradigm since 1987.Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-48578024741458778972016-10-31T10:44:00.000-04:002016-10-31T11:42:13.479-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 702: The Well<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Episode 702: The Well</b> </div>
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<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b></div>
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Morgan: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">He's called King Ezekiel.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Carol: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">What?</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Morgan: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Yeah, King Ezekiel. And he ... he does his own thing. </span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span></i></span><br />
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Carol (after meeting King Ezekiel): </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">You're</span><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> <i>shitting</i> me, right?</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Synopsis: TWD completely abandons the main Negan plotline to follow up on Morgan and Carol, who have taken shelter inside the Kingdom, another settlement run by King Ezekiel, a dreadlocked Shakespeare in the Park guy with his own pet tiger. Morgan helps the Kingdom in return for their attending to Carol, and teaches Benjamin how to use the staff. All is not as it seems though, as King Ezekiel is also under the thumb of the Saviors. Few people inside the Kingdom know it, for Ezekiel fears the population will want to fight, and he is afraid the Saviors will destroy all they have built. Carol has gathered enough supplies to leave, but Ezekiel calls her on her aw shucks act and offers to help her. She settles in a home just outside the settlement surrounded by a tall fence, and Ezekiel visits her on her first night.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span></i>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><b>The Well</b> is a somewhat jarring change of pace following the bloodbath of </span></span><b>The Day Will Come When You Won't Be</b>, and plays a few light comedic notes in addition to its revelation that the Saviors have co-opted even this seemingly idyllic community. I'm still not quite buying the whole Carol doesn't want to kill anymore arc, but it's a welcome distraction from last week. Overall, it is a lightweight episode, but it is deftly played by Melissa McBride, Lennie James, and newcomer Khary Payton.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvvqfTvsD5NUqs_sTrDUuIaUKgj85Tad1pJEnq8ZpF5r7nV7zT3VjypGQurUMKAnz2bjsCtobQf50IkBFv9qAwlR-cBbUrVAUdU2VVPXgtRVUd9uWhMOCIvqxwbDYkefWWvLOqTAFmdQP/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-morgan-james-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsvvqfTvsD5NUqs_sTrDUuIaUKgj85Tad1pJEnq8ZpF5r7nV7zT3VjypGQurUMKAnz2bjsCtobQf50IkBFv9qAwlR-cBbUrVAUdU2VVPXgtRVUd9uWhMOCIvqxwbDYkefWWvLOqTAFmdQP/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-morgan-james-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgan marks the direction back to the main plot.</td></tr>
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Carol regains consciousness in the bed of a horse-drawn wagon, and sees Morgan walking with the men on horseback they met at the end of Season Six in their improvised armor made from sports equipment (which begs the question: why hasn't this cropped up before in the series? I am so tired of random walkers taking a chunk out of an exposed arm). She loses consciousness again, and awakens to find her wagon overturned in the midst of a battle between the the humans and undead. She begins hallucinating, seeing the walkers as they were when they were alive and then focusing back into their current undead state. She staggers away and comes to rest at a tall wrought iron fence in front of a house. She sees a woman in the window, who then morphs into a walker. A new group of horsemen approach and kill the remaining walkers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3tB2hzmARvtvTCUckANJWAjarL9hUm4lPWpb16bQC_7fX6Uk18dl1ZH-42Jj0cP3cU1QLiKoEzhO0q-uKPU-WyJCes_zzXYjg_VPMTWHQIDt2fErvguKCdepoX1Ozgv3bvFsDpUDe8s-/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-carol-mcbride-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3tB2hzmARvtvTCUckANJWAjarL9hUm4lPWpb16bQC_7fX6Uk18dl1ZH-42Jj0cP3cU1QLiKoEzhO0q-uKPU-WyJCes_zzXYjg_VPMTWHQIDt2fErvguKCdepoX1Ozgv3bvFsDpUDe8s-/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-carol-mcbride-2-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He has his own quotes on a wall. Riggggghhhht.</td></tr>
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Carol wakes up in a bed, her wounds cleaned and dressed, where Morgan explains she has been asleep for two days. Putting her in a wheelchair, she shows him around their temporary home, called the Kingdom. It is a hive of activity, with well-developed gardens producing food, school in session for children, and even power in certain buildings. The area is clean and well-kept. Brick buildings are surrounded by people living and thriving in a community of hope. It almost made me wonder if the settlement (filmed on the grounds of a 19th Century military base now owned by noted producer Tyler Perry) was part of a different show. Compared to the chaos of Alexandria, the viewer is invited to explore the notion that maybe all the issues with our main group are a symptom of Rick's confrontational leadership style.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSHS8v4gIXBljXBdks8dRRe9imdLMwLyv-UvBSD8juGOu0R9X9jk5L3jo3xIo5i4Gsn8FGh877gnSgKnbKPt_88FwZ4Pr5K_M538QTITrlrqEJPt_HjbqSG_MnfMiG-oI4vGrtIlnmTKC/s1600/twd-social-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSHS8v4gIXBljXBdks8dRRe9imdLMwLyv-UvBSD8juGOu0R9X9jk5L3jo3xIo5i4Gsn8FGh877gnSgKnbKPt_88FwZ4Pr5K_M538QTITrlrqEJPt_HjbqSG_MnfMiG-oI4vGrtIlnmTKC/s320/twd-social-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dude has a tiger. Let that sink in for a minute.</td></tr>
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Morgan introduces Carol to King Ezekiel, who invites her to stay and recover. He speaks using a commanding voice and archaic terms, as if from Shakespeare or some other classic author. Carol, who has perfected the art of disappearing behind a guise of a helpless housewife, can't stand it and nearly laughs in his face, but recovers in time. She tells Morgan that the Kingdom is a circus: a fantasy land that belies the horrors of the world in the worst way, by covering it up with some myth of royalty and knights. Carol is leaving as soon as she gets better and can gather the supplies she needs to accomplish it. Morgan insists that he is not going to let her die "out there." She says he can't stop her.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMZJHtKVJe2a61Bjg3GYsQbMj5CaeAak1WUu-mq60y7t_i__l0detmL8zacRIZekOh4HS1mqAb2PCdeLenI2yvKiWtUsDzf5sZ5NUoS8jgpVye0TonwWR378nb4Ku951vEd5MPmUeIGF3/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-ben-miller-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMZJHtKVJe2a61Bjg3GYsQbMj5CaeAak1WUu-mq60y7t_i__l0detmL8zacRIZekOh4HS1mqAb2PCdeLenI2yvKiWtUsDzf5sZ5NUoS8jgpVye0TonwWR378nb4Ku951vEd5MPmUeIGF3/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-ben-miller-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benjamin needs a red shirt.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Later, Morgan, Ezekiel and a small team led by Richard, Ezekiel's second in command, leave in a two-truck convoy and travel to a nearby city to hunt feral pigs, who themselves are feeding on the walkers. They shoo them into a room in a warehouse where a tied up walker has been pre-positioned, and then shut the door. As the pigs devour the walker, Richard remarks that he wanted the pigs to have "a belly full of rot." Walkers approach because of the noise and Benjamin, a teenager who is new to the outside the wire group, is instructed to kill one using a machete. He struggles to do so, and Ezekiel stabs the creature in the head with his sword. As they load up, Ezekiel instructs Morgan not to tell anyone about the hunt, and the pig truck leaves in a different direction than the other truck.<br />
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Ezekiel, impressed by Morgan, asks him to train Benjamin in the staff, because the younger man has shown little talent with other melee weapons or firearms. Reluctantly, Morgan agrees to do so, but finds he enjoys instructing the young man. Meanwhile, Carol wheels around in her wheelchair, stealing clothes, weapons, and supplies. <br />
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Morgan is training Benjamin when Ezekiel and Richard ask him to come with them. Richard tells him to bring his gun. The trio leave with a small team and rendezvous with the now slaughtered pigs in a parking lot. A group of Saviors arrives, and when Dianne, a member of the Kingdom, explains to Morgan who they are, Morgan says, "I know who they are."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXWreuoLnXYD9wT2DU8uvg_RnVDv-bqsqoySPQh8iO3uQdqBF9R7_N88JnyE0KW9Jm_2EFSdtS0JbPOcsr0b9hMicHS96tSyqQs518S6ev_zCQ63_5Lxy6SJovqqn5HaZhbZAID-q3YR6/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-richard-makinen-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXWreuoLnXYD9wT2DU8uvg_RnVDv-bqsqoySPQh8iO3uQdqBF9R7_N88JnyE0KW9Jm_2EFSdtS0JbPOcsr0b9hMicHS96tSyqQs518S6ev_zCQ63_5Lxy6SJovqqn5HaZhbZAID-q3YR6/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-richard-makinen-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really hope this guy dies soon.</td></tr>
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As they load the pigs into the Saviors' trucks, one of them picks a fight with Richard. Richard has the upper hand, is clearly <i>very </i>skilled at fighting. Ezekiel orders his people to stand down, and the Savior uses the opportunity to get a few free shots in until the lead Savior orders him to stop. He reminds Ezekiel that next week is produce week, and if they are short Richard will be the first to die.<br />
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Back at the Kingdom, Benjamin explains that Ezekiel is keeping their obligations to the Saviors a secret to prevent people from wanting to fight back and cause the Saviors to destroy them. He knows the Saviors outmatch the Kingdom. Benjamin's father was one of the best fighters in the Kingdom but died with eight others "clearing walkers from a building." It would come as no surprise if it emerges that Negan killed those people, and Benjamin tries to seek revenge later. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HwQmFXoA5ZZoJ2p5ZIMEdLed4un53LKaw1-dq7MFmotamqCRfKJtdjWkpzul11P9hrBpOcP0c7uu-E7xsizRqjfF7zGkJW2sr-GFWv9vM5jK8FiJ1-vW6XvjSvbTiUB8IuLD-OI-TSWk/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HwQmFXoA5ZZoJ2p5ZIMEdLed4un53LKaw1-dq7MFmotamqCRfKJtdjWkpzul11P9hrBpOcP0c7uu-E7xsizRqjfF7zGkJW2sr-GFWv9vM5jK8FiJ1-vW6XvjSvbTiUB8IuLD-OI-TSWk/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezekiel confronts Carol.</td></tr>
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Exekiel confronts Carol in the apple orchard as she gathers fruit for her journey, and confesses that he is playing a part and being a leader "because people want to follow someone." Carol thinks he is a joke, but then seems to understand. He was a zookeeper who nursed Shiva back to health before the fall of civilization. Carol explains that she wants to leave, but he encourages her to embrace life and the hope it offers. He suggests a plan where she can "go and not go."<br />
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Morgan and Carol go on horseback to the fenced in cottage where she passed out, and she enters and kills the walker inside. She cleans it out and sets it up as her home, safe behind the iron fences. There is a knock at the door, and Ezekiel is there. He offers her a pomegranate and she smiles at him.<br />
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<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfD6M3waiCYYgg4PkFbVOIdw79lLHZ20YehiDtaUSclMOsT1zblfZVTIKdl8m2oozmUEVaYPtQBRkyFI1sERjHPH761axJKLMmvxnuc_6EXJ_rIhDIEUKhq8MjiipZeFZKGLIXX7eDliy/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-702-daniel-newman-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfD6M3waiCYYgg4PkFbVOIdw79lLHZ20YehiDtaUSclMOsT1zblfZVTIKdl8m2oozmUEVaYPtQBRkyFI1sERjHPH761axJKLMmvxnuc_6EXJ_rIhDIEUKhq8MjiipZeFZKGLIXX7eDliy/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-702-daniel-newman-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over armor, not under armor.</td></tr>
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It's about time <i>someone</i> started using body armor of some sort in this world. When venturing into <br />
danger, Rick's group routinely wears short sleeved t-shirts and no gloves while facing herds of dangerous walkers that have to be put down at close range, many times with melee weapons (then again, they can also gargle zombie guts and blood safely but one scratch and it's lights out, but I digress). The Kingdom's armor is a mixture of sports elbow and knee pads, motor cross chest protectors, and other odds and ends, but it works: no walker is going to chew through a plastic shinguard worn on the forearm.<br />
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Of course, the trade off with wearing armor is mobility. You are more protected but carrying extra weight, which slows you down and tires you out more quickly. U.S. troops often wore full body armor in Iraq, where they were close to their operating bases and usually rode around in vehicles using that country's modern road network. In Afghanistan, where the steep terrain often meant dismounted patrols for days at a time, troops, and special operations forces in particular, sometimes jettisoned their heavy ceramic body armor plates to cut weight. When everything you own for upcoming operation is being carried on you back, the 10-15 pounds of body armor can be excruciating after a time.<br />
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The Kingdom is more worried about walkers than bullets, however, so what they have works for the situation. As preppers, we should critically examine whether body armor is an expense we are willing to incur. There are several reputable companies that market body armor, and a variety of plate carriers available on the market. The question is: what are you preparing for? Does body armor make sense in that scope, and do you foresee a need for it?<br />
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Also think about your home. If you plan to shelter in place during a crisis, will your home withstand gunfire? For most of us, the answer is no, unless you have a brick home or poured concrete home. These materials are more resistant to high velocity rounds. Cinderblock is not and can be penetrated relatively quickly (don't believe me? Check <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwZPJgkF6G8" target="_blank">this video</a>). If you are planning to include a panic room or defending your home from armed attackers in your preparations, do a critical appraisal of your home and its ability to provide cover for you and your family. Standard wood and drywall construction will do little to stop high-velocity rounds..<br />
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Also of note is the sheer amount of work the Kingdom puts into feeding itself. There are gardens <i>everywhere</i>. I particularly like the use of filing cabinets as containers for plants. As a prepper, you should try to produce at least some of your own food. It could be as simple as a few containers with a tomato plant in each one, but working with plants puts you back in touch with nature and also gives you insight into the challenges of agriculture. I know there are companies that sell "crisis seed vaults" of heirloom seeds -- those that are not genetically modified and thus will germinate the next season if saved properly, unlike hybrid seeds that will not. Do not expect that you would will be able to crack open one of those vaults and plant an acre garden that grows itself. Gardening takes time and effort to be successful. Again, experience and skills trump supplies and gear. <br />
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<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 702:</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Is body armor right for you? Does it fit your preparedness plan?</li>
<li>Consider how well protected you would be from gunfire in your home. If you need to reinforce an area consider sandbags on the outer walls or fortifying a couple of key rooms to protect your family.</li>
<li>Try some gardening, even if it's just one plant in a container.</li>
</ul>
<i>Next week: Daryl gets to play Cool Hand Luke to Negan's Strother Martin.</i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-69163839288081767172016-10-24T10:19:00.000-04:002016-10-24T10:48:02.121-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 701: The Day Will Come When You Won't Be<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Episode 701: The Day Will Come When You Won't Be</b> </div>
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<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b></div>
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Abraham: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Suck my nuts.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Synopsis: Negan kills Abraham, and when Daryl tries to intervene and punches him, Negan turns and kills Glenn. When Rick threatens to kill him one day in retaliation, Negan takes him in the camper and forces him to wade through a crowd of walkers to retrieve his own hatchet to display his power over the group. When Rick still displays defiance, Negan orders him to cut of Carl's hand, but relents at the last minute when Rick begs him not to make him do such a horrific thing. Negan tells the group that he will be at Alexandria in one week to receive his tribute, takes Daryl hostage, and leaves the group, who load the bodies of their friends onto the camper and proceed to the Hilltop to get care for Maggie. </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><b>The Day Will Come When You Won't Be</b> is a solid hour of new bad guy Negan, who loves playing power games, breaking Rick's will and forcing him to comply with the "New World Order." It opens with Rick threatening to kill Negan in retribution, but Negan, not impressed drags Rick to the camper with Rick's hatchet and goes on a short road trip to the log barricade built by the Saviors. There, he forces Rick to wade into a crowd of walkers to retrieve his hand ax from the top of the RV. During this scene, there are flashbacks to the events at the end of the last season, and while resting in relative safety on top of the RV, he relives in flashback the events from a few minutes before. </span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqs-LTW6-ROU0Cdi7xJOZscMANS9tUU1r77oehX5NIXavqFKUEsICzxokoGBd5WV5A-JIByf7kW6T_WeYdGD4vFf2Szo12enrj-DxcblOzEm2tikNb6KDHNsa1hyphenhyphen4f0O-l7M0JSKkJ2tV/s1600/the-walkingd-dead-season-7-jeffrey-dean-morgan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqs-LTW6-ROU0Cdi7xJOZscMANS9tUU1r77oehX5NIXavqFKUEsICzxokoGBd5WV5A-JIByf7kW6T_WeYdGD4vFf2Szo12enrj-DxcblOzEm2tikNb6KDHNsa1hyphenhyphen4f0O-l7M0JSKkJ2tV/s1600/the-walkingd-dead-season-7-jeffrey-dean-morgan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's just getting started. Or Something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Negan chooses Abraham as his victim, and pummels the man once with his bat, Lucille. Abraham, who might be dead, but was never defeated, utters "Suck my nuts," to his killer's face before Negan beats him to death. He then orders Rosita, whom he has correctly surmised had some sort of previous relationship with Abraham, to look at his blood-soaked "vampire bat." When she cannot, Daryl leaps up and punches Negan. Once Daryl is subdued, Dwight asks to kill the man with his own crossbow. Negan tells him know, but then immediately pivots and brains Glenn twice. Glen manages to mutter a goodbye to Maggie, then collapses as Negan beats him to death. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Back in the present, on top of the RV, Rick hears Negan losing his patience, and explains to Rick that he should imagine what could happen if Rick does not toe the line. Rick, picturing the other members of the group falling to Lucille, makes it back inside, but it is clear he is still seething. Negan tells him it must be "rough" for him, having been in charge so long. He cleans the hatchet with alcohol and gives it back to Rick, telling him he can still live a long and productive life.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">They drive back to the murder site, where the other hostages are waiting. Negan orders Carl to come forward and he is held to the ground. The head Savior then orders Rick to chop off his son's left hand to show loyalty. As Rick lifts the hatchet after begging Negan to not make him do this (and Carl telling him to get it over with), Negan relents now that he sees Rick is truly broken.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Negan tells him that the Saviors will be in Alexandria in one week for the first tribute, and then the bigger group withdraws, taking Daryl as a hostage. Negan sees potential in the man, who Negan says "isn't a bitch like someone else we know." </span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">The rest of the group is left weaponless and grieving. Maggie is inconsolable, but stands unsteadily and announces she is marching to Hilltop alone while the rest of them go back and prepare to fight the Saviors. Rick tells her it's useless; they will kill Daryl if they resist. The group slowly pulls itself together and load the bodies onto the RV and depart. As they leave, a lone walker wanders onto the scene and begins eating the scraps of flesh left on the ground from Glenn.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">All in all, it is a solid, well-acted episode, but I was bothered with the amount of gore and the and the gratuitous violence on display. This is an episode I will never re-watch because it is just too disturbing. We have had deaths and gore on <b>The Walking Dead</b> before, but the gory deaths of walkers can be disconnected. These are monsters, things, that are out to devour our heroes. The deaths of two characters so central to the story of this series in such a shocking way just seemed way over the top.