Cyber Disruptions Are Coming. Build Redundancy for Data, Money, and Communication

Summary

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Practical Prepping Podcast — Episode 547 Summary

Title: Cyber Disruptions Are Coming: Build Redundancy for Data, Money, and Communication
Date: March 23, 2026
Hosts: Mark & Krista Lawley

Episode Overview

In this practical, no-nonsense episode, Mark and Krista Lawley focus on a rising but often-overlooked threat: partial and temporary disruptions to digital infrastructure. Rather than fear-mongering about apocalyptic cyberattacks, they break down the “gray zone” where your online essentials (banking, maps, messages) work inconsistently, creating stress and compounding problems. The central message is simple: “Everything works. Until it doesn't.” (A, 00:01). The hosts provide actionable steps to build redundancy for your data, money, and communication, so your life isn’t derailed by everyday digital unreliability.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Underestimated Risk of Partial Digital Failure

• Partial Disruptions:
  • Most failures aren’t total blackouts but partial outages—slow apps, unreliable transactions, delayed messages.
  • "It's not a total outage, just enough friction to slow everything down. And in that gray zone…most people realize how much of their life depends on systems they don't control." (A, 00:01)
• Digital Infrastructure = Life Infrastructure:
  • Our lives are deeply dependent on digital systems (banking, cloud, GPS, cell towers, medical databases, logistics).
  • These connected systems are “efficient but fragile.” When one fails, others feel it (A & B, 03:32).

2. Building Practical Redundancy

Power: The Bedrock

• Carry backup power—like a reliable battery pack (Anker 20,000 mAh) and car chargers (A & B, 04:41-05:43).
• Bring extra cords/adapters for all your devices.

Data Redundancy: The 3-2-1 Rule

• Do not trust cloud sync alone (like iCloud) as backup—if a file is deleted locally, it may vanish everywhere.
  • "Icloud services sync data. If something goes wrong...syncing won't save you. It magnifies the problem." (B, 06:21)
• 3-2-1 Rule:
  • 3 copies of important files,
  • 2 formats/media,
  • 1 offline/local copy (like an external hard drive and a printout). (A, 07:07)
• Back up regularly—real “practical prepping” is routine (B, 08:35).

Communication: Layers and Plans

• Outages are rarely total; communication just gets “sticky.”
• Options:
  • Apps & SMS
  • Voice calls
  • Satellite communicators (e.g., Garmin Inreach Mini 2): For when cell towers go down (B, 10:38).
• Preplanned meeting points:
  • “If we can't reach each other by 6pm, meet here. That kind of a simple agreement removes the guesswork…” (B, 12:15)

Financial Redundancy: Surviving a Cash-Light World

• Most people don’t carry cash anymore, but digital payments can fail.
• Keep emergency cash (on person + at home) and use multiple banks.
  • “If I had had checking accounts in two banks that day in the 1980s...I could have walked across the street and gotten money out, but everything was at one bank.” (B, 15:32)
• Offline copies of key financial information and backup credit options are vital (B, 16:21).

Cybersecurity During Disruptions

• Expect more scams/phishing when systems are unreliable—scammers exploit urgency.
  • “Regular citizens are more likely to click quickly…that is exactly what scammers and attackers…are relying on.” (A, 17:20)
• Good hygiene:
  • Strong, unique passwords (e.g., 1Password)
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Regular software/device/security updates
  • VPNs like Surfshark for privacy (A & B, 18:36–21:26)
• Slow down: Don’t rush to click on urgent messages.
  • “If someone's trying to urge you to move quickly, your slowing down or stopping is a form of security for you.” (A, 21:26)

Navigation: Not Just About GPS

• Redundant navigation:
  • Use multiple GPS apps (e.g., Google, Apple, Waze), download offline maps, and most importantly—keep a current paper map in the car (A & B, 23:29–26:35).
  • “Keep a paper map in your car...Or…get the Rand McNally Atlas. And that covers the entire United States.” (B, 26:00)
• Teach family (especially kids) how to read maps and memorize alternate routes (B, 27:36).

