Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: A Sign of Things to Come?

The day after Russia celebrated the May 9^th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, the much-talked-about fear of a nuclear attack on Ukraine has not happened, as theorized by many. A more precise explanation as to why it was unlikely to happen was provided by David Petraeus, whose credibility in military strategy is virtually unparalleled. His rise to prominence as an Army General in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars under George W. Bush, and subsequent CIA detail in the Obama Administration, gives him key insights into world events and the skill to explain them without leaking critical military defense data.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, consider how recent events seem to play into the public’s perceptions and how this relates to conspiracy theories motivated more by fear than by credible data. We may be preppers, but we’re not stupid.

The Power of Information

It’s often said that information wins wars. It’s also true that misinformation wins wars, which is great if you’re the one controlling the information and using it to confuse and confound your enemy. In WWII, America deliberately communicated false information in every clever way possible to give Japanese and German intelligence the belief that they were cracking our codes. Meanwhile, real information was shared by Navajo code talkers since there was no way for foreign intelligence to have the foggiest clue of how to decode the language.

I don’t consider myself an enemy of the state, nor do I consider the media to be an enemy of peace. I do consider many media figures to be the prom kings and queens with the charisma to attract followers who envy them at the most animal level. This, to me, is mutually exclusive from the news since talking heads are merely messengers reading a teleprompter. Whatever real information may be going on, who’s to say what’s real unless they’re privy to inside information from boots on the ground?

What is a Boy to Do?

The short answer to this question is to remember to continue to do what’s prudent to stay the course and stockpile munitions and provisions needed to survive when the moment of truth comes. If you have an underground bunker at a sight that allows for protected living above ground, you’re probably already there. Meanwhile, the need for people to believe that nothing is happening, or the worst is happening flies in the face of what’s actually happening. If the average person gets scared and stays home from work, they get fired, go homeless, and starve to death in an alley- if they don’t get knifed first.

There’s never a greenlight to lose one’s cool and succumb to fear-based thinking, which is the core philosophy of survivalism. It’s the intelligent, sober-minded, proactive dedication to planning an exit strategy in the event that one is needed so that there is little opportunity to be caught with one’s proverbial pants down. So, while it’s a game of “Cloak and Daggers” to many survival enthusiasts, we recommend you not devolve from your humanity in the process of trying to survive these trying times.

Click here to see Gen. Petraeus set the record straight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG3kzAZzdwc

Survivalism: a “Trend” in Pop Culture?

In today’s world of post-COVID lockdowns, mass weather events, failing electrical grids, and the not-so-distant memory of 9/11, it seems that everyone has a crystal-clear picture in their heads of just what an EOTWAWKI scenario would look like. “Coincidentally,” without my realizing it, a film about this very subject came out just last October of 2021. It’s called The Survivalist, and it stars John Milkovich as a post-apocalyptic warlord. While the film doesn’t showcase the most affluent or even the fairly well-heeled, it clearly depicts the motivating reasons why the so-called extreme measures of “Doomsday Preppers” persist.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll visit the film The Survivalist and consider its role as a tool to instruct the masses. If art imitates life, then this film is both capitalizing on the fear of recent events and making people reevaluate their priorities for existence. Meanwhile, society’s elites have never stopped measuring their own success, not just financially but as a persistent force on Earth.

The Survivalist – Synopsis

Per IMDB, “A year and a half after the fall of civilization due to a viral outbreak, a former FBI agent is forced to protect a young woman immune to the disease from a dangerous gang leader hunting her.”

If you look at the trailer, what you’ll see is the absolute downfall of society, as a major urban area succumbs to mass chaos and violence, loss of control by authorities, guerrilla warfare in the streets, and so on. This, of course, is what sets the stage for the difficult but important task of the girl surviving all of this and struggling to find her way to the FBI agent turned survivalist. All the while, she’s being hunted by a maniacal warlord, likely focused on her detainment for scientific observation since her immune system holds the key to everyone’s survival. Clearly, conflict will ensue, drama will unfold, and theaters will sell much popcorn and soda.

