So, no one is really interested in surviving in various...

[DR2]

Buddy, if you want to tell me that my government is involved in multiple conspiracies, including war profiteering, I know. But if you want to tell me there is some type of media cabal that is against Colloidal Silver, it just doesn't wash my friend. That guy is only one of quite a few that has turned himself into Papa Smurf drinking that for the "health benefits."

I gave you the out on it. There ARE silver products which are literally awe-inspiring. This isn't one of them. It's just like raw honey. It's almost magical in its curative properties but doesn't replace what we have invented in most cases. It is a fact, a medical fact right now, that MRSA has been treated with raw honey and it is working. Some raw honey. What's old is new again. Perhaps one day there will be more research into Colloidal Silver and what real benefit can be had from it but you point your accusatory finger at the media being in the pocket of the pharmaceutical industry, and it is to a degree, but fail to grasp that there are people peddling the other stuff as a cure-all and they are making their living on a much smaller level. But they are still making their living at it.

[escher7]

I am 64 and by the time the shit hits the fan I'll be dead anyway. As for the idea of heading for the hills and surviving by eating squirrels and spending the winter under a tarp - I'll pass.

[xeo]

I drink 9:1 ratio water to ACV (Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar) every day. Tastes like shit but makes me feel great... could be a placebo effect but there are far too many stories that this stuff cures all kinds of problems. As far as colloidal silver goes... wouldn't touch it.

[DR2]

XEO,

So, you just mix a pitcher up and drink that off and on all day or just take one dose in the morning?

I think what you are talking about with that falls more into the category of eating probiotic yogurt, etc. Safe.

[GWiens2001]

Yes, but that ACV is supposed to help with lock picking. Your guess is as good as mine if it works.

Gordon

[rai]

Hey escher, I was born in 48 too. 65 in december.

I live in minnesota, survival is daily life, the back pack that I drag the laptop to the cafe with also contains a sock hat, gloves, and a waterproof windbreaker with a hood.

I would probably have those things if I moved to texas. but Im not moving.

A sleeping bag and some kind of freeze dried food in the trunk of a car just makes sense and some other light camping gear.

survival is always situational, if your robertredfurd running around beirut in 1976, its about making it across town back to the stronghold of the faction that you bought out. (some movie I saw) that would be done with communications transport intel on the next checkpoint and money or gold to bribe your way through. you do need a dependable safe destination.

Chechnya in what, 1994, that would be different, you would want to have some value to one or the other faction as somthing other than a soldier. Soldiers get used up. If a civil war breaks out, let them fight for a couple years,don't get involved, the macho brave and stupid will get killed early on. three years in the corrupt and exploitative will own it and make money on it. You have to connect with one or another faction that has a chance of lasting until the peace talks break out.

If your in mexico as it is today (borderlandbeat.com) your screwed, get out. the bad guys are bad and the police are in it with them, the army will shoot everybody, and the ATF will sell them the guns.

If your in a cyber punk dystopia, read some early william gibson stuff, the later stuff is all crap.

[gnarus8429]

The reality of surviving long term solo for an extended period of time in the woods is mostly an unrealistic possibility. Most of us will have to survive some sort of temporary disruption of our normal way of life. It could be a tornado, earthquake, your car being broke down in the middle of no where, or being trapped in a airport for a few days. Whatever it maybe I think that those are the most likely things to prepare to survive. There are all kinds of tools that would be great to have and I have an EDC bag with some of my favorites. The most valuable thing though is mindset. I think that being a creative problem solver is the number one thing in any survival situation. I think that that is an attribute that most folks here have.