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">At the center of it all is Negan, played by the excellent Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who delivers his "lessons" without a trace of the Governor's underlying malevolence. He is a true sociopath.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Preparedness Discussion</span></span></b><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">This was a hard episode to derive preparedness advice from for me (always have alcohol on hand to sterilize your hatchet, though; I wrote this in my show notes). The biggest lesson derived is the need for developing as full of an intelligence picture as possible during a crisis situation. Rick didn't understand the true nature of the threat he faced, and his friends paid the price.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Since presumably none of us are privy to classified government threat analyses, we should do what we can to develop local intelligence: </span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Start with our immediate neighborhood. If you take walks around the area, use the time not just to enhance physical fitness. <i>Look around</i>. Note the general condition of the homes and yards -- are they well kept and tidy? Is there a home or homes that don't fit that mold? Why? Is it a senior citizen that can't perform the labor anymore? You now have a chance to get to know a neighbor and build community by helping them. Do you notice strange traffic patterns, like strange cars coming to a particular house and then departing after only a few minutes? If so, there is a decent chance that a drug dealer has taken up residence. Check local police blotter reports that are published in newspapers and scan for incidents close to you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Buy a handheld scanner and start listening to police radio reports. While a growing number of cities are now encrypting communications, many still do not. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Enlist friends and family to help develop an intelligence picture. <a href="http://www.intherabbithole.com/e171/?hvid=3X2kLE" target="_blank"><b>In The Rabbit Hole</b></a> has a really interesting podcast on how to accomplish this. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Finally, you have to consider how Negan came to power. Imagine the damage someone like him could do to a preparedness group. Negan feigns concern for his people, but his real desire is to be the top dog of the food chain, and he could probably sacrifice the entire group if it suited his purposes. You need to carefully consider who you decide to work with. <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_sociopaths_cults_influence.html" target="_blank"><b>Natural News </b></a>has a neat little article on recognizing sociopathic characteristics. Only a trained mental health professional can correctly diagnose sociopaths, but if you notice any of those traits, you might want to steer clear. Bottom line: listen to your inner voice, and if something doesn't feel quite right about the person, distance yourself.</span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<b><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Preparedness Lessons for Episode 701:</span></span></b><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Work on improving your personal intelligence picture.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;">Learn to critically evaluate people and steer clear of potential hostiles by knowing some simple warning traits for sociopaths.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><i>Next week: The full impact of Negan's assault is felt as Rick has to tell Alexandria as whole he is no longer in charge. Oh, and Glen and Abraham are still dead.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="white-space: wrap;"><span style="white-space: wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-65693962920330634932016-08-08T11:29:00.001-04:002016-08-08T11:29:17.676-04:00Hope You Are Having A Great Summer!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi everyone:<br />
<br />
I hope you are all having a great summer prepping and enjoying life, because I sure have! I have been traveling, carrying out various home improvement projects, and re-working some of my prepping goals -- basically just taking stock of where I am and what I want to do. Some of my activities include:<br />
<br />
<b>Home Maintenance.</b> I made sure my furnace filters were clean and clear (my HVAC system uses a pair of permanent filters that must be cleaned every few months) and scheduled a yearly service on my HVAC system. I purchased a new pressure washer and pressure washed all the concrete patios, porches, walks, and driveways on my property. I still need to repaint the wood on my sun porch. More one why in a minute. <br />
<br />
<b>Personal Maintenance.</b> Continued working out when I could to build strength. Personal achievements were making it 5K on a treadmill. I also had routine doctor's appointments to check blood work, etc. as diabetes runs in my family and I wanted to monitor that as I am approaching a certain age. <br />
<br />
<b>Skills Maintenance. </b> Increased my practice with firearms and researched more on shooting fundamentals. I am happy to say that my work with rifle platforms and handgun platforms has improved markedly.<br />
<br />
<b>Supply Maintenance.</b> Inventoried supplies I have accumulated and rotated out old stock. I had been a little lax in this department.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7fpHQThJBh6bvxuPuJip0QUzxHs75IEt8bg61iL_4cpQGVIleRcbygSYJU-09ivzQ3xQX74mqX8Xn-ohB3oaNstpVz15WpUJmQTuRpUdSftA3R_VqPwHnKPr7Tk8ewb8mFo2p4srr2xN/s1600/f_wv_housefire_160624.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7fpHQThJBh6bvxuPuJip0QUzxHs75IEt8bg61iL_4cpQGVIleRcbygSYJU-09ivzQ3xQX74mqX8Xn-ohB3oaNstpVz15WpUJmQTuRpUdSftA3R_VqPwHnKPr7Tk8ewb8mFo2p4srr2xN/s320/f_wv_housefire_160624.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a house on fire, floating down the river.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Spiritual Maintenance.</b> My home state of West Virginia was subjected to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_West_Virginia_flood" target="_blank">massive flash flooding</a> in late June, and as part of my church relief team I spent time in the town of Clendenin, West Virginia handing out relief supplies as part of the volunteer effort. There is still a massive amount of cleaning up to do. Some parts of the state received two months of rain in 24 hours. <br />
<br />
The biggest challenge I faced this summer was a physical condition that hampered my mobility. I was diagnosed with psoas tendonitis of the left hip. This inflammation of the tendons of the hip is painful and takes up to three to four weeks to recover from. The psoas muscle, for the uninitiated, is used in virtually every movement of the hip. As soon as my hip was feeling better I came down with a pretty bad upper respiratory infection as well, so I was out of commission for four weeks or so. This slowed me down, but I am back up to full speed now.<br />
<br />
I could have used my down time to review <i>Fear The Walking Dead, </i>but honestly, the second season has not grabbed me like the first season did. Much of the characterization that was developed during the first season was jettisoned and the show meandered through the first seven episodes. I may go back and do a "best of" preparedness lessons learned during the first part of the season, but at this point I simply don't feel like writing seven reviews on disappointing episodes. <br />
<br />
Alternatively, I would recommend<i> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4421578/" target="_blank">Containment</a>, </i>a limited series on the CW network that follows an inner city area of Atlanta after a disease outbreak forces it to be walled off in a cordon to stop the disease from spreading. It has some of the usual Hollywood tropes (people with guns are either gang bangers or racist rednecks, government conspiracies, etc.) but watching a quarantine area slowly devolve into chaos is an eye opener.</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-68413007361990419962016-04-12T14:45:00.001-04:002016-04-12T15:06:42.721-04:00Some More Random Thoughts on The Walking Dead Episode 616<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here are some more random thoughts and items that I omitted from my review:<br />
<br />
Negan has basically set up a feudal system. He is the lord, and the
Saviors are his vassals. The peasants, or other colonies of survivors,
work the land and feed the vassals and the lord. His New World Order is
really the Old World Order. It's what Europe defaulted to after the fall
of Roman civilization. <br />
<br />
Like I said in my review, Rick is
probably the biggest threat Negan has faced. Team Rick is well-armed,
combat-proven, and utterly ruthless when confronted. The Saviors were
totally unaware of Alexandria, and were taken by surprise when Rick
attacked and wiped out an outpost of 30-40 people, plus hunted and
killed the survivors, plus the recon team sent to retrieve the
survivors. Add to that their motorcycle recon team was turned into a
bloody smear on the pavement, and that even when they killed Denise they
lost 4-5 guys and yet another road recon team to Carol, and you can see
why Negan is concerned. <br />
<br />
So he put his own recon teams out, and I
am sure they have seen Alexandrian vehicles driving to Hilltop, so he
knows they are working together. They have also done a close recon on
Alexandria's perimeter (the Saviors in the truck identified Carol as
being from there because the car and knew exactly where it was located).
Negan put together this major effort to get Alexandria under his thumb
because they are a threat. Right now Negan has numbers and organization,
but if Rick can find other settlements being coerced by Negan and get
them to work together ... then the game is up for him. His own people
have to be whispering about the boogeymen from Alexandria. That speech
he gave in the final episode was as much for the Saviors as it was for
Team Rick. <br />
<br />
It's not just about getting Alexandria's stuff. It's about stopping an insurgency before it begins.<br />
<br />
That being said, I wonder where all the walkers are during his confrontation with the Alexandria gang. My guess is that they had outward facing perimeter security to deal with walkers, and since the quarry has been emptied the walker concentration seems a lot lower in the area.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpXeVLcFe5WzkdqKRWhCU8e2AvvoiA3ePnHNCGqrpyDCdiauWCNdVWf_KOk06Ybh53jUkT99leNlPLs-nfniHCRSkX5_gTD7Tu7KaD140E8QtZTXyp1Ct7SUjx7rLjc0WlmCXL6PgJES/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-616-morgan-james-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpXeVLcFe5WzkdqKRWhCU8e2AvvoiA3ePnHNCGqrpyDCdiauWCNdVWf_KOk06Ybh53jUkT99leNlPLs-nfniHCRSkX5_gTD7Tu7KaD140E8QtZTXyp1Ct7SUjx7rLjc0WlmCXL6PgJES/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-616-morgan-james-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Armor: Use it or not?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, it was interesting to see the two survivors Morgan met are wearing makeshift body armor made out of sports equipment and motocross protective garments. I am surprised no one thought of that before. Cut resistant <a href="http://www.esafetysupplies.com/Kevlar-Brand-Fiber-Steel-Glove-w-Black-Microfoam-Nitrile-Coating.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwubK4BRC1xczKrZyj3mkSJAC6ntgrlThmVfC_zh4gazkPduTNRJbBqaBwlJAUafeP4PMhbhoC6Irw_wcB" target="_blank">Kevlar gloves</a> are standard wear in industrial settings like sheet metal shops and machine shops. <a href="http://gizmodo.com/with-a-kevlar-lined-shirt-youre-not-completely-screwed-1566104826" target="_blank">Kevlar clothes</a> have been on the market for a while now for motorcycle enthusiasts. You'd think at least the bikers like Daryl would be privy to such information.<br />
<br />
For that matter, from a survival standpoint, how advisable would it be for preppers to invest in cut-resistant clothes for post-disaster clean-up, or even body armor in case of armed encounters? Many preppers already use plate carriers as load bearing vests for tactical gear. Ballistic plates are available commercially from vendors liker <a href="http://infidelbodyarmor.com/" target="_blank">Infidel Body Armor</a> and <a href="http://www.ar500armor.com/" target="_blank">AR500</a>. The question that we must ask is, does the cost and weight of body armor get outweighed by our perception of the likelihood we might need it? Would we rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it?<br />
<br />
My <i>Fear the Walking Dead</i> review will be posted later this week. Until then ...</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-87512244453915276232016-04-07T11:22:00.003-04:002016-04-07T11:55:11.883-04:00Reviews for the last four Walking Dead episodes are now posted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thanks for the patience. I have been busy doing "stuff and thangs" in real life, but I am now up to date. Links to all four reviews are posted below to prevent having to scroll through the blog:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://couchpotatoprepper.blogspot.com/2016/04/preparedness-review-of-walking-dead.html">Episode
613: The Same Boat</a></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://couchpotatoprepper.blogspot.com/2016/04/preparedness-review-of-walking-dead_7.html">Episode
614: Twice As Far</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://couchpotatoprepper.blogspot.com/2016/04/preparedness-review-of-walking-dead_94.html">Episode
615: East</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://couchpotatoprepper.blogspot.com/2016/04/preparedness-review-of-walking-dead_80.html">Episode
616: Last Day On Earth</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hope you enjoy them!<b> </b></div>
</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-81343276104234356592016-04-07T11:16:00.001-04:002016-08-08T11:38:42.787-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 616: Last Day On Earth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Episode 616: Last Day On Earth</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Negan's Henchman: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">You made it. Welcome to where you're goin'. </span><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></i></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<i>Synopsis: Well, here we are. Maggie is ill, and the group must make a road trip to the Hilltop's doctor because of the silly plot contrivance that got Denise killed in </i>Twice as Far<i>. Rick, Carl, Sasha, Eugene, Aaron, and Abraham move out in the RV, but find themselves thwarted at every turn by the Saviors, who seem to be everywhere. Meanwhile, Morgan finds and treats Carol, who has seemingly lost the will to live. She is shot by the Savior survivor from the truck ambush, but Morgan breaks his code of not killing and shoots her assailant. They meet another group of friendly survivors, who offer to help Carol. Rick and the RV team are backed into a corner and forced to proceed on foot carrying Maggie, but are captured by the Saviors. Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita are pulled from a truck and forced to join them. Negan, the leader of the Saviors, appears, and after a long speech about how they all now work for him, uses his bat, Lucille,to kill one of the group. </i><br />
<br />
The episode opens with light streaming through holes in the wall of a dark room, coupled by the sounds of breathing and voices, presumably from someone being held captive. Meanwhile, Morgan continues searching for Carol and finds a horse with a saddle -- perhaps the one the unknown man was looking for in the previous episode. He mounts up and continues moving forward. meanwhile, the Savior survivor from the road ambush continues tracking Carol as well.<br />
<br />
A dirty, disheveled man flees through the woods, pursued by the Saviors. They catch him and the leader of the group tells the new captive that his people at the library had to die because the broke Negan's rules and fought them. They then beat the man on the ground.<br />
<br />
Back at Alexandria, Maggie's condition is deteriorating. Carl is urgently packing weapons into his bag, because he and Rick are planning to take Maggie to the Hilltop for medical care, because, you know Denise is now dead (Folks, that one contrivance has killed the back three episodes for me). Enid begs to go to help Maggie, and confronts Carl about why he wants to go. She accuses him of wanting to get into a firefight with the marauders.<br />
<br />
"If you don't come back, how am I supposed to live with that?" she asks. It's a curious question, given that Carl and Enid, at least on screen, have not been shown to be <i>that</i> close of late. More on this later. He locks her into a closet and then goes outside, where Rick is loading more bags into the RV. Sasha, Eugene, and Abraham insist on accompanying him as security. As Rick works on the RV, Aaron joins the party.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu1kpfjHNaSA4FtevXKTFaAhR4f-VBjwL4mbIQwnUtcEIfzdMKDHF38pemaxrRmLoI2UkrvWnd_jZEXQVRGjelDgJV2cVu3q2-1oy4x8X0GfA6NP6iO5HxkF0dD0OpbJ1rBXA3jPuSSsI/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-616-sasha-green-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu1kpfjHNaSA4FtevXKTFaAhR4f-VBjwL4mbIQwnUtcEIfzdMKDHF38pemaxrRmLoI2UkrvWnd_jZEXQVRGjelDgJV2cVu3q2-1oy4x8X0GfA6NP6iO5HxkF0dD0OpbJ1rBXA3jPuSSsI/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-616-sasha-green-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A long range scope on a short barrelled rifle - okey dokey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just before leaving, Rick and Gabriel review the security measures for Alexandria in the event of a Savior attack: guard posts are manned and ready, and cars are positioned for a quick getaway. Drivers have been pre-assigned to each one, so that if they are forced to abandon the settlement, the survivors can make a quick getaway. A rally point has been designated, and Gabriel's first priority is ensuring the safety of Judith. It's an impressive amount of planning, much better than the pathetic escape plan from the prison in Season 4, but it's a shame it had to come to this. A little more recon on the Saviors might have allowed Rick to better understand the nature of the threat and developed a better strategy.<br />
<br />
Morgan finds Carol lying across the stoop of a building behind a wrought iron fence. The secures the horse, clears the inside of the building, which appears to be the library referred to by the Savior captive earlier in the episode, and treats a knife wound to her abdomen. She tells him to go back and let her go . He tells her that they will stay for the night, but then they will return to Alexandria.<br />
<br />
The Saviors drag the beaten man on the road. He asks why they are doing this, because everyone in his group at the library is now dead. The leader tells him they are going to make an example of him for someone else. <br />
<br />
The RV is on the road, with Maggie lying in the back. Rick assures her the doctor will be able to help, and that "as long as it's all of us, we can do anything." <br />
<br />
Pride goeth before the fall. Rick still does not understand the nature of the threat and how dangerous the Saviors are to Alexandria. They have numbers, weapons and organization. He is committing the sin of assumption -- assuming that just because things have always been a certain way, they will stay that way. If he's not careful, he is going to get everyone at Alexandria killed. Just then, Abraham runs into a Savior roadblock -- the one where the Saviors are holding the captive as an example.<br />
<br />
Rick’s group steps out of the RV. Rick puts his hands up and offers to
make a deal. “Give us all your stuff,” the leader commands. He also explains that they will have to kill one of the group as an example, but then they can "move forward." Rick refuses
before getting back in the RV to turn around.<br />
<br />
“What if it’s the last
day on Earth for you?” the leader asks before Rick leaves. “Maybe you
should be extra nice to those people in that RV. Because you never
know.” Rick tells him to do the same, and the man says there are plenty of ways for Rick to get to where he's going.<br />
<br />
As the RV retreats, Eugene finds an alternate route that offers more visibility to spot potential ambushes. The group moves out to follow the new road, but encounter and even larger gang at the next roadblock. They back away as the Saviors fire warning shots.<br />
<br />
Carol tells Morgan that she cares about the people at Alexandria and would kill to protect them, but she no longer wants to.<br />
<br />
“If you don’t want to kill, or if you can’t, then you have to get away from them. You do not get both." She tries to get him to leave, but he tells her she can come back from this.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwYI963_bq2mQ9W8aEHrYtkXnPESUiHSd8dLyWRSfFoHh10aou0X_gs_pRkVbGaXICDsJs7gsaCPTa9dCXPVOYr2Ro8N04EbFyUIHpdmnqznHGyK1IRG89yXXOcPgdDMx99wKdiXGwTUk/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-616-rick-lincoln-5-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwYI963_bq2mQ9W8aEHrYtkXnPESUiHSd8dLyWRSfFoHh10aou0X_gs_pRkVbGaXICDsJs7gsaCPTa9dCXPVOYr2Ro8N04EbFyUIHpdmnqznHGyK1IRG89yXXOcPgdDMx99wKdiXGwTUk/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-616-rick-lincoln-5-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conga line!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The RV encounters yet another roadblock: this time, a line of walkers
chained together across the road. The group gets out to investigate.
Aaron notices that one of the walkers has two of Michonne’s dreadlocks stapled to it, and Sasha notices Daryl’s
crossbow bolts embedded through another walker’s chest. Saviors fire at
them from the woods. Rick cuts the chain, letting the walkers loose.