The World of Survivalism in the Public Consciousness

While the plot synopsis and storyline are focused on the dramatic struggle of the characters, it’s clear that this film is capitalizing on the mass hysteria generated by COVID. Naturally, you can expect the masses to become cognizant of the problems they all face at the same time. However, those who’ve survived such battles unfamiliar to the masses seem to march to the tune of a different drummer. Whether it’s an immigrant in NYC having escaped apartheid in his homeland or your garden variety religious zealot, they don’t need anyone to tell them what’s coming.

Who can’t help but notice a pattern of global destruction of “Biblical Proportions?” Viewing through the prophetic lens of Judgement Day, as famously foretold in the Gospel of John, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse spread pestilence (plague), famine, war, and subsequently, death. Meanwhile, every day, the news sees increasing mass casualties related to COVID, Putin’s war against Ukraine, and of course, the struggle of supply lines caused by all of the above, plus rising fuel costs.

Religion aside, history teaches us that the last thing to give way when civilization falls is trade. It’s the mutual relationship between neighboring communities, domestic and abroad, that ensures our survival for the long haul while promoting peaceful relations. If this weren’t true, much of the world would still be small farming communities with virtually no need for money. But I digress… when it comes to consciousness, it seems that the masses are focused on pop culture while the “powers that be” remain hidden in plain sight.

What Would Ted Turner Do?

If a classic meat-eating, salt-of-the-earth, winner-take-all capitalist like Ted Turner were around today, my hunch is he’d be spending more time on his Montana ranch, far from the idiosyncratic masses seeking any means of distraction from the fear that governs the cogs in the social wheels. Why? Not because he hates them, but because he doesn’t wait for other people to explain things to him. Surely there are millionaire survivalists today who take great pains to cultivate their public persona while hedging their bets with compounds in New Zealand, for example.

In short, at the glacial pace that society moves, anyone who is driven to have, be, do, create, or experience more has to learn to be guided from within. Who doesn’t have that little voice in their head that refuses to be pacified by the “leaders” who take turns gracing the world stage every four years? The real members of this planet are busy thinking for themselves and making preparations for the future based on credible data extrapolated from long-term trends. The same thought process that wins in the stock market is responsible for the survival of modern humans, despite all the mass-extinction events and cyclical problems of war, disease, plagues, pestilence, famine, and all the other problems that challenged our ancestors.

So, to the masses, we say, “Hope you enjoy the film. Now here are a bunch of things to consider buying.” Meanwhile, to the millionaire survivalists already planning to survive even bigger challenges to their existence, what does it matter what anyone says?

Click here to see the film trailer: https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/john-malkovich-the-survivalist-trailer-1212979/

Works Cited:

IMDb.com. (n.d.). The Survivalist. IMDb. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13694706/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl

How Millionaire Survivalists in NYC Expect to Flee when the SHTF

The Big Apple has it all when it comes to convenient access to commercialism, but that has its disadvantages. When COVID struck this over-populated city, it created a localized version of the pandemic that was far worse than the national average. This has given New Yorkers a taste of the exponential meltdown that can occur at a moment’s notice. So, if a nuclear attack, another 9/11, or even a hoax believable enough to elicit mass pandemonium should render the streets undrivable, buildings unusable, and aircraft unreachable, then it’s time for “Plan B.”

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll take a look at Plan B Marine, the “insurance policy” against millionaire prepper concerns about being stuck in the city should an EOTWAWKI scenario come to pass. When air and land are off the table, all that remains is the sea.

PlanBMarine.com

Chris Dowhie is co-owner of Plan B Marine, an NYC-based company that maintains a fleet of 50+ knot speed boats docked around Manhattan island. As a nautical professional and entrepreneur, Plan B Marine provides a service that fills a need where demand has deep pockets to pay for the privilege. Though Chris doesn’t personally subscribe to “conspiracy theories,” he’s well aware of the degree to which catastrophic events like 9/11, the blackouts, and COVID have given rise to a culture of practical resistance to the resulting loss of personal and social control that follows.