Accessing Offline Knowledge

• Maintain crucial offline references:
  • First-aid manuals, repair guides, printed instructions—don’t assume you can always “Google it.” (A & B, 28:12)
• Family anecdotes highlight how “old school” skills (like using slide rules or reference books) are sometimes best in a pinch (B, 28:55–29:35).

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Notable/Quoted Moments

"Everything works. Until it doesn't. One day, your payment won't process, your map won't load, and your messages are just stuck."
— Krista (A), 00:01

"The internet isn’t just a convenience anymore. It’s an infrastructure. And infrastructure needs redundancy."
— Krista (A), 02:45

“Icloud services sync data. If something goes wrong...syncing won't save you. It magnifies the problem.”
— Mark (B), 06:21
(with reference to Kim Kommando)

"A few small adjustments can go a long way, such as...keeping emergency cash."
— Mark (B), 15:02

“The most underrated tool here isn’t technology, it’s clarity...If we can’t reach each other by 6pm, meet here."
— Mark (B), 12:15

“If someone's trying to urge you to move quickly, your slowing down or stopping is a form of security for you.”
— Krista (A), 21:26

“If you want a reality check, try this. Turn off the Internet for 24 hours. What breaks? Where do you get stuck? Those friction points are your roadmap.”
— Mark (B), 30:00

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Key Timestamps

• 00:01 — Introduction to partial digital disruptions
• 03:32 — The invisible web of interconnected systems
• 04:41 — Power redundancy: battery packs, chargers, cords
• 06:21 — Data redundancy: 3-2-1 backup rule, iCloud myth
• 10:06 — Communication layers: satellite devices, backup plans
• 13:14 — Financial redundancy: cash, multiple banks, real-world anecdotes
• 17:20 — Cybersecurity tips: scams, strong passwords, updates, VPNs
• 23:29 — GPS dependence and the value of paper maps
• 28:12 — Offline knowledge and the value of reference books/manuals
• 30:00 — “Internet-free for a day?” as a personal prepping exercise
• 31:41 — Closing thoughts and recap

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Final Takeaways

• Digital disruptions don’t have to be catastrophic to impact your life—minor inconveniences can quickly compound if you rely solely on “invisible” systems.
• Layered redundancy is key—for power, data, communication, finances, navigation, and knowledge.
• Prepare for inconvenience, not apocalypse: simple habits and backups can prevent a string of digital hiccups from becoming a crisis.
• Practice “offline drills” (like a day without internet) to spot your own vulnerabilities.
• Stuff happens. Stay prepared. (Krista’s closing line each episode)

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For expanded notes and all recommended products/resources, visit practicalprepping.info/547.

Transcript

[A]

Everything works. Until it doesn't. One day, your payment won't process, your map won't load, and your messages are just stuck. Not a total outage, just enough friction to slow everything down. And in that gray zone between fine and broken, most people realize how much of their life depends on systems they don't control.

[B]

This episode is about that space. Not collapse, not fear. Just the very real possibility that parts of your digital world will go unreliable for a few days. What breaks down first? What matters most? And how do you build simple backups for your data, money, and communications so that a temporary disruption doesn't turn into a cascade of problems?

[A]

Welcome to Practical Prepping. Today is March 23, 2026. This is episode 547. This is the prepping podcast with no bunkers, no zombies, and no alien invasions. Just practical prepping, where we teach everyday people how to prepare for life's emergencies, disasters, and crises. And we're here to help you get prepared. I'm Krista.

[B]

And I'm Mark, and if you'd like the expanded notes for this episode, go to practicalprepping.info 547. This episode comes from an article that I wrote recently by the name of Cyber Disruptions Are Coming Build Redundancy for Data, money, and Communication. If you want to read the entire article, you can find [e-mail] articles. We're talking about digital disruptions, and digital susceptibility is easy to ignore because most of the time it's invisible. When everything works, it feels seamless. Payments go through maps load instantly, messages send without a second thought. But that smooth surface hides a complicated web of systems, many of which you don't control and none of which are guaranteed to work perfectly all the time.

[A]

As practical preppers, we prepare for storms with things like food and water and batteries. And we think about having flashlights, a power outage plan, backup power. But there's a quieter question most people don't ask. And what is that?

