Human Decapitated Chicken Syndrome

In case you thought you could wait until the last minute to grab food and other survival gear, take a moment to consider what I call "Decapitated Chicken Syndrome".

Have you ever seen the lines at grocery and hardware stores go literally to the back of the store? I have.

In fact I've seen it happen several times in one year, and yes in the U.S.

And the things everyone was grabbing was to last them only a week or so, not indefinitely.

What caused all the fuss? A mere hurricane warning. Well, 4 in one year actually, in 2004. Waiting in line for potentially hours isn't the best way to spend time trying to get ready. It also doesn't help when there's things like price gouging, or out of stock shelves. The roads packed. Long lines at every gas station, grocery store, hardware store, etc. People fighting over things. Out of stock items from ice to gas to can food to batteries. Everyone on edge. Trying to get ready if only they didn't have to stand in line for hours on end just to get home at dark.

Everyone scrambling fanatically, like chickens that just had their heads cut off.

Considering it's easy to argue that we're on the brink of collapse, now imagine what how things would be once everyone realized total system collapse were imminent.

Some words of advice: do your best to buy things you know you'll use in big quantities. You'll save money that way if you shop it right. You'll spend less time traveling in waiting in everyday lines and traffic. And besides, the prices of literally everything is constantly climbing upwards, while money in the bank loses value via inflation. If hyper-inflation occurs you'll have REAL money, that is, items of actual value. And you'll have that many less things to worry about getting should there be some natural or economic disaster.

And since I mentioned ice and hurricanes, here's another tip: Don't wait until the last minute and then scramble to grab bags of ice for too much. Instead, several days before its supposed to hit, fill up 'tupperware' containers half full of water and freeze them. Don't fill them to the top otherwise the ice will expand and be near impossible to remove. Odds are the containers will crack anyways. We bought bags for the first hurricane, and then the power didn't go out for long enough to justify the ice. The second time around, I did the ice block trick. It turned out we did need the ice that time, and even after the power was back on the ice blocks lasted over 8 days. Bagged ice melts in 1-3 days.

[edit on 18-5-2010 by IgnoranceIsntBlisss]

Try using paper cartons to make ice blocks. Fill them up about 3/4 of the way and freeze. They will last for a long time. And they are not as odd of shapes as the tupperware blocks.

OMG
yes I remember 2004
NC got hit with 2 of those
in 1 year. I was in both of them.
Thank God my family was prepared
ahead of time as we always keep
emergency supplies on hand for such
an occasion. We also rode out the hurricane
in a 12 X 14 concrete bunker. Pretty comfortable
for 4 people. Also had 55 Gal drum of fresh
water and a whole bath tub full of usable
water for toilets and cleaning dishes. 3 months
supply of fresh batteries and candles and stock
piled enough food for 2 months. We were without
power in the middle of summer for 9 days.

At the time I hated those hurricanes but now
I'm thankful.

They prepared us for a SHTF scenario

Make sure the water you freeze is potable as in you can drink it. No sense in wasting good water when it melts. One gallon containers seem to be a good size. I keep my chest freezer stocked full of them to cut back on wasted airspace needing to be cooled and it makes it easy to load some in the ice chest and go camping. Added bonus is that they don't melt all over your food.

Since we're going the direction of ice, are there any (hopefully convenient) additives that makes water stay frozen longer? This question just came to me. Obviously, alcohol will have it thaw quicker, but is there an inverse? Thanks for your responses

[edit on 19-5-2010 by IgnoranceIsntBlisss]

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


Having the ice in blocks instead of chips, or bagged, or little cubes. A block of ice will stay frozen for a very long time. Also, the paper cartons make great insulators, so that helps.

Everyone should have at least 1 weeks worth of supplies on hand at all times. During Hurricane Season, or the hard winter up North, a month's worth of supplies makes great sense.

"Supplies" include prescriptions, medicines, first aid, potable water, food, candles, blankets, etc.

This isn't SHTF preparation, this is just good common sense. For the SHTF preparation, you have to go much further and deeper and really evaluate your intentions, but having a month of reserve food, water, medicine, batteries, blankets, and candles is really just common sense for any responsible household.

Don't forget that in case of an emergency such as a Hurricane, you can fill your bathtubs with good drinking water that will last well over a week for a typical family.

People in Hurricane Country also know that having a Gas Water Heater and a Gas Grill are also very nice when the power is out. If you can cook and take a shower, the power outtage is really not that bad!

I just gotta say, WTSHTF, I sure will miss toilet paper.

I will have to switch over to US currency then.

Amazing to me is that people know this is going to happen every darn year and they always wait till the last minute to make any attempt to stock up...and then they get all ticked off when what they want is not there..

I tell you, people are some of the dumbest things in existance...

Take this as you will.....I figured it out by accident...and am very glad I know it now....

After one of your blocks or a plain old plstic jug is frozen, leave one...only need one, for this, and everyone should do this!!!!

Lay it on its side with the lid off "in your freezer of course", it is a great "tell" that way if your out, or have not been in your deep freeze for any length of time....by looking at that jug, you can tell if your stuff, has thawed....
and save you the heart ache of an xtremly upset, food poisened, stomach..

ETA ...ty for the catchy title...maybe that will bring more into this forum....star for the title ..

[edit on 2-6-2010 by Doc Holiday]

reply to post by Doc Holiday


Dig

So you mean leave a block inside the freezer in a manner that it will leak o9ut the front door when temps get too low for too long inside there? I never thought of that.

There were a few good times I froze blocks ultimately for no reason, so each time I stacked the door shelves of the freezer door with them. It seemed like having that wall of ice in the door would make for better energy savings. After a few months they evaporate down to almost nothing and look all nappy.

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


It don't need to run out the door, its real easy to see if it has melted, mine was re-froze in the bottom, but the bottle was empty...so I knew it had thawed.

The accident came from overfilling one and putting the lid on it, it busted and layed on its side, later that month I went to get a big bag of fish out, and saw the empty bottle...I knew it had thawed.

But yeah the big xtra ice in your freezer will save power too, mine is packed full of ice, and if I have something I need to freeze I take out just enuf ice for it to fit. My freezer can and will stay good for days without power.

Originally posted by getreadyalready



This isn't SHTF preparation, this is just good common sense. For the SHTF preparation, you have to go much further and deeper and really evaluate your intentions, but having a month of reserve food, water, medicine, batteries, blankets, and candles is really just common sense for any responsible household.

This is why I spend so much time chewing willow bark from the headaches from banging my head into said tree.

People plan for retirement, plan for the weekend, plan for future education, what is so difficult about planning ahead in case something terrible should happen. All you need to do is watch the news for 5 minutes and you will see a situation where just the smallest bit of forsight and prepation could have saved a whole lot of problems down the road. Seriously, a running generator, a cup of warm ramen, listening to the radio is a whole lot better than beating on your neighbor for that last box of rice in your supermarket.

Plan ahead, even if it is just short term stuff, a week, a month. You dont need to go crazy about this, granted some of us do, but its a personal thing. I dont want to rely on handouts should something REALLY bad happen, if you want to, your decision.

About the ice. Keep a pile of sawdust or wood ash handy. Should the power stay off for awhile, bury your ice blocks in it and keep in shady, cool area (basement, under your porch) When you need some to cook with or to drink, chip a piece off, and simply melt and run through a sieve, sand, or water filter.

I did a test a few years ago, put my wood ash on a pile of ice behind a cabin of mine. Come the next fall, I shoveled off the ash, and there was still a good pile of ice, kind of like making your own permafrost.

Also to note, the bag wrapped around the tree leaves does work, albeit not as well as you would hope. The more leaves, the better, and yes, move the bag around from day to day. Make sure that the trees leaves arent poisonus, yes, should be common sense, but that is dying off lately. Another good idea, if you have maple or birch trees is a simple tap. Its sap, not water, but can be used to keep you hydrated. Best time is obviously in the spring, but sap does flow to some extent any growing month.

This must be the opposite of survivalist syndrome. This syndrome is manifests itself by the sufferers to devote large protion of their lives collecting things which might some day be usefull. Basically people who have the wet dream of the total breakdown of society so they can feel justified about being prepared, spending weeks in miserable conditions perparing for when "SHTF" and going around killing anything that moves because they secretly know that once SHTF everyone in the world is out to kill them. They can often be found in the middle of the woods or on internet chat rooms talking down about the government and main stream media calling them "fear mongers trying to keep you scared of going outside " while hypocritically buying any product that is advertised to help them for when "SHTF" because they all know it is not a matter of if but a matter of when.

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


I have seen another thread like this and I was wondering for all, how does anyone know the magnitude of wshtf truthfully. I meen how can anyone scale the potential disasterespecially if is celestial in orgin. I dont knock any of you for preparing and doing what it takes to survive. I even came up with a wagon train style 18 wheeler set up for my love ones consisting of 1 truck full of ammo- 1 full of medicine- 1 for a family to exist within yes every family gets their own 18 wheeler 1 full of water and a structurally sound modified gas tanker modified for pirates who may wanna shoot my gas outta hatred. Now ask me where do I get so many 18 wheelers and supplies, smh/lol. I have set this plan aside for potential disaster but overall I keep faith and pray that if some of us are ment to survive that we do. Depending on if this is the wrath of the Lamb or not for if its the wrath we are all going to be judged no matter what we try to do (ALL DONT FEEL SPECIAL). Plus why would I fear the wrath of my savior????? Again if its not the wrath and its mother nature in replinish mode then I will do what it takes to survive.

Dont worry if you see a 18 wheeler wagon train creeping thru near you and we see you in a bad situation we will pick you up IF YOU WISH because the more hands meens the more fire power aimed @ ignet pirates who deserve dirt for dinner feels me... Remember faith though friends is the best guide and if its the wrath then good luck with your judgments........ETERNIA AWAITS THE

reply to post by zaiger


Well those aren't very nice things to say...

Before you get any louder could you please respond to this since you know so much:
U.S. Total Collapse: Unavoidable...

Much appreciated.

Originally posted by IgnoranceIsntBlisss
reply to post by zaiger

 

Well those aren't very nice things to say...

Before you get any louder could you please respond to this since you know so much:
U.S. Total Collapse: Unavoidable...

Much appreciated.

"
Get any louder? im typing... And where did i say i "know so much"? And why instead of adressing what i said do you just direct me to another thread?

reply to post by zaiger


Ok, so I should have said 'grimier'. I was trying to be 'nice'.

Because you staunchly criticized survivalists as being quacks or something, and criticized the notion of it being rational or justified by the state of the US / world. So if you're right, you have it all figured out and survivalists are nuts and are wasting their time / resources, then you should have no problem actually adding some debate to that thread. If collapse isn't inevitable then you ought to set the record straight so people can relax. That would be a much better way than just criticizing people instead.

Originally posted by zaiger
This must be the opposite of survivalist syndrome. This syndrome is manifests itself by the sufferers to devote large protion of their lives collecting things which might some day be usefull.

There are those types, yes. I know hoarders and lunatics that actually hope that society collapses so they can say "I told you so" and watch as others perish while they eat their spam and beans. Thinking it may give meaning to their otherwise dull lives. Its sad, but its all they have.

Those are the few. I must personally know over 200 people who believe in honest to goodness self sufficency. Call it prepared, survival, whatever you want. But at the end of the day, there are people, like myself, that enjoy the freedom that comes from being able to take care of yourself.

Yes, I exist in the real world. Have a good job, a 401k, lady friend, car, boat, and enjoy going to baseball games and love watching football. I'm the same as everyone else. But I'm not. I grow my own food, harvest my own game, can mend clothing, can use plants for medicine. Sure, if an emergency comes along, great or small, I have the tools, knowledge, and self discipline to come out of it a whole lot better than most. Its not a survivalist syndrome as you mentioned, just a way to enjoy my life, my way and not be beholden to anyone I choose not to.

Before you attack an entire group of good, hardworking people because you believe they all secretly want the end of the world, step back and think about it. Dont we all really want what is best for us and our loved ones? You, me, the guy down the street? We want a good future, good health, to be respected for who we are. Some go at it by canning food, some by betting on Black in Vegas. We dont want bad times to come, neither small or catastrophic, we just want to be sure we can take care of ourselves when the bad times hit.

reply to post by zaiger


It can be fairly simple and sensible Zaiger. In my case, given that we're in the hurricane zone (Caribbean) and power goes out frequently even without a storm, we stock up on the foods and supplies that we USE, and we rotate those stocks. Worst case? We save money by buying in bulk. ooo!

I don't think that most survivalists/preppers WANT a SHTF situation, but it might appear so in the zeal some take with refining and tweaking their systems. Granted, there are probably a few wingnuts that truly want the worst, but I really feel they're a small fraction of the whole. I agree that it's somewhat pointless to acquire goods that are ONLY useful in a SHTF situation; I have a couple of items that are like that -- gas mask, fallout meter, etc., but for the most part, I'm not frittering away money on such things. A long-term water filter and supportive canisters can be a good day-to-day water safety strategy. We use a Berkey.

A note: If you live in a predominantly warm climate, freeze your grain products (flour, pasta, rice, oatmeal, etc.) for 24-hours before packing it away. This kills the grain weevil eggs that are a natural by-product of packaging. Then, put in a ziplock or other sealed container and mark the date purchased. FIFO -- First in, first out.

Where I live, 90% of our supplies come by weekly barge. I'm always amazed when the barge doesn't come for a couple of weeks due to normal rough seas, that some folks here seem fearful of running out of food. I mean...... it ALWAYS happens, why wouldn't you prepare for it? Likewise with hurricanes or other natural disasters -- I never want to be that unhappy person you see on the news, waiting in line with a scared mob to get goods they probably should've already had.

Hard to share something in tough and turbulent times that one doesn't have.

reply to post by salchanra

reply to post by argentus


Then i probably was not talking about you guys then huh?