What to Stockpile

[XDM45]

The world is ending on Dec 23rd according to the mayans, Why stockpile anything?

Actually, December 21st, 2012 @ 11:11am UTC (05:11CST), to be exact, if you believe the Mayans. Personally, I don't believe it will end, but if it does, Death is nothing to fear anyway.

Apparently, XDM45 has never met Death before, so he has no idea about fearing Death to begin with. Death is one mean azz biznatch!

(I'm a little freaked out by Death's cousin, Plague; and the other cousin, Starvation. Neither sounds very pleasant!)

I have met Death head-on. 11 yeas ago I was given a 30-35% chance of surviving a rather nasty form of Cancer. Facing Death was quite real for me. I made a conscious choice.

I've also had quite a few other close calls with Death, and I've also witnessed Death because I've been with people who have died. To each their own beliefs and opinions, but I know this to be my truth, Birth and Death are not beginnings and ending, but merely points of transition. I'll admit that dying can sometimes be a real PITA and not-so-nice, but it's just a process we go through. It too is a transition and not to be feared.

[dtapper2]

Southern Comfort and Busch Light...The rest will sort itself out

[BemidjiDweller]

no one is going to have a water filter?

Don't need one if you've got a deep well.

[farmerj]

no one is going to have a water filter?

Don't need one if you've got a deep well.

Keep telling yourself that.

How you going to get that water out if the power is down and you got no 220 to run the pump?

[Heffay]

no one is going to have a water filter?

Don't need one if you've got a deep well.

Keep telling yourself that.

How you going to get that water out if the power is down and you got no 220 to run the pump?

Buckets.

But what if there is a hole in the bucket?

Well, then you fix it.

But what will you fix it with?

(I'll let someone else continue this...)

[goalie]

From what I see around me on a daily basis, the thing most people need to "stock up" on is common sense.

[XDM45]

From what I see around me on a daily basis, the thing most people need to "stock up" on is common sense.

Absolutely.

[Hmac]

Gold

I'd be more inclined to stockpile silver. I'd hate to be in a position where I might have to pay for a loaf of bread with a Kruegerand.

[tt3]

no one is going to have a water filter?

I've got two.

http://www.ready.gov/

[Mn01r6]

no one is going to have a water filter?

I've got two.

http://www.ready.gov/

You guys know you can use a t-shirt to filter and then boil water or use bleach to disinfect in a pinch, right? Print this out and put it with your SHTF gear:

WATER PURIFICATION
1) Clear water is a sign of pure water. Always drain long-standing pipes for 30 seconds to one minute before drinking! (Cheap remote motels?)

2) 1 Gallon water is disinfected by 8-16 drops of regular household bleach (visually about 1/4 of a teaspoon) - double that for cloudy water. Shake and let stand 30 minutes. One teaspoon will disinfect 5 gallons. Immediately after treating, water must initially have a slight smell of chlorine. If it does not - repeat the process.

3) Household bleach is relatively harmless. The smell or waft of chlorine is not bad: it indicates that water is treated and germ free. Once treated and disinfected, the chlorine smell will go away in a few days.

4) Regularly used water from large tanks may be treated once or twice a month with 1 Oz. bleach per 200 gallons or 5 Oz. bleach per 1000 gallons.

5) Long-standing water in tanks will be disinfected w/ 1 pint household bleach per 1000 gallons. (2500 gal tanks are fine with 3 pints.)

6) Bleach effectively kills bacteria and viruses, stops smells and then breaks down. It's effective germ killing alkaline property is completely neutralized very quickly. It does not stay chemically active in tanks for more than a few days. Most germs require sunlight to grow. Store water in the dark.

7) If water is relatively clear: but has a noticeable smell of chlorine: it is drinkable, disinfected, and harmless. Humans need 2 quarts per day.

[farmerj]

Whatcha gonna do when you run out of bleach

[BemidjiDweller]

no one is going to have a water filter?

Don't need one if you've got a deep well.

Keep telling yourself that.

How you going to get that water out if the power is down and you got no 220 to run the pump?

I have manual backup pumps for each well. It would be far from the first time I've been without power.

[Elsie9]

Books, both on how to do stuff (no YouTube) and good old escapist fiction. Hunkering down is boring.

[srtolly]

As I have taught my.kids, knowledge is power. I don't have one of them fancy college degrees but if the "end of the worlds as we know it" should come tomorrow I will be quite content where I am. I have enough materials that I can build what I need including a still to make alcohol to run in whatever needs it. When I moved to where I am we would have power outages that would last several days. We didn't die. I was trying to get rid of a 300 gallon fuel barrel and a wood furnace but had no interest.

The furnace will be reconnected in a few weeks and if the gas barrel is filled and sealed it should be ok for quite a while. I do use the gas for my vehicles and mowers and such.

[Mn01r6]

Whatcha gonna do when you run out of bleach

Whatcha gonna do when you run out of filters? I said boiling OR bleaching. But you will probably ask what I am going to do when I run out of firewood too. That's easy. I will burn the bodies of the looters.