[B]

And that question is, what happens if your digital life becomes unreliable for a few days? Not gone, not collapsed, just inconsistent banking. Apps don't load, cell service cuts in and out, card payments fail, GPS misroutes you. Medical portals won't open. Individually, these are inconveniences, but together they create friction. Missed payments, locked accounts, delayed decisions, and rising stress. The Internet isn't just a convenience anymore. It's an infrastructure. And infrastructure needs redundancy.

[A]

Let me talk about the invisible layer that is running your life. Your daily life runs on systems you don't see and you don't manage. We've already mentioned a few banking networks. How about cloud storage? GPS satellites for maps, cell towers for communication, payment processors, medical databases, logistics platforms. This is just to name a few. These systems are actually tightly connected, and that's what makes them efficient. But it makes them fragile and susceptible. When one stumbles, the others feel it.

[B]

We've seen how this plays out. A regional disruption, like a snowstorm, grounds flights nationwide.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

A ransomware attack freezes a hospital.

[A]

That actually happened in Huntsville.

[B]

It did. Cell networks overload during emergencies. Also true failures aren't usually total. They're partial. And partial failures are harder because they create uncertainty. Preparedness today isn't just physical, it's also digital.

[A]

Hey, listen. Another consideration for your communication is power keeping your devices charged. We recommend carrying a backup battery pack. The Anker 20k milliamp hour is a great device and we're going to link it in the show Notes. So don't be concerned. You don't have to take notes right now. It'll be in the show notes where you can access that product. Also, keep one of those lighter plug chargers in your vehicle. We like to suggest the 45 watt. It's got two USBs and two C cords. Tell us a little bit more about that mark.

[B]

Well, it's 45 watt, so it gives you plenty of power for powering multiple devices.

[A]

That's what we're usually doing in the car. Phones and tablets.

[B]

Quite often we are. We have one in there that, you know, was one of the quick mark type. It will charge, but it takes a long time, especially if you plug two in because it begins to split that limited amount of power.

[A]

So that 45 watt is actually a better choice.

[B]

That gives you a lot more power. And we have that anchor 20,000 milliamp hour listed in the show notes.

[A]

Also carry some extra cords for all of your devices. I have devices that use a C cord, but I also have some Apple devices that use either C or the old Apple type. So just make sure you've got some way to power up all of your devices.

[B]

And I keep one of those power banks in my EDC bag along with appropriate cords everywhere I go. Now, let's talk about data redundancy. Okay, if you can't log in, then what?

[A]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Many people treat icloud as a backup. It's not.

[A]

It's not.

[B]

It's not really. Icloud services sync data. If something goes wrong. Your local files are corrupted, all your photos are accidentally Deleted syncing won't save you. It magnifies the problem. When it syncs, it will delete all of those files or images.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

And I referenced Kim Kommando from that information. Did I get there? She's got a great podcast and newsletter. She's been doing computer stuff for many, many, many years. A better question is, if you couldn't log in tomorrow, what would you need?

[A]

Well, I can think of a few things you'd likely need. First of all, how about identification, your licenses, your passports, also insurance documents, home life, auto, health, that type of thing. Another would be your medical records. And this most important, a list of your prescriptions and the dosages for those prescriptions. That can be very vital for a doctor that maybe is treating you, that doesn't know you, needs to have also your financial account details. Now, keep these in secure places, of course, but where you bank, what accounts you have, credit cards, that sort of thing, and all of your emergency contacts. Listen, friends, the goal is very simple here. Don't rely on a single access point. We like to suggest you use the 3, 2, 1 idea as a guide. Here's how that works. At least three copies of your important documents, at least two different formats that they are on, and at least one for offline for your filing purposes. And that could mean cloud backup, like Carbonite, an external drive and a printed set of all of your essential information. Not complicated, just resilient. We like to use a 1 TB Western Digital Portable HD for local backup. And again, this device is going to be linked in our show notes so that you can access that for your use.

[B]

And while I was writing this the other day, I thought, you know, I haven't backed up my computer, my laptop, in a little while. So I reached up and picked up our one terabyte Western Digital little port portable hard drive and plugged it into the computer and just did a complete backup there. Good, practical prepping if it goes down. And I've had laptops go down before. No, the blue screen of death.

