IF Society broke down for any reason, War, Storm, Inserection, how would you prepare?

[ValleYum]

VallyYum, in my early days here in FL, it was required reading. I read few books. I literally read "Alas Babylon" no less than 38 times, not an exaggeration.

I, too, read that book at least 30 times. I just ordered another copy from Amazon since I can not find my copy. It truly is a primer for preparing for a 'cataclysm' even 50+ years later. I am just thrilled that someone else has read this book!

[AngelinaCat]

i have yet to get a audiobook! i was just telling dh about the idea of getting it! i would love to listen to it being read to me although, i still love reading. i know the movie was so different. it seems likely hollywood rarely gets it correct when developing books into movies.

Even the audio-book is different from the movie. At first I read the book--or tried ti read it, after the first third of it I was totally turned off, it wasn't realistic, in my opinion. So then my guide was the audio-book version I checked out from the library. And I liked that, but as I said earlier, it ended when Gordon reached Pineview.

Then a friend recommended the movie, so 'Hub bought it and we watched it--he rarely if ever, watches anything 'new', so I was surprised. It took me several tries at watching it, and now I LOVE it. A lot of that has to do with the fact that my Mother and Grandmother, were Postmasters in our town, plus my father and an aunt were clerks in the same office. Whenever we traveled, my Mother collected post office memorabilia, so I can picture her watching this movie and 'going with it!' as Ford Lincoln Mercury is explaining how he worked the 'mail sorting system' out.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I, too, read that book at least 30 times. I just ordered another copy from Amazon since I can not find my copy. It truly is a primer for preparing for a 'cataclysm' even 50+ years later. I am just thrilled that someone else has read this book!

I wore out three of the small pocket sized originals. It is a book that captures you and since I live in and around those places listed in the book here in FL it was more fulfilling. I also wore out two of the later reprints in larger format. There is an old B class movie with Frankie Avalon, Ray miland in it called "Panic in the year zero" that is an excellent take off of this book. You may find it or parts of it on you tube. I haven't looked yet but shall. 'Hub

[AngelinaCat]

There was also a 90 minute episode of 'Playhouse 90' version of 'Alas, Babylon'. With all of the older TV shows being digitized and put on DVDs and/or YouTube, I keep watching for that one...

[tobee43]

Even the audio-book is different from the movie. At first I read the book--or tried ti read it, after the first third of it I was totally turned off, it wasn't realistic, in my opinion. So then my guide was the audio-book version I checked out from the library. And I liked that, but as I said earlier, it ended when Gordon reached Pineview.

Then a friend recommended the movie, so 'Hub bought it and we watched it--he rarely if ever, watches anything 'new', so I was surprised. It took me several tries at watching it, and now I LOVE it. A lot of that has to do with the fact that my Mother and Grandmother, were Postmasters in our town, plus my father and an aunt were clerks in the same office. Whenever we traveled, my Mother collected post office memorabilia, so I can picture her watching this movie and 'going with it!' as Ford Lincoln Mercury is explaining how he worked the 'mail sorting system' out.

i never made it through the books either. interesting about your family!!! cracked me up with Ford Lincoln Mercury's name. quite a thought, wasn't it?

well, i'm not going to lie, although the movie was way off the book, i still really enjoyed it as well. i do still think i'm going to get the audio-book tho, just for the "fun" of it.

better yet, you can read it to me. ROFL!!!!! because in that movie you would have been the walking library, and you know, i mean that in the MOST loving way

[GoingDown]

Even under the worst circumstances, I sincerely doubt that the United States is going to collapse. We may have hyper inflation at some point, but it will come back down to normal, just like it did for Germany. We are an established civilization with lots of natural resources. We may have to come off of our high horse, and stop all the E.P.A. and Sierra Club nonsense, and start drilling for oil, natural gas, and coal again right here in the United States, and start using our natural resources again, and maybe stop building houses over farm land so we can use the land to provide us with food again. But we are in a very good position when it comes to riding out a disaster.

