True. But we're talking about the potential difference between life and death and it doesn't take a lot of practice to learn basic survival skills that do put you ahead of 98% of other people. Even if you don't truly enjoy it there's no reason not to know some basics if/when things get nasty. Same with anything, just like you mentioned. I can hack away at php when I need to with just a little practice here and there over the last year. I'll probably never get deep into it but it's definitely worth knowing.
The pseudo-survivalist thread
- Thread starter geomark
- Start date
True. But we're talking about the potential difference between life and death and it doesn't take a lot of practice to learn basic survival skills that do put you ahead of 98% of other people. Even if you don't truly enjoy it there's no reason not to know some basics if/when things get nasty. Same with anything, just like you mentioned. I can hack away at php when I need to with just a little practice here and there over the last year. I'll probably never get deep into it but it's definitely worth knowing.
Do you really carry 2 weeks worth of supplies in the trunk of your cars at all times because you're worried about breaking down and getting stranded somewhere? That is hard core dude. Do you walk around worried you're going to get hit by lightning too? It must suck to be you.
I live in a rural area with prolonged subzero winters and shitty plowing. I'm guessing you do not. Even people around here who don't know what survivalism means have a couple blankets and a few cans of soup in their trunks because their grandfathers told them to once upon a time. And yeah you can call it hardcore. I call it prepared. Different strokes.
Do you have a stash of monies set aside for emergencies that you'd only consider spending if you were somehow financially stranded? That is hard core dude
I'll give you that. If I lived in a very rural area I guess I would probably do certain things that I wouldn't bother doing given where and how I do live.
Why does every survivalist thread say you need "non hybrid" seeds? Point to having seeds that are genetically engineered to survive better with a better yield? Do they not germinate and reseed?
Or do you think the zombies are from the veggies?
(beyond that I'm all for being prepared and i'm not enough of an optimist to say that this shit can't happen and happen fast.)
Or do you think the zombies are from the veggies?
(beyond that I'm all for being prepared and i'm not enough of an optimist to say that this shit can't happen and happen fast.)
I'm hoping for more discussion along these lines instead of the "OMG you are all idiots the US is so strong and will kill everyone in their way and we will dominate" sort of reaction to survivalist ideas.
Along those lines...do you like to grow some of your own food, maybe for fun or health or profit, whatever? But the backbreaking work of gardening got you down? Then look into aquaponics. A water pump does almost all the work for you - no digging or weeding or fertilizing. I started thinking about that when that crazy alarmist Lukep commented about a pic of someone's garden and said no way he wants to be a slave to the garden. I have a system that's been running for a while and am currently expanding. Lots of info and vids on the web if you are interested. You don't even need a crisis to enjoy the results. If there is one you have your own source of fresh fish and veges.
Hey, me too. 700 liter system upstairs currently cycling right now but I think I'm going to have to buy different media since the lava rocks I got started affecting the waters PH.
I can't find hydroton anywhere here.
I started my own aquaponics system to avoid changing the water of my kids turtles aquarium. That was a pain in the ass because those fuckers shit like no creature on earth does.
Now I have clean water for the damn turtles and letuce with turtle shit on it.
PS: By the way OP, just subbed the thread because of that list (some items are ridiculous, but overall it's a great resource).
Now I have clean water for the damn turtles and letuce with turtle shit on it.
PS: By the way OP, just subbed the thread because of that list (some items are ridiculous, but overall it's a great resource).
My aquaponics system is rather large due to it being based upon an outdoor pond. The pond reached it's own state of balance years ago so the fish are fine whether or not I run the pump - no worries during power outages. I wasn't able to find good media in my area so I just used construction gravel, cetainly not optimal but it seems to work ok.
A year ago I would have agreed with you. Nowadays though, there are lots of new reasons to see how it could happen overnight that we simply didn't have a year ago... I'll even lay down 2 scenarios for you here:
1. The BRICS push through their own new central bank and/or currency and all of the sudden the dollar hyperinflates. A loaf of bread suddenly costs $500 and your electricity bill costs more than a home did yesterday. A run on the bank happens. You may have some silver saved but the neighborhood you live in doesn't and all of the sudden you are local robber target #1. Not convinced this can happen? Look what happened to southern Asia in 1997.
2. Obomba officially names all #occupy members and Ron Paul supporters "Sovereign Citizens" and we all go on the no fly lists and our conversations get recorded constantly. As we discover this increased push to a police state happening faster and faster, many of us who aren't allowed to escape find nowhere to turn but into armed revolution. War breaks out and it won't be very civilized... The land is ravaged.
I could think of more of course but these seem to be the two most likely doomsday scenarios for the near future. My point here though isn't what's more likely; it's that you just won't see how fast it could happen... In both cases above you don't know what you don't know.... And of course money doesn't solve every problem.
Cool, I never heard of it done that way before. So when the pump doesn't run you're just not feeding and watering the plants basically?
@amateursurgeon: Love the Geese idea. Surely they'd like the aquaponics pond, too. :thumbsup:
Right. There's a lot of moisture in the grow beds so the plants can last a couple of days without cycling the system. If the power is out longer I run the generator for short periods each day to cycle the aquaponics system, top up water tanks, and charge up batteries. If power is out indefinitely (many months) then eventually I run out of diesel and can't run the generator so then I scale back and water only as many of the grow beds as I can manage by manually hauling water to them from the pond. I also have a permaculture area that provides some veges and fruit without any energy inputs.
48hrs or so.
And tell me what you'll do when every single financial institution and bank in the US can no longer process financial transactions.
We were about 24hrs away from this VERY thing happening in September 2008. I know MANY people who went to their banks one day to withdraw cash (wachovia for instance) and the doors were closed. Went to withdraw cash at an ATM and it didn't work because the bank didn't exist anymore.
Even locally, many banks had daily & weekly withdraw limits - No more than $500 in one day or $2,000 in one week.
All good seeds are hybrid, it's the non hybrid seeds you should be watching out for.
True hybrid seeds are heirloom/legacy seeds, passed down from generation to generation adapted to your local soil. Much of what you see at the store from the GOOD seed companies are these very things with the exception that they're not adapted to local climates.
The BIG myth is that field-grade seeds can not reproduce - These myths come from people who have never been to a farm in their life. I can attest that they grow just fine.
From that list of 100 items,
12. Charcoal
In the villages a lot of people still cook with that. It is cheap and keeps a long time if you keep it dry. So no problem to stock up on it and have an easy source of fuel if the propane tank deliveries stop. Nobody uses lighter fluid around here, it's dry grass and twigs. Low tech and effective. If you have plenty of this then a couple of the other fuel and cooking items on the list aren't really needed.
12. Charcoal
In the villages a lot of people still cook with that. It is cheap and keeps a long time if you keep it dry. So no problem to stock up on it and have an easy source of fuel if the propane tank deliveries stop. Nobody uses lighter fluid around here, it's dry grass and twigs. Low tech and effective. If you have plenty of this then a couple of the other fuel and cooking items on the list aren't really needed.
Protip:
if your fitness and health isn't up to par it doesnt matter if you have food or guns stocked. lazy fucks. i doubt any of youse are the poster child for fitness.
hahaha survivalist what a joke
if your fitness and health isn't up to par it doesnt matter if you have food or guns stocked. lazy fucks. i doubt any of youse are the poster child for fitness.
hahaha survivalist what a joke
You put much thought into the items you might need for survival. Did you ever consider acquiring a couple skills? The scenarios you discuss are quite drastic. No electricity for example.
Lets say youre outside and need to build basic shelter that keeps you warm for the night. Could you do that?
Could you ever organize food? In case you run out of canned beans. I dont necessarily ask whether youd be able to hunt efficiently. But can you kill? I assume that you know which parts of a mammal are edible. Could you disassemble one? Could you cut a lambs throat?
Theres an easy way to derive clear water from urine/salt water/other kinds of slightly polluted fluids. Do you know it?
Could you treat simple wounds? You forget about the most basic things. The largest stash of AR-15s doesnt do much for you if you die of some good old fashioned tetanus, scorbut, gangrene. Dont forget to acquire vitamin c of some form.
Given the option that you do in fact run out of electricity, do you understand basic electricity physics? Do you understand the concept of an electric engine? If you needed to produce a spark, do you know what youd need to do (this might be way harder to actually achieve from an engineerings point of view, but knowing the physics still helps).
Lets say youre outside and need to build basic shelter that keeps you warm for the night. Could you do that?
Could you ever organize food? In case you run out of canned beans. I dont necessarily ask whether youd be able to hunt efficiently. But can you kill? I assume that you know which parts of a mammal are edible. Could you disassemble one? Could you cut a lambs throat?
Theres an easy way to derive clear water from urine/salt water/other kinds of slightly polluted fluids. Do you know it?
Could you treat simple wounds? You forget about the most basic things. The largest stash of AR-15s doesnt do much for you if you die of some good old fashioned tetanus, scorbut, gangrene. Dont forget to acquire vitamin c of some form.
Given the option that you do in fact run out of electricity, do you understand basic electricity physics? Do you understand the concept of an electric engine? If you needed to produce a spark, do you know what youd need to do (this might be way harder to actually achieve from an engineerings point of view, but knowing the physics still helps).
No but I'm sure you do, and I'm sure my large stash of AR-15's could convince you to do it for me.
In the event of total societal collapse he who has the guns and bullets will be king. The rest can easily be taken by force.
Surely you must be kidding? Tell me you really believe this is possible and I swear I will never bother responding to any of your posts ever again.
Maybe you live in the hood and that's why you want to move to Thailand, but in my neighborhood no one would start robbing anyone. The people in my neighborhood are generally like-minded people with above-average intelligence and above-average resources. We would band together and no thugs would get anywhere near any of us, I can guarantee you that.
My house can comfortably accommodate 12-15 well-armed adults. It would probably be the first and only time I would say "Come at me bro!"
I won't even respond to your scenario #2 lol
The irony is you beat me to it - you don't know what you don't know.
How do you find the people you want to force to do the shitty work for you? You act all nefarious while the most badass thing youve ever done was report a mean competitor to google. Chances are the world becomes a lot more uncivilized the day the lights go out, but I wouldnt count on WF being the guys who come out on top.