End of days in 2012?

[Explorer]

http://www.space.com/12564-days-2012-na ... ntist.html

[Bart]

But Nico, The cause will come through an alternate universe and will materialize in mystical clouds, just before slamming into earth.

But the next video was interesting: http://www.space.com/12578-evidence-space-created-dna.html

[Al Hakim]

The short videos show no evidence for the end of the world according to the Maya calender, just the opposite. So, why - gents- are you gossiping about obvious nonsense?
Al Hakim

[Aitrus]

I always understood that each and every day is The End Of The World As We Know It. Every day something changes to make our world different. The End of Days can be interpreted in many ways, can even mean that it's happened multiple times in the past. The coming of Westerners to the Americas, two minutes to zero and the Cuban missile crisis, the Black Plague and more can all be interpreted as an End of Days.

The end of the Mayan Long Calendar is just that - their equivelant of December 31st. Time to buy a new calendar and start the cycle over again.

[Explorer]

The short videos show no evidence for the end of the world according to the Maya calender, just the opposite. So, why - gents- are you gossiping about obvious nonsense?
Al Hakim

Exactly Hakim, because that is what the 2012 hype is, nonsense.
I just thought that it might be good to provide some sanity about that here.

[DJ Droood]

I just bought a food dehydrator...I am preparing my stash....I will be laughing at you as I stuff dried tomatoes and apples into my mouth.

[Aitrus]

Agreed DJ. We shouldn't need the possibility of an "End of Days" as a motivator to be prepared. That's something we should do as a part of our daily lives. Whether the disaster be man-made or natural, being prepared takes stress off the response system and supply lines and sets us up to survive the crisis better than our neighbors.

[DJ Droood]

Agreed DJ. We shouldn't need the possibility of an "End of Days" as a motivator to be prepared. That's something we should do as a part of our daily lives. Whether the disaster be man-made or natural, being prepared takes stress off the response system and supply lines and sets us up to survive the crisis better than our neighbors.

At a bare-minimum, we should be ready for 72 hours...one of the best ways to help the community in times of disaster is to *not* need to be immediately fed/watered/housed and to allow emergency responders to focus their efforts on the truly needy. Here is the Red Cross guide (Canadian version...just add cigarettes and Twinkies to Americanize it....I kid! ) http://www.redcross.ca/cmslib/general/e ... uide_e.pdf

Also, aside from having terrific genealogical resources, the Mormons have a very proactive attitude about emergency management, and free resources...they suggest 3 months of food/water and other supplies....http://ldsemergencypreparedness.wordpress.com/

[Aitrus]

Very good resources. I always try to have a 6-9 month supply of food on hand, and have perpetual water and power. It's not hoarding, it's preparing. Hoarding is what the masses do when they rush the stores during the 11th hour. I've got 72-hour bags (extendable to 3 months with hunting and foraging) ready in my car, office, and front hallway closet in case I need to evacuate.

Basic advice I always give for 72-hour kits:
- Take a look at what you absolutely need and have 3 ways to meet each need, and it must all be able to be carried for at least 10 miles on your back.
- Basics are: Shelter, fire, water, food, means of navigation, signaling for help (in that order). Sunglasses and suntan lotion are luxuries that make life easier, but don't belong in a kit. Remember, the more you carry, the slower you are, and small luxuries add up quickly. Speed, mobility and flexibility are essential.
- Medications, extra glasses, some form of currency (paper money won't be worth spit in some situations), some way to access locked (but abandoned) supplies, and some way to keep your stuff yours (self defense) are all things that need to be addressed.
- Not all needs have to have a piece of equipment in order to be met.
- Don't just buy an off-the-shelf "Survival Kit" and expect to be done. Survival kits are highly individualized. I'm great at firecraft, not so great at medical fieldcraft (but getting better)
- Good rule of thumb: The more survival knowledge and experience you have, the less equipment you need in order to survive. The less you know, the more equipment you need.
- Try to include items that have multiple uses, are durable and rugged.
- Anything with batteries needs to have at least one non-electronic backup. Electronic gear will fail when you need it most.
- The second most important thing is the ability to improvise and adapt to situations.
- The most important thing is to maintain the "Will to Survive".

*huff, puff* Ok, gotta turn off the survival instructor part of myself now. Once I get rolling, I can really build a head of steam. I'm all ears for answering questions if anybody has them, but be warned, it's a topic I hold near and dear to my heart.

[DJ Droood]

I would also like to add "Eat what you store and store what you eat"...your emergency supplies should be fresh and rotating....6 months of canned kidney beans will be pretty depressing if you don't like kidney beans! But if you like and use a lot of, say, black beans, you can use a can then replace it the next time you go shopping and your supplies won't expire on the shelf.

