Prepping

Here's an article I just came across on preparing for the impending mutant zombie houlacost.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/21/us-usa-civilization-collapse-idUSTRE80K0LA20120121

I've looked into prepping from time to time, but haven't really actively gotten into it. I did pick a house that I think would be a fair "bug in" spot when I moved to NC, I'm planning a garden for next year, and have gotten into canning recently...but I didn't exactly have "prepping" in mind for those...at least not consciously.

So has anyone here thought of this? Is anyone actively doing it? If so, what are you doing, and where's a good place to start?

It's not quite the projects, and I never fear for my safety, but I live in a 3rd floor apartment in a building full of a not-so-affluent sort of folk. A zombie infection will spread fast around me, and I only shop for a week's worth of food at a time. What I am sitting on is an SKS and a small cache of ammo. So I'll run out of food quickly, have to venture out for supplies armed only with what isn't the greatest close-quarters weapon, and will likely have to mow down the zombified remains of every single neighbor I have on the way out the door.

Hopefully it's not the sort of zombie outbreak that affects animals, because my apartment complex accepts pets. Mostly small yippers like mine, but I've seen a big fucking Great Dane dragging a 100lb woman around the next building over.

I was mostly being allegorical with the "Zombie Invasion"

Don't sell that SKS too short. They get a horrible rap, but overall I think they're damn good rifles in situations where the rubber meets the road. I wouldn't feel the least bit "under dressed" with one in a SHTF situation. Matter of fact, I'd love to get me a Para as a beater/truck gun.

I read Lights Out. One thing I learned from that book is that Halfast (sp?) really likes his biscuits and gravy.

A lot of people around here have been doing the rain barrel thing. I'll have to look into that.

Oh, I'm not worried about it being unreliable or ineffective. Worst it's ever done to me is jam up a little trying to feed it with stripper clips. Its faults in this context would be that it's a little cumbersome for close quarters, and overpenetration is a concern in an apartment.

Is it a Yugoslavian? Yeah, all that extra grenade launcher hardware makes them a little more clumsy. But close quarters is what the bayonette's for.

I believe it's from the Chinese military surplus that was flooding the market in the early 90's. No grenade launcher, but it does have the trangular-shaped pig sticker bayonette. I've got a 30-round magazine for it, too, but it's less reliable than the 10-rounder it came with.

I should really get that thing out for a plinking session...

Last summer while my mother was visiting, I actually watched some network television. There were actual, real commercials from some government-sounding agency with a PSA suggesting everyone "be prepared".

Also got a postcard in the mail from the international, billion-dollar corporation I work for suggesting I do the same.

So ..., I can't really see how "preppers" are the ones being called nutcases.

As for me, I'd like to. But, I live in an apartment. If I could trust everyone in the building, it's a great post-apocalyptic building - structurally and ... space-flow. Plus, a basement garage. If it could be connected underground to the other buildings, and you could be sure of trusting the other occupants of the other buildings, it would be a great post-apocalyptic compound.

I've also been thinking about maybe going to the range and doing some target shooting. Don't know if I'd actually buy a gun, tho. Can you rent guns at a range? like ... shoes at the bowling alley?

Pretty much every one I've ever been to will rent you a gun.

Cool. Now, I need to find a range. Sould be easy since I'm living in Wisconsin, now ... there oughta be a range on every corner, right?

And why didn't you think the prepping series would be any good?

Boy that brings back memories.

Like others, I'm not prepping per se, but when you combine cheap ass, environmentalist, and country boy and put him in a city, you're basically going to get a prepper.

We've started off small, a few veggies and herbs in big pots, looking to move to some troughs when we get a place in Seattle. Anne's learned how to can and homebrew while I was deployed. I like to buy guns and ammo. Also thanks to growing up on the GC I've also sat through a hurricane or two (and it's aftermath) so I've got a couple weeks worth of food, a generator and some fuel. We were going to do a rain barrel when we thought we were going to stay here, but in the mean time I've just got about 30 gallons in jugs. Not enough for a long term, but a good basis. Shit takes up a lot of room. Gonna probably go for a rain barrel out in Seattle.

