I Hate Commercials

From: Salty Dawg
ThePiratesRepublic.com
(Warning Salty is Grumpy)

Third party commercials are annoying interruption to my thought process. Although, some would say that they are necessary to our free market society. I must agree because word of mouth ain’t what it used to be. I am not talking about the commercials that sell us our goods and services. I am not even talking about the commercials that sell “Snuggies” and “Sham-WoW’s”. Many would say they are annoying but still necessary.

I am particularly irritated by the third party commercials that are brought to you with false pretences. Just like those that are starting to plague many of the Preparedness sites in which I read in search of teachable content. Let me give you an example. For some time now I have railed against prognosticating doom sayers that are only in the game to line their own pockets.

Purveying fear and panic for the sake of making a buck should be combated by speaking out about it and calling it what it is. You might ask me if I believe the world is changing and of course the answer is yes and it is my belief in many cases not for the better. At the Pirates Republic we believe we should prepare for the events that we may face throughout our lives. Gas, food, transportation cost are climbing. The middle class is disappearing, our schools are indoctrinating our children and the government is intruding on our rights at an alarming rate but that is another article.

This rant is directed solely at the people who claim they have the prepping community at heart when truly their main intent is to whore themselves out to any and all comers for penny’s per click or affiliate commission on whatever they can redirect you to. Third party sites trying to sell you products by exacerbating fear and evoking panic so you will feel compelled to purchase whatever product they are hocking at the moment. Cause if you don’t buy it then surely your family will die by morning! FOOLS!

For example, I use to recommend a particular web site because in the beginning the content was valuable and since we primarily instruct people on staying put during an emergency situation and maximize their chances of survival by staying in place. We also teach the skills of bugging out but for many people this is just not practical for them to maintain a double secret location fully stocked with all the necessary items for what they and their family to survive in an apocalyptic event. We teach “Survival in Place” and the content was well presented and much better written than I possess the talent to accomplish. So I would send people over to the site to start a conversation about the content and teach upon that content.

Then we move forward in time and the owner started another web site, then another, then another all linked together and of course you could join by signing up for the newsletter or spend money and join the secret society to help you be prepared. Now this guy has product of his own and to be honest I still recommend one product he offers but can’t in good conscience recommend people to buy it because they will get inundated by third party crap! Remember, I have zero problems with folks promoting the services or products they use and recommend. But the third party solicitations are out of hand and muddy up the informational waters!

On average from this one site after signing up for the newsletter I used to get one or two informational email from him and life was good. However, since he has branched out into multiple web sites I now get on average 8 out of 10 emails promoting third party crap. He recommends videos that I must watch in order to protect my family and finances from impending doom. He recommends that I must click this link in order to read about some guy who knows the stock market is failing and gold is your only bet for salvation. He recommends that I click this link in order to get food preps that are so special that I must buy them now and this is a special offer given to only his readers if you buy now. Of course anybody else could get this “deal” even if they stumbled onto the third party site by accident! You get the point. Well Mr. Morris I do not have to do anything but to keep on preparing myself, my family and my community from what undoubtedly is coming.

I also believe it is also our responsibility to teach the willing regardless of money. This is something people should take note about instead of prostituting themselves out to anybody to who has some snake oil to sell to cure whatever you got. Instead how about you give way to the integrity you initially started your web site adventure with??? Examples you ask???? Oh I have examples and they can be considered recommendations that I won’t get a penny for. Bear Grylls, Dave Canteberry and the bare foot hippie had programs that I personally had very little reason to watch. I figured they had value in the entertainment industry but held little value for the programs until it inspired discussions and debate on their actions during the program. None of the people prostituted themselves out to 3rd party panic profiteers even though they all have web sites and newsletters. Bear Grylls partnered with the Gerber Company and lent his name to some of their survival products. I have used them and still to this day. Dave Canterbury has the Pathfinder schools. I have not been through the school but it comes with high recommendations by attendees if you can afford it. He also partners with Blind Horse Knives and those are quality tools that if you can afford it well made quality product.

Web sites like the American Preppers Network Provides an arena for forums and information exchanges. I do not always agree with the contributor’s ideas but it still promotes thought and does not pander to panic. In fact most every article is a solution based, fact filled article that should make you think about how to adapt the information to your situation. It also breaks down into state networks and they also have forums and articles to read. It is a treasure trove of good information and it is interactive. You can ask questions and there are plenty of people who offer good sound advice or at the very least their opinions. I enjoy reading the postings by The Idaho Prepper and other state contributors. Although I am a diehard Notre Dame fan I enjoy reading articles from the Wolverine talking about his amigos the toolman and tonto. Since I live in God’s Country and in a different climate than he, I am able to read about different perspectives of how they prepare for what is to come.

How about the Survival Blog? This guy has some incredible information on a wide array of topics from sprouting (yuck) to living off the grid. Not everything applies to my situation but interesting and thought provoking none the less.

Speaking about living off the grid take a look at Pioneeerliving.net now I admit I am biased about this site because he resides in God’s country but there is a lot of insight on what you can do as a Prepper right now and for the future. He even has advice on the gold market and I wasn’t asked to watch a video! He formed his own opinion with facts and then presented his opinion to his readership and let them decide without fear mongering. I can site many more examples like Natural News they have several article that are topical for today I don’t always agree with the outlandish stuff but they have passion
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The Preparedness Pro she offers well thought out great written articles and yes she sells her services and expertise on Coupons.

The Berkey guy contributes several articles that are worth a look I learned about fluoride and 1 part per million found in nature and Preparedness Radio has Podcast as well as live call in shows that are full of information sign up FOR FREE and download podcast FOR FREE and you can hear a variety of opinions and facts from many people that are in the preparedness community.

There are a bunch of others I haven’t listed that provide useful information instead of littering the Prepping community with garbage that they deem useful as long as there is a kick back to them!

I have not taken pleasure in calling out a prepping site for its uselessness because people have their own opinions about what is useful and mine is not always perfect (I know Right?) . I just get furious when we the Prepping Community have to endure this plague we have been inundated with as of late.

I have used one particular site to show the progression that these types of sites use. Fear mongering and preying on the new Preppers is their means to a greedy end regardless the damage they inflict. Preppers should look out for the sites that serve their own ends rather than the good of the community of knowledge seekers. I only used this site as my example because I believed this site to be honorable and after many attempts to contact the creator to return to being relevant. The only reply I got from the sites creator was another solicitation to join another paid membership society created by the same person.

Again, I do not enjoy calling anybody out for being less than is expected of them but our motto at the Pirates Republic is “Evil flourishes when good men do nothing” and silence is nothing. Thank you for allowing me to rant. I am going sit down and have some milk and cookies and read another article from the American Preppers network it seems that Wolverine (Go Irish) and the Idaho Prepper just posted again.
Signed

The GRUMPY Dawg
AKA Salty Dawg
The Pirates Republic.com