[Aitrus]

Very true. Honey never goes bad, rice and beans last for long periods if kept dry and air-tight. Keep seeds for planting if needed. A good method for building up your store is something called "Copy Canning". Let's say that I like Spam (and it just so happens that I do). I eat my one can of Spam. When I go to the store, I buy two cans. I get hungry for Spam again, and eat one of the cans. I go to the store and buy two more cans. Now I have 3. I eat another can, and I buy 2 more. I now have 4. I rotate my stock and keep the newest dates in the back, oldest in the front, and eat oldest to newest. It's a simple system, and you use what you have on hand to guide your food stock purchases, it doesn't waste food, and it doesn't break the bank in one massive trip to the Sam's Club or Costco.

The hardest things to store are fresh produce (unless you grow it yourself) and bread. If you have a hand mill you can trade or buy whole grain and grind it yourself. Long term, you'll need something to trade for the things you don't have stored yourself. Gold, silver, coffee, alcohol, spices, tobacco (in sealed, roll-your-own tins), oil (both cooking and motor), vinegar, gas, extra tools and knives, and ammunition all make great trade items that store well for long periods.

[mark the compost elf]

Or long term, you need to be prepared to kill and eat someone, or take their provisions i suppose Happy thoughts for happy times. - the moral - always pack a billhook (more useful than a machete) and a crowbar to break in to other peoples safe places in order to survive , also make a good u0phill walking stick

If the apocalypse is coming, then we might not be able to get out of the house, let alone breathe. preparation can only go so far - acceptance can go further?

sorry, just felt the need to be sensationalist

[DJ Droood]

Or long term, you need to be prepared to kill and eat someone

Well, as a veg, I am already miles ahead of those of you who are addicted to meat...I figure those who have been trained to see bacon as an essential condiment for any manly meal will be the first to go...but to address your point, I plan to be as unappetizing as possible in the Beginning Times...old, gnarly, hairy, smelly...there is bound to be someone tastier than me on the menu.

[Dendrias]

Well, as a veg, I am already miles ahead of those of you who are addicted to meat...I figure those who have been trained to see bacon as an essential condiment for any manly meal will be the first to go

I'm not quite sure about that. When you're open to eat any creature, people concentrating on plants might be in a disadvantage. A dog might be a nutritious meal, when fruit are not available in let's say winter. In case You're out of dried tomatoes, that is.

[DJ Droood]

Well, as a veg, I am already miles ahead of those of you who are addicted to meat...I figure those who have been trained to see bacon as an essential condiment for any manly meal will be the first to go

I'm not quite sure about that. When you're open to eat any creature, people concentrating on plants might be in a disadvantage. A dog might be a nutritious meal, when fruit are not available in let's say winter. In case You're out of dried tomatoes, that is.

I plan to be a "flexitarian", but Spot and Fluffy will disappear fast...I will try to stay out of the woods until all the gun enthusiasts shoot all the squirels and then each other...hopefully my tomatoes and tofu jerky will last the six months that will take...after that? Dendria, would you like to come over for dinner? I am having your favourite....and some chianti....

[Explorer]

Dendria, would you like to come over for dinner? I am having your favourite....and some chianti....

Let me guess... liver.

[Aitrus]

Or long term, you need to be prepared to kill and eat someone, or take their provisions i suppose Happy thoughts for happy times. - the moral - always pack a billhook (more useful than a machete) and a crowbar to break in to other peoples safe places in order to survive , also make a good u0phill walking stick

If the apocalypse is coming, then we might not be able to get out of the house, let alone breathe. preparation can only go so far - acceptance can go further?

sorry, just felt the need to be sensationalist

I've run into many people who say that their survival preparations amount to "Find the guy with the biggest backpack that doesn't have a gun, kill him, take his stuff, get rid of whatever I don't need."

I'm the type to view meat as a supplement to whatever I can forage, not vice versa.

[DJ Droood]

I'm the type to view meat as a supplement to whatever I can forage, not vice versa.

...probably how we've always used meat over the eons....a treat for feasting, not a staple....

On a positive note, although chaos makes for better apocalypse movies, I am actually quite hopeful and confident that in times of dire crisis, hardship, shortage and want, people will actually come together, help each other, share and be decent human beings to one another (especially after the initial sense of panic wears off)....I think the selfish, violent and greedy will find it isn't a good survival strategy.

[Aitrus]

I think that it depends on the locale. During Katrina there was tons of looting, shootings, etc. During 9/11, there was lots of selfless assistance. During the Rodney King riots, it was every person for themselves. America's history of Western expansion has examples of towns where lawlessness and ruthlessness ruled, and other examples where the townsfolk banded together and had a peaceful community. And that's just one example. There's many more examples for each throughout world history.

[mark the compost elf]

On a less sentastionalist note - i agree with the general thoughts that being respectful of others and co-operation will make a better survival story.

plus as a vegan, it's a bit tricky to hunt without breaking my values..... i suppose the question of hunting goes out the window if you consider that an apocalypse might not leave any thing else alive to hunt.

How do people imagine the apocalypse - as a kind of ragnarok / a reforming of all that is/ or as a literal end? i get the feeling that most assume that the world will eist in muxch the same form as it is now allowing us to rely on skills and bushcraft etc to survive. thoughts?