The Price

Plan B Marine’s wealthy clients pay upwards of $7500K per month to lease their own military-grade escape boat, so they not only have the option to flee at a moment’s notice but have a plan in place. Lease options include daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Boat options include the 25” Safe Boat Defender, the 7-Meter Zodiac inflatable dingy with T-Top, the Willard Sea-Force 700 dingy, and the 33 Safe Boat Interceptor built to US Navy standards and powered by triple 1K HP engines.

Point/Counterpoint

The events of a catastrophic emergency are regulated by port authorities and emergency escape protocols that determine who does what. In theory, Plan B Marine’s services merely provide a luxury alternative to members during a minor emergency that could cause gridlock traffic for several hours. This may only translate into an “undelayed” trip across town by way of crossing the Hudson. In reality, the rule of the jungle is those who can, will. Those who can’t won’t.

When danger happens, precious moments are available to make a snap decision. We all know that remaining calm and making a series of educated choices to get out of harm’s way can determine who lives and who dies. Those with a plan in place have the advantage. Everyone else will wait until authorities instruct them. As to whether not to recommend Plan B Marine.com, I’m of the mind that it’s better to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission.

Click here to see the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mutpYD0Amfk

Zombie Apocalypse Insurance?

P.T. Barnum used to say, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” He was one of the first millionaires in America. Like most successful people of the old world, he didn’t get where he was without common sense in the face of chaos and opposition. If he were alive today, he’d never fall for something as silly as zombie apocalypse insurance. However, he might consider selling it.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll review the potential merits, or at least the theoretical premise of zombie apocalypse insurance, and the consideration of how it would payout. Also, the inevitable question of whether the money would have value with zombies running around.

Brains… We need… Brains

The first rule of zombie insurance is we don’t talk about having zombie insurance. After all, we don’t want people to think we’re the zombies. Right? Well, one company out there offers tips and tricks to help everyone make good financial decisions about everything from Alien abduction Insurance to Zombie Apocalypse Insurance.

Analysis

After further inspection, the term insurance seems to mean any form of preparation associated with problem-solving, as opposed to the products offered by an insurance provider. However, while demonstrating the preparations needed for such an event, they all require a supply of money to purchase the needed tools, weapons, offsite housing, and so forth, which inadvertently teaches the importance of saving for a specific goal.

As a means of teaching financial literacy to school kids, this could be a useful tool, but when it comes to insurance, I’d avoid paying into a policy that requires proving a supernatural disaster in order to get a payout. Moreover, what’s the point in having an insurance payout when the money has no value? Finally, when not referring to financial insurance, we English speakers typically prefer terms like “assurance” or the “ensuring” of a specified result.

Conclusion

With the possibility of purchasing Zombie Apocalypse insurance comes the potential to create legal evidence of a lack of sound mind and body that could undermine any attempt to gain further financial and legal protection. To the contrary, this could be grounds for contesting legal competency.

As for the mastermind who came up with this as a marketing ploy for Google, kudos! However, if there’s an evil genius actually selling insurance policies based on the supernatural, they should be shut down, fined, and investigated for fraud. Then, the money should be returned to the insured, and a psych eval required. In my world, these people are the real zombies.

When the SHTF, these people are going to be the first to resort to irrational means of survival at the expense of everyone around them.

Caveat Emptor!

Click here to read the article: https://livingconfidently.com/blog/from-alien-abduction-to-zombie-apocalypse-the-a-to-z-of-insurance/

Cool Movie Gadgets that Exist – Survivalist Edition

We can all think of a handful of movies that have shaped and continue to shape our perception of the future via Sci-Fi special effects. This, in turn, has created an expectation for these items to existing one day. As the future marches on, so does the technological progress that attempts to show off what’s possible. What better way to do this than to show how close we are to living in the movie world?