As far as gear in these urban situations:

-Your favorite multitool
-Flashlight (Not a million lumens we aren't landing a plane with it)
-A bit of food (powdered energy drink, nuts, hard candy protein bars)
-A way to carry / purify water (stainless steel water bottle gives you both)
-Basic first aid stuff (think blow out kit not bandaids)
-Bic lighter
-Bit of duct tape (for damn near everything)
-Heavy duty plastic zip loc bag (water proof your stuff)
-One large industrial plastic bag (shelter / poncho)
-A durable bag to carry this stuff around
-A set of picks (gets you more stuff in an emergency)


And finally my new most favorite EDC item a buff! Had no idea what this was until recently: http://women.duluthtrading.com/store/product/head-buff-womens-merino-wool-buff-21547.aspx
This is the most useful bit of of clothing in my bag and it takes up zero space. Check out the diagram at the bottom of the page to see how it can be used.

Most importantly: KEEP IT LIGHT, KEEP IT WITH YOU.

[rai]

more survival advice, its all situational and the situation changes over time

1946 berlin, you need cigarettes and nylon stockings, all markets are black, you can can sell national socialist party emblems to the occupiers, sex and relations with the haves helps the havenots
the more corrupt you are prepared to be, the better off you will be, and there are a lot of corrupt like you so watch out.

Future currency collapse, anarchy, if you live in a city, don't escape to the country, there are people already there and they will bury you if you come. they are well armed or know a militia that is. Travel through country if you happen to have a destination might best be done by water at night, rivers were the first highways, but of course if river travel becomes common, so will river pirates. binh xuyen or whatever those castle on the rhine guys were called.

your three day or three week food supply will run out. cities will need a lot of food, capture a wharehouse full of it early on and become a warlord with lots of gunmen to do your bidding. There will be no food comeing in.
Somalia 1994
your survival knife will be handy in the woods or tundra but remember, when the cameras off, beargrylls sleeps in a motel and eats real food.
long term, a knife is a basic mature technology, that helped our ancestors bootstrap themselves out of the trees. Good to have, but metal is a lot more common on the ground now than it ever was then.
its all about politics and faction and the good guys will lose to the really scary guys in the short run, but the old warlord will be eaten by the young.

[xeo]

XEO,

So, you just mix a pitcher up and drink that off and on all day or just take one dose in the morning?

I think what you are talking about with that falls more into the category of eating probiotic yogurt, etc. Safe.

I fill a glass in the morning and slam it all down pretty quickly.

[DR2]

I should probably purchase some of it and start doing it as well. I have done far worse in bars and paid for it out of pocket and paid for it dearly in other ways, too.

[xeo]

Another one of my favorites is 100% raw, real authentic tea tree oil from Australia ( this one in particular http://images.iherb.com/l/TTT-10015-1.jpg ) . Excellent antiseptic/antifungal.

[DR2]

You allergic to honey? Raw honey is so spectacular for the uninitiated. It really tastes a lot better than regular processed honey and has more healing qualities than processed honey. Great stuff!

[xeo]

Raw honey produced by the locals here has cured my seasonal summer allergies. It only took me taking 1-2 spoonfulls a week. Incredible. I've stopped taking the honey about 2 years ago and I'm still cured.

[DR2]

I didn't develop allergies until I was about 33 years old, if I remember correctly. I cannot find raw honey that is native to my area that is really raw. I have greatly diminished my allergies by eating Really Raw BRAND Raw Honey, however.

I remember when I was a kid in the 70s and early 80s and they had the Contact Brand allergy medications, OTC medications, and they would open the capsule and all of the tiny pellets would spill out all over a table and I remember thinking, "What is 'Hay Fever?'" I mean, hay is something I played in when I was a kid! How could it give you a fever. So, it came as a complete shock when I developed allergies as an adult. I'm glad that they are diminished and I don't have to take Claritin and the other, similar medications. I have to take a little bit of Benedryl or Sudafed at times and that's about it. When I developed them about 11 years ago, I was a wreck every Spring and Summer for the first five years or so. Just terribly miserable.

[GringoLocksmith]

You know what's good for allergies? Hookworm.

This radio clip is 14 minutes long, but it's a great story:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-a ... act=3#play