[A]

Yeah, it's terrible. It's a sinking feeling.

[B]

So at least I have that information programs and data on there that I can load. We're going to talk about communication redundancy, but first let me ask, do you learn from the podcast? Do you get ideas of something new you need to do or somehow receive value? Would you help us by giving back a little? Today's cup of coffee comes from Ralph.

[A]

Thanks, Ralph.

[B]

Ralph is a longtime supporter of the podcast and he's become a very good friend of ours as well. And Ralph, we really do appreciate your support. Now you too can go to practicalprepping.info support where you'll find ways that you can support the show with a one time gift or with a coffee membership. And that's only $5 per month, but it really helps us offset the expenses of the show. So please consider doing [e-mail] support.

[A]

Now let's get back to our topic of communication redundancy. This is where you can expect some layers to see. Communication doesn't usually disappear all at once, it just degrades. Your apps will start to slow down and then your messages kind of lag with too much time between your calls can drop become very unreliable and power issues will just make everything worse. So let me suggest you think about a Garmin Inreach Mini 2. This is a satellite communicator, Mark. Tell us a little bit more about it.

[B]

Well, this little thing, you connect it to your phone by Bluetooth and you can send and receive text messages without having to have cell service or wi fi.

[A]

Perfect.

[B]

If you can see the sky, it will work.

[A]

So it's satellite connection.

[B]

Yes, it's satellite communications and it's a great little device. It's a little small thing, but after a hurricane or after a tornado or after some type of issue takes out the cell towers, at least the cell towers in your area, you can communicate through those. And we know a couple that bought one for him and one for her. They travel in different directions a lot and they wanted to be able to communicate no matter what, wherever they are. So they each bought one and they can communicate with each other, but you don't have to have one at each end.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Where you're texting has to have the cell service or the WI fi, but you don't both have to have it for this to work. I got you a layered approach to this helps. We use our messaging apps and we do a lot of things with text messaging. And then we've got the SMS messaging. This is what most of our texts really are rather than the messaging apps. We've got voice calls, but we need some backup devices or some radios. And this is where that Garmin mini 2 comes in so handy. Now a lot of people and I see this, it's one of the major questions in some of the prepping groups and forums is how do I get in touch with my family if something happens and they're 100 miles away? Ham radio is really the only type of thing you're Going to be able to do it with radio. You can't do it with the little walkie talkies you get at the big box store. Those are good for half a mile or a mile depending on which one. But something that you can have for a backup device and if all else fails, you have pre planned meeting points. The most underrated tool here isn't technology, it's clarity. Okay, now how about a plan like this? If we can't reach each other by 6pm, meet here. That kind of a simple agreement removes the guesswork when the systems aren't cooperating. We need some financial resilience in a cash light world. Most of us have quit carrying a lot of cash.

[A]

Well, admittedly, yeah. Once debit cards came on the scene, carrying cash got more dwindled. And I admit I carry very little cash on me and I really need to carry more.

[B]

Well, I've started carrying cash. I like using it for a few things. I like using it for tips when we go out to eat.

[A]

That's true.

[B]

Digital payments feel effortless. In fact, we've got a lot of hours like a lot of you do on autopay. And so we just get an email that it's coming up and then we get an email that they charge the account and there's nothing that we have to do until it doesn't work.

[A]

Right.

[B]

If the networks go down or the systems flag your account at the wrong time, access to your money can become temporarily limited. Now I had that happen in the 1980s.

[A]

Back in the 1900s.

[B]

Back in the 1980s, which is 46 years ago.

[A]

It can be, yeah, that's true.

[B]

So it's anywhere from 46 to 35. I'll cut this out.

[A]

These young whippersnappers that listen to us, they have no idea what you're talking about.

[B]

Back in 1980, I had eighteen hundred dollars in my checking account, okay. And I couldn't get one dollar out.

[A]

What happened?

[B]

Well, their system was down.

[A]

Oh. And that wasn't even the digital online like we have today. That was just the bank I was

[B]

walking in not being able to get a dollar out of my account.

[A]

Oh my.

[B]

So I went by a friend of mine and I said, hey, loan me $100 till tomorrow. And he did. And that took care of it. But not everybody can do that. And not everybody has $100 on them

[A]

just hand off, you know.