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll review a few items that are collectible replicas and working prototypes of ultracool gadgets from famous films. We’re not mentioning all of them, as not all of them are as useful to us after the apocalypse has upset the social order.

Lightsaber

This working version of the lightsaber shoots a foot and a half long flame sure to light someone’s cigarette (and hair) from a few feet away. What better way to say, “We’ve come a long way, baby?”

Hoverboard

A prototype hoverboard a la Back to the Future II has been created by a company called Hondo. It’s only powerful enough to clear about an inch or so above the ground while under the rider’s weight, but it’s still levitation. So BACK OFF! JK, but seriously…

Golden Gun

True to form, this working replica of the prop used by James Bond in the 1974 film, The Man with the Golden Gun, features personal accessories covered with 18-carat gold. This includes a cigarette case that forms the grip and trigger, a zippo lighter that forms the muzzle, and a golden ink pen and cuff link that form the barrel. When put together, it can be loaded with the included golden bullets. By the value of the gold alone, this assures 007’s place in the hierarchy of classiness above The Lone Ranger, or pretty much any werewolf.

Conclusion

Not as impressive as the films, but then again, it serves to remind us that in our own hands, we’re still not as cool as Luke Skywalker or James Bond. Nonetheless, these would be pretty cool toys to play with, and our friends would be jealous. So, for this reason alone, items like this are cool in their own right. They also serve as a benchmark for how close we are and far we have left to go to get to that place where we live in the same world as our fictional heroes.

Imagine trotting these out at your next shindig. Oh, how your wife would roll her eyes. Now imagine fending off an attack against criminals once the apocalypse comes. Oh, the fun times that wait in the boudoir of your luxury underground bunker, as it’s clear she made the right choice.

Click here to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKeMPWQAoZU

Cool Gadgets to Survive Doomsday!

Everyone knows that humans are all subject to the same consequences when facing problems without a solution. In the case of surviving doomsday, the penalty is beyond death- it‘s mass extinction. While there are many things to consider in planning to not fall victim to the inevitable catastrophes that await the ill-prepared, it would be foolish to overlook ways to prepare for even the daily risks we all take when we leave home.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll consider a list of cool gadgets to level the playing field in the event of an EOTWAWKI scenario or a camping trip. These don’t require millions of dollars to own, which is why there’s no excuse not to buy them as soon as you’re done reading this article 😊

Inspector Gadgets

 

The following list of items is sure to make you the hit of your next cocktail party, as you and your friends compete over who has the coolest toys to make them ready for when the SHTF.

Waterproof Matches

They can stay lit for up to 20 seconds, withstanding wind and rain. Provided you have access to the sticks, logs, tinder, etc., necessary to make a campfire, these are sure to come in handy. Needless to say, your guests will be able to smoke at your next hurricane party.

Personal Water Filtering Straw

It’s not anyone’s desire to have to drink from a toilet, a sewer, or a creek downstream from houses without plumbing, but if you had to, so would everyone else. This puppy filters out all the junk and disease so you can enjoy access to one of nature’s most vital elements.

Solar Powered Radio/ Flashlight/ Power Bank

Turn the wind-up crank and power a radio. Meanwhile, the solar panel stores energy to power your flashlight and cellphone charger.

BioLite Camp Stove

Often referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of bonfire starters, this provides the fire you need for warmth, light, and cooking via a battery strong enough to charge your phone. It also comes with an attached lamp that conserves battery power.

GoTenna Mesh – Emergency Communication and Location Beacons

These little dongles attach to cell phones and allow private, encrypted communications without data or Wi-Fi service. They also send location info to the intended recipient.

Conclusion:

While none of these items constitute a pocket-sized hot air balloon to quickly ascend from the violence and destruction sure to occur, these items are practical enough for daily use. Whether at the park, camping, or keeping in your car or backpack for emergencies, the items listed above can serve as interesting business gifts or stocking stuffers. Like a Swiss Army Knife, it makes preparedness fun. More importantly, the unexpected use they provide is why we love them.