They pile into the RV and drive forward. Rick notes they were firing at their feet, which means they really wanted them to go through the roadblock. The Saviors are funneling Rick into the direction they want the group to go, shaping the battlespace by playing a game of chess, and so far they are thinking about five moves ahead of Rick. They hit another roadblock and are forced to turn back again. Maggie is growing weaker and feverish, and Rick is becoming increasingly desperate to figure a way through the gauntlet.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZ2i94WwfSFwJ7Z_mY33A6GVGN4tDgXtxCkZLj8S988ab0nIsdrYMJ8RtNEpq-veQNvIZDX9BoC3fkczmIJsA7uxM-q__VGFYjCIpPXZE5fl1vVF91p5MNI0XqI67uLsitbBHCYeeiI34/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-616-rick-lincoln-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZ2i94WwfSFwJ7Z_mY33A6GVGN4tDgXtxCkZLj8S988ab0nIsdrYMJ8RtNEpq-veQNvIZDX9BoC3fkczmIJsA7uxM-q__VGFYjCIpPXZE5fl1vVF91p5MNI0XqI67uLsitbBHCYeeiI34/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-616-rick-lincoln-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In over his head, Rick is.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The RV then encounters a giant wall of logs blocking the road. The Saviors drop the captive beaten man over an overpass from a chain and hang him in front of the group. The logs erupt in flames and the voice of the man from the first roadblock tells them to hurry, because they have to get to where they are going. This took a lot of work, planning, and execution, as well as manpower and heavy equipment to accomplish. Again. more on this later. <br />
<br />
In the nearby town, Morgan goes outside to kill a walker hanging from an antenna assembly, killed like the man at the wood roadblock. He kills it, but returns to find Carol has fled. He grabs the horse and searches the town, but she has been shot by the wounded Savior that has been tracking her. He says he plans to watch her die slowly, and she taunts him, attempting to goad him into killing her. Morgan intervenes and tells him to drop the gun, but is forced to shoot the man, breaking his code.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJKgGUa2hBNStLX490cpNrb3H9wadVMbByvIYskSDBfimMXChyphenhyphenpaN4CkcAFOE3Gdkgc9BAx27GTE3ex908uA7EdpQd49WUreZswzMmTifrwWfFjkTxPq6XVEwr78APyfQ3YBvek8mGdpF/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-616-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJKgGUa2hBNStLX490cpNrb3H9wadVMbByvIYskSDBfimMXChyphenhyphenpaN4CkcAFOE3Gdkgc9BAx27GTE3ex908uA7EdpQd49WUreZswzMmTifrwWfFjkTxPq6XVEwr78APyfQ3YBvek8mGdpF/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-616-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol is given short shrift. And bullet wounds.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is probably the most interesting moment of the episode in terms of real drama: Carol is in the same mental condition as Morgan when he was captured and helped to recover from his trauma at the cabin in the woods, and Morgan was forced to kill again. The implications of this aren't even briefly considered by the story, however, because the man who was searching for his horse earlier in the day appears with a friend and offers to help Carol. If this wasn't a season finale, the whole episode could have focused on the aftermath of this scene, but we can't here, because <b>NEGAN IS COMING!</b><br />
<br />
The group in the RV is contemplating their next move, with their fuel running low and a mechanical issue beginning to degrade the camper's abilities. Eugene points out that the Saviors are looking for the RV, and probably would not expect them to travel on foot. He volunteers to continue driving around in the RV as a decoy while the rest of the group proceeds on foot through the forest carrying Maggie on a stretcher. The plan fails, as the stretcher team is surrounded by dozens of Saviors, and Eugene is already there, captured, beaten, and on his knees. They are surrounded by over a hundred of their enemy, and are forced to surrender.<br />
<br />
Inside the dark room, the voices of Rick and the Saviors are heard, the door opens, and the room, which is the back of the van, is flooded with light. D pulls Daryl, who has been shot, Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita from the back and forces them to their knees with the others. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI0ZSCF7pCIMFgf-DJU-km1ZcS7AbOiXqhf18j-lRpgTcJGy_2q0dQEiGg-ENbaVcdyAr3PTxJ6ygmGkyly8PT5-tV6tf0pXloxZlRwEcx4gUNcsW4r2zGuMJewB3sPPwWED2myfJ6YFY/s1600/the_walking_dead_129527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlI0ZSCF7pCIMFgf-DJU-km1ZcS7AbOiXqhf18j-lRpgTcJGy_2q0dQEiGg-ENbaVcdyAr3PTxJ6ygmGkyly8PT5-tV6tf0pXloxZlRwEcx4gUNcsW4r2zGuMJewB3sPPwWED2myfJ6YFY/s400/the_walking_dead_129527.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My name is Negan. You killed my men. Prepare to die.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Negan steps out of the RV with his trademark weapon Lucille. He explains to Rick (he knows Rick by name; more on that later) that the Saviors are in control and they now work for him. Jeffrey Dean Morgan delivers a slick, smarmy performance that is mesmerizing, but I think the speech went a little bit too long. He explains that he doesn't want to kill anyone, but because Team Rick has killed so many of his men, "Not cool," he says, that he is going to kill one of them with Lucille to teach them a lesson. Rick has totally lost his control at this point, and realizes just how much he has underestimated the Saviors.<br />
<br />
Negan's uses Lucille to beat one of the group to death, but the victim's identity is not revealed.<br />
<br />
Leaving aside the issue of the cliffhanger, this episode is hampered by the fact that the whole plot is propelled by the death of Denise and the illness of Maggie. If Denise had not been killed off, she could have treated Maggie at Alexandria. That Negan was going to be introduced was a given, but we could have found a much more believable way to get there.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion </b><br />
<br />
There have been critics of how the Saviors could be so all knowing as
well. We know from previous episodes that the Saviors know the
terrain, and have the location of Alexandria pinpointed. They probably
know by now that the Hilltop and Alexandria are working together by now
as well. All they have to do is set up an observation post (OP) on the
road that leads to Hilltop and watch movement along the route, something
well within their abilities.<br />
<br />
The question becomes
one of how did they know the Alexandrians were traveling to the Hilltop
on that day, on such a very important mission. The answer is pretty
simple - there is a mole in Alexandria. Someone is feeding the Saviors
information. It's the only way it makes sense. My money is on Enid. She is the one who gave Maggie the pickle jar and then took her guard shift at the wall. Shortly thereafter Maggie became sick. Enid could have easily dropped a not over the wall on guard duty letting the Saviors know that the Alexandrians would shortly need to leave for the Hilltop thanks to her poisoning Maggie. Remember her abruptly cut off discussion with Carl in <a href="http://couchpotatoprepper.blogspot.com/2015/10/preparedness-review-of-walking-dead_19.html" target="_blank">JSS</a>? At the time I thought she was working with the Wolves. What if she was working with the Saviors? She tries to get Carl to stay at the settlement, and when he won't, tries to go with him. She seems to be strident to the point of desperation during the exchange, so perhaps she knew what was coming and wanted to keep Carl safe. <br />
<br />
The Saviors have a
master strategy of ratcheting up pressure and and slowly cutting off
avenues so that Rick and his team are forced into a ground of their
choosing, thus shaping the battlespace. What does this mean? From Wikipedia:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Battlespace</b> is a term used to signify a unified military strategy to integrate and combine armed forces for the military theatre of operations, including air, information, land, sea, and space to achieve military goals.
It includes the environment, factors, and conditions that must be
understood to successfully apply combat power, protect the force, or
complete the mission.</blockquote>
In other words, by shaping the battlespace, Negan is using the terrain, his forces, and the weaknesses of the opposing forces to ensure a victory.<br />
<br />
Why is Negan doing this? He is fighting a strategic war. Rick is fighting a running tactical battle. The key as to why he was willing to invest so much to run Rick to ground lies in his speech. He perceives Rick and his group as a danger for "killing more of my guys than I am comfortable with." Not only has Alexandria evaded detection until now, but they have the knowledge and combat skills to pose a serious threat. They have taken down one Savior encampment, killed many more of his men than probably any other foe, and are working with another settlement to thwart Negan's plans.<br />
<br />
The Saviors have more numbers than any other single group in the area, but if Alexandria can convince other survival settlements to work together, it can at least partially negate that advantage. Since the Saviors don't really <i>produce</i> anything, but rely on terror and intimidation to extort supplies from other colonies, once that happens, it's game over for Negan if he can't get what he needs from other people.<br />
<br />
The Saviors' <b>"Operation Alexandria" </b>was not implemented to just to show Rick who was the boss. It was carried out to put down the start of a rebellion against the Negan and his group.<br />
<br />
Rick and his group are simply to good at surviving for Negan not to address in some way. Rick's first instinct is to kill the Saviors who oppose his group. What if, instead of going on a raid to kill the Saviors, he had proffered up something that would have allowed the Hilltop folks to get Craig back and satisfied the demands of the rogue group. Since they know where the solar panel factory is, they could have had Eugene put together a solar array with batteries and and the controller to hand over to the Saviors in lieu of Gregory's head. The Hilltop people could have handled it, thus keeping the Alexandria's existence secret and allowing the group to do a proper recon.<br />
<br />
Then again, the Saviors may have killed Craig anyway. Eventually, Rick and his people would have had to fight, but at least they could have done more to shape the battlespace in Alexandria's favor.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons from Episode 616:</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Practice operational security, but work on finding like-minded individuals you can forge mutual assistance agreements with.</li>
<li>Take a long, hard look at who might be your potential adversaries in a survival situation, and devise methods for dealing with contingencies through hardening structures and other defensive measures.</li>
<li>Don't underestimate the challenges of a survival situation. Real life has a way of burning through fuel, supplies, ammunition, and equipment in a way that cannot be fully understood until you have experienced it.</li>
<li>Always try to have an alternative to fighting. Generally, in a firefight, lots of people are going to die. Some of them will be people you hold dear.</li>
</ul>
<i>Next week: </i>The Walking Dead <i>is done until October, but</i> Fear the Walking Dead <i>is kicking into high gear. I am actually looking forward to the second season, as at least people doing stupid things in a survival situation would make more sense at the beginning of the downfall of civilization. </i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-70217763631800062372016-04-07T11:16:00.000-04:002016-04-07T11:16:08.446-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 615: East<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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SPOILER ALERT!!!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Episode 615: East</b> </div>
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<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b>
<i>Morgan:</i> What I believe, I'm not right. There is no right. There's just the wrong that doesn't pull you down." <br />
<br />
<i>Synopsis: Carol encounters Saviors on the road, and kills most of them before fleeing on foot. Her absence is discovered, and Rick and Morgan go out to find her. Meanwhile, Daryl rolls out on his bike to track and kill D, the Savior who killed Denise. Rosita, Glenn, and Michonne go after him. They try to talk him out of his pursuit, but he walks off, and so does Rosita, who also blames herself for the doctor's murder. Glen and Michonne are captured by Saviors. Rick and Morgan track Carol to a farm area where they encounter a man beset by walkers. He leaves behind a spear like the ones made by the Hilltop. Morgan tells Rick to head back while he continues the search. Maggie has Enid cut her hair, but begins suffering abdominal pain. Daryl and Rosita infiltrate the camp where Glenn and Michonne are being held, but D surprises them from behind and shoots Daryl.</i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2FrlFmUCWvBTgS0VpThZhSkUcKY1pFWSe00ajOTQJbroS4v1kDPQV1nHAQ1CrHBTpFCSWkJU_4LbsHw1tY-O0N_PUt5MlTxKuWv-Z6SjpBX7O4XlPmWudT72wDc15ctMvFxnlu8yhYC0/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-615-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2FrlFmUCWvBTgS0VpThZhSkUcKY1pFWSe00ajOTQJbroS4v1kDPQV1nHAQ1CrHBTpFCSWkJU_4LbsHw1tY-O0N_PUt5MlTxKuWv-Z6SjpBX7O4XlPmWudT72wDc15ctMvFxnlu8yhYC0/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-615-carol-mcbride-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol hits the road and kills some Saviors.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The plot contrivances of previous episode come back to haunt us in <b>East</b>, where the death of Denise and Carol's crisis of conscience split the group and make them easy pickings for the Saviors. We open on a car idling on the road with a bullet-smashed windshield and blood dripping on the pavement. Carol has left Alexandria, and has encountered a group of Saviors in a pickup truck. She tries to play dumb, but they know her car, with it's stakes pointed outward to trap walkers, came from the entrance to Alexandria, and tell her the town is only 12 miles away. It's clear the Saviors have been conducting a thorough reconnaissance of the settlement. She asks them to let her go but they tell her no, and she kills most of them with a gun hidden in her sleeve. She tracks who she believes is the last survivor, who attacks her with a knife. She shoots him and flees on foot.<br />
<br />
Back in Alexandria, Rick and Michonne snuggle in bed. Michonne gets dressed so that she can help Glenn and Maggie improve security. She tells him Maggie is worried about an attack, but Rick is confident they can repel the Saviors. <br />
<br />
Pride goeth before the fall.<br />
<br />
Michonne joins Maggie and Glenn outside, where Maggie has collected part of their arsenal. She suggests they disperse the weapons in caches only they know about to guarantee weapons access in case of an attack. That way, the Saviors can't do to them what they did to the Saviors -- lock down their armory and prevent them from defending themselves.<br />
<br />
<b>HALLELUJAH!!!!</b> <b>Someone has seen the light!</b><br />
<br />
Daryl approaches the gates on his motorcycle. He is going out to extract revenge on D for Denise's death. Rosita tries to stop him, but he leaves anyway. Glenn, Rosita, and Michonne drive after him, with Rosita leading them to the site of the ambush.<br />
<br />
Tobin shows Carol's farewell note to Rick. They confer with Sasha and Abraham at the gate and realize Carol took one of the cars recently placed to guard against walkers the day before, probably when the guard shift changed. Rick and Morgan grab a car and pursue her.<br />
<br />
Later, Maggie stops by the pantry to eat lunch before beginning a guard shift. Enid offers to cover her shift so she can rest. Enid hands her a jar of pickles as she leaves.<br />
<br />
At the scene of Carol's shootout, a Savior survivor stumbles out of the truck and hides as Morgan and Rick approach. They find Carol's tracks and set off for her on foot after stashing the car. The wounded Savior follows behind them at a distance.<br />
<br />
Rosita, Glenn and Michonne arrive at the spot where Dwight killed
Denise. They find Daryl’s motorcycle hidden underneath some branches,
confirming Rosita’s hunch that Daryl came back to kill Dwight. Rosita
points in the direction that Dwight escaped, but wonders if they
shouldn’t let just let him go and do what he needs to do. They catch up to Daryl in the woods, but Daryl won't listen. Rosita decides to join him, and the move off in pursuit of Daryl. Glenn and Michonne turn back, but in the midst of holding a discussion in the middle of a forest filled with bad guys (because that is a good thing to do) they are captured by D's Savior crew.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfblcQrZ_3NfL5brsgTsUX7sSqVazGXTmpcJbe89dkUibJWL6XG320ZQS4dbg_eP8P8FM2X05sk2zcMfWZi33PP2_jouV7RQfvYz0fg6_lV4lv_JwgAXRKjAlRO9prerTbGGOMxNxT9HR/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-615-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfblcQrZ_3NfL5brsgTsUX7sSqVazGXTmpcJbe89dkUibJWL6XG320ZQS4dbg_eP8P8FM2X05sk2zcMfWZi33PP2_jouV7RQfvYz0fg6_lV4lv_JwgAXRKjAlRO9prerTbGGOMxNxT9HR/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-615-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daryl is on the warpath.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick and Morgan discuss Carol. Morgan tells him he knows that he banished Carol at the prison for murdering two people, and how he would handle the issue today. Rick says he would thank her. Morgan points out she was able to save the group at Terminus, and that people can come back. They encounter a man at a farm swarmed with walkers in makeshift body armor, looking for his horse. They try to question him, but he runs off. Rick takes a shot, but Morgan spoils his aim. Morgan tells him to go back and he will continue the search. He confesses to the events regarding the wounded Wolf he captured at Alexandria, and that the Wolf later saved Denise, and Denise was able to save Carl.<br />
<br />
Of course, if he hadn't taken Denise to treat the Wolf and just killed the dude in the first place, Denise would never have been in danger, but that way lies the madness of actual logic as opposed to Hollywood plot logic.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0_TN8163eYjKiek39GrnP-zBOcMHI2xaaZ9EBl0m3Xp1hgLliZycf7YLHw7I4XQLFVYgy7ZKuNritly4bHK9G5I2lJmXBgYzR9_xz6ej5tuT73uuePMsvXkHMrO-y7bT76WRdRvy4XBj/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-615-daryl-reedus-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0_TN8163eYjKiek39GrnP-zBOcMHI2xaaZ9EBl0m3Xp1hgLliZycf7YLHw7I4XQLFVYgy7ZKuNritly4bHK9G5I2lJmXBgYzR9_xz6ej5tuT73uuePMsvXkHMrO-y7bT76WRdRvy4XBj/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-615-daryl-reedus-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone is about to get an ouchie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick returns to Alexandria to learn the party that pursued Daryl has not yet returned. Maggie asks Enid to help her cut her hair, but collapses in pain as she is finishing. They need to get her to Denise ... oh, wait. They can't. She will have to go to the doctor at the Hilltop, right as the Saviors are closing in on Alexandria.<br />
<br />
In the woods, Daryl and Rosita creep up on the Saviors’ camp where Glenn
and Michonne are being held. Glenn tries to scream a warning to Daryl
through his gag, but Daryl is caught off-guard by Dwight sneaking up
behind him. Dwight has a gun trained on Daryl’s back. He shoots Daryl. Blood sprays across the screen, with Daryl's fate left uncertain. The fate of Carol is also left unsettled.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
The overconfidence of Team Rick is its undoing, in the end. They have become so accustomed to beating the odds that they really cannot conceive of losing or being beaten. The Saviors are surrounding Alexandria, and are tightening the noose at every turn. Rick still has no idea of the size and disposition of the forces he faces. I feel this is going to bite them in the collective rear during the season finale as it does here. While Daryl and Rosita move stealthily through the woods in combat mode, Glenn and Michonne do not and it gets them captured. Survival situations are a full-time proposition. You have to maintain your focus completely, especially if hostile forces are nearby.<br />
<br />
Daryl never should have left. Denise is dead. He cannot change that. He can help protect the others, but instead goes off on a rather selfish revenge errand, and pulls Rosita along with him. Likewise, I question whether Rick should have pursued Carol. She wanted to leave and they have other priorities.<br />
<br />
Finally, everyone is seriously underestimating the Saviors. They have now managed to successfully ambush our heroes three times, killing one and taking four others hostage. The crew taking Carol went down for the count, but all in all, the Saviors have numbers, and the Alexandrians do not. Further, the Saviors have proven they are not above torture and murder to achieve their ends. That means the four captives are now bargaining chips to use against Rick.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 615:</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Don't overestimate your abilities, or underestimate your opponent's abilities.</li>
<li>If faced with a potential attack, consolidate your numbers and your position to maximize the potential for success. </li>
<li>Don't put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to supplies. Cache critical supplies as discussed in previous reviews in several locations to prevent a catastrophic loss. </li>
</ul>
<i></i><br />
<i>Next week: They have to get Maggie to Hilltop, and Negan makes his entrance with Lucille.</i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-66323780700148244462016-04-07T11:15:00.000-04:002016-04-07T11:15:45.320-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 614: Twice As Far<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Episode 614: Twice As Far</b> </div>
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<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Eugene: </span></i><span style="white-space: nowrap;">Do you apologize for questioning my skills?</span><i> </i></span><br />
<i>Abraham: </i>I apologize for questioning your skills. You know how to bite a dick Eugene, and I mean that with the utmost respect.<br />
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<i>Synopsis: The pantry shelves are getting filled with goods from The Hilltop, and two small groups go out on supply runs. Abraham and Eugene leave on foot to check out a local metal shop, and Denise talks Rosita and Daryl into checking out an apothecary shop for needed medications. Abraham and Eugene separate, and Eugene gets captured by D, the blond man who robbed Daryl in the burned forest, but who now appears to lead a gang of Saviors after suffering horrific burns to his face. D and his group ambush the other party, and shoot Denise in the head with Daryl's crossbow. Eugene bites D's crotch as a gunfight ensues, and the Saviors retreat after losing several men. The group carries an injured Eugene back to the settlement, and later retrieve Denise's body for burial. Daryl feels burdened by guilt over Denise's death, and Carol, having decided she cannot kill again, leaves Alexandria, seemingly for good.</i><br />
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<b>Twice As Far </b>begins<b> </b>with a series of tranquil set piece moments that seems to show Alexandria has reached an equilibrium of sorts: food deliveries are arriving regularly from the Hilltop, guards, including Father Gabriel, make their rounds, and Eugene, whose mullet has been trimmed into a ponytail, is helping out guarding the front gate. Carol smokes and fingers the rosary beads she found in the Savior safe house; she and Tobin are now dating.<br />
<br />
Rosita is taking the break-up with Abraham hard; she is sleeping with Spencer, but it is clear she has regrets. Later, when he approaches her about having dinner, she agrees, but is dismissive about it.<br />
<br />
Morgan spends his days practicing Aikido while working to build a better jail cell with a metal door and cinder block walls int he basement of the brownstone. He explains to an inquisitive Rick, "it'll give you choices next time."<br />
<br />
Carol and Daryl have a discussion on the nature of the threat of the Saviors. He has checked out his motorcycle and found the wooden figure D was carving when the met in the burned forest. He tells Carol he should have killed him when he had the chance. He asks Carol what the Saviors did to her and Maggie, to which she responds, "To us? They didn't do anything. <br />
<br />
These scenes are repeated several times showing that Alexandria is in a calm before the storm. It's a rare moment of tedium for the survivors, one that will not last. <br />
<br />
