Latest news with #Patmos
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Incredible Doomsday bunker that promises to save you and 35 friends from the end of the world has a huge catch
A doomsday bunker that promises to protect you from societal collapse, mass violence, and power grid failure is now up for grabs at an eye-watering price. The sprawling complex was described by survivalist group Grid Down Bunkers as the ultimate answer to political unrest and infrastructure attacks. The asking price of the property, dubbed the Patmos Underground Bunker Facility, is listed at a staggering $2.75million and has a huge catch - only cash is accepted. Potential buyers must also first complete a 'brief interview' with the current owners and provide redacted proof of funds or a bank letter confirming their financial status. On top of that, all interested parties must sign a strict non-disclosure agreement before the seemingly paranoid owners will reveal the property's actual location or arrange a site visit. The chilling pitch to potential buyer warns: 'Law enforcement and National Guard units are overwhelmed by violent gangs, cartels, and warlords who seize control. Refugees, unprepared and desperate, flee urban centers, searching for food, water, and shelter in rural areas. 'In this environment, safety and security become scarce commodities, and only those with a secure, fortified refuge will have the means to protect their families and assets.' The bunker was originally constructed in the 1960s as nuclear and EMP-hardened communications bunkers became popular. Costs then ranged from $4million to $25million. The facility has since been updated to modern standards, and today, replicating it would reportedly cost up to $60million. The bunker's location is undisclosed, but the listing says it's nestled on over five acres of 'flat to gently sloping terrain' near a small river in the Northeastern US and Great Lakes region. The main building alone spans 1,200 square feet, accessed through a triple-blast-door-protected vestibule and featuring a trash and document incinerator, heavy storage, and a one-ton crane for moving supplies through a 40-foot reinforced concrete shaft. Included in the eye-watering price tag is a stockpile of essential supplies including freeze-dried food with a 25-year shelf life (purchased in 2021), survival equipment, advanced emergency trauma medical supplies, and a massive 18,000-Gallon propane reserve. 'As political unrest escalates in the Northeastern US and Great Lakes region, attacks on critical infrastructure-such as the electrical grid, transportation networks, and key public venues-are no longer hypothetical,' the listing writes. 'The Patmos Underground Bunker Facility stands ready to meet these challenges, offering unparalleled security, self-sufficiency, and long-term viability in the face of societal breakdown. In the event of violent unrest, sabotage to critical infrastructure, and regional grid failure, cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, and Detroit will quickly descend into chaos.' The sprawling compound sits on 5.36 acres of terrain featuring three defensive ground-level structures strategically positioned along a small, meandering river. There's also a logistics bay, maintenance shop, and a grid-down power building that houses a Capstone C65 LPG turbine generator, built to keep the place humming even when the rest of the country goes dark. This industrial-strength crane enables the transfer of heavy equipment and supplies through a massive 40-foot reinforced concrete shaft measuring 17 by 6.5 feet. The property's dedicated power building spans 408 square feet and houses a Capstone C65 LPG turbine generator with space for future off-grid lithium battery installation. A separate 875-square-foot maintenance shop provides storage for repair supplies and includes a small office space. The facilities have been fully decontaminated, with all hazardous materials including asbestos removed, according to the marketing team. The access driveway and parking lot have been resurfaced, and the buildings repainted with 'durable, long-lasting industrial-grade paint.' The description reminds potential buyers that 'history teaches us that those who proactively secure their future are the ones who endure' and describes the bunker as 'more than just a bunker-it's a legacy'. The property comes with detailed plans for future enhancements including a 'fortified 40-foot tower, expanded solar power, battery storage, and sustainable external food production systems.' The facility can reportedly be customized with greenhouses, gardens, fruit trees, and animal husbandry capabilities. The complex has undergone a twelve-year transformation, with 'meticulously upgraded cutting-edge Life Preservation Solutions' professionally engineered by apocalypse specialists Hardened Structures/Hardened Shelters. Buyers will also find Swiss manufactured air filtration systems capable of keeping out chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. The facility features two separate grid-down power systems - one connected to the existing electrical grid and another completely independent system. Firearms and gold bars can also be completely secured in a dedicated internal weapons and precious metals vault. There's also a fully equipped medical stockpile. The listing adds: 'For those who understand the profound responsibility of protecting their families and ensuring future prosperity, Patmos is more than just a bunker-it's a legacy. 'The facility represents not just security, but a deliberate, thoughtful investment in long-term survival and autonomy. 'As society becomes more vulnerable to collapse, those who act now to secure a self-sufficient, well-defended haven will be the ones who thrive.'
Daily Maverick
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
SA writer Willem Anker on art — to make the world clearly strange and strangely clear
South African writer Willem Anker reflects on influence, inspiration and the strange clarity of art. We spoke to highly original novelist Willem Anker about influence and the limits of the sayable. When did you first identify as a creative artist? Maybe one day when I fail better. Outside your medium, what branch of art most stimulates you? Music. Which artists in said discipline have significantly inspired you, and why? Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld, Alfred Schnittke and Veljo Tormis. Waits and Cave are great poets and false singers, Bargeld can make music in a scrapyard or a factory, Schnittke does interesting things with notes and Tormis curses iron with an ancient drum. What do you consider to be art's most important function? To make the world strange and clear, clearly strange and strangely clear. Who are the local creatives in any medium who excite you? Some people I know keep themselves busy with very exciting creative work, so I won't mention them in case I leave someone out. Because I teach creative writing, I'd also rather not mention any local authors. I like the empty swimming pools of Willem Pretorius, the conceptualisations of William Kentridge, the 'how dare you' of Bitterkomix, the performance art in Parliament. Which specific work – be it in literature, music or visual art – do you return to again and again, and why? Paul Klee's painting The Twittering Machine (Die Zwitscher-Maschine) from 1922. There is something there about machines, music, art, nature, humanity, an expression of forces – creative and cruel, sinister and playful. It is a complex, contradictory experience beyond the sayable. What are your thoughts regarding the AI revolution? We are already living in the uncanny valley, but, for now, robots still write pretty shitty poetry. But then, so do most humans. I do think that AI art is a long way from having the same affective effects as (even bad) art made by humans. Once that happens, though, will it be so bad to have fellow, nonhuman artists exploring the world with us, giving their machinic perspectives, sharing their experiences of the new flesh? Do you have any project you're unveiling or wrapping up? A novella called Patmos is to be released later this year. It is a story about music and black holes. DM Mick Raubenheimer is a freelance arts writer.