So, if you’re interested in finding new and inventive ways to prepare yourself and your loved ones for a brutal reality they may not be ready to accept, give them something they can accept and forget about. As with a spare tire, a fire extinguisher, or automatic weapons, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

For more gadgets, click here: https://www.sciencefocus.com/buyers-guides/doomsday-prepping-gadgets/

Investing in Crypto for the Millionaire Survivalist

In today’s world, we often hear people discussing the merits of investing in Bitcoin, a specific brand of cryptocurrency that’s digital and untied to any country or bank. While this is a relatively new consideration, the theory that underscores the technology is not. More importantly, the traction it’s gaining as a hedge against the value of the world currencies is reflective of the fear of economic collapse associated with buying gold. Many people prepping for doomsday, aka “preppers,” believe crypto to be the way forward.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll consider the merits of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies as a hedge against the loss of the dollar if the SHTF.

Millennial Preppers – Untie! (sorry, wrong joke…)

Now that Gen Xrs are no longer the Spring chickens ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater to change the world, the Millennials can finally begin to understand what all the hubbub is about. As the Boomer generation works harder to return to the “tried and true,” they’re prone to respond to infomercials touting the merits of buying gold. Why? Because it’s always been the safest bet? True, but it could also have something to do with the fear of a world going to hell in a handbasket.

Meanwhile, the Gen Xrs are reaching the age of wanting to work less for their money and are as likely to consider the sage advice of their elders about gold and property, while also considering the advice of the Millennials who believe that digital currency will still have value when the governments fall.

According to investors, a little risk is fine when you’re young and single, but crypto is arguably as stable an investment as gambling in Vegas. However, given it’s a digital currency accepted in most mainstream places and all the dark web places, this conceivably offers an additional form of purchasing power. Of course, if the servers go down in an EOTWAWKI scenario, then it’s worthless anyway. Once again, it’s a gamble.

Needless to say, it’s not the best choice for trying to get out of debt. If you can afford it and are curious, a small percentage of your investment fun can be risked on Bitcoin and Ethereum, for example. You can do this effectively in Coinbase, which is the most widely known, trusted, and accepted place to buy and sell crypto.

Many “preppers” are all too happy to invest in a currency that’s independent of any nation or banking cartel. It makes perfect sense ideologically, but many aren’t aware that when crypto is sold for a profit, the ROI must be claimed on taxes, the same as any other investment income. Furthermore, the very idea that this will be the currency of the future is based on a world that has no laws but still has the internet.

Like my grandfather used to say, “The best investment is antique firearms because they go up in value, but unlike paintings, you can use them to shoot.”

Click to learn more about crypto: https://theprepared.com/prepping-basics/guides/cryptocurrency-blockchain/

 

 

 

 

Latest Threat to Millionaire Survivalists: Middle-Class Survivalists?

When we think of the EOTWAWKI calamity of social unrest bound to result from a collapse of the social order, we imagine retreating to our well-protected, fully stocked, self-sustaining bunkers before being mobbed by hordes of feral masses. After all, there’s not enough room to house them, not enough food to feed them, and so forth. As a result, we can expect them to try to take what we’ve so carefully amassed for ourselves. Who can blame them? We’d do the same. Nonetheless, we’re on our own sides. But what happens when a group of survivalists with fewer resources bands together?

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll consider opportunities available to groups who may not be as well-heeled as us but are no less eager to prepare to protect their families when the SHTF. They owe their opportunity to a retired Air Force colonel.

Take Me to Your Leader

Retired Air Force colonel Drew Miller, Harvard grad, has spent much of his career identifying scenarios that could trigger the collapse of society. Most notably, a terrorist group using biological warfare to take down the global transportation infrastructure and nukes at the poles where the atmosphere is the thinnest, which would take down spy planes and the electrical grid. His attitude is that the survival of America is contingent on more than just our leaders being secured in underground bunkers under the White House and in West Virginia. He believes America’s core is still self-reliant and prepared to DWIT to carry on, even without the money to do it for themselves.