[B]

But it's not a total collapse scenario. It's a friction scenario. And a few small adjustments can go a long way, such as one we mentioned Keeping emergency cash.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I keep some on me. And we have an emergency fund in cash here at the house.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

We have that small emerg.

[A]

Oh, I see the redundancy there. Okay, I'm following.

[B]

But you can use more than one financial institution.

[A]

You know, we do that.

[B]

Yes, we do. And if we had had or if I had had checking accounts in two banks that day in 1980s, back in the 1900s, I could have walked across the street and gotten money out, but everything was at one bank.

[A]

Well, let me just point out too, that a lot of folks that are listening to us, they're actually doing their banking completely on a digital platform. They're not even walking into a brick and mortar bank. So I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. I don't want to scare you, but realize too that that's a system that can go down and for who knows how long. Sometimes it's nice to have a brick and mortar you can walk into. It is several that you can choose from.

[B]

But you can also have a credit option that's separate from your main bank.

[A]

Sure, yeah.

[B]

We both carry a credit card that is very rarely used. But it's one of those situations that if we get off somewhere and our cards don't work because most of them are with the same bank, but we have this other backup option with another institution that we can use. You want to store your key account details offline. You want to be able to put your hand on these. You can put these in a safe place. You can put them in somewhere that nobody's going to look. You can do like I do and have them in a notebook laying here on the desk, you know, just wide open for everybody, whatever.

[A]

But, you know, with a locking file cabinet not two steps away. And a safe, might I add.

[B]

Yes, yes.

[A]

Okay. So there they are.

[B]

Anyway. Okay, I've been chastised.

[A]

Message received.

[B]

But this isn't about stockpiling. It's about maintaining flexibility when the systems hiccup.

[A]

Well, you know, let's talk about some cybersecurity during an instability time when the systems are shaky, I'm afraid the scammers are going to know about it and that might increase their activity. Regular citizens are more likely to click quickly or maybe trust an unfamiliar message, or they act with a level of urgency that is exactly what scammers and attackers on your finances are relying on. Common tactics would include things like a fake alert, a phishing email, and even impersonating someone that you might trust in your financial world.

[B]

Yeah, I Got one the other day that said they were going to give me a free laptop. All I had to do is click here.

[A]

Oh, yes. And you can usually tell from the information on the link that it's not a credible link. And I think a lot of folks are still falling prey to this type of thing. If they weren't successful, they'd stop. But we have to be even more careful because AI is on the rise, and it's getting to be very easy to fool even very, very smart people. So the basics matter more than anything Now. Mark uses a system on his device. It's called 1Password. The number one. The word password.com. 1Password.com. Mark, explain how that works.

[B]

This gives you strong, unique passwords. So many people tend to use the same password across many, many accounts. Some will use short, easy to remember passwords. Saw one one time where the person's password was password.

[A]

Yeah, Right. Okay.

[B]

I've been in offices where there were sticky notes on their monitor with what their password is.

[A]

Oh, my word.

[B]

But 1Password is what it says. You type in 1Password and then you click on what you want to go to.

[A]

And it probably generates those real random groups of letters and numbers that are. That are. Don't mean anything personal.

[B]

That are extremely strong.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

They're just 16 random digits, numbers and characters.

[A]

It'd be like a one in a billion chance you'd ever guess.

[B]

It's very, very strong on those passwords. But you just put in one password and you've got access to all of your passwords.

[A]

So that's the number one and then the word password and then dot com.

[B]

Yep. Multi factor authentication.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Which I really don't like doing a lot of times.

[A]

But it's for your security.

[B]

I understand that when I'm on programs that I regularly use, and a lot of them, when you go to sign in, it says, do you want a text message? Do you want an email?

[A]

Yeah. Because they'll send you a little code.

[B]

They'll send you a code. Or some of them will send you a link to. Click that button and it signs you in. One thing you do want to do is keep your devices updated.

[A]

Oh, that's very important because the software and the security is changing very, very often because of scammers. Really. So make sure your phones, your laptops, your tablets, anything like that has already been software updated.

