Dummy Boy Loc: Michigan

...you summed up your delusional self quite well....far be it from me to correct you.

Richard Rowland

All this, make your own stuff, is great when read from a book. But once this catastrophe has hit, where are the ingredients going to come from? Don't even think about living off the land by hunting for your subsistence! With a few hundred million having the same notion, in a weeks time, there won't be a cockroach left. And even if, by some remote possibility, you do become self sufficient the mob will rob you of what meager supplies you have managed to scrape together. It isn't going to be pretty. I think a better plan would be, for the like minded, to form a consortium, and begin to stockpile the necessities of life at a defensible location. Then fight to the death to protect it when the time comes,for thats what it will take to survive. A more likely scenario will be that a semblance of order will prevail. Run by the government,of course, the military will be sent out by the government to rob those who have had the foresight to attempt to protect against just such an event taking place. Then the pilfered resources will be distributed amongst the military and so called government officials. Does North Korea come to mind?

Pulfnick Loc: Knoxville, TN

The impact of a major EMP attack, like North Korea could launch simply by getting a nuke on a barge up the Mississippi and detonating it way up would effectively end our country forever, with mass starvation wiping out much of the population, followed by violent thugs terrorizing survivors.

I highly recommend reading "One Second After" by William R. Forstchen. This wholly realistic and plausible book is well written and is a good read. It helps put things in perspective, and will make even survivalists rethink beyond storing emergency rations, generators, etc. to survive.

angery american Loc: Georgia

I for one have given plenty of thought to this matter....I live in the country...I have 66 acres of land off the beaten path....15 acres in pasture....10 acres in bottom land ..then remainder in pine and hard woods....All around me are 1000'S of acres of raw woodland owned by the pulp wood companies.....I have a large free running creek the whole length of my property...as well as 7 springs in various locations and 2 deep wells...I can raise cattle...chickens ..hogs...sheep..mules and horses...And have 10 acres to grow food on...Since I was raised in the country, in the mid 40s and 50s...I know how to slaughter cows, hogs and chickens...I also know how to grow food....I have a shop full of old fashion hand tools, need back when people didn't have electricity.....(which we didn't have until I was 5)....I have enough food put back (dried food and canned good) as well as the other necessities of life....to last my family 4 years...I load all my own ammo and have a rather large arsenal....My home has a built in wood burning furnace..as well as inserts in the fireplaces....I have a gasafier for making sear gas to run vehicles ,generators or wh**ever....(This year I hope to install a Generator on my creek).....AND I have a good network of 6 neighbors who I would trust my life to and they to me....I think I am about as prepared as I can be.....SOOOO..... OldRoy.....get busy while there is still time...But I think the s**t will hit the fan before too long....

Floyd Brown Loc: Milwaukee WI

For myself I am not a prepper if that is the right word. I would like to think that for the most part I offer no real meaningful threat to any one.

While there would be profound changes. Enough of the system would hold together & there would be some what of a system left to at least provide enough of a system for most to get by.

I feel that it would be useless on my part to waste my time & effort to try to come up with a plan to cover all that could go wrong.

It all comes down to trust. Trust the system much as it is or put my trust in who ever would redo what we have.

So put me down as one who would like to change the system from with in the system.

I just can't see that those who would seek to change the system from with out would create any thing better than what we have.

They would make a big mess & life as we know it will be gone & maybe forever.

Dummy Boy Loc: Michigan

Stunningly correct.

I'm not sure why he lacks the ability to critically examine the information he passes along, but yea, what'ya gonna do? In the end adaptation to new circumstances is a far better tool for survival.

He offers little in the way of suggestions, other than to visit the "fan" sites that declare how to fight this mystery Agenda 21.

Voice of Reason Loc: Earth

I read that book and it does paint what I think is a pretty accurate picture of what would happen if a couple of EMP's were to hit this country. It seems that most people think that an EMP would bring down the electric grid, which if would, but they don't realize that's just the start. It would also destroy all solid-state electronics. This means that any gas or diesel engine built in the last 20-30 years would not run. No cars, trucks, ships, generators, phones, radios, computers, internet, etc.

While the consequences of such an attack would be devastating and hundreds of millions would die, I personally don't think the likelihood is all that high. Remember, we (the USA) also have the capability to do this to every other country on earth and, since our military is spread over the entire planet, our capability to respond would not be eliminated by an attack on our mainland.

Personally, rather than an enemy country doing this, I'd be more worried about environmentalists or other terrorists. Remember, this would cause the death of hundreds of millions of people, which the environmentalists consider a good, if too small, start.

If I were going to try to prepare for this unlikely scenario, I would not try to stock up on food or supplies, since doing so is a fools errand. It doesn't matter how many consumables you stock, eventually you'll run out. Also, unless you are part of a very large, well-armed group (many mouths to feed) you won't stand a chance against the roving bands of thousands of well-armed and brutal marauders. Also, what's left of the military will come calling demanding you 'share' your bounty at gunpoint. Instead I would move close to the seashore and get an ocean-going boat (sailboat with a modified diesel engine w/o computer) with enough fuel, weapons and stock to get me to a country which was unaffected by the EMP. Since US currency would be worthless, and any money in banks would be inaccessable anyway, I would also bring gold with me to pay for initial expenses in the new country, until I could get a job. The boat would be walking distance from my dwelling.

dennisimoto Loc: Washington State (West)

I have one gun & only 2 bullets. There are survivalists and realists.

Richard Rowland

One of the crucial aspects of survival, if it's going to happen, will be the age factor. No one over a certain age should expect to survive ,unless, of course, they have knowledge that will be of benefit for the greater good of the group, but that situation will be rare. The youthful will have their hands full attempting to survive themselves, they won't need the elderly hindering their efforts. The boat idea is intriguing, seems to offer a better chance than being land bound. However, there's the possibility of pirates, and once one sails into another counties port and offers gold for payment there will be those that will want to relieve them of any gold they have left. But,even, if, the worst case scenario happens, there is most often, a percentage of those that will survive. However, my prediction is that damned few of the posters on opp's forum will be survivors, for the evidence of time spent, on this forum, by you'all indicates to me that most are retired old coots with nothing better to do. Which classifies you as being too old to survive. Tuff luck!

Voice of Reason Loc: Earth

I agree about the age factor, and it's even worse than you stated. Seniors are the most likely to need daily meds to stay alive and those would become unavailable quickly.

Of course this would affect everybody who needs regular meds, not just seniors. Anybody needing insulin, for instance, would be history.

Richard Rowland

Absolutely. Points well taken. And ,even, if, one didn't have a medical need regarding a life saving situation, think of the situations where medication,just, makes life more tolerable. I have issues with a couple of medical conditions that, if medication wasn't available life would be pretty miserable. And, yes, unfortunately, I classify for the, tuff luck, non survivors group.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

In the scenario being painted a cut could eventually k**l you.

Voice of Reason Loc: Earth

That's true. I personally don't see much reason to worry much about it though. It could happen, but it's much more likely you'll get k**led in a car accident or even by lightning.

However, I would recommend the book just as a way to appreciate everything that current technology provides for us thanks to capitalism.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

Doesn't that make you Barney Fife?

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Nope. Barney only had one bullet.