His Solution

As the CEO of Fortitude Ranch, Miller has created a survival mentality real estate model very similar to our own but aimed at the middle-class market. The fifth property is under construction in Texas, and it’s the first operational proof-of-concept facility that offers year-round lodging designed to provide a “lock-down mode” feature when all hell breaks loose. It charges an $1850 down payment and annual dues of $1050. In addition, it offers country club amenities and a vacation arrangement that resembles the timeshare model: two weeks a year at any of the facilities as a vacation.

Other facilities are being designed and built, all within 500 miles of major cities in physical proximity to each other. While it fills an apparent void in the market of survival preppers eager to plan a way out of the chaos, there seems to be a lack of definitive security in place to do much more than collect money in exchange for vacations and the idea of safety. No doubt, someone will benefit from all this when the time comes, but wouldn’t someone, anyone, just take it over for themselves?

You betcha! This is why the facility is a threat. The passive individuals who lack the resources of the wealthy or the hardcore survivalism of the off-the-grid folks are paying into something that could likely be overpowered by a few street gangs, especially once the police are out of the picture. So, like the Navy would sooner burn its ship than see it become taken over by pirates, society needs to become concerned about public survivalist camps that could become concentration camps in a heartbeat.

Click here to read the article: https://www.deseret.com/2022/3/3/22945953/banking-on-the-end-of-the-world-prepper-bunker-fortitude-ranch

Review of article by The Onion – Survivalist’s Edition

As they say, there’s truth in comedy because it uses fiction to tell the “truth about people.” Very often, this “truth” won’t be expressed any other way and can come in many forms, but none so revealing of an entire society as satire. When it comes to hard-hitting satire that holds a mirror up to the modern world, even Saturday Night Live is often outshined by the simple blurbs in The Onion.

Today on Rob Raskins’ Millionaire Survivalist, we’ll break down the components of an article mocking billionaires’ attitudes about what they feel will bring about the EOTWAWKI scenario we’re always discussing. This should shed some light on how society views these people and this subject.

Billionaires Predict the Biggest Threats to Humanity by The Onion

The article shows pictures of famous billionaires in popular culture and media, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and so on. For the purposes of this article, I’ll focus on jokes in common with the topics of this blog.

Remember: each joke is a fictitious response to the article’s premise: a prediction of the biggest threat to humanity.

Joke # 1: Elon Musk – “Once the robots realize they can leverage their collective labor and unionize, mankind is as good as doomed.”

Joke # 2: Warren Buffet – “Have you heard about the supervolcano under Yellowstone? It’s fuckin’ wild, dude! Like, basically all of Yellowstone is this big ass volcano, and it could blow at literally any time. That shit is fucking scary.”

Analysis

 Clearly, joke # 1 joyfully reduces Musk, his accomplishments, and his “what if?” attitude to a caricature of a classic robber-baron capitalist with top hat and mustache.

Joke # 2 puts the words of a young hipster hiker into the mouth of a guy famous for business, not science.

Conclusion

This type of mockery is good-natured and meant to provide a softened attitude about people who, compared to the “common man,” possess an unfair advantage over the “rest of us.” It’s the old “us vs. them” bit, which has a way of making strangers bond over a common difference, which provides a type of social catharsis.

In the end, everyone benefits, which is why it is often the mocked who pay for this be done. As they say, there;’s no such thing as bad press. Just remember that when Armageddon comes, it’s the billionaires and millionaires that the masses are coming for. This is why survivalism is so essential.

To see the rest of the article, click here: https://www.theonion.com/billionaires-predict-the-biggest-threats-to-humanity-1848594212?utm_source=TheOnion_Daily_RSS&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-02-28