Denise, the surviving doctor, watches Abraham and Eugene leave on foot on a scavenging mission. She is holding a page from a phone book and wants to go out on a mission of her own. She asks Daryl and Rosita to take her to a nearby apothecary that might have antibiotics and other drugs they need. They agree to go but tell her to stay behind; she tells them she is going to go, with or without them (this is simply ludicrous from a survival standpoint, but more on this later in the <b>Preparedness Discussion</b>).<br />
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The trio travel by truck until they are forced to move through on foot due to a downed tree. Rosita suggests they take a short cut via railroad tracks, but Daryl insists on taking the road. Denise and Daryl move off separately, while Rosita travels alone. This is not a good move. There are so many dumb moves made by characters in this episode, in fact, that it seems what the group feared when they arrived at Alexandria has come to pass -- everyone has become complacent and careless. They are noisy, separate into small groups that could be easily swarmed by walkers, and take the potential threat of the saviors less than seriously. It leaves you shaking your head that the writers were this nonchalant with the characters and the plot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmpaXRcOP8EnjVVAqRguIY9n5fjBggTs0fgVIJ1seqkPB_kuQ7y4VUKaWKuzjPU6c7E8RVSmWUfYoYm8UCLux4-WcCfYU4KbPyh3kVXJpf1uE1Vgj42ijdEFXit4lJKPo0vmiOZFA46Zt/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-614-eugene-mcdermitt-3-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmpaXRcOP8EnjVVAqRguIY9n5fjBggTs0fgVIJ1seqkPB_kuQ7y4VUKaWKuzjPU6c7E8RVSmWUfYoYm8UCLux4-WcCfYU4KbPyh3kVXJpf1uE1Vgj42ijdEFXit4lJKPo0vmiOZFA46Zt/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-614-eugene-mcdermitt-3-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The odd couple on the road.</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, Abraham and Eugene walk into a local down and have a discussion on Eugene's new outlook. It's more than a new haircut. He has learned to use weapons, is pulling guard duty, and has been flirting with the women in the settlement. Abraham isn't convinced he is ready for the world.<br />
<br />
FYI, Eugene is my favorite character; he's a big guy who's smart and knows how to use firearms. He reminds me of a certain blog writer ...<br />
<br />
Eugene and Abraham find a machine shop with a furnace, and Eugene proclaims he is looking for a <br />
spot just like this to begin making lead bullets to help replace
their dwindling stocks of ammunition. If they can cast the bullets, they
can use spent shell casings, along with primers and gunpowder, to make
new rounds of ammunition. They are interrupted by a walker who was
killed by molten metal poured on his head. Eugene tries to kill it with
a machete but cannot penetrate the now hardened metal (<i>Game of Thrones </i>Season One, anyone?), and Abraham is forced to intervene. Eugene claims he didn't need assistance, and Abraham leaves, telling him to find his own way home. <br />
<br />
Daryl, Rosita, and Denise find the apothecary shop, and Daryl pries the door open. Denise <br />
apologizes to Rosita for choosing Daryl over her and asks her who
taught her how to use weapons. Rosita says it wasn’t Abraham. He was
just one person in a long list of people who taught her a lot of things. They loot the shop of the drugs, and Denise retrieves a keychain with the name "Dennis" on it. She investigates the backroom, and finds a badly decomposed walker in a leg cast. An industrial sink filled with water and blood has a child's shoe protruding from it, and an empty play pen in the room suggests the walker, a parent, drowned her child in the sink in desperation to keep it from being eaten by walkers. Denise flees outside, crying.<br />
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Their mission complete, they head back together on the tracks. Daryl praises Denise for finding the apothecary shop, and the two discuss her brother Dennis and his brother Merle, noting similarities.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeT3ViJ0Z-uXBhX3DVwwdVGiR2ZFni_U44KhDUUmcfAeAEIXPECAHetPSOci46qGdo2P6LYBGg5EaIEmM7jVK1zFhVWFU7ch4qlOoxVWLkglxYMfy-A8LUqSkTlIXBFre-IB9joFTvrNn/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-614-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeT3ViJ0Z-uXBhX3DVwwdVGiR2ZFni_U44KhDUUmcfAeAEIXPECAHetPSOci46qGdo2P6LYBGg5EaIEmM7jVK1zFhVWFU7ch4qlOoxVWLkglxYMfy-A8LUqSkTlIXBFre-IB9joFTvrNn/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-614-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April Fool, Alexandria!</td></tr>
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Denises insists on checking out a car with a walker inside because a cooler might contain something they can use. She kills the walker and retrieves a can of orange soda from the cooler. Daryl is angry she risked her life for a soda (but he is risking her life by having her outside the walls). She replies that it was not about the soda, she was trying to help them. She explains she had Daryl go with her because she reminded him of her brother and made her feel safe, and tells Rosita she wanted her to go to help her cope with being along for the first time in a long time.<br />
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“You’re strong, and you’re smart and you’re both really good people,” Denise urges, “and if you don’t wake up— “and just then a crossbow bolt from Daryl's old crossbow strikes Denise in the eye, killing her. D, the man who stole Daryl's bike, appears holding the weapon with a group of Saviors. He is now horribly burned on one side of his face, and they have Eugene as a hostage. They disarm the pair and order them to lead them to Alexandria.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7X2u_2xE_zQFcPVxGvFGhEg5SulhHBJ3IrE5rN0G4bKtYwtvUZGY7aSBFgTsgle_807jDWAMpNAgMtamrIn9KT_De6ADDURCDVkC2IXKsMehm1GnRkbwnhRMO9O1UuQ3Sl-MuPOwZQRq/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-614-eugene-mcdermitt-4-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7X2u_2xE_zQFcPVxGvFGhEg5SulhHBJ3IrE5rN0G4bKtYwtvUZGY7aSBFgTsgle_807jDWAMpNAgMtamrIn9KT_De6ADDURCDVkC2IXKsMehm1GnRkbwnhRMO9O1UuQ3Sl-MuPOwZQRq/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-614-eugene-mcdermitt-4-935.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He flew to close to the sun ...</td></tr>
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Eugene claims they have a friend hiding behind some nearby oil barrels and they should kill him first; he uses the distraction to turn and bite D's crotch while Abraham begins killing Saviors. Daryl and Rosita retrieve their weapons and return fire as well. Several Saviors are down, and D, who has now freed himself from Eugene, orders a retreat. Both sides leave to lick their wounds; Eugene has been grazed by a round, and Denise is dead.<br />
<br />
Afterwards, Rosita keeps watch over Eugene in the infirmary. Eugene
wakes, and tells Abraham that he wasn’t trying to kill him earlier. Abraham apologizes for questioning his
survival skills. Later, Abraham goes to Sasha's house and tells her he is ready for a relationship. She lets him inside.<br />
<br />
Daryl and Carol bury Denise. She watches Daryl pocket the Dennis
keychain and take a drink of whiskey as he contemplates her death.<br />
<br />
“You were right,” Carol says,
referring to Daryl’s regret about letting the Saviors live.<br />
<br />
Later, Tobin reads a note from Carol in which she writes that
she’s leaving Alexandria. “I love you all here, I do, and I’d have to
kill for you. And I can’t. I won’t,” she writes.<br />
<br />
Another day dawns in Alexandria, and Rosita
guards the front gate instead of Eugene. Sasha glances at Rosita from
her post on the platform.<br />
<br />
Morgan looks at Carol’s porch. The swing is empty.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
The notion that Denise should be allowed to go on a scavenging mission when the group knows that there are walkers <i>and</i> more Saviors out there is simply stupid. It's a horrible plot device used to drive later actions; that is, plotting simply for plotting's sake. It drives the action for the rest of the story, and not in a good way. The reaction to this development, from preppers everywhere, should have been something like this:<br />
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Denise is the <i>only doctor left in the settlement</i>. She should <b>never be allowed outside the walls.<i> </i></b>She has essential, irreplaceable knowledge that cannot be duplicated easily. If fact, in the event of an attack or incursion, she should have her own close protection detail that locates her and keeps her safe until the crisis has passed. Denise cannot be replaced. Instead, we get this ad hoc scavenging mission that finds needed medical supplies but gets the one person best qualified to use them killed.<br />
<br />
Likewise, Eugene has irreplaceable scientific knowledge. He repaired the solar arrays powering Alexandria. He is tacking the issue of replacing finite ammunition. He is the smartest guy in the room, for lack of a better term. While he doesn't possess the specialized knowledge of a doctor, he knows a great deal about a wide array of subjects. He is an everyman, a jack of all trades, and needs to be protected as well.<br />
<br />
It's about time the subject of reloading ammunition was broached in the series. While the downfall of civilization occurred rapidly, and no doubt there are still supplies of ammunition lying undiscovered in smaller, out of the way gun shops, private homes, retail distribution warehouses, and even military bases, finding it takes time and travel via cars. Further, while stores may be cleaned out of ammunition, the reloading supplies would probably be untouched. Reloading is a skill that requires time and effort to learn. It's not something you do on the fly with zombies at the door. If they can <a href="https://www.midwayusa.com/bullets/br?cid=19785#" target="_blank">find</a> or cast the bullets and either make or find supplies of <a href="https://www.midwayusa.com/powder/br?cid=17586" target="_blank">powder </a>and <a href="https://www.midwayusa.com/s?userSearchQuery=cci+primers&uac=true" target="_blank">primers</a>, the Alexandrians can make their own ammunition. They sure have been running through a bunch of it lately. For the record, complete "bullets" are called cartridges or rounds of ammunition. The bullet is the hard pointy part at the front. <br />
<br />
This brings us to the next topic: where are all the automatic AK-47s coming from? Rick has one, and one of the Saviors have one. Automatic weapons are heavily regulated in the United States -- as I understand it, any automatic weapon made after <a href="https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090208100642AA1yRuX" target="_blank">1986</a> cannot be owned by a private citizen. Those made before that date may be owned by collectors, but those weapons sell for as high as $30,000. They are rare. Again, I am not an expert, and I welcome clarification, but the notion that everyone has a fully automatic AK or AR variant sitting in their closet here is Hollywood fiction. <br />
<br />
The ARs are more believable than the AKs; the AR platform is the primary weapon of the United States military, and parts are fairly interchangeable between models. I built my own semi-automatic AR from parts I ordered online and the help of a family friend a few months ago. Conceivably, you can switch a mil-spec AR upper receiver to a military issue M-4 or M-16 lower capable of automatic fire retrieved from a military outpost and have a fully automatic weapon. This would give the ability to use different uppers, with say Magpul forward furniture like Rosita's with a fully automatic lower. Abraham's weapon, a Vietnam-era M-16A1, is possibly a collector's item someone scavenged.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is the issue of the Saviors. They are working themselves closer to Alexandria, patrolling in an attempt to recon the community before pressing home an attack with their superior numbers. This is where Alexandria's lack of hardened defenses becomes a glaring problem. More watch towers are only a start; they need battlements so they can move along the top of the wall and respond to threats, and the firing positions need to be fortified with sandbags and other protection. All the lookouts are as of now are sitting targets.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 614:</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Make sure that personnel in your preparedness group with essential, critical skills are not on the front line or put into unnecessary danger. Have a plan to protect the human assets. Cross-train the group so that essential skills are learned by several members to build redundancy.</li>
<li>Reloading should be a consideration for any preparedness group for long-term survival.</li>
<li>Harden your bugout location against attack. You can use physical barriers, security systems, sentries, and patrols to guard against attack.</li>
</ul>
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<i>Next week: Carol's crisis of conscience leads her to make a decision that will affect the entire group; Daryl goes out for revenge and finds a whole mess of trouble.</i> </div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-62787656604615866742016-04-07T08:13:00.000-04:002016-04-07T11:14:43.000-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 613: The Same Boat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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SPOILER ALERT!!!</div>
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<i>Editor's Note: Sorry this is so late. Real life has been very busy in the last ten days; I have have been doing "stuff and thangs" around the house and at work. </i></div>
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<b>Episode 613: The Same Boat</b> </div>
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<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i>Carol: </i>We had to stop him</span><br />
<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><i>Paula:</i> Sweetie, we are all Negan. </span></div>
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<i>Synopsis: Carol and Maggie are captured by survivors of the raid on Negan's compound and trucked to a safe house, where they are interrogated for information. Carol fakes being afraid in order to make their captors believe she is weak. Eventually, they both escape, kill their captors, and ambush Negan's scout team who comes to help the others, burning them alive. Rick and the assault team, who have tracked the group to the safe house, enter with their prisoner, who Rick summarily executes. Carol and Maggie are shaken by the experience, and Carol begins to doubt whether she can continue to kill in a world owned by the dead.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>The Same Boat </b>is the episode that needed to happen after the gut-wrenching, brutal <b>Not Tomorrow Yet</b>. The group has headed down a morally ambiguous path, and it shows just how far the members have strayed from their principles when one of the <i>bad guys</i> points out that they massacred and entire survivor group. Make no mistake about it -- Negan and his followers are very bad people. They prey on the weak and suck off of them like leeches, using violence and intimidation to have their way. That being said, what price have our protagonists paid to vanquish them? The most bitter truth of the events that have unfolded is that Negan leads a <i>much </i>larger group than previously suspected. Alexandria has hit him first, and hit him hard, but Negan has survived, and now the element of surprise is gone. They have taken down a couple of outposts and some random biker guys, but now a war has been declared. Negan has a much deeper reserve of troops and, I'm betting, firepower, than Team Rick.<br />
<br />
Outside Negan's compound, an armed man ambushes Carol and Maggie, who are guarding the perimeter around Negan's compound. Carol shoots him in the arm but spares his life. Three more Saviors, including a fierce redhead named Paula, get the drop on the duo and capture them. Paula is the one talking to Rick at the end of the previous episode. Rick offers to trade Carol and Maggie for Primo, the man Team Rick is holding. Paula tells Rick she'll consider it. They then bind and put hoods over Carol and Maggie and put them in a car. Paula radios for backup, and they head for a nearby backup location -- a former slaughterhouse stocked with food, weapons and gasoline. When they arrive, walkers are in the building, and the Saviors clear the area while putting Maggie and Carol in a makeshift cell. Maggie begins trying to cut her bonds on the corner of a wall while Carol finds rosary beads on the ground and hides them for later use. (Editor: I found out later this was the same set used in the movie <i>Saw</i>).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breathe, Carol, breathe.</td></tr>
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Carol pretends to hyperventilate. Maggie acts concerned, unsure of whether it's real or Carol is pretending. She insists the Saviors take off the gag, which they do, and express their disdain at her weakness. She prays with the rosary, and begs them not to hurt Maggie because she is pregnant. She asks an older woman, Molly, who is already dying of cancer, not to smoke around Maggie, and one of the Saviors, Chelle, sides with Carol and orders Molly outside.<br />
<br />
The male savior Carol wounded is still losing blood, and his arm is going numb, dying from lack of oxygen. He becomes violent and threatens to kill Carol, but Paula intervenes, telling him they need the pair as insurance until their scout team arrives. They are desperate to get out, as the weapons and food stashed in the slaughterhouse have been stolen by persons unknown, but they still have gas for the scout team's car. They are out-gunned and out-manned if Team Rick manages to track them to the safe house. The male savior, Donnie, goes after Carol anyway, and Paul knocks him unconscious with a strike from the butt of her pistol.<br />
<br />
Carol thanks Paula for helping Maggie, and Paula calls her pathetic. Rick radios in, asking about the trade, but the transmission is filled with static and hard to make out. Carol also lets it
slip that they attacked the Saviors because of what happened on the road
with the biker gang, thus keeping the link to the Hilltop settlement a
secret. She says they had to stop Negan. Paula laughs and tells her "we are all Negan." It sounds like the Saviors are the "Cult of Negan" and since they call themselves Saviors, I think think we can assume there is a Christ complex happening with their leader.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eyR-rfXL2eWRC5ThgKUZJ-rd5wUNTSDgF0MF22_0z1Fv_YfB2wn9p4s0ozX1vpA0sTGqXjW7-W12MANqLuyD3DV1bmdfXmLPb06q1-_X5vcQKwvAXO6L8xljHJd6XngLk2UNzMAlzOrq/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-613-maggie-cohen-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eyR-rfXL2eWRC5ThgKUZJ-rd5wUNTSDgF0MF22_0z1Fv_YfB2wn9p4s0ozX1vpA0sTGqXjW7-W12MANqLuyD3DV1bmdfXmLPb06q1-_X5vcQKwvAXO6L8xljHJd6XngLk2UNzMAlzOrq/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-613-maggie-cohen-2-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the bug out bags.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chelle interrogates Maggie in another room, where she states that she and Carol "are not the good guys." Chelle has some sympathy for Maggie because she was pregnant and lost the baby, but rebuffs Maggie's attempts at sympathy. She is also missing part of a finger because she was punished for stealing gas to go look for her boyfriend, who Daryl killed on his bike with the RPG.<br />
<br />
Paula tells Carol that her boss was the first person she killed after the fall of civilization, because she was trapped at her job while her family was dying at their home. She stopped feeling bad about it after she reached double digits, and Carol tries to make her feel guilty by saying she lives among killers; Paula responds by pointing out Carol is a killer, too. They are all killers now. It's a continuation of the same kill or do not kill debate that his been raging since Morgan arrived. The only difference between Carol and Paula is that Carol still remembers every person she has killed and keeps a tally of them in a notebook. She still has her humanity. It's a powerful scene, superbly acted, that reminds the viewer how narrow the line is between self defense and casual brutality.<br />
<br />
<br />
Carol explains Rick will kill Paula and everyone else if they do not make the trade. Paula radios Rick to make the trade, but realizes Rick's transmission is much stronger than before, indicating that he is close by. Paula contacts her scout team, who is only minutes away. Carol is left alone during this time, and she uses the solitude to sharpen the crucifix on the rosary and cuts her bonds. She finds Maggie, who insists they have to kill the Saviors. "We can't leave them alive."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTd6sQEDaBPK8ag9xHhv1s1HpZPnWtdjuI6ZSE7maVFXVewq1NcCpSIPZr6bdJdOziDENckxTqZM7xqZAxhnkAm53dzuQXLnO5xuwm2vm6CCXDTiaDJbOTS_NCWloXWQnCfwpM8IDyDl6/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-613-carol-mcbride-658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTd6sQEDaBPK8ag9xHhv1s1HpZPnWtdjuI6ZSE7maVFXVewq1NcCpSIPZr6bdJdOziDENckxTqZM7xqZAxhnkAm53dzuQXLnO5xuwm2vm6CCXDTiaDJbOTS_NCWloXWQnCfwpM8IDyDl6/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-613-carol-mcbride-658.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She's a shell of herself. Get it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They return to their initial holding cell to find the male Savior, Donnie has bled out and died on the <span id="goog_1890395132"></span><span id="goog_1890395133"></span>floor and is turning into a walker. They rig Donnie up to a pipe next to the door as a walker trap, and he bites Molly when she returns. Maggie beats the injured Molly to death, and they move to find the other Saviors now armed with Molly's gun. Paula discovers Molly's body and gives chase.<br />
<br />
Carol and Maggie end up in a hallway populated by still active but impaled walkers, designed to slow down intruders and prevent the pair's escape. Paula empties her weapon at them but scores no hits (this far into the ZA and she misses with every shot?) and Carol aims her gun at Paula and tells her to run. Maggie insists that she kill Paula, but a walker attacks, causing Carol to shoot Paula in the shoulder. Chelle attacks Maggie with a knife, almost slashing her belly, and Carol immediately shoots Chelle in the head.<br />
<br />
Paula asks why Carol acted so afraid if she was so capable. "I was afraid of this," she replies, indicating that she didn't want to have to kill Paula. They struggle, and Carol pushes her into an impaled walker that begins devouring her face. The radio comes alive, and the Savior scout team reports they have arrived. Carol imitates Paula and tells them to meet them on the Kill Floor. The pair pour gasoline on the floor, and when the Saviors enter, burn them to death. Carol confesses she has killed at least 20 people, and when Maggie urges her not to think about it, she says "I can't stop."<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPsygZBqd3CLjK_625si0vrDrWaP1TiNG1Kv2-1WHO9hcEmFLb39-AtpuGCCy7fpOM93wNarVUen46UTx898kGqU-sOZ8CVQE3OGaSmBXUGnSNM2Kbg3ezDCiPWT8h87ssMdQt4E8fYvY/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-613-saviors-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPsygZBqd3CLjK_625si0vrDrWaP1TiNG1Kv2-1WHO9hcEmFLb39-AtpuGCCy7fpOM93wNarVUen46UTx898kGqU-sOZ8CVQE3OGaSmBXUGnSNM2Kbg3ezDCiPWT8h87ssMdQt4E8fYvY/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-613-saviors-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on Carol, light my fire.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Maggie kills the impaled walkers, including Paula, and meet Rick and the assault team at the entrance. As Maggie and Glenn reunite, Daryl asks Carol if she is okay, she tells him no, and they hug as she breaks down. Rick asks Primo if Negan was in the building they raided, and Primo says, "I'm Negan."<br />
<br />
Rick shoots him in the head, saying, "I'm sorry it had to come to this." The question is, did he mean it?<br />
<br />
It's ironic that Carol, one of the principal members of Team Rick that warned against the group becoming weak behind the walls of Alexandria, is now a shell of her former hardened self.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
These reviews have discussed the mentality of survival -- specifically, the willingness to take a life to save yourself or those dear to you -- in depth, so let's dispense with that issue. Obviously Carol is having a real crisis of conscience thanks to Morgan's efforts. She doesn't want to kill anymore, and neither does Maggie, but the latter is going to to what it takes to end the battle between the Saviors and Alexandrians once and for all -- or so she thinks.<br />
<br />
What stands out in this episode is what the Saviors are doing right: for security's sake, they have <br />
