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Some of you have a carry's a month's supply of calories right on your person, securely stowed under the skin!

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This. How many of you ever watched 'I shouldn't be alive' series on whatever channel.

Average time line is 1-3 weeks for these people that are left for dead in whatever situation they happen to be in. (a couple are a month or more, with one that was like 70 days in a life raft)
Basically, if they can get water, they can survive, assuming no bad injuries.

Hell look at castaway, he probably didn't start getting fish until several weeks in, just getting calories from coconut juice.

[This message has been edited by 62strat (edited 3/14/2011 10:39a).]

I hadn't eve noticed how civil it's been over there.
My guess is those people would fall on their swords before going crazy rioting.

...but, hunger does funny things to people.

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Hell look at castaway, he probably didn't start getting fish until several weeks in, just getting calories from coconut juice.

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Some of these SHTF fan threads are funny enough as it is. But now we're using fictional movies as frames of reference? Classic.

Let's not forget that the Japanese got pretty creative for meat in some areas during WWII.

This suggestion on meat during a SHTF thread went over so well a few months ago. There's lot of potential meat walking around if folks were truly desperate

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Some of these SHTF fan threads are funny enough as it is. But now we're using fictional movies as frames of reference? Classic.

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I first used a nonfictional survival series as an example numbnuts.

And FYI, the Cast away screenwriter consulted with survival experts, and he himself chose to live alone in a deserted place to force himself to search for water and food, and obtain his own shelter.. fate had it that a volleyball washed up ashore during this screenwriters little experiment.. point being, they didn't pull the timeline of things in that movie out of their ass.. it's likely very realistic.


[This message has been edited by 62strat (edited 3/14/2011 10:40a).]

A little touchy are we, strat? Step back from the ledge dude. If you can't see the humor in what you posted then you're taking this stuff WAY too seriously.

**EDITED FOR FAT FINGERS**

[This message has been edited by Dough (edited 3/14/2011 10:57a).]

I'm kind of doubtful about using Castaway to draw any lessons...

But I have read up somewhat on the kid who was featured in "Into the Wild". I didn't read JK's book (because I think the author is in general, a lying self-aggrandizing d-bag) or see Penn's movie....but anyway the point is that you can eat everyday, but because you are expending more calories than you are taking in, you can still starve to death.

Btw, there are commercial nuclear reactors close to both Dallas and Houston. Glen Rose and Bay City.

http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/

Isnt that the kid that ate poisonous berries and died?

Bay city is~100 miles from Houston

"I chose to not live my life in fear of such things."

Thats pretty much the ****ing point of being prepared - so you don't have to worry. Of course, you can just sit on your a$$, do nothing and then cry like a New Orleans resident for the gubmint to come rescue you.

New Orleans is a completely different animal. First, the large majority of the population is pretty much worthless and irresponsible. Second, the city is under sea level. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, etc have very little to worry about. Keep a couple extra bottles of water and whatever is in your pantry will probably get you through any "problems" that might occur over our lifetime. 3 months of stored food is craziness. If you live on the coast, then it is inevitable that a hurricane will wipe your house out. It's just a matter of when. Of course you knew that when you bought your house.

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Btw, there are commercial nuclear reactors close to both Dallas and Houston. Glen Rose and Bay City.

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Any active fault lines near those power plants? Other issues to be concerned with?

Texas is relatively low risk.



Terrorist attack might be more likely than seismic event in Texas causing failure.

You do have the New Madrid Fault Line that could be the source of trouble in this region.

From wikipedia:

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In a report filed in November 2008, The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that a serious earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone could result in "the highest economic losses due to a natural disaster in the United States," further predicting "widespread and catastrophic" damage across Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and particularly Tennessee, where a 7.7 magnitude quake or greater would cause damage to tens of thousands of structures affecting water distribution, transportation systems, and other vital infrastructure.[21] The earthquake is expected to also result in many thousands of fatalities, with more than 4,000 of the fatalities expected in Memphis alone.
According to some scientists, however, that is nothing compared to what an 8.0 earthquake could do to the New Madrid Region. An earthquake of that size on the New Madrid Fault would destroy 60 percent of Memphis, killing tens of thousands and causing over $50 billion dollars in property damage in the city alone [22].

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I know my post is straying away from where the thread is going, but back to the OP.

My friend is in Tokyo right now (his was in flight when the major earthquake happened) and he emailed me yesterday morning. He mentioned going out to eat and at no point in his email did he seem fearful of running out of food. He said Tokyo really didn't have much damage at all, and other than having to land the plane at an air force base, his trip is going just as planned.

Well that's good to hear.

Life in Southern Japan, as I understand it, is pretty normal.

From family friend who lives North of Tokyo, there is concern about the fallout issue.

Shifty, he did also mention people are definitely worried about the 2 nuclear plants that are having problems, but like you said the plants are pretty far away from Tokyo.

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people living in the big cities cannot get out, because there are no traffic lights

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Keep in mind that with near total gridlock, vehicles are going to be running out of fuel, many while sitting in the street and will then have to be moved for other vehicles to get through.