I definately want to get a generator, but The Warden has an aversion to spending that kind of money on something we might ever use. However I've been working on a plan. Our house has a really nice propane gas fireplace. One that hooks up to a tank outside. Well, we don't have a tank, and I've been pestering her about getting a $140, 100 pound tank and we'll have fire for the very nice fireplace. She's been balking, and I've been praying for a quick winter power outage to gain me some leverage.

"Gee Sweetie, an nice warm FIRE would be nice right about now wouldn't it?"

No luck on the power outage...yet...however we did spend last weekend in a cabin up in Gatlinburg with exactly the same setup...and she couldn't get enough of it. So maybe a little more pestering will do it.

Once I've got the 100 pounds of propane, I start pestering her about a propane powered generator.

"Well Honey, we've already got the propane tank....and hey look, they've got them on sale at Northern Tool...."

Been prepping for the last few years. Details are classified but probably not all that hard to imagine: nothing radical, just the means to survive civil unrest, bank holidays, and store shutdowns for approximately 3 months.

My philosophy is that after 3 months of needing those kinds of supplies, the situation would have changed radically enough that looking farther ahead would be a little pointless.

The thought that so many of my neighbors are 'prepped' and wouldn't be in dire straits in an emergency is encouraging. The Mormons are also excellent sources of info on prepping, and even have some prep-style supply stores that anyone can shop at.

Stop saying "prepping"!

It's making me think of high school dumb fucks in letter jackets.

We've got some earthquake supplies. A pretty big kit in our condo, along with extra food, water, medicine and first aid stuff. Plus we have earthquake bags, extra shoes and blankets in our cars. We'd be okay for a week or so. Plus we're a close walk to family and various friends, so that helps.

I'm a prepper. He's a prepper. She's a prepper.

Wouldn't you like to be a prepper, too?

I'm starting to prep. For the Zombie invasion.

No but seriously. Starting to get into canning. Already got a garden (wife's little hobby). Got guns and ammo of course. Been looking at rain barrels.

Been looking at emergency supplies of food. Damn shit is expensive. Hence the canning plans.

Hell everything is expensive it seems. Can only buy a little at a time.

Of course I've got the survival books and the Zombie books. A lot of Zombie books. I bet you all couldn't have figured that out if I didn't tell you.

I'm slowly learning the skills needed to survive a SHTF scenario. Wish I could get some chickens. Going to try aquaponics this year.

Really at worst I expect the inflation monster to finally rip the lid off of the fantasy world this country lives in and to watch as the supermarket shelves empty for weeks at a time like in Zimbabwe. Again the point of stocking food and gardening.

I don't live in an area that would make my house worth turning into a fortress. I mean I could defend it and it's kinda hidden from the streets but most likely I'd have to bolt in a real bad situation.

The Mormon thing is cool and there is a center near me but you have to know someone to get in. I'm still looking into it.

Also I found this little document written up by a bunch of them that has some good info IMHO....

http://www.abysmal.com/LDS/Preparedness/Preparedness.pdf

So I'm planning on economic disaster with riots and food hardships and/or pandemic which I still think could happen.

What kind of canning are you doing? So far, I've only been doing hot water bath canning with high acidity stuff, but I've been looking at pressure canners. I've got my eye on this one.

Too hot for tomatos?

Nothing yet. Still focusing on house renovation. A garden would be nice. Chickens. Rabbits. As long as I can trigger The Dog's herding/guarding instincts so she doesn't just gleefully murder them all.

A couple of the less sexy renovation issues involve the dirt-floored crawlspace under the house. I need some fill for a couple spots in the yard, the crawlspace is pretty narrow, and a nice Gate Room bunker/Silence of the Lambs oubliette could come in handy some time.

None. I've just been reading up on it and will be buying the beginning stuff next week thanks to the wonderful world of a new Wal-Mart by my house.

I'm going to start with pickles and other high acid stuff and then work my way to the pressure cookers.