multiple locations. It becomes obvious from the radio chatter and location switch that the building the Alexandrians raided is not the only compound controlled by the Saviors. Instead of a first strike master blow, Rick has achieved a Pearl Harbor. Sure, he won the battle, but he has awakened, I fear, a sleeping giant in the Saviors. There are a lot more of them than anyone thought, and they have dispersed around the area to hide their numbers and minimize risks. <br />
<br />
The survivors of Team Rick's attack have access to a safe house where supplies have been stored in the event their primary building is compromised. They have the presence of mind to store food, water, gasoline and other supplies there. It's been raided, and by the time they get there nothing is left but the gasoline, but hey, that shows real <i>planning</i> -- something Rick has failed to do for over five seasons. Alexandria needs a fallback position like this one. The Saviors have communications protocols as well. As soon as they realize Rick has one of their radios, they switch to an alternate frequency.<br />
<br />
Finally, it is apparent, since a recon team is in the area to rescue the survivors, that the Saviors are aggressively patrolling the area. This is a huge tactical advantage. They have developed a knowledge of the terrain, are comfortable moving through it, and have defense in depth. If the recon teams detect a threat, they can radio back for reinforcements or warn the main position so it can prepare for an attack. This keeps potential adversaries and walker packs away from their base. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-adhodQ5abP0mLMfv53QM2vxkZ_6AcCrFo2R1wj2lOySKcqPERKjY5hnFfWAerRnvsTTDn7Z77K-0IhoxB-UhoSHip70lJcFXuTyKMe8_DlQvbqoUSb2713qoigqgeqyvCQ4VaC71VNZ/s1600/walking-dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-adhodQ5abP0mLMfv53QM2vxkZ_6AcCrFo2R1wj2lOySKcqPERKjY5hnFfWAerRnvsTTDn7Z77K-0IhoxB-UhoSHip70lJcFXuTyKMe8_DlQvbqoUSb2713qoigqgeqyvCQ4VaC71VNZ/s400/walking-dead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember these?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All this takes a lot of people, and Alexandria doesn't have them. They send out a few at a time scavenging for resources, but mount no real recon patrols to ensure their perimeter is secure. The woods and abandoned buildings around Alexandria allow for an enemy to approach undetected, as the Wolves did. The best thing to do would be find some bulldozers and dump trucks and push back the obstructions for at leas a hundred yards all the way around the wall, then haul off the debris to the walker quarry. They could then dig an anti-vehicle trench that would stop a large truck from making a direct run at the wall, and put in some chain link on the close side of the ditch to slow down walkers and infiltrators on foot. Then they could build fortifications like they had at the prison gate to further break up the attack. It would be a lot of work, but there are plenty of heavy equipment pieces back at the shopping mall site. I would start at the main gate and move around the perimeter.<br />
<br />
As it is, Rick has started the war, and the Saviors are shaping the battlespace around Alexandria. <br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 613:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Have a bugout location, even if it is a friend's house or the house of a family member. Get permission to stack some critical items -- food, extra water, clothes, medications, etc. -- at that spot. Pack a bugout bag, but orient it around spending a weekend at a motel of friend's house, not deep woods survival. Most of the time you won't need to spear fish a salmon to survive an event.</li>
<li>Check your cached preps regularly to ensure nothing is out of date or has been tampered with. The worst time to find out your canned food has expired is when you need it to survive.</li>
<li>Look for ways to practice defense in depth. If you are bugging in at your house, how can you make it a hard target looters or robbers might pass up and head to the neighbor's house. If you are bugging out and have purchased a separate piece of property, consider fencing, ditches, or other physical measures to provide stand off distance in case of some sort of attack.</li>
</ul>
<i>Next week: Abraham and Eugene's bogus journey.</i><br />
<i></i></div>
</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-34149030618086135142016-03-07T13:47:00.002-05:002016-04-06T11:45:36.793-04:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 612: Not Tomorrow Yet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
SPOILER ALERT!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Episode 612: Not Tomorrow Yet</b> <br />
<br />
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b><br />
<br />
<i><b></b>
Rick (to himself more than to the assault team):</i> This is how we eat.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Synopsis: Rick talks Alexandria into raiding Negan's compound, and despite reservations voiced by Morgan, the group moves forward. Abraham breaks up with Rosita, and then moves out of their house. They come up with a workable plan, and use Andy as a decoy with the guards to get inside. The war party eliminates most of Negan's men, but they don't know which one might be the leader. Maggie and Carol are captured by escapees from the facility, who contact Rick and demand they release a captive.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Carol is baking cookies again, after scavenging acorns and supplies from the pantry. She delivers cookies to Tobin, and the two flirt. While she is making rounds, Rick and the group return from the Hilltop and tells Carol to gather everyone at the church so they can discuss the deal they made with the Hilltop.<br />
<br />
He explains the deal they made, and that the Saviors need to be dealt with, anyway, because eventually they would have found Alexandria and made the same demands. Low on food, and fighting to defend their perimeter, they would not have the initiative. Morgan argues that if they are so sure they can win, they should contact the saviors, have a show of force and demonstrate that they can do it and avoid bloodshed.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIZxXhgc8A4gZcfzAWsPSNIbCbPdrZd-EkNK1AFZnbIeuqmK-yMt9ZoiPZt2_3mpmxHG2xhbIeKrSJoc9nFfWbDNCPcoKCcEqquEKSv7HcgBt8fNCSgfg8iCl7Fnf-lpouxjBvfkRR1zL/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-612-carol-mcbride-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIZxXhgc8A4gZcfzAWsPSNIbCbPdrZd-EkNK1AFZnbIeuqmK-yMt9ZoiPZt2_3mpmxHG2xhbIeKrSJoc9nFfWbDNCPcoKCcEqquEKSv7HcgBt8fNCSgfg8iCl7Fnf-lpouxjBvfkRR1zL/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-612-carol-mcbride-2-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the flowers, Tobin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Carol is having a crisis of conscience. She is keeping a log of all she has killed - 18 people in total. She is smoking now, after chastising a now-dead Alexandrian about the habit. She joins Tobin on his front porch, where he admits that she scares him. Many feel that she is a mother figure, but he feels something else. They kiss.<br />
<br />
Maggie tells Glenn she is going on the mission, but that she will stay with the cars and safeguard the rally point. How many watching just knew <i>that</i> wasn't going to happen? Meanwhile, Abraham breaks up with Rosita and tells her that when he met her, he thought she was the last woman on Earth.<br />
<br />
"You're not," he simply says, and walks out.<br />
<br />
Denise and Tara discuss the situation, and Tara tells her she loves her. Denise says she will tell Tara that when she returns. Tara is clearly struggling with the parallels between what they are doing now and what happened with the Governor. After the assualt, Tara and Health are leaving on a two-week extended supply run as previously scheduled.<br />
<br />
The assault team leaves the next day. Andy has provided detailed intelligence on what he knows of The Saviors' compound, and they decide to use Negan's previous collusion to bring back Gregory's head to free the hostage he took in the last episode. The group spreads out and finds a walker that looks somewhat like Gregory, severs the head, and kills the brain.<br />
<br />
While looking for the walker head, the group separates and they begin contemplating their mission. Heath and Glenn have never killed another human, and both are struggling with the coming slaughter. Rick tells Father Gabriel that there's no turning back from the mission now, and asks him why he still wears his priest's clothing. Gabriel replies that he is still who he was, and besides, it will be harder for their enemies to see him in the dark.<br />
<br />
Grabriel is making a startling transformation. He is now a warrior priest, someone who is still a man of God but realizes he cannot stand by idly while his flock is at risk. It is an interesting juxtaposition and a real study in a character arc. It might feel a bit rushed, but I think it's a great evolution in the character, and Seth Gilliam portrays him with an amazing calm and resoluteness.<br />
<br />
Rosita and Carol argue about Morgan. They all agreed to keep Morgan's secret with the captured Wolf from the rest of the group, but Rosita is incensed that he spoke out against the attack in the meeting. Carol defends him, saying he doesn't want to kill, and they should respect him for acting on the courage of his convictions. Later, though, Carol confronts Rick about Maggie being on the team, saying she doesn't need to be there. She tells him she will stay with Maggie to guard the rally point.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc8lznUhr0bM5LY9CSjjx8wiAYEadSnkoGX7x_LxL18jz5AFzfoXgFhWplqXQhOi3PWFmWuMdQa4dgoUSwhVD7CptoRsxn0hiYod21N5hcW8DCD612gqOhDjhSOFSls2mZLDjQk7Cx1Y1/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-612-andy-palko-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsc8lznUhr0bM5LY9CSjjx8wiAYEadSnkoGX7x_LxL18jz5AFzfoXgFhWplqXQhOi3PWFmWuMdQa4dgoUSwhVD7CptoRsxn0hiYod21N5hcW8DCD612gqOhDjhSOFSls2mZLDjQk7Cx1Y1/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-612-andy-palko-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy loses his head.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick decides they should attack a couple of hours before dawn. Jesus picks the best walker head that looks like Gregory out of three, but remarks the nose is different. Rick punches the head in the nose and tells Andy he can tell the Saviors he broke his nose in the struggle.<br />
<br />
That night, Andy drives up to the Saviors compound with the head. Negan's guards, who are clearly <br />
low-level thugs who don't think for themselves much, don't question why Andy is traveling at night, and don't really search him. One of the guards goes to get Craig, and while he is inside Rick kills the one guard with a knife, silently. When the other guard emerges with Craig, Michonne slays the other guard. He doesn't even have time to notice the first guard is missing.<br />
<br />
This is something that Rick and Michonne are the very best at, and why their pairing is so formidable. They still have their humanity for each other, but are capable of dialing the violence dial up to 11 without showing remorse or pity.<br />
<br />
The assault team infiltrates the building and fans out, taking down a room at a time and killing the occupants asleep inside with knives, silently. Glenn makes his first human kill, and when Health hesitates, he kills Heath's man as well. Glenn took the burden so Health wouldn't have to and become dehumanized. <br />
<br />
Tara, Jesus, Andy, and Craig wait outside in the car with Gabriel. Tara tells Gabriel about her time with the Governor, and only told Denise she loved her to avoid discussing misgivings about the mission. Gabriel asks if she really does love her, and Tara says yes. Jesus then tells her she knows what she's fighting for now.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HEx5HiKem_F0psrht-PGMulnzYOGLKcybGV9Sy0Z9x1un80fJ2FEP9xmC7SP54LzfEGG-2kUU6zbeZWcDbENIlNddj2lNXcLYx4S1nJChbQpi3e8LkPDEzvMi3S7WS4ar6EuNwKQHUNy/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-612-rosita-serratos-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HEx5HiKem_F0psrht-PGMulnzYOGLKcybGV9Sy0Z9x1un80fJ2FEP9xmC7SP54LzfEGG-2kUU6zbeZWcDbENIlNddj2lNXcLYx4S1nJChbQpi3e8LkPDEzvMi3S7WS4ar6EuNwKQHUNy/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-612-rosita-serratos-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosita is working on some anger issues.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Abraham and Sasha are working room-to-room when a Savior discovers them. They kill him, but not <span id="goog_1691334622"></span>before he pulls the fire alarm. Maggie and Carol hear the alarm outside and rush to the compound, which is a <i>very bad move.</i> No one is expecting them to reinforce the assault. They are supposed to guard the rally point where the cars are parked for their escape. What if the team was forced to withdraw and break contact, and needed covering fire? Team Rick has a ton of warrior ethic, and they can mow down walkers, but they are still not as well trained as Abraham and Rosita with their military experience. By moving inside to reinforce the attack they also run the risk of being shot by their own people in a blue-on-blue incident.<br />
<span id="goog_1691334621"></span><br />
Jesus and Gabriel decamp from the car while Tara takes Andy and Craig back to the Hilltop to fulfill the deal. The pair go inside to help while Team Rick engages in a close quarter battle fight with the surviving Saviors, who are now awake and armed. Aaron stabs a Savior in self-defense, while Tara and Gabriel take down Saviors who are fleeing the compound. Heath and Glenn find the Savior armory while trying to elude some of the defenders, and shut the door behind them. Quickly, Glen and Heath grab weapons of the racks (two FAL rifles!) and fire through the door, killing most of the Saviors outside. Jesus kills a survivor.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8cSzmTOPAVC20cQqowY1XByWMl07fnPzwn8nqWLG30v1p5drmawUneTNXPmbmd-N9DbtovCZcbv-LUoquZcS9XPbEsWsZUjNcgn3xsKqe_KYqCoHSYer7YztIHnSJ5clZM2DpDR28uji/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-613-daryl-reedus-rick-lincoln-pre-800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX8cSzmTOPAVC20cQqowY1XByWMl07fnPzwn8nqWLG30v1p5drmawUneTNXPmbmd-N9DbtovCZcbv-LUoquZcS9XPbEsWsZUjNcgn3xsKqe_KYqCoHSYer7YztIHnSJ5clZM2DpDR28uji/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-613-daryl-reedus-rick-lincoln-pre-800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick is not as successful as he hoped.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The fight is over, and when the team emerges into the open, they find a small parking lot. Heath and Tara, who has returned to the scene, depart on the scavenging mission. Meanwhile, in Alexandria, Morgan welds a gate for a new prison cell. Michonne wonders whether they actually killed Negan. <br />
<br />
A savior tries to escape on Daryl's motorcycle, and is shot. Rick and Daryl are interrogating him when a female voice comes up on the Saviors' radio, telling them they have captured Maggie and Carol (see my comments above).<br />
<br />
Overall, <b>Not Tomorrow Yet</b> is a <i>tour de force</i> in action storytelling, and is well-executed in terms of the attack. There are a couple of muzzle sweeps across the backs of teammates along the way, but the technical people who advised the production on CQB tactics delivered. Greg Nicotero doesn't waste a frame in his directing, and the narrative is taut. I do question how stupid the second guard had to be not to notice his compatriot was missing, but I am willing to overlook that possible hole simply because the Saviors are <i>too darn cocky</i>. They seem to assume everything is going to go their way.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
The preparedness discussion is pretty simple for this episode. Assuming you are faced with the same <br />
situation, are you willing to pull the trigger on another human being? Some may argue that, like Morgan suggested, Team Rick should have talked to Negan's people first. That wasn't going to work. First, Daryl killed a bunch of the saviors with an RPG. Then, Rick saw Negan's sadism on display at the Hilltop. Finally, if there was any doubt, the guards' actions with Andy showed they were thugs who wholly joined Negan's cruel crusade of terror.<br />
<br />
Still, killing zombies is one thing, killing humans is another. Rick, Daryl, Carol, Abraham, and Sasha have done the majority of the heavy lifting in that respect for much of the series. Glenn and Heath's dilemma and moral struggle provide a welcome insight into the dark places one might have to go.<br />
<br />
Next, if you do have to pull the trigger, are you trained to do so? Too many of us preppers spend inordinate amounts of treasure buying firearms and ammunition, but how many of those guns are safe queens that never even make it to the range? Find a range that offers tactical training and get some quality time in with certified instructors.<br />
<br />
Finally, if you are forced to take action like Rick and his team are forced to do in order to survive, make sure to recon your target well in advance. I would have felt much better with an extended two- or three-day recon of the area to figure out how many people are in the compound, determine possible escape routes personnel might use, and lay ambushes outside the building to keep anyone from getting away. The personnel securing the rally point need to stay in place and do their jobs, trusting that the assault team can handle unexpected contingencies.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 612:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>If a person attacks you with potential lethal force, they have defined your relationship. If you attack them first, you have defined the relationship. Make sure you are ready to pull the trigger before you are faced with the situation. Otherwise, you are a liability.</li>
<li>Get some tactical training. Owning 42 AR-15s for a family of three is a waste. Invest in tactical training and replacement parts kits for a few high quality guns. Also invest in ammunition, because without it a gun is just a club, and not a very good one.</li>
<li>Your training should take into account planning and executing operations. Follow the plan and make sure that you play your part appropriately in mock drills. Now is the time to learn while you can laugh about it and go to the local McDonald's afterward.</li>
</ul>
<i> Next week: Rick has to handle a hostage situation, and Alicia Witt comes on board as a female Savior with an attitude.</i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-35525846569899395622016-03-07T10:44:00.001-05:002016-03-07T13:48:07.381-05:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 611: Knots Untie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
SPOILER ALERT!!!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Episode 611: Knots Untie</b><br />
<br />
<b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Rick (covered in blood after killing Gregory's Hilltop assailant: </i>What?<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Synopsis: Jesus' escape from the jail cell has repercussions within Alexandria, as he explains that he is part of an already established community that trades with other communities for resources. He offers to take them to Hilltop to prove it. The groups heads to Hilltop, which is built around an historic mansion. The leader, Gregory, is a pompous blowhard, but trade negotiations are starting when a Hilltop group returns from meeting with "Negan's men." Hilltop must pay a tribute to Negan in the form of resources, but the Hilltop tribute is not enough according to Negan, so they kill one person and take another hostage, then order the hostage's brother to kill Gregory or lose his brother. Rick and company intervene and kill the would-be assassin. then agree to take care of Hilltop's Negan problem in exchange for half of what Hilltop has produced, including a cow. The group heads back to sell it to the Alexandrians.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Poor Abraham has a problem. He is hung up on Sasha but still dating Rosita. While on patrol with the former, she informs him she is switching shifts with Eugene from now on, and they won't be working together. Later, he is in bed with Rosita, who has made him a necklace from the cracked brake light from the fuel tanker truck. While she showers, he thinks of Sasha.<br />
<br />
Maggie is working on getting Alexandria's gardens up and running, but things are moving slowly. <br />
They are living on reduced rations, and things are getting tight. She and Glenn see Abraham and Denise run toward the townhouse with the makeshift jail cell, and go to investigate. Jesus is gone.<br />
<br />
Jesus sits on the steps in Rick's house, waiting on Michonne and Rick to get dressed. Carl finds him an puts a gun to his head, and Jesus tells him he's waiting on his "mom and dad" to come out. The pair emerge from the bedroom and assure everyone that Jesus just wants to talk. Jesus informs them he is part of the Hilltop community, and that they have crops and livestock for trade. His job is to find new settlements to trade with, and he has already cased the Alexandria community. He offers to take them to the Hilltop to prove his word, and Rick agrees.<br />
<br />
As Daryl gets the RV ready for the trip, Denise gives him some homemade oat cakes as a gift. Rick and Carl discuss the events with Michonne, and Carl assures him his is fine with the development. He tells his dad he is not going to Hilltop, but will stay home to guard Alexandria.<br />
<br />
During the drive, Abraham asks Glenn if he and Maggie were trying to get pregnant, using one of the best lines of the series: "When you were pouring the Bisquick, were you trying to make pancakes?" Glenn explains that they are trying to build a community and babies are a part of that.<br />
<br />
The group comes upon an overturned car, which Jesus recognizes as coming from Hilltop. The group fans out and searches for survivors while Maggie guards Jesus. They find the Hilltop people and kill a small pack of walkers. Jesus explains that most of his people are not fighters. One, in fact, is a doctor, and Glenn asks if there are any prenatal vitamins in the supplies they retrieved. Harlan, the doctor, used to be an obstetrician, tells them they hit the jackpot.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7IZFgkeqax6Y3EQfOwmbhQ0zKvRLQD31SVaItXTgHT9wAbrycLwiV6EwE-9mc_kNCHJXrc8xeGTHYMfZJKlqy3l0gzvuduiLev9rLxi3MVj-JMcEDGQtPsWIWyB9i3fYE-3-F_WaudDX/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-611-rick-lincoln-3-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7IZFgkeqax6Y3EQfOwmbhQ0zKvRLQD31SVaItXTgHT9wAbrycLwiV6EwE-9mc_kNCHJXrc8xeGTHYMfZJKlqy3l0gzvuduiLev9rLxi3MVj-JMcEDGQtPsWIWyB9i3fYE-3-F_WaudDX/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-611-rick-lincoln-3-935.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus leads the flock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Freddie, one of the Hilltop survivors, says when he thought he was going to die he saw his wife's face, which leaves Abraham wondering who he might see in that moment.<br />
<br />
They finally arrive, and find Hilltop to be built around an old historic house. Everything is as Jesus described, including the fact that the group has run out of ammunition for its firearms. They meet Gregory, who orders Rick's group to shower before meeting them. Rick, clearly annoyed, tells Maggie to meet with Gregory, as "he shouldn't." When Maggie and Gregory meet, he offers to let the Alexandrians work at Hilltop for a share of provisions. He also makes some generally unsavory advances toward her, which she turns down. She points out the Hilltop is low on ammunition and medications, which Alexandria might be able to part with. Gregory appears insulted and breaks off negotiations.<br />
<br />
Jesus, Rick and Daryl are discussing the situation when a group returns to the Hilltop. The team is returning from a mission to a compound run by a man named Negan. Negan killed two of the group because their tribute payment to Negan was "too light" and hold another one, Craig, hostage until they deliver a message to Gregory. Gregory asks for the message, and one of the men, Ethan, says, "I'm sorry," and stabs Gregory.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xXL6yJauQjzzu20G8iLDEmrHFiqnWqBHcW2nBbcUQcQDZycARBDhSzT0X-8dtaeH1W_M7eNaK56-7eEXL8TJbrZvqA_q4WyA2ABmU9kDoYRgrQUbNsh0QD4I6CpqQUMLjExfe2lFhkvC/s1600/the-walking-dead-episode-611-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xXL6yJauQjzzu20G8iLDEmrHFiqnWqBHcW2nBbcUQcQDZycARBDhSzT0X-8dtaeH1W_M7eNaK56-7eEXL8TJbrZvqA_q4WyA2ABmU9kDoYRgrQUbNsh0QD4I6CpqQUMLjExfe2lFhkvC/s320/the-walking-dead-episode-611-daryl-reedus-2-935.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daryl lends a hand and breaks an arm.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick's group intervenes, killing Ethan and saving Gregory. Abraham is getting strangled by another man, and Daryl saves him. He hears Sasha's voice as he is fighting for his life, and tells Daryl he is "better than all right." As he stands, Rosita's necklace is left in the dirt.<br />
<br />