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New Orleans is a completely different animal. First, the large majority of the population is pretty much worthless and irresponsible. Second, the city is under sea level. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, etc have very little to worry about. Keep a couple extra bottles of water and whatever is in your pantry will probably get you through any "problems" that might occur over our lifetime. 3 months of stored food is craziness. If you live on the coast, then it is inevitable that a hurricane will wipe your house out. It's just a matter of when. Of course you knew that when you bought your house.

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Not arguing with your first point.

Your second point, however, is somewhat flawed. Only about 10%-20% (maybe) of NO is actually below sea level. The media is really good and letting incorrect information become very pervasive through piss poor reporting.

And evidently you've never seen Houston when a heavy storm sits on top of it for a while. Houston floods, and it generally takes a long time for many areas to see that water recede to a level that promotes inflow and outflow of traffice. Definitely not below sea level bad, but it's not like it runs off in a day.

Make no mistake about it - if Katrina's sister decides to run right up 45, Houston will be in a world of crap.

I'm not a SHTF type of person personally, but to laugh at somebody that keeps a week or two weeks worth of provisions on hand is mornonic. If a bad hurricane hits the coast around the Houston area, trust me - your porn collection will be pretty much worthless.

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Bay city is~100 miles from Houston

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The STP plant also provides power that ends up in Houston. For a while it provided power that ended up in SA, if my memory is correct as well.

And in the highly unlikely event that something were to happen at the reactor at STP, you can bet that the effects would reach Houston in one form or another.

You mean like ike in 2008? Yeah Houston is still recovering from that......

Sassapis, starvation is a month of deterioration ending in you being so weak that you die, concentration-camp style. Heaven forbid that you actually have to do something physical to survive (like move locations).

Why go through that if you don't have to?

Anyway, it seems like everyone knows what is right for themselves, and no one's mind can be changed.

My old lady must be related to half of you turkeys. Our pantry and freezers were so damn full, I couldn't take it.

I finally offered her 200 bucks free spending money if she could go three weeks without buying groceries. After a week and a half, I think we can probably make it 5 or 6 weeks.

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And evidently you've never seen Houston when a heavy storm sits on top of it for a while.

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I lived in Houston for 18 years. Almost all my family on both sides are spread out over the Houston area. I'm pretty sure I have seen it flood before. The drainage system sucks. But it is still much better than the New Orleans situation.

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I'm not a SHTF type of person personally, but to laugh at somebody that keeps a week or two weeks worth of provisions on hand is mornonic.

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Read the original post. It says 3 months worth of food and water. Everybody on this board can probably survive 1 - 2 weeks off of what is in their pantry. Probably even 3 - 4 weeks.

[This message has been edited by txaggie02 (edited 3/14/2011 5:05p).]

Note: I did not say 3 months worth of water on hand. It is smart to have a non-fuel based water purification method.

This is kind of like gun ownership. If some of you said that owning a gun was dumb, even after I told you why I thought it was wise, I wouldn't cry myself to sleep wishing you owned guns.

It's the same with emergency preparedness. No one is going to cry about your family, especially when you have explicitly chosen not to make any preparations. You pays your money, you makes your bets.

I was no great Boy Scout but I do believe in their motto ... Be Prepared.

http://www.ready.gov/
This a not a bad site, especially for the Feds.
It actually concerns me just a little that our Govt put this site out there in the last few years. But I also appreciate their effort ... for once.

Everyone should keep 3+ days worth of supplies to take care of themselves in case of a disaster. Your choice how far to go after that.

SHTF - has a different definition to everyone.
The Korean shopkeepers in the Rodney King riots were in a SHTF situation, although very local in nature. The Government does not have to completely fall to enter a shelter in place situation.

i.e. Area floods, Hurricane, Area Tornado, Local power outage, Total Popsicle outdoors can even happen in Texas, Rolling blackouts - these things all happen and will continue happening.
Better to have some things on hand then to have to endanger yourself driving through a hurricane to get food.

Common Sense Preparedness would probably be better term than SHTF ... until the $#!+ really hits the fan.

My wife tells me that there is a reported shortage of available potassium iodide in the US, except for ebay, where blister packs are selling for $300.

This article, linked off of drudge, says Tokyo grocery store shelves are bare.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3026457

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Some of you have a carry's a month's supply of calories right on your person, securely stowed under the skin!

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Consider me in this group. I've probably got more than a month's worth though.

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My wife tells me that there is a reported shortage of available potassium iodide in the US, except for ebay, where blister packs are selling for $300.

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And some idiots are taking it, which is scarier.

If you bought some, don't take it until you're told and unless radioactive iodine is present, because the potassium iodine won't do anything if you're dealing with another isotope and could harm you.

Radioactive Iodine has a half-life of only 8.2 days I think. (It could be 7.5... can't remember, can't be bothered to look it up.) The only thing that's been released so far according to the Japanese authorities is Nitrogen-16, which has a half-life of about 7 minutes.

There are some people who are making a KILLING, I bet. Remember: Stupidity is not only expensive, but could even kill!

A Japanese-American on my facebook just wrote that her family in Japan requested that she mail them food (instant noodles).

Infrastructure intact enough to receive mail, but no food available.