I got a glimpse of SHTF

Originally posted by wylekat
Give a thought to those of us without the resources to be prepared... all the cash goes to rent, utilities, food, and bills.

Salvage and trade/barter. You can even barter skills or labor for goods. Check out Craigslist or put up a flier at your loca Co Op if you have one. I started out with buying bulk 20 55 gal blue food grade double bung barrels and bung wrenches at auction. I bartered them for labor I cant do or the husband cant due to work hrs.. and had the opportunity to network with others and show them how to acquire things o n the cheap or free. Made excellent friends and contacts. I figure if you can get a person set up or with the skills or knowledge, youre not going to have "useless eaters" show up at your door. Theyre already primed with some skills and pooling resources. Anyway, there are poeple like me who know the good and the actual preparation sense of equippig others with the means and skills.. check out craigslist or groups in your area... and barter your services and goods. When I get MREs or Mountain house or go to the LDS place.. it always pays to get some extra and barter them.
Do you have a LDS warehouse in your area? They have opened it up to non-mormons and you can go can your own stuff.. and its VERY cheap. Come here and ask one of us for recipes for the things you have bought so you dont have mono ingredient burn out. LOL!

If there is a will there is a way my friend.. you just have to be willing to change your mind about some things and willing to work for it.


Ohh yeah, I am doing a thing with Mr Rice here in a few months about food storage and buying/bartering for the homeless or very low income. Just a sort of seminar and living skills training... its not just for disaster, but in this economy and the future we are looking at, many will require these kinds of self sustaining skills. The WORST thing anyone can do is wait for the govt to help you. They cant even if they wanted to. Ive been through 2 disasters and I guess it warped me.. I KNOW the govt with all of its "good" intentions does not work like a well oiled machine. You WILL suffer if you dont learn and learn fast that YOU are all YOU can count on.. and your family is also counting on YOU. These ways are now a way of life for many.. newly homeless, newly jobless, etc. Its not the wacky weekend survival guy anymore, its become a way of life for many Americans.. because for many, the American dream is dead. Im older.. Ive seen the dream die but no one seemed to notice until it was THEM looking for their next meal. I do believe in being my brothers keeper.. and thats what Im doing. Being a keeper isnt handing things over to everyone.. it it giving them the best thing.. knowledge and skill.

You had a glimpse of what happens in Nepal every few days.

The unpopular government turn off the electricity supply in response to the Bandh (people's strike)

The people of Nepal act as one against their oppressors.

The result for the people is business as usual with backup batteries and candles.

A nice cosy place to be without the distractions of television and illuminated billboards.

It's more like heaven than hell.

reply to post by Talltexxxan


I was in houston during the hurricane evacuation.All the food was gone,the roads were jamed for miles and miles on a really hot day.I did'nt leave like most people and came out way ahead.The news showed everyone leaving Houston and I really think it cause alot of the panic.Like "OMG" get out of here!Not much damage was cause by the hurricane (I forgot which hurricane it was there was a few that year).Houston was like a ghost town.Everyone bought up all the food and then left town.The last hurricane in houston most people stayed but over 2 million people lost power.I almost moved to New Orleans one month before katrina.My friends there lost pretty much everything.Anyway my wife and I moved to the country a few weeks ago.We feel much safer here.I do not want to be in a major city when SHTF.It's too hard to get out and the people will be dangerous.People in very small towns are more likely to help other people out during situations like that.The power was out here in Virginia for 3 days and it was'nt a really big deal.It was hot and people scrambled for ice and food but I did'nt see much panic,and saw no "ricky bobbys".Major cities are a death trap imo.

So a few days or weeks is fun. What if it's never coming back? Look at Zimbabwe's capital Harare, it has gone form the bread basket of africa to a subhuman hell, for most.

allafrica.com...

The outbreaks of typhoid and the ever present danger of cholera, require that every household should have a basic supply of safe water for at least part of each day, even if during emergencies that is only for an hour or two.

So besides working out an equitable water scheme, giving every home safe water for at least an hour a day at a set time, Harare needs to launch an intensive awareness campaign to stop families wasting water.

allafrica.com...

This has resulted in another outbreak of typhoid which has seen the number of people affected rising to 220 in the past week alone with the addition of 30 more people in the capital and 26 others in its dormitory, Chitungwiza.

The Gwebi River has its source at the wetland in Borrowdale where a US$100 million shopping mall is about to be constructed.

After the great currency crash, See for yourselves a 1 trillion dollar note. Zim dollars.



Of course some men have made millions, billions of dollars. US.

www.swradioafrica.com... llion/

Unconfirmed reports suggest the late General Solomon Mujuru left behind an estate worth an estimated US$9 billion, sources said on Tuesday.