I am always prepared for a short disruption. I always buy in bulk-- things like brown rice, pinto beans, and various other foods, as well as necessities such as toilet paper, bottled water, etc. I even have propane tanks so I can still cook outside if necessary. I'm ready for a short disruption-- say 6 months or so. But if a disruption happened in the summer, and I couldn't get air conditioning, I would have to drive up to one of my relatives' homes in the Flagstaff, Arizona area where it is usually about 30 degrees cooler than Phoenix, and wait out the summer. Phoenix is fine without air conditioning from October through April.

And if it was going to be a very long disruption, then I would head for Oregon. I have relatives who live in the Willamette Valley, which is perhaps one of the most self-sustainable areas in the United States. They can farm their own food from just rainfall.

[tobee43]

i'm with you goingdown. and while i agree with you and believe ALL of our answers are right in front of us. i don't want them tearing up the land to get to those resources and causes an environmental ecological inbalance...talk about global warming, it could be really the begining of the end. (ok i'm a tree hugger and don't' deny it).

it can be done RIGHT, but because big corporates would be the ones pulling our all our natural resources they would hit like a hurricane with no mercy, just for the greed of it all.

i remember while going down the canals in nicaragua and seeing all these blue plastic bags floating in the canals. those bags were killing the animals in the rain forests as they were getting into their stomachs and choking their intestines. and you know who that was and is...Standard Fruit Co. (Chiquita Bananas and many other major food importers, it's all the same company). they put these plastic bags on the bananas and other fruits growing in the rain forests, to protect them with pesticides and then when the fruit is ripe just throw them on the earth and water. no respect for our land or this earth.

i do agree it can be done right, but it will never happen in the US with all the big corporations having their hands in it...and if there is money to be made, they will be standing in line to get at it...whatever IT is!

[AngelinaCatHub]

Even under the worst circumstances, I sincerely doubt that the United States is going to collapse. We may have hyper inflation at some point, but it will come back down to normal, just like it did for Germany. We are an established civilization with lots of natural resources. We may have to come off of our high horse, and stop all the E.P.A. and Sierra Club nonsense, and start drilling for oil, natural gas, and coal again right here in the United States, and start using our natural resources again, and maybe stop building houses over farm land so we can use the land to provide us with food again. But we are in a very good position when it comes to riding out a disaster.

I hope you are right. However GD, do not think the USA cannot go down. We in our age group have been raised with propaganda such as John Wayne movies. We almost lost WWII except for the blunders that Hitler made. We are no less stronger than any other Country and probably much weaker now than China. We are NOT invincible.

I am always prepared for a short disruption. I always buy in bulk-- things like brown rice, pinto beans, and various other foods, as well as necessities such as toilet paper, bottled water, etc. I even have propane tanks so I can still cook outside if necessary. I'm ready for a short disruption-- say 6 months or so. But if a disruption happened in the summer, and I couldn't get air conditioning, I would have to drive up to one of my relatives' homes in the Flagstaff, Arizona area where it is usually about 30 degrees cooler than Phoenix, and wait out the summer. Phoenix is fine without air conditioning from October through April.

It is wise to have such a stockpile. You may have an emergency fund, but you cannot eat paper. As far as travel, what makes you think a gas station will be open in hyper inflated dollars. Will a policeman work for free or stay home to protect his own family. You know that answer.

And if it was going to be a very long disruption, then I would head for Oregon. I have relatives who live in the Willamette Valley, which is perhaps one of the most self-sustainable areas in the United States. They can farm their own food from just rainfall.

Same answer as above. I am not a tree hugger in response to both your post and Tobee's post. We are about the cleanest coal miners, oil pumpers you name it. We need to become self reliant as our enemies hold oil over our heads. We have the ability to drill sideways. Take a Country like China, they would take a forest for the profit without a replant plan. It is false propaganda that drilling our own will cause total destruction and I do NOT believe the Global Warming scam.

Good post GD, but think it through a bit more and figure on a scenario such as no electricity for three weeks, or indefinably. Can't pump gas without it. Can't store gasoline as it goes bad quickly.