[B]

Yes. And not only your devices, but your scanning software.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

We use Webroot, and that scans for updated definitions of viruses every 24 hours.

[A]

We also use Surfshark, which is A VPN we do.

[B]

And that lets our computer appear to be somewhere else. So there's a lot of good uses there. But it gives you security in people not coming in the back door because the IP address is hidden somewhere else.

[A]

Yes, it could be any location on

[B]

the whole planet really. You really can. And we've got that linked in the show notes as well, that surfshark. It's not expensive. It's really not expensive. I think I paid for a year and it's a couple of dollars a month, something like that.

[A]

Oh, it's tremendous. Before we leave that topic, let me just include one simple rule, my friends. Whenever you're being approached on your device to make a click, urgent click. Gotta do it now, gotta do it now. Don't do it, don't click fast. If someone's trying to urge you to move quickly, your slowing down or stopping is a form of security for you so that you can step back and evaluate to see is this on the up and up? And usually it's not usually. So like the institutions, your bank and the sheriff's department, the irs, some of these large institutions, they're not going to text you, they're not going to email you. They will either send you a letter or you have to generate the call to them for it to be legit.

[B]

And you get these emails and I've gotten them for that. The sheriff's department had a warrant on me and unless I cleared this, funny, unless I cleared this in the next 30 minutes, they would be on the way to pick me up. Well, two funny things about that. One, I worked for the sheriff's department. That was, there's that, that's the funniest part is I worked for the sheriff's department and number two, sheriff's department doesn't. Police departments, they don't email you and tell you there's a warrant. Now just come by and give you a ride to the jail.

[A]

Pretty much old school, you know, the

[B]

way it's actually done, low technology. They'll come by in a car that's got screens and bars in it and they'll help you get to the jail.

[A]

They'll offer you a ride and accommodation

[B]

and make it hard to refuse. So don't fall for that. That the DMV is going to cancel your, your registration or that you miss jury duty.

[A]

I mean they're getting, they're scaring people.

[B]

That one's been around for a long time. You miss jury duty and there's warrant on you. But we can clear that right now. Yeah, if you'll just give me a credit card.

[A]

That's. That is not legit.

[B]

That is a scam. Legit. Now, let's talk about some navigation, which is the forgotten weak point.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

GPS has become so embedded in our daily lives that most people don't notice how dependent they are on.

[A]

Let me tell you something. I actually have three, count them, one, two, three GPS apps on my business phone because one of them may not be as up to date as the other. And I won't mention any names, but the one that's usually not up to date rhymes with boogle. Okay. And the other one rhymes with Dapple. So I usually use my Dapple one because it's going to be more up to date. And then I also have Waze W A Z E. That is the app that is most likely to tell me in real time if there are some road construction delays. And so that can be a. Even a wreck or slowdown construction or.

[B]

We love using waves when we are traveling.

[A]

Yes. Because we'll be often in states and counties we are not that familiar with. But the point being, yes, even I am raising my hand to say I'm one of those that has multiple GPS apps because my job involves me driving to places, and I have to know where I'm going and I have to know how much time it's going to take me to get there and what are my route choices, that kind of thing. And yeah, I'm dependent on it. I admit it. I'm telling you right here and now, I love my gps. But I'll tell you this, if I did not have my GPS devices, what am I going to do?

[B]

Well, you do like we used to do back in my early career in law enforcement. We had a Cartograph map book of the county in which we worked.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And it had all of the little small surface streets, all the county roads. Yes, everything. And you'd look in the back of the book, you'd look up the name of it, you'd get the page and the grid.

[A]

Oh, it'd be like a three or something like that.

[B]

And you would find that. And then that's how you got where you were going. That's how we would find calls. Because we didn't have GPS back in the last century, so.

[A]

The 1900s.

[B]

But when the GPS degrades even slightly, the confusion spreads, the traffic builds, the routes become inefficient, and the small errors can scale very quickly.

[A]

True.

[B]

And a little redundancy helps keep a paper map in Your car. Now, you can write to all of the state tourism boards and they'll send you a map. Or you can go to the show Notes and click on a link and get the Rand McNally Atlas. And that covers the entire United States.

