"Handful of senators don't pass legislation
. . .When human respect is disintegratin'
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'

And you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don't believewWe're on the eve of destruction.

Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction (1965)

It’s not that Barry McGuire was prescient. If you Google the lyrics, you’ll quickly see that the balance of the song addresses international conflict, unending wars, racial strife, maddening politics . . . hmmm . . . the more things change, the more they stay the same?

(McGuire’s song sets the tone for a nostalgic, pictorial look back at the good ol’ (bad) times at You Tube. Click here to check it out.)

The idea of the world’s end stirs at the very periphery of our daily news. Many shock jocks, particularly those broadcasting talk radio, political commentary, are inclined to dangle the end times scenario as an immanent threat. Whether it’s the collapse of the Western society and economy, conflagration in the MidEast, North Korea’s alignment with Iran, a cosmic collision or ObamaCare, we are advised to expect the worse.

So, as promised in earlier posts, here is a guide to making yourself “at home” during the approaching storm.

I was thinking about the movie, The Book of Eli and how much it resembled Mad Max, a much earlier (1979) post-apocalyptic movie. Both movies are quite desolate in their setting, introducing ystopian worlds sparsely populated, where survivors are likely to be bandits by trade. Apparently, one must constantly these worlds – whether by foot or by monstrous, armored ATVs – in order to survive.

But, what if there were an alternative – a place of your own where you could kick back, relax, and escape the humdrum, sturm and drang of the world? How about building a place of your own?

The Millenium Manor Castle, built some 50 years ago, is one man’s housing solution for “general Armageddon purposes.” This 14-room, owner-built abode is built to withstand natural and, presumably, unnatural forces. Constructed with 19” stone walls, a 423-ton roof, and sealed with 4,000 bags of concrete, this home offers the simple elegance and splendor any homeowner might covet to accomodate a fortified lifestyle. Complete with a sauna, a hand-dug well, surrounding fruit trees and garden plots, the Millenium Manor Castle offers the survivalist all the comforts of home – plus a dungeon, should the need arises.

Perhaps being exposed to passersby (i.e., bandits!) does not appeal to you. After all, if being out in the open demanded that you had to keep arms at the ready to defend your mansion, when would you have time to relax? Perhaps you would be more interested in an underground bunker.

An underground bunker can also be a DIY project. You can probably go on Craig’s list and procure a good, used John Deere or Komatsu excavator for under $250k. If building your bunker in secret is not a priority,  then you can contract the services for much less. I did not find any plans at Home Depot but did locate some tips online for building a rock-solid bunker. Perhaps the most important tip I came across was “don’t advertise” your bunker. Friends and family – though great to have over during the holidays or to watch a football game – are not always welcome during the end times.

            If, however, your idea of survival means maintaining community ties, the commercial enterprise, Terra Vivos, may have a “turn-key” solution for you. Vivos offers a full line of “impervious, underground survival shelters” in various configurations – family, group, and community-sized models. Like “time-share” condominium plans, Vivos negotiates shelters between co-owners. For just $9,950, you may have the right stuff to join a group of fellow survivalists in your own neighborhood. I should mention, you cannot simply “buy your way in.”

The folks at Terra Vivos understand that everyone is not necessarily a good candidate to survive and natural or man-made catastrophe. They have figured out how to discover the strongest candidates through an application and individual profile screening process.

Vivos reminds the potential applicant that they need to act soon. “It’s a race against time,” they admonish the hesitant and disbelievers. To get more information, be sure to visit their website. The music, doomsday scenarios, collection of prophecies, and videos will entertain those not yet ready to cash in their IRA’s tax shelters for gamma-ray-protected lodgings.