While Harlan tends to Gregory, Jesus explains that Negan is the head of a group called The Saviors, who agreed not to attack the hilltop in exchange for half of the survivor's supplies. This is the same group that attacked Abraham, Daryl and Sasha earlier in the fuel truck. Daryl offers to rescue Craig and wipe out the Saviors in exchange for food, medicine, and supplies.<br />
<br />
Later, Gregory and Maggie reach a bargain: Alexandria handles The Saviors, in exchange for half the Hilltop's supplies. Maggie points out that Negan will keep demanding more and more unless he is stopped. The Hilltop people gather the supplies and load them into the RV, and get Andy, who has been to Negan's compound, to brief them on their enemy.<br />
<br />
Harlan performs an ultrasound on Maggie and prints she and Glenn a printout of the image. Glenn circulates the photo of the baby to the group, and Abraham looks at the photo and smiles at Glenn.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
<b>Knots Untie</b> is an episode that expands the worldview of our main characters while teeing up the season's closing action. It fleshes out the nebulous threat of Negan and The Saviors by illustrating the lengths they are willing to go to keep neighboring settlements under the thumb of tyranny. <br />
<br />
Establishing trade with the Hilltop will make the Alexandria settlement more survivable, and the Hilltop can use the protection. Each community has something they can use for barter. The Alexandria group is essentially acting as a paramilitary group for hire, and the Hilltop is paying them for protection from Negan's crew.<br />
<br />
There are important prepper lessons to learn in this transaction. Your prepping plan should include barter items that will help you make deals with other members of the community in a long term economic or survival emergency. Lists abound on prepper sites about what might make good barter items, but this is a sample, as found <a href="http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/41-items-to-barter/" target="_blank">here</a>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Water purification tablets</li>
<li>Hand tools</li>
<li>Prescription drugs, painkillers, and antibiotics</li>
<li>Batteries</li>
<li>Coffee and tea</li>
<li>Toiletry items like soap, dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.</li>
<li>Condoms (<i>et tu</i>, Glenn and Maggie?)</li>
<li>Latex gloves</li>
<li>Plastic bags, plastic sheeting, etc.</li>
</ul>
Likewise, skills can be a useful barter item. How many reading this blog know who to sew and mend clothing? If you have tactical training and firearms, could your community be counted on to proved security or set up a security program with your neighbors? can you fix pipes or electrical wiring? All of these skills have added value in an survival situation where you can't just go out and buy a new pair of pants, or the community is under threat from someone like Negan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gregory: not a negotiator.</td></tr>
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<br />
Perhaps the best skill for bartering is the art of being able to barter. Maggie proves her mettle as shepushes Gregory into a deal that favors the Alexandria group, and ensures the group. Some people, like Gregory, are not good with confrontation. <br />
<br />
I am not sure about the notion that our group of heroes is going to strike on a target preemptively. Sure, Negan's men confronted Sasha, Daryl, and Abraham, but defending yourself is different from infiltrating an objective and killing people like Navy SEALs.<br />
<br />
The whole Negan plot line is a metaphor for the events unfolding in the Middle East. ISIS operates the same way that Negan does: it moves into an area, kills a bunch of people including elected officials to show it is in charge, and then demands Christians in the area do one of three things:<br />
<ul>
<li>Convert to Islam</li>
<li>Pay a fine or tribute</li>
<li>Get beheaded</li>
</ul>
Sound familiar? The show will be delving more into this moral dilemma, I am sure, but we might as well face it: there are some people in this world that just need killing. Perhaps it's a case of kill them before they kill us. Certainly Alexandria has blood on its hands. Maybe no one in this post-apocalyptic world is good anymore.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness lessons for Episode 611:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Store some items you can use for barter, especially medical or comfort items, that will make a survival situation easier to bear</li>
<li>Work on skills that would be useful in such situations - tactical training, shooting, sewing, carpentry, etc.</li>
<li>Remember the biggest ability you need to cultivate it the ability to negotiate</li>
</ul>
<br />
<i>Next week: Two tribes go to war.</i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-1755957808117668962016-02-24T10:29:00.001-05:002016-02-24T10:29:54.792-05:00Preperadness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 610: The Next World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
SPOILER ALERT!!!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"><img alt="*" src="http://www.jammersreviews.com/images/main/star.gif" /></span></b><b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span><span style="white-space: nowrap;"> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="white-space: nowrap;"></span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Episode 610: The Next World</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Paul "Jesus" Monroe: </i>Do you even have any ammo?<i></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rick and Daryl fire simultaneously, dropping the same walker.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Jesus: </i>Okay.<i> </i><i></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Synopsis: Several weeks have passed since the walker incursion into Alexandria. The walls have been repaired, and a sense of normality has returned. The peace is threatened by a lack of basic supplies, like food and toiletry items such as toothpaste. Rick and Daryl are heading out on a supply run, and are initially successful, but run into another survivor named Paul "Jesus" Monroe who attempts to steal their truck full of food. Eventually, the truck is lost in a lake as they battle. Jesus is knocked out and Rick and Daryl take him to Alexandria to be checked out. Meanwhile, Enid and Carl go outside the walls, and Spencer goes outside and is followed by Michonne. Carl leads a zombie Deanna toward Spencer and Michonne, and Spencer finally gets to put his mother to rest. Michonne confronts Carl about being outside the wall, and Carl says he had to do it because it should be a family member that put her down. Later, as Michonne and Rick recount their day, the embrace and make love. As they lay sleeping, they are awakened by Jesus, who tells them they need to talk.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>The Next World </b>is an admittedly lighter episode -- practically a comedy in <i>Walking Dead</i> terms -- that delves into the more mundane aspects of survival like finding food and supplies, all while various characters deal with the aftermath of the zombie incursion. Rick and Daryl go out on a road trip, and it was nice to see them working together closely again.<br />
<br />
The episode begins in Rick's house, where everyone is getting ready for the day. Michonne asks him to bring back toothpaste as they are completely out. They chat with Carl, whose eye has healed to the point where it is covered by a bandage. He is remarkably upbeat. It's a good moment.<br />
<br />
Outside, Daryl and Denise discuss the list or requested supplies she's requested and he asks why she wants orange soda; Denise says it's for Tara, who is leaving soon with Heath on a two-week scavenging run and she would like to surprise her with it. Denise and Tara are now a couple. Before they leave, Eugene opens the gate and gives them a hand-drawn map of agricultural supply sources and the directive to find sorghum, "a criminally underrated grain." These beats all play out to comedic effect. I laughed out loud as Daryl mocked Denise's wild hand gesticulations as she talked.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butch and Sundance hit the road.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick is upbeat, and tells Daryl the will find supplies and maybe some people. "Law of averages," he says. Daryl is skeptical, and doesn't think they should bring in more people.<br />
<br />
Back in Alexandria, Michonne is standing guard, and sees Spencer head into the woods with a rifle and a shovel on his back. She follows him and asks him why he is out there. He says he has to do something, and that she cannot help him.<br />
<br />
Maggie finds Enid alone and encourages her to re-engage with the community, and offers to talk if <br />
she feels like it. She ends up outside the walls again with Carl, as they move through the woods, Enid wants to know what they are doing out there. He says it's what they are supposed to do as teenagers, but Enid no longer wants to be outside. They head back, but when they see a walker, someone they know, Car refuses to put it down. He tells Enid to go home. Later, Michonne sees Carl in the woods, with the walker trailing behind him. It turns toward Michonne and Spencer, and finally she realizes why Spencer is outside: the walker is Deanna. Spencer said he thought he saw her "that night" and has been searching for her. They end her walker existence and bury her.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butch and Sundance find Jesus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Rick and Daryl spot a sorghum barn and find a truck loaded with supplies inside. They decide to leave the car in place and take the truck home. I have no idea why that decision was made, but they take the truck down the road in search of more supplies. While trying to get inside a vending machine for orange soda, a man comes around the corner and runs into Rick. Rick and Daryl pull their guns on him .He introduces himself as Paul "Jesus" Monroe, and claims he is on the road and running from the dead, who are a few minutes behind. They part ways, but Rick and Daryl are distracted by the sound of gunshots which are actually firecrackers Jesus uses to distract them. He steals their truck of supplies with the vending machine still attached. The run in pursuit, which would have been unnecessary if one of them had <i>driven the car</i>.<br />
<br />
Rick and Daryl finally catch up to Jesus, who is changing a flat tire, and tie him up. They drive off, but Jesus, who is more than meets the eye, quickly frees himself. As they are driving across a field toward another agricultural supply store, they hear him on the roof, and Rick slams the brakes. Jesus flies through the air and lands in the grass, seemingly unhurt. Daryl chases him, and Rick tries to cut him off with the truck. He exits the vehicle, and Jesus makes it inside. A group of walkers attacks, and one is about to bite Daryl when Jesus kills it with Daryl's gun. The truck is knocked out of gear and rolls into a pond. Jesus is knocked by the door. Rick and Daryl find a new ride (a Jeep that starts two years into the Apocalypse) and take Jesus home so Denise can examine him. They place Jesus in the jail house.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl keeps an eye on Judith.</td></tr>
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Michonne confronts Carl about being in the woods and not killing Deanna. He said he couldn't do it because a family member should be the one to put her down. Left unspoken is the fact that Carl had to do the same for his mom at the prison. Carl said he would do it for Michonne, and they hug. <br />
<br />
Later, Michonne and Rick are recounting their day, and end up making love. They are awoken from their slumber by Jesus, who has escaped. He tells them they need to talk.<br />
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<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
While this is a pretty lightweight episode, there are still preparedness lessons to be learned. The first is that of supplies. As preppers, we sometimes become fixated on beans, bullets, and batteries, with a heavy emphasis on firearms and ammunition. The fact that Alexandria is out of toothpaste should serve as a lesson to us all. Sometimes it's the mundane things that make life easier in a crisis -- like toothpaste, toilet paper, etc. Start a record of how much of these things your family uses in a month, and begin stocking up. If you are not brand loyal, and want to maximize your supplies while maximizing your savings, <a href="http://livelikeyouarerich.com/couponing-for-beginners-11-tips-that-will-save-you-thousands/" target="_blank">investigate couponing</a>.<br />
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Another stock-up item is clothing. If you buy a pack of socks, get two and toss one in a storage container in the top of the closet. The same goes for underwear, etc. Older clothes that are still in decent shape but may have gotten stained or have some other wear and tear defect could be stored as back up clothing for an emergency.<br />
<br />
Take stock of your food storage as well. Recently we re-organized our pantry and extended storage location and no have room to store more items in both places. We also noted that we are low on a couple of staples we use every day. Set up a <a href="http://modernsurvivalblog.com/preps/food-storage-101-rotating-and-dating/" target="_blank">rotation plan </a>for your food supply to ensure you minimize spoilage.<br />
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Finally, let's address the elephant in the room. Daryl and Rick <i>left a perfectly good car parked next to the sorghum barn. </i>The supply truck's reliability after sitting in a barn for two years was questionable at best. Leaving a perfectly working car there was an unnecessary risk (as shown) and left a hard asset out in the open for anyone to take. This is a perfect example of something <i>The Walking Dead </i>writers do far too often; they force characters to make risky or poorly thought out moves to advance the plot.<br />
<br />
Just. Stop. It. This would have been a four-star review if not for that plot contrivance.<br />
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Preparedness Lessons for Episode 610:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Take a look at toiletry or comfort items that would make life easier in a long term crisis. Record how much you use in a month and store an amount of these products that will last as least as long as your food storage.</li>
<li>Make sure you buy or store extra underwear, socks, t-shirts, etc. These don't have to be designer labels. Check out thrift stores and consignment shops.</li>
<li>Make absolutely sure the food you have stored is in good condition, has not expired, and that you have stored and adequate amount. Calories equal survival in a crisis. Remember, the time to stock up on food is now, while you have the resources and time.</li>
<li>Don't leave hard assets vulnerable to theft or destruction. There may come a time when they cannot be replaced. </li>
</ul>
<i>Next week: Jesus leads the crew on a road trip in Dale's RV, and Abraham and Sasha get into a weird place.</i></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-45458203705077900852016-02-16T11:43:00.002-05:002016-02-16T15:24:43.121-05:00Preparedness Review of The Walking Dead Episode 609: No Way Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>SPOILER ALERT!!!</b><br />
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<b>Episode 609: No Way Out </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Carl: </i>Dad?<i> (Collapses to the ground.)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Couch Potato Prepper: Oh my</i>!<i><br /></i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Synopsis: Daryl, Sasha and Abraham are stopped by biker bandits who proclaim all their possessions now belong to someone named "Negan" and threaten to shoot Abraham and Sasha. Daryl is able to overcome one of the bikers and use their newly liberated RPG to kill the whole gang by detonating the gas tanks on their bikes. Back in Alexandria, Rick forms a new plan to get the walkers out of town, while Father Gabriel takes Judith to his church for safekeeping. The Wolf tries to flee with Denise, but is bitten. As they are trying to get to the infirmary, Carol shoots the wolf from a balcony and Denise makes it inside. Sam freaks out as Rick and company attempt to leave the town to retrieve their cars, and is eaten in front of his mom. Jessie screams in agony, and gets eaten as well. Rick is forced to stand there and watch, but has to act when Carl is unable to free himself from Jessie's grip. This causes Ron to try to kill Rick, but Michonne stabs him from behind. The gun goes off, striking Carl in the face. He is rushed to the infirmary, where his life hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Enid and Glenn formulate a plan to rescue Maggie, while Rick loses control and begins attacking the herd outside, Michonne rushes to join him, and soon a mixed group of Alexandrians and Team Rick are fighting a running hand-to-hand battle with over a thousand walkers. Glenn is about to be overcome by walkers when Sasha and Abraham scale the wall and open fire, killing the herd around him. Daryl pulls the fuel truck up to the pond near the gate, dumps the fuel into the water, and ignites it with the RPG. The balance of the herd is drawn to the light and noise and burns up in the flames. The episode ends with Rick next to Carl's bedside explaining he now has hope, and Carl gently squeezes his hand. All in all, this is probably the best episode of the year, if not the series, hampered only by some minor faults of logic and execution.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Negan's men accost our heroes.</td></tr>
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<b> No Way Out</b><i> </i>begins just after the events of Episode 608<i>. </i>Abraham, Sasha and Daryl are en route back to the settlement when they are stopped by a group of men on bikes who apparently work for someone named Negan. The leader of the group confiscates their sidearms, and then explains they are going to take all the group's resources and then escort them back to Alexandria to see what they have back home. Daryl is escorted to the back of the truck so that he can reveal all the resources aboard, while Sasha and Daryl try to find out more about who Negan is and why the men stopped them. The leader threatens to shoot them both, but Daryl, who has killed his guard, uses the RPG they found previously to destroy the group by detonating the gas tanks on their bikes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rick is ready to play hatchet man.</td></tr>
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Back in Alexandria, Rick's group is still moving through the walker herd. Rick realizes that his original plan of using flares and guns to lure the zombies outside will not work; the dead are too scattered, and they cannot hope to draw all of them off. He can't wait for Daryl's group to deal with it, so they pause for a moment and discuss their options at a spot where there are few walkers. Rick intends to go get all the cars from the quarry and use them to lure the herd out of Alexandria. Everyone agrees, but Jessie says there is no way Judith can make that trip. Gabriel volunteers to take Judith to his garage church and keep her safe.<br />
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Michonne asks if he can do it. "I'm supposed to," he replies. Finally, the pastor steps up and does something useful. This breakthrough is really one of the episode's highlights for me, and Seth Gilliam plays it with a resolute calmness of a man whose faith is fully restored. As a person of faith, I am excited that we finally have a moral faith center in the group, which has been sorely lacking since the death of Herschel. More on this later in the preparedness discussion.<br />
<br />
Jessie wants Sam to go as well, but Sam insists that he can continue and does not want to leave his mother. After a moment, Jessie agrees. Rick is content to let her make the decision; after all, he does not know Sam all that well. We, as viewers know, that Sam has been traumatized by the Wolf attack in his house, so much so that he will not even come down from his room to eat. Also, Carol has been playing with his head since Team Rick arrived. Gabriel takes Judith and heads to his church.<br />
<br />
Tara, Eugene, and Rosita are caring for an unconscious Carol and Morgan in the aftermath of the Wolf's escape. Tara wants to go find Denise, but Rosita insists that is a suicide mission. They need to make sure Carol and Morgan are okay, then come up with a plan to rescue her. Tara agrees reluctantly. The two revive Carol and Morgan, who are woozy but okay, and Carol borrows, Rosita's gun to check the rest of the house. I don't understand why she asked for the gun when she had one in a holster already. I don't remember Carol firing her weapon in the previous episode, and expending her ammunition. Maybe she just wanted all the guns for herself so Morgan couldn't get one. They later have a conversation where Carol tells him, "I should have killed you," and Morgan replies, "you didn't want to." <br />
<br />
The Wolf holds Denise in a sunken patio behind a fence. They are safe for the moment, but Denise is scared. He tells her not to be, and that it is actually safer outside Alexandria now. He is going to show her how to survive the Wolf way, and that she will change. Denise tells him to go to hell. The Wolf tells them they are going to run to the guard tower across the street and use it to get over the wall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glenn saves people. That's what he does.</td></tr>
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Glenn and Maggie are inside an actual church outside the wall, looking for something to help rescue Maggie, who is trapped on the lookout tower. Enid asks what he meant when he said if she runs, that's how you lose people even when they're gone. He explains that as long as they are alive and working to try to save others and make things better, a part of the people they have lost are still there as well. The talks about Herschel, Dale, Tyreese and his parents as the people he keeps with him (what, not love for T-Dog?) and asks who hers might be. She opens up about losing her parents.<br />
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"They're still here because you're still here," he tells her. Enid finds a gun stashed in a cigar box in the pulpit, and finds material to make a rope Maggie can climb down. Glenn orders her to stay at the church, but she refuses and comes along on the rescue mission.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is bad karma to love Rick Grimes.</td></tr>
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Rick and his group are moving through the herd to the wall, but Sam freaks out when he sees a child who has turned. He panics and begins crying, and as the group tries to get him moving walkers descend on him and eat him in front of his mother and brother. This is too much for Jessie, who screams at the sight of her son being ripped apart and is fallen upon by zombies as well. Rick is forced to stand there and watch his newfound love be destroyed in the worst possible way. He is jolted out of his sorrow by Carl; he was holding hands with Jessie, and she will not let go, even as she is being eaten alive. Rick pulls his hatchet and chops off her arm, freeing Carl from being eaten with her. She is gone. <br />
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Ron snaps. He picks up the gun Carl has dropped and takes aim at Rick, tears flowing from his face. As he is about to pull the trigger, Michonne runs him through from behind with her sword, but the gun goes off. As Ron drops to the ground, Carl turns; the bullet hit him in the face, and his right eye is <i>gone</i>, along with a chunk of his cheek. He says, "Dad?" and collapses. Rick scoops him up and they race to the infirmary, with Michonne cutting a path through the herd.<br />
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The Wolf and Denise make their move to the guard tower, but when Denise is attacked by a walker the Wolfe gets bitten defending her. They make it to another house, and the Wolf says he doesn't know why he did that; Denise said maybe he has changed, and if they can get to the infirmary he can save him by cutting off his arm. The make a run up the alley, but Carol sees them and shoots the Wolf. Denise makes it inside to the infirmary.<br />
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Inside, Heath, Spencer, and Aaron are maintaining a watch. They see Rick and Michonne coming in with a wounded Carl. Denise immediately begins treating him, but Rick, who has reached his breaking point, turns, heads outside, and starts clearing the town by himself, the same way he did in Season Three following Lori's death. Michonne rushes outside to help after kissing Carl's forehead.<br />