[A]

And it's going to be the most recent variation. Exactly, because there's going to be new roads, new trails, new streets that don't even appear in last year's map.

[B]

Right. So this is as updated as we can get.

[A]

Okie doke.

[B]

You can download offline maps, you can store those, you can even print them out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But also know a few core routes by memory.

[A]

Oh, that's just a given.

[B]

If you're getting from home to work and you go the same route every day, if that route's blocked, you need to know a couple of other ways to get home.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Some people don't. To be honest, I've known people.

[A]

People are creatures of habit.

[B]

They went that way, and that's the only way they knew.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And if it was on the interstate and the interstate was blocked, they had no idea where they were going. So it's an issue.

[A]

All right.

[B]

This is not going backwards. We're not trying to go back to paper maps. But it is about having a fallback. It's that.

[A]

Oh, well, yeah. I mean, we're talking about when your Internet's down, your devices aren't working. You know, cool heads rule the day. And so keep your cool head and have that paper map and read it and know it and study it, and

[B]

adults, I would tell you to teach your children how to read a map.

[A]

I think that'd be a great thing to do.

[B]

My youngest daughter could read a map long before she could drive a car.

[A]

Good.

[B]

She liked to put a map in her lap and follow along with wherever we were going.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And it was pre gps, but that serves her well today. So teach your kids how to read that map. Just in case. Let's talk about some offline knowledge skills without WI fi.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So much knowledge now lives behind a search bar, and I've been guilty of it. I go to YouTube to figure out how to fix something.

[A]

Oh, they're super convenient.

[B]

They're super convenient.

[A]

You can find just about anything through a search bar. You can.

[B]

But if the Internet disappears temporarily, even simple problems can become frustrating. Okay, can you access basic medical guidance? Can you access repair instructions, emergency procedures? Saving key documents and keeping local copies or even having a few physical references can make a big difference.

[A]

You talk about, like, books, pamphlets, things like that.

[B]

Books, pamphlets, things like that.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I was going through some drawers the other day and I found a pocket sized book of references that your dyad carried. Those that don't know he was an engineer for NASA. He actually had something to do with putting a man on the moon and getting him back. And this was a little reference of all of the different conventions, versions, all kinds of tables in there, all kinds of formulas. But that's the kind of thing that could come in handy.

[A]

Oh, absolutely. We didn't have a computer at home back in the 60s when he was working for NASA.

[B]

No. And the funny thing is, or the interesting thing to me is they put them there and got them back with a slide rule.

[A]

They sure did. How many of you have a slide rule right now?

[B]

I do have a slide rule. I have a fairly nice. There's actually two in this house. I have one that I learned to use in school. We actually had a class in our math on using slide rules. And then I found your dad's a while back. And interestingly, he and I had the same model. So I know I have a good one.

[A]

That's cool.

[B]

But if you want a reality check, try this. Turn off the Internet for 24 hours.

[A]

Oh, wow. That would affect our TV. Except for antenna. Wow. Because that would affect computer, phone, anything. Smartphone has to have WI fi. Interesting.

[B]

So what breaks?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where do you get stuck? Those friction points are your roadmap. That's what you need to work on.

[A]

That'd be a great weekend exercise for a lot of us, including you and me.

[B]

And some folks would have some serious withdrawals.

[A]

Well, it tells you a lot more about yourself than your device, really.

[B]

I think it really does.

[A]

Now let me talk about the real risk, the inconvenience at scale. You know, the biggest risk isn't a dramatic epic failure. It's just the widespread inconvenience when small disruptions affect all of these systems at once. It will compound all the delays and it increases the gap of information. So stress will increase. Decision making starts to suffer. And that's how a small minor issue morphs into a major problem. So digital preparedness is not about expecting it to collapse. It's just about reducing your invisible dependency before these collapses are exposed. Because like we said before, the Internet isn't just a convenience. It is infrastructure. And infrastructure, no matter how advanced it is, always, always needs a backup plan.

[B]

We appreciate you being here today. And remember that everything that we've talked about today is linked in the episode notes. And you can get those by going to practicalprepping.info 547 and we would appreciate your support. And you can do that by going to practicalprepping.info support. And as Krista always says, stuff happens. Stay prepared and we'll see you next time.