‘These people have been in power for more than 30 years and can you imagine the impunity, with which they corruptly amassed that wealth without any hindrance from the police or anyone,’ Zunga said.

Mujuru is reported to have told the court: “If I had known white people had defamed me, I would have shot them.”

Read all the comments in the last, and that's the mainstream media!
Google zimbabwe water and zimbabwe violence.

I'd hate to be called a fearmonger, but um, think about it.

reply to post by Advantage


The last few cities I have lived in were Houston,Tampa,Nashville.I just moved to a small town in Virginia.The blueridge mountains are wonderful.Anyway I have noticed that we are naturally becoming more self sufficient.And it seems to be easier to do in this small town.We goto auctions and get stuff really cheap if not for free.We have started a garden which we never had the land for in the cities.I used to only buy things I needed at retail stores paying full price for things and had the additude that used things were gross or for poor people.The level of thriftiness has gone threw the roof!Going to yard sales and bardering has saved and made us some good money.These things just did'nt seem avaliable in the big cities.We are surrounded by people with skills and are learning from them.I belive moving to a rural area has given us a huge head start in being prepared for SHTF.

reply to post by Talltexxxan


I live in the area.... a transformer went out, it was pretty close to my house haha.. Was chit chatting away on teamspeak when I heard a boom and saw a light flash and the power went out.

Edit::

Meant to add that since i'm assuming you live in the same area you should be well aware of the type of of people around here.... it's no surprise that people would take advantage of the power being out. I've seen it so many times everywhere. Once I remember the power in the mall going out and then tons of people running in to and out of stores with stuff, almost like it was planned.

B.O.B??? Bug Out Bag, I presume? What should one have in a 72 hour B.O.B???

Originally posted by AbnormalTruth
reply to post by Advantage

 

The last few cities I have lived in were Houston,Tampa,Nashville.I just moved to a small town in Virginia.The blueridge mountains are wonderful.Anyway I have noticed that we are naturally becoming more self sufficient.And it seems to be easier to do in this small town.We goto auctions and get stuff really cheap if not for free.We have started a garden which we never had the land for in the cities.I used to only buy things I needed at retail stores paying full price for things and had the additude that used things were gross or for poor people.The level of thriftiness has gone threw the roof!Going to yard sales and bardering has saved and made us some good money.These things just did'nt seem avaliable in the big cities.We are surrounded by people with skills and are learning from them.I belive moving to a rural area has given us a huge head start in being prepared for SHTF.

Yep, hard to find in a big city, but I am in the St Louis area. and if you look, cooperatives and bartering chains can be found. Not everyone can move to the country.. and they have found out in the last few yrs.. they best get on the ball, even in the city This whole things with the homeless and newly homeless and going to be homeless Im involved in is smack dab in down town St Louis.

Originally posted by Advantage

Originally posted by crazyguy2012

Originally posted by Advantage

Originally posted by smilesmcgee
Nothing like a good ol' thunderstorm and blackout to get your heart pumping.
I don't use a water cooler, drink from the tap, so I never have more than a litre or two of water on hand. I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Just in one spare basement room I have 150 gallons of clean water treated for long term storage and a hand pump, propane ventless heaters, etc. We wont speak of my pantry room.. its a grocery store. When an mini-emergecy or a major-emergency hits here.. Im going to do what I can do to not let my family down!

Thank's.... just remember cousin CrazyGuy when I show up... I am a distant relative lol

ROFL! You bet! Say... can you cut wood? No free rides around here.

I can cut wood. I am an excellent fisher (which is ironic because I am allergic to fish so I can't eat it). I can hunt.

Originally posted by crazyguy2012

Originally posted by Advantage

Originally posted by crazyguy2012

Originally posted by Advantage

Originally posted by smilesmcgee
Nothing like a good ol' thunderstorm and blackout to get your heart pumping.
I don't use a water cooler, drink from the tap, so I never have more than a litre or two of water on hand. I don't know what I'm gonna do.

Just in one spare basement room I have 150 gallons of clean water treated for long term storage and a hand pump, propane ventless heaters, etc. We wont speak of my pantry room.. its a grocery store. When an mini-emergecy or a major-emergency hits here.. Im going to do what I can do to not let my family down!

Thank's.... just remember cousin CrazyGuy when I show up... I am a distant relative lol

ROFL! You bet! Say... can you cut wood? No free rides around here.

I can cut wood. I am an excellent fisher (which is ironic because I am allergic to fish so I can't eat it). I can hunt.

I have a 3K sq foot old farm house.. with 8 rooms in the basement. Ill put a sign with "crazyguy" on one for ya.

On a serious note, since we dont live with extended family anymore as a culture, it will be smart for those in a position like I am to pool resources and shelter with like minds with talents we need. Before SHTF.. if ever.. it makes sense to do. Just as a new cultural norm when in an economy like this and where it appears to be going.

reply to post by Advantage


That is definitely the best way to survive a worst case scenario. Those of like minds will need to work together to get through it. We will have to take care of each other and work to rebuild things. It might sound like a fun idea living off the land, surviving, but after a while we will all need hot showers, running water and trash removal. otherwise things will get really really smelly real fast...

reply to post by crazyguy2012


Really smelly trash will be the last of our worries. Have you ever smelled a dead body....

Des

reply to post by Destinyone



I haven't had smelly trash for years due to composting... fortunately, you could use composting to avoid that smell as well... well in your immediate property at least.. :S

reply to post by g146541


Sadly, based on your description I know what city you live in. It ends with vale.

If you want to know how it feels if SHTF, go out in the woods without any food, water, or equipment but yourself. You'll quickly find out that humans are very weak in the forest.

reply to post by greeneyedleo

Yet...when agengies hold DRILLS everyone freaks out!!!!

NOW does everyone see why DRILLS are important to train for these situations?!

Families should hold their own drills too!

i think it depends on the type of drills that are being held. if i see tanks and soldiers rolling in to town, i might get concerned. even if i knew it was a drill.

i would like to see more classes/drills offered to show how to make your water drinkable or how to gut a grouse. those are some drills that would make me feel better.

-subfab

reply to post by Talltexxxan


I hear you, living in hurricane country has showed me what will happen in a prolonged SHTF scenario. When Ike came through in 2008 I was without power for fourteen days. It sucked but I set up a tent in the garage so I could catch a breeze, the house was waayy too hot. I had plenty of water and rice and beans and non-perishables for me and the dog to eat but most people are used to going to the store a few times a week. Its an eerie feeling to walk into Walmart and theres absolutely nothing on the shelves. No gas at the gas stations, no power, everyone cooking all their food from the refrigerators and then having none a few days later. Theres not a more dangerous animal on this planet than a desperate hungry human being.

Originally posted by Em2013
reply to post by g146541

 

Sadly, based on your description I know what city you live in. It ends with vale.

If you want to know how it feels if SHTF, go out in the woods without any food, water, or equipment but yourself. You'll quickly find out that humans are very weak in the forest.

edit on 14-8-2012 by Em2013 because: (no reason given)

Fair oaks actually, we is big city compared to them thar orangevale farm dwellers!
Why leave my comfort zone to bug out?
When the power goes out, I still got power, I prepared some.

I live in Lexingon, KY. I have not really prepared for anything, at all, but I do have some survival skills and access to many, many hand tools. Which I realize hand tools may not be of much use, but bolt cutters, acetylene oxygen torches could be useful. The best part of KY is the extensive country side. One could simply pick a farm and go ask to join him, providing the owner with skills and knowledge. If they don't like the idea, move on or get shot haha.

Is anyone else in KY or near KY? I have some friends that know how to survive, as do I.

Kentucky has two major cities, Lexington and Louisville. I would avoid Louisville and many parts of Lexington. The rural parts of Kentucky seem to be fairly open to strangers, not sure how it would be in a scenario like above.

But in the ice storm years ago, Lexington was shut down for weeks. No power, no nothin'. My family went to Salvisa to my grandmas, they had no power, but a massive wooden stove for heat and for cooking. That wouldn't be a haven as it is right next to a major road. But when we got back to Lexington, we saw many people still without power, but coming together as one to help each other. I believe it was a safe town. Nowadays, I'm not so sure. There has been an influx of crime, or rather, the economy has driven many to crime. So i'm not so sure how receptive people would be if a SHTF scenario today.

But I make sure to have enough gas stockpiled to make my rounds and stock my car up. I will have enough gas for 4-5 cars to follow me and stockpile with me. Though, I will only allot the ones I trust to stockpile with me. We would have weapons, ammo, food, water, and we could get building supplies easily. Access to solar panels would be amazing, though I am taking my own time to see how they are built, and researching into ways in which I could make my own. I have knowledge of electricity from the nature of my job. I myself have a massive tent. So really I wouldn't say I am unprepared. I am not really prepared, but I do contain knowledge of what one would need to make it on our own.

Call it weird, but I think I would be halfway excited in this scenario. Where every second of every day could potentially be life or death. Seems to excite me, in a good way. Not in the way where I could get to shoot people, I would hate to do that. But being in charge of everything in my life, excites me. Here we are in 2012, with so many people dependent on the system that it seems Agenda 21 (if it is real) could be fulfilled by a simple solar flare large enough to corrupt our nation's (or world) electrical grid.


Again, if you are in Kentucky or Lexington, message me and we can chat about survival here in the bluegrass. We are a commonwealth after all