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Heath, Spencer and Aaron run outside as well. Other Alexandrians and members of Team Rick, including Eugene, the brilliant coward. "No one get's to clock out today," he tells Rosita. Father Gabriel also joins the battle with a machete, leaving Judith with a woman at the church and telling the people there that they have been praying for God to save their town, and He has, because He has given them the courage to save it themselves.<br />
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:13&version=NIV" target="_blank">Philippians 4:13</a>, folks.<br />
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Soon, a group of about 20 residents is fighting a running battle, <i>hand-to-hand, </i>with about a thousand walkers. It's and epic scene of slashing and cutting, knifing and stabbing, a murderous bloodbath of people fighting for their very lives. They battle to the wall and arrange themselves in a semicircle, stacking up bodies around them in a Spartan-style stand against overwhelming odds.<br />
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While this is happening, Glenn and Enid make their move to rescue Maggie. Enid climbs the wall to get to her while Glenn distracts the herd, but gets cornered and is about to be eaten in front of Maggie -- again, with the Glenn in danger -- when automatic weapons fire mows down the nearest walkers. Sasha and Abraham are on the wall, firing down into the walkers, Abraham, who has never looked happier, asks Glenn to open the gate. Daryl backs the tanker truck up to the pond nearby, fills it full of gas, and then ignites it with an RPG round. The remaining walkers are drawn to the noise and light and are immolated in the burning fuel.<br />
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The next day, the town is a wreck. Everyone who fought in the battle the night before is clustered around the infirmary, where Rick is talking to Carl. He says he realized last night he was wrong about the town, and that with these people they could do anything. He wants to build a life here, and he wants Carl to see it. He finally feels hope, which he hasn't felt since he woke up in his hospital bed at the beginning of the series. Carl responds by weakly grasping his hand.<br />
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<b>Preparedness Discussion</b><br />
<br />
<b>No Way Out </b>is a standout example of a community coming together to survive in a crisis. The odds are insurmountable; the group is going to either survive together and die alone. They are scattered and broken, without access to their armory and unable to communicate. Rick Grimes, using his grief over the loss of Jessie and the dreadful shooting of Carl as a catalyst for actions, goes on the offense and provides the example the residents need to rise to the challenges that face them. <br />
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As preppers, we need to foster that sense of community, not just with other preppers, but with our neighbors as well. Get to know the people who live around you. What are their skill sets? If you need some carpentry help, maybe someone in the neighborhood can help in exchange for some skill you have. If you are leaving on vacation, ask a trusted neighbor to watch your house for any suspicious activity. Offer to do the same if they need it. Make sure you have current phone numbers for your neighbors. The Home Owners Association (HOA) I belong to publishes a directory of the residents who live in our subdivision to promote neighbor-to-neighbor communication. Go to HOA meetings and find out who the movers and shakers are in the neighborhood.<br />
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More importantly, find out if anyone has skills that are <i>directly</i> useful in survival: medical skills, self defense skills, gardening experience, etc. Make these folks your friends, and make sure you have something they value in either skills or goods you can use for barter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you have an RPG, everything looks like a tank.</td></tr>
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Just as it is important to know what resources you have, it might be a good idea to think about how <span id="goog_1277336871"></span>you are going to conserve those resources. Abraham found the RPG launcher with four rounds in a Humvee. Daryl has now fired two rounds. How many rounds does Daryl have left? It's an easy math problem. Why use an RPG to ignite the pond when a <i>match </i>would have sufficed? Maybe they didn't have any, but I would have at least tried to find something before firing another RPG. Those are rounds they cannot replace that would give them a real edge in any firefight with an organized group. Sometimes, to keep the peace you have to be the meanest guy on the block. One RPG ruined the Negan biker gang's whole day. Imagine if they had possessed this weapon when the Governor had attacked the prison?<br />
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While we're at it, let's talk about ammunition expenditure. Just because you have a weapon capable of selective fire doesn't meant you fire it on automatic all the time. You gain much more accuracy using semi-automatic fire, and reduce the risk in hitting something or someone you value. Sasha and Abraham should have used semi-automatic aimed fire to save Glen at the wall instead of spraying bursts of automatic fire. Sure, it looks cool, but no one is making bullets anymore, and every single round counts. How did they hit the walkers in front of Glenn without hitting him?<br />
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It's reminiscent of the Season Three episode with Michael Rooker, who plays Merle, using an assault rifle, with the flip up Magpul sights in the <i>down </i>position. How is he going to aim at anything? In case you missed it, let's refresh your memory:<br />
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Both of these scenes can be chalked up to dramatic license and an unfamiliarity with firearms and ballistic effects, but they had been doing a really good job of cleaning up these types of things. There must be a writer's manual somewhere that says: "when writing an action scene with firearms, if the weapon is capable of automatic fire, you must write it that way. Also, everyone has to fire from the hip or not aim at all."<br />
<br />
It was interesting that the Alexandrians got to put their newfound knife and machete skills to the test. This is an avenue of prepping so often ignored. It's great to have all kinds of gear, but can you use any of it? <b>Skills trump gear every time. </b>All the guns are in the armory, so they have to improvise with blades and melee weapons. If your first line of self-defense is a concealed handgun, what happens if you forget to wear it one day? Further, what if it is a self-defense situation in which lethal force is not required in a clear-cut matter (legal standards on this vary, so check local laws)? Learning other self-defense techniques (boxing, martial arts, carrying a non-lethal alternative like pepper spray) can be useful as well.<br />
<br />
Finally, there is the emergence of Father Gabriel as not only a warrior, but a man of conviction and newfound faith. This was an important step not just for him but for the community. Everyone in the Walking Dead universe is basically walking around with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in one form or another. The psychological community has learned a great deal from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars about the nature of PTSD and its effects on the human mind. Here's a sample list of characters with possible PTSD or some other mental health issue:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Rick (had auditory and visual hallucinations, plus paranoia and bursts of rage)</li>
<li>Carl (becomes paranoid; popped that kid at the prison who was surrendering)</li>
<li>Michonne (disconnects from others; used ex-boyfriend and friend as walker camo)</li>
<li>Gabriel (let congregation get eaten and tried to commit suicide by walker)</li>
<li>Sasha (tried to commit suicide by walker after Bob and Tyreese died)</li>
<li>Abraham (was contemplating killing himself after wife and kids eaten)</li>
<li>Maggie (traumatized by Governor's sexual misogyny; devastated by loss of Beth)</li>
<li>Glenn (traumatized by Maggie's near sexual assault)</li>
<li>Bob (abused alcohol as coping mechanism)</li>
<li>Enid (lost ability to get close to anyone following death of parents)</li>
<li>Spencer (depressed following death of brother and father)</li>
<li>Nicholas (panic attacks and completed suicide after being confronted about his cowardice)</li>
<li>Morgan (possible psychotic break after death of his son)</li>
<li>Carol (traumatized by death of daughter; traumatized by having to shoot Lizzie; murdered two innocent people in misguided effort to save prison community)</li>
</ul>
Get the picture? These folks are going to need someone to talk to for counseling and reassurance, and the rejuvenated Gabriel can be part of that solution.<br />
<br />
Likewise, we can be a part of this solution in the prepping world. While not everyone has time, resources, or the desire to become a licensed counselor, there are programs that give you some fundamental skills in dealing with a person you suspect is suffering from a mental health or drug issue. One such internationally recognized program is <a href="http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/cs/" target="_blank">Mental Health First Aid,</a> which was originally designed in Australia and is now offered in the United States. It contains a wealth of material and practical exercises that help participants become prepared to deal with such situations. You won't be ready to diagnose and treat, but you will have some tools to help the person until more professional assistance arrives, and in the event of a survival situation, this could mean everything.<br />
<br />
<b>Preparedness Lessons for Episode 609:</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Become a part of your community and get to know like-minded preppers. Look for people with valuable skills in a survival situation and cultivate your own skills so you can barter with them.</li>
<li>Husband resources. Treat every bullet, bean, and band-aid as your last.</li>
<li>Skills trump gear every time.</li>
<li>Develop or find someone who possesses mental health training to address the inevitable issues that will occur in a stressful crisis situation. If you are the mental health person, remember to take care of yourself.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<i>Next week: Rick is counting on some good luck, and Michonne can't help Spencer. Oh, and Daryl's revolver is unloaded, because you can't see rounds in the chambers.</i> </div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-1186377761970023652016-02-11T09:26:00.001-05:002016-02-11T09:26:21.733-05:00New Survival Series, "Containment," Coming to CW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZmD1yBarRSmkjxl5lRV37_P1F98_2VMkRV1M5zia1qJeDpHju0MDFf2cl5N-NxrX6SbqLlijnMoAIQ1Jnvl_Z4oHaUixTp7Gxv-MFfSvN-xy9T6U-oBb-f8XOxyl7Az2G3qbEOfF-3NG/s1600/CON101A_0418_FULL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZmD1yBarRSmkjxl5lRV37_P1F98_2VMkRV1M5zia1qJeDpHju0MDFf2cl5N-NxrX6SbqLlijnMoAIQ1Jnvl_Z4oHaUixTp7Gxv-MFfSvN-xy9T6U-oBb-f8XOxyl7Az2G3qbEOfF-3NG/s320/CON101A_0418_FULL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There is a new television series called Containment coming to The CW this Spring. While a definitive debut date has not been announced, episode titles are being released, which indicates the time is nigh for it to bow.<br />
<br />
Based on a European series, the show tells the story of an American urban center which is exposed to a highly contagious and lethal contagion. Things quickly escalate you of control, and the government is forced to seal the area to prevent the spread of the disease. <br />
<br />
This might be review material, but honestly the time commitment for me is a bit daunting. <br />
<br />
You can find more on the show here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/qE983cTD4Mg" target="_blank">Trailer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_%28TV_series%29" target="_blank">Show Description </a></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-9751208170940875132016-02-08T08:27:00.002-05:002016-02-08T08:28:34.382-05:00EMP: Worst Case ScenarioIn prepping, we generally define our prepping levels by the scales of the potential crisis. For example, Jack Spirko at <a href="http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/" target="_blank">The Survival Podcast</a> created a <a href="http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/articles-by-jack/tenet-six" target="_blank">Disaster Probability Matrix</a>, that begins with the assumption that the larger scale and the deeper the severity of a crisis, the less likely it is to happen. Simply put, you are more likely to become unemployed than to be forced to deal with after effects of a nuclear war. Spirko urges those who listen to his podcast to prepare for the "normal" stuff first, then gradually scale preparations up to be ready for a large scale man-made or natural disaster.<br />
<br />
Toward that end, many preppers feel that one of the worst case scenarios we face is either a natural or man-made electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that would disable the electrical grid of the United States and render many cars, airplanes and other everyday products dependent upon electricity and computer control useless. <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/" target="_blank">The Blaze</a> has published a short primer video on the danger of an EMP event and its effects on the United States. It focuses on the use of a nuclear weapon to create the EMP, but EMPs can also be generated by the sun. Take a look and understand what "worst case scenario" really means.<br />
<span id="goog_349273936"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_349273937"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vimeo.com/154234011" target="_blank">LINK</a></div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-62490480002392379922016-02-05T13:10:00.002-05:002016-02-05T13:10:15.681-05:00Citi: World economy seems trapped in ‘death spiral’<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Trying to inform new preppers about the risks of our economic system sometimes finds the preparedness community repeatedly using sites like <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/" target="_blank">SHTF Plan</a> or <a href="http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/" target="_blank">The Economic Collapse Blog</a> as a reference, and sometimes these sites might seem a little "out there" to the mainstream public. That's why I try to use a variety of sources for information.<br />
<br />
According to a <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/05/citi-world-economy-trapped-in-death-spiral.html" target="_blank">CNBC report</a>, Citi Bank analysts are concerned that the world economy is sliding back into recession after weak economic data in China and the U.S. and a massive equity decline in Japan.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
"The world appears to be trapped in a circular reference death
spiral," Citi strategists led by Jonathan Stubbs said in a report on
Thursday.<br />
"Stronger U.S. dollar, weaker
oil/commodity prices, weaker world trade/petrodollar liquidity, weaker
EM (and global growth)... and repeat. Ad infinitum, this would lead to
Oilmageddon, a 'significant and synchronized' global recession and a
proper modern-day equity bear market."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Stubbs said that macro strategists at Citi forecast that
the dollar would weaken in 2016 and that oil prices were likely
bottoming, potentially providing some light at the end of the tunnel.</blockquote>
<div class="group" itemprop="articleBody">
<blockquote>
"The death spiral is in nobody's interest. Rational behavior, most likely, will prevail," he said in the report.<br />
<br />
Crude oil prices have tumbled by around 70
percent since the middle of 2014, during which time the U.S. dollar has
risen by around 20 percent against a basket of currencies. </blockquote>
<br />
As preppers, we need to be ready to weather this storm:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Ensure you have some cash on hand just in case of bank disruptions</li>
<li>Increase your stockpile of food. Look to maximize your buys with coupons, but remember, buy what you eat, and eat what you buy. make sure you stock up on condiments and spices as well.</li>
<li>Buy extra of essential household items like light bulbs, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items. There is a reason that toilet paper was a medium of exchange in the old Soviet Union.</li>
<li>Reduce your debt. Search for items you don't use anymore and put it on Craigslist. Figure out where you can cut back on monthly bills. </li>
<li> Take care of any medical conditions or needs - dental work, elective surgeries, vision exams, glasses, etc.</li>
<li>Stock up on over the counter medications and refill prescriptions at the earliest possible dates to maximize your on hand supply</li>
<li>Make sure your vehicles are in good working order. Perform preventative maintenance on the schedule prescribed by the manual. You may be keeping the car for awhile if your financial situation tightens.</li>
<li>Search for a second source of income. Be creative and put your talents to use. </li>
</ul>
<br />
</div>
</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-21757238616657026232016-02-04T10:45:00.001-05:002016-02-04T10:45:43.017-05:00Trucking Orders Collapse in the U.S.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The bad news keeps on rolling in for the U.S. economy. U.S. heavy trucking orders for goods delivery dropped 48 percent in January, indicating goods are not moving because people are not buying goods.<br />
<br />
Per SHTF Plan:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote>
<div class="quote_start">
U.S. January Class 8 truck orders fell 48
percent on the year, preliminary data from freight transportation
forecaster FTR showed, indicating that 2016 could be another weak year
for truck makers.</div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote>
<b>FTR estimated that orders for the heavy trucks that move
goods around America’s highways totaled 18,062 units in January. This
follows on from a full-year decline in 2015 of nearly 25 percent to
284,000 units from 276,000.</b></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote>
<b>“It is not looking to be a strong year,” </b>for the market, FTR chief operating officer Jonathan Starks said in a statement.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote>
Amid uncertainty over U.S. economic growth and a lackluster performance for retailers in the fourth quarter, <b>trucking companies have been holding back on buying new models.</b></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
The snowball of bad financial news continues. </div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-88875902801083414192016-02-04T09:03:00.002-05:002016-02-04T09:03:12.588-05:00Toxic Loans Dragging World Economy Down<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In keeping with my focus on economics this week, I saw <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/business/dealbook/toxic-loans-in-china-weigh-on-global-growth.html?_r=0" target="_blank">this story</a> from the New York Times highlighting the global risk of easy money, a.k.a. the stimulus policies of central banks like the Federal Reserve. It seems that the quantitative easing, stimulus packages, and artificially low interest rates encouraged folks like energy companies to borrow a pile of money to get into capital-intensive ventures like shale oil drilling.<br />
<br />
Now, thanks to an aggressive move by nations like Saudi Arabia to keep pumping oil despite the low price to glut the market, the shale industry is all but wiped out, and companies are saddled with toxic debt they are struggling to pay.<br />
<br />
China loosened its policies as well, and now is reaping a harvest of bad debts that may never be repaid:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In
recent years, banks and other financial companies in China issued a
tidal wave of new loans and other credit products, many of which will
not be paid back in full.<br />
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="215" data-total-count="4041" itemprop="articleBody">
China’s
financial sector will have loans and other financial assets of $30
trillion at the end of this year, up from $9 trillion seven years ago,
said Charlene Chu, an analyst in Hong Kong for Autonomous Research.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="301" data-total-count="4342" itemprop="articleBody">
“The
world has never seen credit growth of this magnitude over a such short
time,” she said in an email. “We believe it has directly or indirectly
impacted nearly every asset price in the world, which is why the market
is so jittery about the idea that credit problems in China could
unravel.”In
recent years, banks and other financial companies in China issued a
tidal wave of new loans and other credit products, many of which will
not be paid back in full.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="215" data-total-count="4041" itemprop="articleBody">
China’s
financial sector will have loans and other financial assets of $30
trillion at the end of this year, up from $9 trillion seven years ago,
said Charlene Chu, an analyst in Hong Kong for Autonomous Research.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="story-body-text story-content" data-para-count="301" data-total-count="4342" itemprop="articleBody">
“The
world has never seen credit growth of this magnitude over a such short
time,” she said in an email. “We believe it has directly or indirectly
impacted nearly every asset price in the world, which is why the market
is so jittery about the idea that credit problems in China could
unravel.”</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
China, with its huge manufacturing base that powers companies like Wal-Mart, and a huge population, may cause a debt crisis that will unravel the global trade fabric again. Instead of promoting stability, the global intertwining of economics and finance may bring the two great recessions in less that 10 years. </div>
</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-91208978028068522552016-02-01T14:51:00.000-05:002016-02-02T09:00:51.109-05:00Buying a Home: Lessons Learned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Buying a home is most likely the largest investment any of
us will make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a significant outlay
of our available financial capital and we must pour time and effort into
choosing the correct home and negotiating the sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have purchased two homes thus far, and have
learned different lessons each time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first home was for sale by the owners, and we paid
$75,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lived in it for 14 years,
and it was a good starter home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our next
home, purchased in 2014, was on the market for almost $190,000 but we managed
to negotiate them down for significantly less.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, the biggest piece of the puzzle is <b>financing</b>. Interest rates in the U.S. are still low, so if you have good credit and can swing a down payment of at least 20 percent, you can usually cash in for a great interest rate that saves you money long-term. Figure out how much of a monthly mortgage payment you can sustain and don't forget to factor in property taxes and home insurance, which are usually placed in escrow and paid with the mortgage payment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Tip 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know What You
Want, Where You Want</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUB0tl0MHXkvZhmSSFuU4Jxrz3yOpATeWAkNPwTS5gSSoY6Sh404io3sy-4397N9AnXpqt3TygVXnCshSnQD8QZG1D9v-md3fUZHc8DZloXdNfL1NbeBNUFWj98lVK1TxLv7L3y3HgHnB/s1600/sagging-roof-640x240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUB0tl0MHXkvZhmSSFuU4Jxrz3yOpATeWAkNPwTS5gSSoY6Sh404io3sy-4397N9AnXpqt3TygVXnCshSnQD8QZG1D9v-md3fUZHc8DZloXdNfL1NbeBNUFWj98lVK1TxLv7L3y3HgHnB/s320/sagging-roof-640x240.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sagging roofs = big problems.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This is the biggest consideration when you start thinking
about buying a new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to
pick a geographic location that is convenient for you and your schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to be closer to work or to a
family member 10 miles away from the neighborhood you are scouting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to live in the city, the suburbs,
or in the country?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What do you want the layout to be – ranch style, colonial,
Cape Cod, mid-entry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you plan on
growing old in the house, a ranch style might be preferable because as you get
older, you will lose mobility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
have any significant knee or ankle issues, climbing stairs could become
problematic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this is a starter home,
you may not need to worry about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The key is to think about what you may need 15 years from now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Know what other features you want:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how many bathrooms and bedrooms, a garage,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is closet space a big
consideration, or would you rather have more living space?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want a big kitchen for cooking?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are all deliberations you and your
family must make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We'll deal with prepping considerations later. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With my first home, we didn’t think most of this
through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in an apartment and our
lease was coming up for renewal. We paid the price for our lack of knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ended up buying the right location, but
the house needed a lot of work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> With our next home, we knew we wanted a home with more square footage, ranch style, with an updated kitchen. I also wanted a two-car garage and a wood-burning fireplace so a) I didn't have to clean snow off of our cars and b) I could heat our home in a grid down scenario. My spouse did not consider these must haves, but guess who enjoys the fire more and guess who loves having a garage kept car? We also purchased a third car as we now have three drivers in the family, so <i>my</i> vehicle is parked in the driveway. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I can't win! Sigh. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">We didn't think about what we would need in that area down the road, but in my location there are very few homes in our price range with a three-car garage, anyway. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Every home settles over time, but cracks in the foundation
are a sign of significant structural problems that can cost tens of thousands
of dollars to repair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slumping, sagging roofs are
a sign of shoddy construction, improper placement of roof supports or
foundation pillars that might indicate problems with the walls of the home as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a roof section sags, it tries
to push the outside walls out from the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This can cause serious issues. Don't gloss over potential serious issues in your excitement of finding your "dream house." Look for any potential drainage issues or evidence of water damage inside the home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Tip 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look Around
the Neighborhood</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdtNF5nMsqQeFTbfY4VaQjm5-6QpDaXXrGchswOBY85atSj6CUkL8Sv8rC_yH2iZTMZY4fjFgRq-yab3hp2pR6OcfgLHGXE6SVwxFMSfzkoXO8PxuHMCKskI0OaeLefv-cBnWEE30ijoT/s1600/article-2378760-1B002AAD000005DC-701_634x434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdtNF5nMsqQeFTbfY4VaQjm5-6QpDaXXrGchswOBY85atSj6CUkL8Sv8rC_yH2iZTMZY4fjFgRq-yab3hp2pR6OcfgLHGXE6SVwxFMSfzkoXO8PxuHMCKskI0OaeLefv-cBnWEE30ijoT/s320/article-2378760-1B002AAD000005DC-701_634x434.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trouble ahead.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If everything on your prospective new house looks good on the outside, look at the condition of other homes in the
neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do any have foundation
issues (look for cracks or patched cracks in the foundation), slumping roofs
(poor construction) are do any look poorly maintained? This is indicative of the grade of construction for all the homes in the area. Even if your home is not showing those issues on the surface, beware and take a good hard look at your target house.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Look at the general upkeep of the surrounding homes as well. Do the neighbors look like they care about their properties, or do the homes look run down? If it's the latter, the neighborhood may be in decline and you might consider looking elsewhere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Tip 3: Use a Reputable Realtor</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our first home was for sale by owner and we handled everything without a realtor. Looking back, a good realtor would have noticed some of the problems we encountered after moving in and could have warned us about the pitfalls. The next time around, we worked with the same realtor to sell our old home and buy the new one, and things went more smoothly. We also were able to negotiate the price reduction plus some extra money to complete some repairs the previous owner had not finished. We negotiated a slightly cheaper selling commission as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip 4: Get a Home Inspection</b><br />
<br />
I cannot stress this enough. When you are walking through the house for the first time, make note of any potential issues. Find a good home inspector and once the home is under contract have the inspector go over it with a fine-toothed comb. Make sure they review any items you noted on your walk-through.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip 5: Taking Prepping Into Consideration</b><br />
<br />
As you look for a new home, ask the following questions:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Are you looking<b> </b>to grow your own food? Is there enough land to plant a garden or install raised beds? If you are thinking of moving into an area controlled by an Home Owners Association (HOA), do they allow gardens or outbuildings? HOAs have both <a href="http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/pros-and-cons-of-living-within-a-homeowners-association/" target="_blank">positives and negatives</a>, but that's for another post. Just makes sure your plans aren't going to run afoul of the HOA covenants and restrictions.</li>
<li>Is the perimeter secure, or able to be secured physically? Do you have fencing around the yard or can it be installed (HOAs may restrict fences; some areas have utility lines buried under ground)? Would a brick house be preferable to provide resistance to projectiles (bullets)? Are the windows elevated off the ground to make it more difficult for a burglar to get inside?</li>
<li>Is there a security system installed? You will need to know when it was installed, if it is still active, and if the previous owner plans on leaving it. I have had experience primarily with wireless systems (a system that uses wireless technology to link the sensors to the main panel instead of running wires through the walls). We left our old system at the previous house - mostly because it was almost 10 years old - but a wireless system can move to a new house, so find out if the owner is leaving the system or taking it. Beware of companies that want to lock you into multi-year contracts. My old company, <a href="http://www.protectamerica.com/" target="_blank">Protect America</a>, featured a three-year contract when we signed up, and after the expiration we negotiated a new rate less than half our original monthly cost. <a href="http://simplisafe.com/" target="_blank">SimpliSafe</a>, a relatively new player in the market, does not force customers to sign long-term contracts. Research what's best for you. If your provider uses a cellular-based panel, make sure there is adequate coverage at the home location.</li>
<li>Is there an alternative source of heat available or does the potential exist? Could you install a generator if you needed it, or alternatively, install some other form of alternate power generation? </li>
<li>Is there plenty of storage space for prepping supplies, food storage, etc?</li>
<li>Are the exterior and interior doors sturdy and able to protect you from an intruder?</li>
</ul>
These are all the considerations that I used when purchasing a home. If you have others, please feel free to list them in the comments below. </div>
</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-24802042907894249672016-02-01T13:14:00.000-05:002016-02-01T13:24:15.173-05:00The World Economy Is Slowing; Repeat of 2008 Coming?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ85bePi2B7RH02ZZzXL6nXBnWE1gImiTyOw60qi8DOS7BV12tSnGSC5bjMphX1kKnpVa5pllIIYa_rfuxem8Lq0xB08nbZifmpauoVh9ofjHG_WZl6DS0WZI5VS6TKIv6zPbGBbSQf8xX/s1600/empty-grocery-store-dees-1-300x224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ85bePi2B7RH02ZZzXL6nXBnWE1gImiTyOw60qi8DOS7BV12tSnGSC5bjMphX1kKnpVa5pllIIYa_rfuxem8Lq0xB08nbZifmpauoVh9ofjHG_WZl6DS0WZI5VS6TKIv6zPbGBbSQf8xX/s1600/empty-grocery-store-dees-1-300x224.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Last year, I came across <a href="http://consciouslyenlightened.com/warning-you-better-wake-up-before-this-happens-here-in-the-us/#" target="_blank">this story</a> that predicted the empty grocery shelves that have plagued Greece since its partial economic collapse in 2009 would come to America's shores. The collapse was caused by a crushing debt burden the government could not sustain. In 2015, the Greek government failed to make a payment back to the International Monetary Fund despite extreme (by European standards) austerity measures like raising the retirement age and hiking already steep taxes.<br />
<br />
Store shelves are empty much of the time. Pharmacies and hospitals are running out of needed drugs and supplies. The standard of living has plunged, as has the average life expectancy.<br />
<br />
Now, as the <a href="http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/global-stocks-enter-bear-market-one-fifth-of-all-worldwide-stock-market-wealth-is-already-gone" target="_blank">stock markets are in turmoil</a> and <a href="http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/economic-activity-is-slowing-down-much-faster-than-the-experts-anticipated" target="_blank">economic activity slows down significantly</a>, anecdotal evidence is mounting that we are heading toward another global financial crisis.<br />
<br />
A recent article by <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/report-store-inventory-levels-reduced-nationwide-stock-up-now-while-you-can_01292016" target="_blank">Jeremiah Johnson </a>illustrated the point: Store shelves in big box retailers are showing signs that they are not being stocked as frequently. Johnson reports that commenters on social media sites are reporting this phenomenon in different areas of the country.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“Steve-</i><br />
[Regarding the] alerts about the current state of the RR industry.
This is in line with what I’ve been noticing as I visited our
local/regional grocery store, Walmart, and Target this week in WI. I
worked in big box retail for 20 years specializing in Inventory
Management. These stores are all using computerized inventory management
systems that monitor and automatically replenish inventory when
levels/shelf stock get low. This prevents “out of stocks” and lost
sales. These companies rely on the ability to replenish inventory
quickly from regional warehouses.
As I shopped this week and looked at inventory levels I was shocked.
There were numerous (above and beyond acceptable levels) out of stocks
across category lines at all three retailers. And even where inventory
was on the shelf, the overall levels were noticeably reduced. <b>Based on my experience, working for two of these three organizations in store management, they have drastically/<u>intentionally reduced their inventory levels.</u></b>
This is either due to financial stresses/poor sales effecting their
ability to acquire new inventory, or it could be the result of what was
mentioned earlier regarding the transporting of goods to these regional
warehouses. Either way this doesn’t bode well for the what’s to come.
Stock up now while you can!” </blockquote>
<br />
Add to this the fact that a number of companies, including Wal-Mart, have <a href="http://www.infowars.com/retail-apocalypse-2016-brings-empty-shelves-and-store-closings-all-across-america/" target="_blank">shuttered retail locations</a> in an attempt to stay solvent, and the realization that a tipping point is approaching becomes clear. This is further supported by reports that internationally, <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/asias-factories-parched-demand-stimulus-060019307.html?hl=1&noRedirect=1" target="_blank">manufacturing is slowing as demand for products drops</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>What Can You Do?</b><br />
<br />
If you have the resources, I would suggest stocking up on food, over the counter medications, and household essentials. If you can do so safely, store extra gasoline. Gas is cheap now, but if an economic crisis causes the supply chain to collapse or become restricted, you may not be able to obtain a supply. If you are a prepper, you undoubtedly have a stockpile already, but you may want to accelerate your purchases.<br />
<br />
Here's a protip for men: feminine hygiene products for your spouse or significant other are necessities. If you haven't done so, investigate what products are in the cupboard and add them to the shopping list. Likewise, toilet paper is not a luxury.<br />
<br />
Plan to have paper products in case the power or water utilities become unreliable so you can live without washing dishes a while.<br />
<br />
Devise a plan to protect your family. Desperate times will cause even law-abiding citizens to resort to theft and other behavior that could threaten those you love. Ensure that your family knows what to do if someone breaks into your home. Practice the plan.<br />
<br />
Good luck, and keep preparing.</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-69907039195240305112016-01-15T12:02:00.000-05:002016-01-15T12:02:10.705-05:00Prices Soaring in Canada; U.S. Next?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxIovk6Jv0e11QBSDiZDuVInwL4ANVojYE7cAuf_xkqRMqTxmwgZheCSYJ9FdIZw__w0YSl-o05oiy_mw94dSdiQi_41lQ-CFkfpEsT3UZZf5NOKWhleNSTfMraw4EHWwq5pzMKnb_108/s1600/money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxIovk6Jv0e11QBSDiZDuVInwL4ANVojYE7cAuf_xkqRMqTxmwgZheCSYJ9FdIZw__w0YSl-o05oiy_mw94dSdiQi_41lQ-CFkfpEsT3UZZf5NOKWhleNSTfMraw4EHWwq5pzMKnb_108/s1600/money.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
There is a good story on <a href="http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/real-time-currency-collapse-in-canada-this-is-what-its-going-to-look-like-in-the-usa_01142016" target="_blank">SHTF Plan</a> regarding the collapse of Canada's currency being reflected in a rise in the prices of basic household goods like laundry detergent, pepper, and fresh vegetables. The collapse of the oil market has crippled Canada's economy and sent their currency into a dive in value. <br />
<br />
Because of this, prices of goods, especially imported goods (80 percent of the country's fresh vegetables are imported) have skyrocketed in a short time. This is what a currency collapse looks like.<br />
<br />
For Americans, this is a cautionary tale. Our money supply has been expanded by the Federal Reserve to help spur the economic growth we <i>do </i>have. Right now the world is in the process of <a href="http://cointelegraph.com/news/115258/rumor-mill-new-reserve-currency-may-rock-us-dollar-in-october" target="_blank">dumping our dollar</a> as the reserve currency for trade. When that happens, the demand for our dollars drops, and the value of our money will drop as well, increasing prices the way things have gone in Canada. <br />
<br />
Stock up now on essential goods to try to hedge against the inflation that is looming in our economy like a shark circling a bleeding swimmer.</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-17429677869610445062016-01-15T11:10:00.002-05:002016-01-15T11:10:49.623-05:00Fear the Walking Dead Gets Season 2 Premiere Date<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-YqHSPSxBsw1h7UEkIoPSg-AseFI3tdiPOgFNYT6HWFlBq91QvmheJ4bWBphwMPOxXN4zL6pAincTbe-vEApsHhFbvxWnzqibDanwOpu24rtfVsDad1FYq7jMY_SUfZjQ0GEapGF1gJm/s1600/fear-the-walking-dead-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-YqHSPSxBsw1h7UEkIoPSg-AseFI3tdiPOgFNYT6HWFlBq91QvmheJ4bWBphwMPOxXN4zL6pAincTbe-vEApsHhFbvxWnzqibDanwOpu24rtfVsDad1FYq7jMY_SUfZjQ0GEapGF1gJm/s320/fear-the-walking-dead-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Do the Right Thing and Mr. Do What It Takes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Season 2 of <a href="http://www.amc.com/shows/fear-the-walking-dead/talk/2016/01/fear-the-walking-dead-season-2-to-premiere-april-10" target="_blank">Fear the Walking Dead</a> will debut on AMC on April 10, 2016. The season will be split into two sections, with seven episodes airing in the spring and the back eight airing sometime later in the year. <br />
<br />
As suspected, the survivors are going to get onto Strand's boat try to survive at sea. I will be reviewing the episodes again this year, and hopefully the fresh setting will reveal a different take on surviving the Apocalypse.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned!</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-7026700731269233452016-01-15T10:58:00.001-05:002016-01-15T10:58:52.500-05:00Tracking Your Battery Inventory<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Most of us rely on batteries every day to power our mobile devices, our remote controls, and other convenience items in our homes. I purchased a home last year that contained battery powered window shades in two rooms and worked via remote control. This required eight AA batteries on the shade itself, and then AAA batteries for the remote controls. Likewise, one of the ceiling fans in our house is remotely operated and requires a small "camera-style" battery for power.<br />
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First world problems, right?<br />
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The good news is that I have already standardized most of my battery-powered products (flashlights, radios, etc.) to AA or AAA. The only D cell items I use are a pair of Magpul LED flashlights I keep in our two primary vehicles and a Coleman battery-powered lantern. By standardizing around a couple of common sizes I am able to optimize my budget without having to keep track of a bunch of different types of batteries. It's all about simplicity. If I need an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my battery inventory, I am doing something wrong.<br />
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I have been purchasing batteries in bulk from places like Sam's Club. I prefer Duracell, as they have longer lifespans than Energizers in my experience. Lately, however, I am now buying them online, and buying <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Procell-AA-Pack-PC1500BKD09/dp/B00009V2QX/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Duracell Procells</a>. While some people contend that the regular Duracells and the Procells are essentially the same performance-wise, I have found the Procells tend last 10-15 percent longer than the regular Duracells. I like the packaging as well - cardboard boxes instead of hard plastic. <br />
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Take a look at how you use batteries, and whether you can optimize them around one or two sizes. If you can't you need to work toward that goal. Select flashlights and other devices that can use those sizes. There are even<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Energi-To-Go-Battery-Operated-Instant/dp/B000JD09P4" target="_blank"> cell phone chargers</a> that can be powered by AA batteries. I have a couple that work well. It also frees you from using a laptop or wall outlet to recharge the backup charger.<br />
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You can build your battery stockpile up slowly, staggering the expiration dates and rotating your stock as you use batteries in your home for various devices. The biggest battery hog in any home with a video game system like the XBox series is the game controller. These are powered by AA batteries and tend to go through them quickly. If you have a teen in your house with such a gaming system, make sure you keep a watch on how quickly he or she is burning through your battery supply. Rechargeable battery packs for XBox game controllers are available and would be a good investment to preserve your stockpile.<br />
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With a good reserve of batteries, you will be ready to light up the night. </div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-75510657011686630422015-12-16T13:29:00.001-05:002015-12-18T08:03:13.376-05:00Link: Nifty Article On Map Reading<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is amazing to me how many people cannot read a map - even a basic highway map. We have become so dependent on Google Maps, GPS, and our smart phones that most people never bother learning how to read a map.<br />
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I grew up in the pre-GPS/smart phone era, and I learned to read maps. My grandfather had an excellent sense of direction, and usually only had to read a map once to remember a route. It was uncanny. I travel through seven or eight counties in my home state regularly for my employer, and after a decade on the job I know at least two or three ways to get to my destination by memory. I still keep a highway map and a topographic map with a compass in my car, just in case. <br />
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There is a blog web site, <a href="http://www.atlasandboots.com/how-to-use-a-compass-and-map/" target="_blank">Atlas and Boots</a>, with a great basic post on how to read a map and compass. It's a good primer for those wishing to learn the skill. Most of the time you will have GPS and phone service, but there are certain terrain types - an urban setting filled with high rise buildings, forests, or hilly, mountainous terrain - where cell phone and GPS signals can be blocked by line of sight hindrances. Kills trump gear. Grab a cheap compass and map of your local area and learn how to navigate.</div>
Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086157725060002173.post-91985777749766626842015-12-11T10:58:00.000-05:002015-12-11T10:59:42.745-05:00Scientists: New E. Coli Strain Resistant to ALL Antibiotics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new bacterial strain can pass on its resistance to other bacteria.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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According to a news story from Australia, a new strain of <i>e.coli</i> has been detected that is resistant to every antibiotic that currently exists, prompting fears of a return to the pre-antibiotic era when even simple infections could have deadly consequences.<br />
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Chinese and British scientists identified the strain in a pig, then in raw pork meat and then in a small number of people. It was hoped that it could be contained there. It has now been found in animals in Malaysia, Germany, and in a man in Denmark <i>who has never been outside that country</i>. <br />
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What makes the bacteria unique is that is possesses a gene known as Mcr-1, which is thought to make it resistant to antibiotics. The problem is that this strain of <i>e. coli</i> can also infect other bacteria and pass on this immunity.<br />
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Practically, it means that if left unchecked, scientists are concerned that common bacteria that cause most urinary, blood, and intestinal infections could become immune to <b>every</b> antibiotic.<br />
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Medical researchers are either going to have to devise a new class of antibiotic drugs or figure out how to switch off the gene in question. The window for containment has passed. That's the problem with biological threats; by the time you know you have a problem, it's often too late to contain it in any meaningful way.<br />
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For years, physicians have been limiting antibiotics prescribed to patients to attempt to hold off on antibiotic resistance. The problem is that out food is laced with it, because it is used in pigs, chickens and cows to help them grow faster and bigger than they would without the drugs. The article states that 80 percent of the antibiotics used in the United States are used in livestock. <br />
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Original story: <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/scientists-have-found-a-new-strain-of-bacteria-that-is-resistant-to-all-antibiotics/news-story/f643ea45c989c63365c0e50ea4a5f3e0" target="_blank">LINK</a><br />
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Couch Potato Prepperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506192885846727709noreply@blogger.com0