I have a diesel car and I stockpile 500 gallons of diesel. Not volatile as gas, and the diesel engine can burn almost anything except gas and water. I use my tractor with spent peanut oil. When I change the hydrolic oil every 200 hours, (five gallons) I mow the grass with it. Moving around can be difficult if not impossible. We who have been in hurricanes know that just a minimal hurricane can cause havoc for weeks. 'Hub

[oregonpilot]

and if it was going to be a very long disruption, then i would head for oregon. I have relatives who live in the willamette valley, which is perhaps one of the most self-sustainable areas in the united states. They can farm their own food from just rainfall.

yup!!!!
AHHHH give me a tree to hug & I'm happy. AND my kitties & my Hubby

[tobee43]

well actually hub...it's really not politically correct to use the term "global" warming such as i did. it's supposed to be referred to as "climatic" changes.

i, unfortunately had the opportunity to do some real solid studies back in the day on some of these terrible changes as a result of "man" and other fractors which contribute to this mess from the misuse of the land. (when i went back to rutger u for my consumer hort cert back in the wayday of another lifetime i had). and, what about all these oil spills, i'm not thinking they were very "clean"???? do you?

i also believe it can be done correctly, but have little faith it will, because who is it that will be doing it? not you or me...but BIG BUSINESS and BIG CORPORATIONS ...and frankly, i don't believe for one minute you don't love trees hub...LOL!!!!!!!

[tobee43]

yup!!!!
AHHHH give me a tree to hug & I'm happy. AND my kitties & my Hubby

don't forget me!!!!! ROFL!!!!!! (miss u!)

[oregonpilot]

don't forget me!!!!!

ROFL!!!!!! (miss u!)

never----

miss u too.

[AngelinaCatHub]

well actually hub...it's really not politically correct to use the term "global" warming such as i did. it's supposed to be referred to as "climatic" changes.

Climatic Change was used when it was record cold. Now it is record hot. It is a "newspeak" word and has the same meaning. Unfortunate those who believe and those who do not have equal "experts" to tell them they are right. Believing in Climate Change is just like Religion. There is no arguing it's existence. We have had it before as in "where are the dinosaurs?".


i, unfortunately had the opportunity to do some real solid studies back in the day on some of these terrible changes as a result of "man" and other fractors which contribute to this mess from the misuse of the land. (when i went back to rutger u for my consumer hort cert back in the wayday of another lifetime i had). and, what about all these oil spills, i'm not thinking they were very "clean"???? do you?

I forget the name of the volcano but up in Washington state I believe it erupted and put gases into the atmosphere that it would take man a thousand years to deliver. Also, what about the oil slicks and where are they? The Earth has a way of cleansing itself. Oil is a natural and renewable source. Oil is still forming today. In the even of another #7 earthquake, what would happen if a fissure opened a pocket of untapped oil? Think then of the oil slick and not caused by man. I don't think yet that mankind has the ability to cause earthquakes. So far there is no evidence of him doing so. As far and the weather, I wonder? Have you ever heard of H.A.R.P.?

i also believe it can be done correctly, but have little faith it will, because who is it that will be doing it? not you or me...but BIG BUSINESS and BIG CORPORATIONS ...and frankly, i don't believe for one minute you don't love trees hub...LOL!!!!!!!

Oh but Corporations are man. Just as no SUV has ever hit a person. The driver hit the person in an SUV. Again political "newspeak". It behooves the American citizen whether called a corporation or not, to do the right thing. We have fallen short more than once but in the last century we have come a long way.

I doubt that any of us could go back to before the turn of the Century where we were mostly agriculture and survive. Since this thread is kinda a survivalist thread, we have it so good compared to our forefathers. This could change though for a meriad (sp) of reasons. This thread is not political but throw that in, nor weather, but add that too, or men from Mars, this now is being talked about. It is about what would you/we do to survive in a disaster big or small.

[AngelinaCatHub]

OK, guys: Case in point, right now at 2:04pm today, on TV just announced cannot get through phone lines to Washington D.C. and area due to 6.2 R earthquake. Need I say more??? 'Hub

[tobee43]

OK, guys: Case in point, right now at 2:04pm today, on TV just announced cannot get through phone lines to Washington D.C. and area due to 6.2 R earthquake. Need I say more??? 'Hub

ummmmm ummmm 5.9 and my daugher called about 1/2 hour ago and said she felt it in north carolina...we are trying to reach our niece in washington dc., but can't right now. athough she's from the san fran bay area and has been through 7.0's before, however, i heard that felt it all the way to NYC!!

somebody just made an earthquake!!! wow