The Wanderers
Showing posts with label apocalypse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apocalypse. Show all posts
Monday, May 4, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
Graphic Novel website is live!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Releasing web graphic novel
Sorry for the lack of posts recently - luckily I have a good reason for it. Tomorrow on 4/17/15 we'll be going live with our graphic novel site.
Get excited!
For updates please see our Facebook page - The Wanderers: A Graphic Novel
Get excited!
For updates please see our Facebook page - The Wanderers: A Graphic Novel
Monday, December 22, 2014
Bug Out Scenario #001 - New England - Viral Pandemic - Prologue
[Practice in Paranoia - Truth in Fiction]
Autumn days swept by like dead leaves over quiet sidewalks. Inside old walls, baseboard heating clicked away to counter the dropping temperature. Fiona, our three-year-old Pit bull mix was curled up on the back of the living room couch like a cat. While sitting I leaned back, using her rump as a pillow. A low grumbling of displeasure came from her, so I immediately sat back up to leave her be.
The news was on and it was hard to avoid the repeated failures of the CDC. Containment of the virus seemed futile as cases began to exponentially pop up up all over the U.S. after Black Friday. I shut the TV off in frustration and brought my attention down to my coffee table, which had a disassembled hunting rifle on it. In the corner of the table a mug of tea steeped with curls of steam rising.
I clicked on the radio receiver and turned it to 99.5 Boston Classical. Giovanni Gabrieli's Canzon Duo Decimi Toni filled the room with beauty, although Fiona seemed less impressed with the noise. As I carefully wiped down the rifle's bolt, she stretched out and pushed past me to get off the couch. She shook and clicked across the wood floor to the nearest window. She used the warmed baseboard heating as a step-up in order to look outside. After a moment I leaned forward and noticed that it was the season's first snowfall that had caught her eye. I walked over and stood motionless for a moment to see the snow building up fast and to see her eyes of curiosity meet mine.
I couldn't help but smile at least a little.
(Chapter 1 coming soon...)
-Written by Benjamin Cardoza
Autumn days swept by like dead leaves over quiet sidewalks. Inside old walls, baseboard heating clicked away to counter the dropping temperature. Fiona, our three-year-old Pit bull mix was curled up on the back of the living room couch like a cat. While sitting I leaned back, using her rump as a pillow. A low grumbling of displeasure came from her, so I immediately sat back up to leave her be.
The news was on and it was hard to avoid the repeated failures of the CDC. Containment of the virus seemed futile as cases began to exponentially pop up up all over the U.S. after Black Friday. I shut the TV off in frustration and brought my attention down to my coffee table, which had a disassembled hunting rifle on it. In the corner of the table a mug of tea steeped with curls of steam rising.
I clicked on the radio receiver and turned it to 99.5 Boston Classical. Giovanni Gabrieli's Canzon Duo Decimi Toni filled the room with beauty, although Fiona seemed less impressed with the noise. As I carefully wiped down the rifle's bolt, she stretched out and pushed past me to get off the couch. She shook and clicked across the wood floor to the nearest window. She used the warmed baseboard heating as a step-up in order to look outside. After a moment I leaned forward and noticed that it was the season's first snowfall that had caught her eye. I walked over and stood motionless for a moment to see the snow building up fast and to see her eyes of curiosity meet mine.
I couldn't help but smile at least a little.
 |
| Photo by B. Cardoza (2013) |
-Written by Benjamin Cardoza
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The Art of "Hodgepodge Cooking"
[Shoestring Cooking]
When things aren't looking good outside your home I find that cooking to be almost as important as practicing your marksmanship at the range. In the past I've mentioned the importance of your cooking capability and how it can play a big role in survival for when the grocery store shelves go empty and your bugging in. Not only do the general basics of cooking have high value, but also the ability to mix and match seemingly random food items to make a meal.
A good example of this skill is the competitive cooking show Chopped. Obviously this is more for high-range restaurant quality meals, but it does offer some interesting ideas on how to mix seemingly unrelated foodstuffs into elegant and very edible entrees. I have been mixing and matching foods into small and sometime even large meals for myself for quite a few years now. With a wife with an opposite schedule I often find myself cooking for one rather than two. Preferably I am not going to spend money and gas to go out and get food alone all the time, but rather put something together for myself in the comfort of my own home. Sometimes I'll cook a full meal and leave leftovers for her for when she does get home, but other times I'll just throw something creative together.
I'll pull from random leftovers in the fridge, something neglected in the freezer and maybe something in the pantry that I totally forgot about for a couple months. Your mind has to be able to see the individual parts as a completed whole and go the extra step of understanding what it will taste like altogether. Not everybody has this innate understanding, and even if you do it requires LOTS of consistent practice - much like spending time on the range.
I look at my meals in a way that I know that if I was in a situation where food wasn't readily available I could sustain myself and be relatively healthy with each meal as opposed to just consuming calories for sustenance. You may not always have a box of pasta and a can or bottle of tomato sauce to whip up dinner in a jiffy. There may only be a few things left in your house to eat or the things you have may not at first glance seem to match up into a cohesive meal idea at first.
There exists literature and obviously even televised shows about this subject that are easy for just about anybody to access and learn from and it is surprisingly important skill to have. So I say... go ahead and try it!
Below is one of my examples of "Hodgepodge Cooking":
"Poor Man's Stir Fry"
From the Fridge:
Leftover Bamboo Shoots
Lettuce from salad
Sweet Peppers
Sriracha Sauce
From the Freezer:
Crab Rangoon
From the Pantry:
Canned scallops
Bean thread noodles
When things aren't looking good outside your home I find that cooking to be almost as important as practicing your marksmanship at the range. In the past I've mentioned the importance of your cooking capability and how it can play a big role in survival for when the grocery store shelves go empty and your bugging in. Not only do the general basics of cooking have high value, but also the ability to mix and match seemingly random food items to make a meal.
A good example of this skill is the competitive cooking show Chopped. Obviously this is more for high-range restaurant quality meals, but it does offer some interesting ideas on how to mix seemingly unrelated foodstuffs into elegant and very edible entrees. I have been mixing and matching foods into small and sometime even large meals for myself for quite a few years now. With a wife with an opposite schedule I often find myself cooking for one rather than two. Preferably I am not going to spend money and gas to go out and get food alone all the time, but rather put something together for myself in the comfort of my own home. Sometimes I'll cook a full meal and leave leftovers for her for when she does get home, but other times I'll just throw something creative together.
I'll pull from random leftovers in the fridge, something neglected in the freezer and maybe something in the pantry that I totally forgot about for a couple months. Your mind has to be able to see the individual parts as a completed whole and go the extra step of understanding what it will taste like altogether. Not everybody has this innate understanding, and even if you do it requires LOTS of consistent practice - much like spending time on the range.
I look at my meals in a way that I know that if I was in a situation where food wasn't readily available I could sustain myself and be relatively healthy with each meal as opposed to just consuming calories for sustenance. You may not always have a box of pasta and a can or bottle of tomato sauce to whip up dinner in a jiffy. There may only be a few things left in your house to eat or the things you have may not at first glance seem to match up into a cohesive meal idea at first.
There exists literature and obviously even televised shows about this subject that are easy for just about anybody to access and learn from and it is surprisingly important skill to have. So I say... go ahead and try it!
Below is one of my examples of "Hodgepodge Cooking":
"Poor Man's Stir Fry"
Leftover Bamboo Shoots
Lettuce from salad
Sweet Peppers
Sriracha Sauce
From the Freezer:
Crab Rangoon
From the Pantry:
Canned scallops
Bean thread noodles
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Gas Masks - SGE 400/3
[New Paranoia]
Now that Ebola has skipped the pond to both North America and Europe I feel it is time to get a new and up-to-spec gas mask. With a new one I can retire my more or less novelty ex-Soviet and Czech masks as well. Just ordered an SGE 400/3 NBC gas mask to help ease my mind on the subject. I'll be looking for a decent-priced pack of 40mm filter cartridges as well to pair with it.
Full review to come soon.
*Update 10/27/2014*
Called the vendor to get an update on this mask and it seems that it's now back-ordered 2 months due to the Ebola scare. Sadly I'm not surprised.
Now that Ebola has skipped the pond to both North America and Europe I feel it is time to get a new and up-to-spec gas mask. With a new one I can retire my more or less novelty ex-Soviet and Czech masks as well. Just ordered an SGE 400/3 NBC gas mask to help ease my mind on the subject. I'll be looking for a decent-priced pack of 40mm filter cartridges as well to pair with it.
*Update 10/27/2014*
Called the vendor to get an update on this mask and it seems that it's now back-ordered 2 months due to the Ebola scare. Sadly I'm not surprised.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Ebola Virus in 2014
[Dangers of the Modern World]
Long have I pondered and even conceptualized a post-apocalyptic world - natural disasters, global economic collapses, the ever-popular zombie hordes, but not Ebola.
The Ebola virus is something else entirely. It's incredibly deadly with a 50-90% mortality rate and although it is not an airborne virus much like SARS it is still extremely contagious through food, fluids (even semen) and close contact. Since its discovery in 1976 there have been at least 7-8 major outbreaks, but none as bad as the current 2014 one, which the World Health Organization now estimates at least 20,000 being infected before it can be properly contained due to dense pockets of population, lack of education and knowledge, and poor infrastructure in parts of West Africa.
Looking back at August 1976
In Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) the first recorded victim - village school headmaster Mabalo Lokela was touring an area near the Central African Republic border along the Ebola River (from which the virus is named). On September 8th he died from the disease first thought to be the similar Marburg virus. After the WHO had helped contain the Ebola virus infection there was 318 cases and 280 deaths in Zaire - a mortality rate of 88%.
The 2013/2014 current outbreak is only the second case of the Ebola virus infecting over a country's borders, the first time being in 2001-2002 between Gabon and Republic of Congo, which also marked the first time the virus had been recorded in the current country of the Congo.
Not only is this the worst outbreak of the Ebola (EBOV strain) virus in terms of pure number of cases and deaths, it's also the fastest and widest-spreading outbreak thus far of any of the known strains. It's been reported in four countries in West Africa with an overall mortality rate of 64% with over 3,000 deaths (as of late August 2014). Although the chances of the infection spreading outside of the African continent is somewhat limited it is still a possibility via air or sea transport as the symptoms sometimes don't present themselves until a couple weeks after initial transmission.
Most First World countries do have multiple fail-safes in place to prevent massive epidemics as well as the ability to transmit news and media very quickly (if the government is operating correctly, that is). In the United States the CDC and military have multiple planned scenarios and fail-safes, but still you never know...
Public awareness is of the utmost importance on a local and global scale when events like this take place. In the U.S. especially it's too easy to pass over an internet article or change the channel on TV when news like this comes up. People need to take an active interest as the whole zombie sub-culture has historically shown that a lack of public awareness will inevitably be the end of us all. Quite frankly something like this has already happened due to a long period of little to no public awareness in the U.S. Can you guess what it was? How about a little thing called HIV? By the time HIV\AIDS was properly understood it was basically too late. As of now the death toll is over 30 million and growing.
Like times of specific flu (ex. H1N1) strains being prevalent being extra hygienic is always important. Wash your hands as much as possible, don't share food or drink and generally be careful with close contact with others. As I mentioned earlier the five known strains of Ebola are not airborne, but if someone coughs hard enough they will expel saliva which could contain the virus if they were infected so be weary. Basic rule of thumb would be to take the precautions everyone followed during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, which killed 14,286 people globally and 3,642 in North America alone - one of which was a dear childhood friend of mine.
Be safe and be mindful of your surroundings and be aware of developing news.
Long have I pondered and even conceptualized a post-apocalyptic world - natural disasters, global economic collapses, the ever-popular zombie hordes, but not Ebola.
The Ebola virus is something else entirely. It's incredibly deadly with a 50-90% mortality rate and although it is not an airborne virus much like SARS it is still extremely contagious through food, fluids (even semen) and close contact. Since its discovery in 1976 there have been at least 7-8 major outbreaks, but none as bad as the current 2014 one, which the World Health Organization now estimates at least 20,000 being infected before it can be properly contained due to dense pockets of population, lack of education and knowledge, and poor infrastructure in parts of West Africa.
Looking back at August 1976
In Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) the first recorded victim - village school headmaster Mabalo Lokela was touring an area near the Central African Republic border along the Ebola River (from which the virus is named). On September 8th he died from the disease first thought to be the similar Marburg virus. After the WHO had helped contain the Ebola virus infection there was 318 cases and 280 deaths in Zaire - a mortality rate of 88%.
The 2013/2014 current outbreak is only the second case of the Ebola virus infecting over a country's borders, the first time being in 2001-2002 between Gabon and Republic of Congo, which also marked the first time the virus had been recorded in the current country of the Congo.
 |
| From: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/31/world/africa/ebola-virus-outbreak-qa.html |
Not only is this the worst outbreak of the Ebola (EBOV strain) virus in terms of pure number of cases and deaths, it's also the fastest and widest-spreading outbreak thus far of any of the known strains. It's been reported in four countries in West Africa with an overall mortality rate of 64% with over 3,000 deaths (as of late August 2014). Although the chances of the infection spreading outside of the African continent is somewhat limited it is still a possibility via air or sea transport as the symptoms sometimes don't present themselves until a couple weeks after initial transmission.
Most First World countries do have multiple fail-safes in place to prevent massive epidemics as well as the ability to transmit news and media very quickly (if the government is operating correctly, that is). In the United States the CDC and military have multiple planned scenarios and fail-safes, but still you never know...
Public awareness is of the utmost importance on a local and global scale when events like this take place. In the U.S. especially it's too easy to pass over an internet article or change the channel on TV when news like this comes up. People need to take an active interest as the whole zombie sub-culture has historically shown that a lack of public awareness will inevitably be the end of us all. Quite frankly something like this has already happened due to a long period of little to no public awareness in the U.S. Can you guess what it was? How about a little thing called HIV? By the time HIV\AIDS was properly understood it was basically too late. As of now the death toll is over 30 million and growing.
Like times of specific flu (ex. H1N1) strains being prevalent being extra hygienic is always important. Wash your hands as much as possible, don't share food or drink and generally be careful with close contact with others. As I mentioned earlier the five known strains of Ebola are not airborne, but if someone coughs hard enough they will expel saliva which could contain the virus if they were infected so be weary. Basic rule of thumb would be to take the precautions everyone followed during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic, which killed 14,286 people globally and 3,642 in North America alone - one of which was a dear childhood friend of mine.
Be safe and be mindful of your surroundings and be aware of developing news.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Web Comic - Romantically Apocalyptic
I think someone crawled into my brain and made the perfect web comic series.
Romantically Apocalyptic
Romantically Apocalyptic
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Survivalism in Fiction - Writing My Own Apocalypse
For as long as I've been writing (spanning back before high school) I've pondered scribbling down ideas about the end of the world and the few survivors left and their inevitable struggle.
Of course now with T.V. shows like Doomsday Preppers, Falling Skies, and The Walking Dead, and films like The Book of Eli and The Road center stage it's certainly a concept much more accessible to the masses.
In college when my writing began to really take form I found that even there I couldn't quite spread my wings and flap on the subject. Not that it was inappropriate, but it just wasn't the right time. I dabbled in some ideas in college though and as my writing (and knowledge) matured over time I found that I could put together stronger and more realistic stories on page.
Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road I feel is still one of the most striking and realistic depictions of the end-all-be-all end of the world story. At the other end of the spectrum in the same genre I read Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collaspe by James Wesley Rawles, which is certainly a much different take on that end of the civilized world. As an actual composed and collected story Cormac McCarthy's wins by a mile, but Rawles does have a lot of interesting technical and logistical information that's incredibly fascinating. I found myself less interested in the characters in their journey for survival, but more so in the equipment they utilized or the tactics they used to defend themselves. While reading I thought to myself "hey that's a pretty good idea on how to secure that door," or "that's a pretty efficient way to store ammunition."
I think finding a middle ground between stories like these is where I'd like to go - whether it'd be a novella, full-length novel or even a screenplay for film or television. To be honest I have been brewing a TV pilot since 2009, but I would like to maybe try my hand at the survivalist angle. I just wish my motivation and skill was more present earlier on because now it isn't a fresh subject anymore. It's a familiar idea in a sea of stories just like it. I know it hasn't been "new" in a LONG time (i.e. Mad Max. 1979), but now it's a pop culture statement.
At this point I think I'd just like to be able to say: "Yes, I did write that and yes I was inspired by X, Y and Z and I'm happy I was able to do it," and have people say I sure remembered him and his work back then. To be acknowledged for bringing at least a new or improved opinion to the table of survival that the world can digest and nod their heads to. But it isn't all about recognition, it's also about getting my opinion out there too, hence Broadminded Survival. It's an external venue for my own thoughts because when I think about things like this most of the day while I'm at work or in bed watching T.V. with my wife I feel like I'm going to explode sometimes. I have to get it out there in some fashion. Whether it's me sketching drawings in a notebook, writing micro fiction or short stories just for myself or working on this blog what it comes down to is that I need to express myself. It's cathartic to say the least and when you have this much pent up inside you all the time it's better to let it out and share it.
Of course now with T.V. shows like Doomsday Preppers, Falling Skies, and The Walking Dead, and films like The Book of Eli and The Road center stage it's certainly a concept much more accessible to the masses.
In college when my writing began to really take form I found that even there I couldn't quite spread my wings and flap on the subject. Not that it was inappropriate, but it just wasn't the right time. I dabbled in some ideas in college though and as my writing (and knowledge) matured over time I found that I could put together stronger and more realistic stories on page.
Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road I feel is still one of the most striking and realistic depictions of the end-all-be-all end of the world story. At the other end of the spectrum in the same genre I read Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collaspe by James Wesley Rawles, which is certainly a much different take on that end of the civilized world. As an actual composed and collected story Cormac McCarthy's wins by a mile, but Rawles does have a lot of interesting technical and logistical information that's incredibly fascinating. I found myself less interested in the characters in their journey for survival, but more so in the equipment they utilized or the tactics they used to defend themselves. While reading I thought to myself "hey that's a pretty good idea on how to secure that door," or "that's a pretty efficient way to store ammunition."
I think finding a middle ground between stories like these is where I'd like to go - whether it'd be a novella, full-length novel or even a screenplay for film or television. To be honest I have been brewing a TV pilot since 2009, but I would like to maybe try my hand at the survivalist angle. I just wish my motivation and skill was more present earlier on because now it isn't a fresh subject anymore. It's a familiar idea in a sea of stories just like it. I know it hasn't been "new" in a LONG time (i.e. Mad Max. 1979), but now it's a pop culture statement.
At this point I think I'd just like to be able to say: "Yes, I did write that and yes I was inspired by X, Y and Z and I'm happy I was able to do it," and have people say I sure remembered him and his work back then. To be acknowledged for bringing at least a new or improved opinion to the table of survival that the world can digest and nod their heads to. But it isn't all about recognition, it's also about getting my opinion out there too, hence Broadminded Survival. It's an external venue for my own thoughts because when I think about things like this most of the day while I'm at work or in bed watching T.V. with my wife I feel like I'm going to explode sometimes. I have to get it out there in some fashion. Whether it's me sketching drawings in a notebook, writing micro fiction or short stories just for myself or working on this blog what it comes down to is that I need to express myself. It's cathartic to say the least and when you have this much pent up inside you all the time it's better to let it out and share it.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tom Clancy's The Division
I have been playing Tom Clancy games since the original Rainbow Six came out for PC in 1998. Since then I have been following the franchise closely over the years.
To this day it's a toss up between the original Ghost Recon (and addons) and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. But now I've seen these trailers and quite frankly I'm impressed. Although I am still unsure of all the details of the game and whether or not it'll just be a next-gen console game or released on the PC as well, but I think if this is really executed well this may end up being my new favorite Tom Clancy game.
Guess time will tell...
Monday, June 3, 2013
Survivalist Magazine Publication
Everyday it's more mainstream and this clearly pushes the envelope a little further...
Good find for MAC (Military Arms Channel) for finding this gem of a magazine. His post is here if you want to check it out.
I'm just waiting to see how I can get a hold of this magazine.
Good find for MAC (Military Arms Channel) for finding this gem of a magazine. His post is here if you want to check it out.
I'm just waiting to see how I can get a hold of this magazine.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
The B.O.V. or "Bug Out Vehicle"
A Question of Personal Transportation
So when it's all said and done what are you using to get yourself from place to place when proceeding on foot will either take too long or be too dangerous?
Public transportation is most likely going to be one of the first public services to go when things go to hell. So... what do you have at your disposal besides your own two legs to get you around?
Realistic Possibilities and Things to Consider:
- Automobile (i.e. cars, trucks, suvs, etc.)
- Diesel or gas?
- If it's diesel will it run on vegetable oil?
- Off-road capabilities?
- Fuel efficient?
- Maximum driving range?
- Ease of concealment?
- Reliability?
- Motorcycle
- Carry capacity?
- Maximum driving range?
- Reliability?
- Protection?
- Bicycle
- Carry capacity?
- Protection?
With any motorized vehicle there is a major question of fuel availability unless you're competent enough to build something like a wood gasifier for a carburetor-based engine to create a car or truck that could run on burning wood.
 |
| Wood Gas-run Volvo |
Motorcycles are a better option for being quick and allow the user a good ability to avoid conflict and obstacles, but at the same time give the rider little, to no protection. And motorcycles will break down eventually - it's just in their nature to do so.
Bicycles have been overlooked quite a bit as a transportation option, but every once in a while I find a decent video or little snippet (or a friend brings it to my attention, which prompted me to write the whole post) about someone modifying or keeping a bike just for a WROL\SHTF scenario, which is a great idea. The only fuel you use is your own calories and bikes are relatively cheap especially when comparing them to any car, truck or motorcycle.
Bicycles have been overlooked quite a bit as a transportation option, but every once in a while I find a decent video or little snippet (or a friend brings it to my attention, which prompted me to write the whole post) about someone modifying or keeping a bike just for a WROL\SHTF scenario, which is a great idea. The only fuel you use is your own calories and bikes are relatively cheap especially when comparing them to any car, truck or motorcycle.
The drawbacks are pretty apparent to begin with though. Limited carry capacity, no protection from the elements or hostiles and the main advantage can be a disadvantage too: your only fuel is your own calories... what happens if you haven't had much to eat in a week's time? How much farther can you peddle all your supplies and yourself with only a few calories intake a day or less?
 |
But a lot of this can be overlooked by the fact that you can travel much farther and faster on a bike than on foot and you can travel in places that most motorized vehicles wouldn't be able to reach.
As always many factors are based on your location.
Location, location, location!
If you haven't already heard that a million times already, you'll hear it again from me!
Always find what works best for you - where you plan to start your excursion and the possible places you may end up or have to go when that crap does hit the fan.
Jeep Comanche 29er Mountain Bike - Mountain & Hybrid Bikes (Google Affiliate Ad)
Jeep Comanche 29er Mountain Bike - Mountain & Hybrid Bikes (Google Affiliate Ad)
Thursday, August 2, 2012
THE B.O.B. List
Currently one of the the best Bug Out Bag item lists I have found among the endless sea of crap usually found on the internet:
Bug Out Bag Item List
By Geoffrey Hardin
By Geoffrey Hardin
Originally posted to the Misc.Survivalism newsgroup
Well, being the glutton for punishment that I am, and at the request of
someone who doesn't know what they were getting into, the following is a
generally accurate list of my BoB.
I know it sounds like a lot, and it is. This is what I have sitting
inside one of my closets ready to go at a moment's notice. But there are
a lot of small items which don't weigh very much. I don't have a total
weight for all the gear, because I only have a 250-lb scale at home
(and I weigh 225. But my guess is that everything together (with weapon,
ammo and all cold weather equipment) is in the range of 55-65 lbs. My
wife has a similar bag which is pared down for maximum weight reduction.
Some other additions sitting in close proximity to the BoB are :
1-gallon of distilled water which is rotated every couple of months (it
will be poured directly into the canteens immediately) and a small
duffel bag with 1 full set of clothing appropriate to the climate at the
time (i.e, one set of BDU's, one pair socks, t-shirt and underwear,
coat (if cold enough), one pair boots). Therefore, where I indicate
that I have 2 BDU pants, I have one in the rucksack and one in the small
duffel bag, ditto with the rest of the set of clothing.
This stuff isn't always in one Backpack. I have what I term the "Cold
Weather Module". This stuff always stays in the CFP-90. When the
weather gets cold enough to necessitate the use of the sleeping bag, I
transfer all the stuff into there. During warmer weather, I use the
Harness and a buttpack along with the top pack of the CFP.
T-shirts, socks and underwear are cut in half, and only the items with the asterisk (*) are included.
I, of course, welcome comments, suggestions, flames and questions as to why I chose what I did.
Personal Evacuation Kit
1 CFP-90 Rucksack
3 Liners, Waterproof
2* Canteens, plastic, 1 qt
2* Covers, Canteen, OD
1* Cup, Canteen, Stainless steel
1* Canteen, 2qt w/ covers
1* Compass, Lensatic, Tritium-illuminated w/ pouch
1* Waterproof Map Case with necessary Maps waterproofed with Map Seal
1* Set of Alcohol Markers (in map case)
1* Waterfilter (PUR Scout)
1* set Waterproof Mini-Binoculars
1* Flashlight, Mini-Maglite-type
16* Batteries, Alkaline
100'* 550 Cord
1* Leatherman Supertool
1* Knife, Lockblade, Pocket, Benchmade AFO
1* Knife, Fixed Blade, Busse Steelheart II w/ Eagle sheath
1* Sharpening stone (in pocket on sheath)
1* Watch, windup, w/tritium markings
1* Shovel, Cold Steel Spetsnaz
1* Shelter (doubles as Poncho), IMPS
1* Groundpad, self-inflating, Therm-A-Rest
1* Poncho Liner
1 Sleeping Bag, Modular (for use in -20 degrees Fahrenheit to +40 degrees) w/ stuff sack
1* Space Blanket, Heavy Duty
2 Pants, BDU-type
2 Shirts, long-sleeve, Tuck-in
4 T-shirts, various colors, (Hanes Beefy-T's or similar type)
4 Underwear
6pr Socks, (Over the calf)
2pr Boots, GI, Black.
1 Hat, Boonie type
1 Hat, Baseball type
1pr* Gloves, Leather, BlackA-type
1pr* Liners, Gloves, Wool or Polypropylene
1pr* Pants, wet weather
1* Jacket, Wet Weather
6* MRE's
1* Utensil set (fork, spoon)
1 Cookware Set
2 Candles, 8-hour
100* Matches, waterproof
1* Hammock
1* Wallet, with extra identification and $100 in small bills (minimum)
1* $10 roll silver quarters
1* Pad of Paper (waterproof NoteSafe)
1* Fisher Space Pen (clicker type with rubber coating)
1* Mechanical Pencil 0.9mm
5 Trashbags, Large, Heavy-Duty *(3 in warm weather)
3 Liners, Waterproof
2* Canteens, plastic, 1 qt
2* Covers, Canteen, OD
1* Cup, Canteen, Stainless steel
1* Canteen, 2qt w/ covers
1* Compass, Lensatic, Tritium-illuminated w/ pouch
1* Waterproof Map Case with necessary Maps waterproofed with Map Seal
1* Set of Alcohol Markers (in map case)
1* Waterfilter (PUR Scout)
1* set Waterproof Mini-Binoculars
1* Flashlight, Mini-Maglite-type
16* Batteries, Alkaline
100'* 550 Cord
1* Leatherman Supertool
1* Knife, Lockblade, Pocket, Benchmade AFO
1* Knife, Fixed Blade, Busse Steelheart II w/ Eagle sheath
1* Sharpening stone (in pocket on sheath)
1* Watch, windup, w/tritium markings
1* Shovel, Cold Steel Spetsnaz
1* Shelter (doubles as Poncho), IMPS
1* Groundpad, self-inflating, Therm-A-Rest
1* Poncho Liner
1 Sleeping Bag, Modular (for use in -20 degrees Fahrenheit to +40 degrees) w/ stuff sack
1* Space Blanket, Heavy Duty
2 Pants, BDU-type
2 Shirts, long-sleeve, Tuck-in
4 T-shirts, various colors, (Hanes Beefy-T's or similar type)
4 Underwear
6pr Socks, (Over the calf)
2pr Boots, GI, Black.
1 Hat, Boonie type
1 Hat, Baseball type
1pr* Gloves, Leather, BlackA-type
1pr* Liners, Gloves, Wool or Polypropylene
1pr* Pants, wet weather
1* Jacket, Wet Weather
6* MRE's
1* Utensil set (fork, spoon)
1 Cookware Set
2 Candles, 8-hour
100* Matches, waterproof
1* Hammock
1* Wallet, with extra identification and $100 in small bills (minimum)
1* $10 roll silver quarters
1* Pad of Paper (waterproof NoteSafe)
1* Fisher Space Pen (clicker type with rubber coating)
1* Mechanical Pencil 0.9mm
5 Trashbags, Large, Heavy-Duty *(3 in warm weather)
1 Personal Hygeine Kit w/ :
1 Box Baby Wipes
1 Soap Bar (anti-bacterial)
1 Deodorant (Pit-stop, preferable)
1 Toothbrush
1 Toothpaste
1 Mirror, Stainless Steel
1 Roll Toilet Paper
1 Collapsible basin
1 Towel, Cotton
1 Razor, Disposable
5 Blades, Razor
1 Shaving cream
1 Sunblock
1 Foot Powder
1 Plastic Comb
1 Mouthwash
1 Soap Bar (anti-bacterial)
1 Deodorant (Pit-stop, preferable)
1 Toothbrush
1 Toothpaste
1 Mirror, Stainless Steel
1 Roll Toilet Paper
1 Collapsible basin
1 Towel, Cotton
1 Razor, Disposable
5 Blades, Razor
1 Shaving cream
1 Sunblock
1 Foot Powder
1 Plastic Comb
1 Mouthwash
1* First Aid Kit w/ following:
2 Triangular Bandage
1 Box assorted Bandaids
8 Gauze Pads
1 Tweezers
1 Magnifying glass
10 Safety pins
1 Moleskin Roll
1 Bottle 50 Tylenol
1 Bottle One-A-Day Vitamins
1 Thermometer
2 Ace Bandages
2 Rolls Surgical Tape
4 Sutures, General Purpose
1 Tube, Antibiotic cream
1 Box, Pepto-bismol Tablets
1 SAM Splint
1 Lip Balm
3pr Latex Gloves
1 EMT Shears
1 Fingersplint
10 Butterfly closures
5 Ammonia Inhalants
10 Sudafed (or equivalent)
10 Cough Suppressant
10 Maalox (or equivalent)
10 Ex-Lax (or equivalent)
1 Box assorted Bandaids
8 Gauze Pads
1 Tweezers
1 Magnifying glass
10 Safety pins
1 Moleskin Roll
1 Bottle 50 Tylenol
1 Bottle One-A-Day Vitamins
1 Thermometer
2 Ace Bandages
2 Rolls Surgical Tape
4 Sutures, General Purpose
1 Tube, Antibiotic cream
1 Box, Pepto-bismol Tablets
1 SAM Splint
1 Lip Balm
3pr Latex Gloves
1 EMT Shears
1 Fingersplint
10 Butterfly closures
5 Ammonia Inhalants
10 Sudafed (or equivalent)
10 Cough Suppressant
10 Maalox (or equivalent)
10 Ex-Lax (or equivalent)
1* Repair Kit:
4 Bulbs, Mini-Maglite type
1 Package, Assorted Needles
1 Package, Threads
10 Buttons
1 Awl
1 Roll, Nylon thread
1 Roll, Waxed Cotton Thread
1 Tube, GOOP
1 Tin, Boot Polish, Black (Kiwi)
1 Tin, Mink Oil
1 Applicator
1 Brush, polish
1 Roll, Duct-tape
1 Package, Assorted Needles
1 Package, Threads
10 Buttons
1 Awl
1 Roll, Nylon thread
1 Roll, Waxed Cotton Thread
1 Tube, GOOP
1 Tin, Boot Polish, Black (Kiwi)
1 Tin, Mink Oil
1 Applicator
1 Brush, polish
1 Roll, Duct-tape
WINTER MODULE
2pr Polypropylene Thermal underwear
3pr Wool Socks
1 Sweater, Wool
2pr Gloves, Insulated
1 Jacket, Gore-tex ECWCS
1 Pants, Gore-tex ECWCS
1 Overalls, Fleece (Teddy Bear Suit)
1 Top, Fleece, (Teddy Bear Suit)
1 Cap, Wool, Watchcap type
1 Scarf, Polypropylene
1 Stove, Multi-fuel (Coleman Dual Fuel)
1 Container, Sigg, fuel
3pr Wool Socks
1 Sweater, Wool
2pr Gloves, Insulated
1 Jacket, Gore-tex ECWCS
1 Pants, Gore-tex ECWCS
1 Overalls, Fleece (Teddy Bear Suit)
1 Top, Fleece, (Teddy Bear Suit)
1 Cap, Wool, