I will tell you something about radiation. If as has been predicted in such shows as Life after people, population zero etc or any long term power shortage and reactors not cooled, or spent fuel pools not cooled, you will have worldwide massive radiation fallout for several years maybe.

SO what that means is you have to know how to totally alter your life style to live in that environment.

Forget the great outdoors and living off the land you will die. Indoors, and only go outdoors covered up in something washable. Keep dust inside your dwelling at a minimum and hunt for stored foods and canned goods.
Filter your water and get it from a deep well from some farm somewhere or by getting it by opening a fire hydrant and dropping a hose into the main, and pumping water out. You cannot drink rainwater and even lake water will be deadly. Not in days, but maybe in a year or two. If you have young children, then they can get sick and die quickly.

So even if you know a lot about living off teh land, with fallout that is impossible to do, for at least 5 years.
So you need a radiation badge that you wear that changes color as you get exposed. And a geiger counter if you can get one. But forget about getting back to the land, you will not be able to eat the wildlife.

Ocean fishing, but not close to shore. Even with Fukushima, seaweed around Vancouver Canada was contaminated from it and certainly deadly to eat in any quantity. So shellfish will be contaminated as well.
Honey, and basically anything you grow. So hydroponics and indorr greenhouses or covered greenhouses covered with plastic, with dirt you dug up from under a building, that sort of thing.
If you do that for 5 years, chances are the worst will be passed.

Originally posted by saltdog

Originally posted by Expat888
go back to the basics and start training / practicing now.
then you know it when need..
practice grasshopper.. lots of practice...

I am, I have, and I do.
How many here do?

Near as can tell your one of a small handfull here who do. the majority seem to overlook many of the basics along with the need to actually train / practice skills now rather than waiting till something happens..

Originally posted by Expat888

Originally posted by saltdog

Originally posted by Expat888
go back to the basics and start training / practicing now.
then you know it when need..
practice grasshopper.. lots of practice...

I am, I have, and I do.
How many here do?

Near as can tell your one of a small handfull here who do. the majority seem to overlook many of the basics along with the need to actually train / practice skills now rather than waiting till something happens..

Yeah but look where you live. You have to fight your way to the outhouse every morning, wake up with scorpions in your shoes, fish poisonous snakes out of the sock drawer, and sleep with one eye open with a machete under your pillow. Every day is a training excersize for you.

Yeah, that could happen, but even if the five largest armies in the world tried to take over an area the size of the USA...it would be years before they could secure it...look at the size of the forces taking over countries throughout history...WW2 had how many in Europe? Hitlers army was how big and allied forces were how big? and it took how long to get berlin...just saying.
Plus the amount of weapons in America is a lot higher..with many more people...non military..patriots and they all know how to use them...
If we fail, its going to be economic...from within.

How do you remember how to tie your shoes? I learned that about 42 years ago and still remember how to do it well.
The reason is that I have done it everyday all my life = repetition.

People think that because they have read something or watched a you tube video on a certain subject that they know how to do it. You only know how to do it if you have DONE IT many times till your good at it.

Watch all the videos and read all the books you want and then try to go out and build a fire with primitive methods and I can almost guarantee you will spend a dark cold night in the woods.

How do you remember everything? Go out and do it. over and over till it's natural.

Well I have my stock pile of pdfs and a few cover-all-the-basics books. I also have my waterproof note book where I have written a few things I know I will need (pertaining to food and shelter). But all the reading and all the notes really did not sink in until I got out there and did it. If you are not a big camper (like me) then I suggest starting small. Get the feel of the tools you have, know how they work - or don't. Gradually going out there for longer periods of time. It's amazing how stupid you feel at first, but how much you learn - and remember - is worth it.

I have several books, pdf's too. lets say you lose it in a fire or you forgot it..whatever the reason. Its not there, building, fire, water purification, gardening..got it..what about canning or etable plants? there are several ways to can certain things and plants..there are thousands of them..ok you tan hides but forget an ingrediant, so you have to use the brains of the deer instead...are you good with that too?
I know PDF's are great, books are great..what if your going to have everything you need on your back or in your hands?
I know I should be just fine, I do use my skills..but you do forget things at times...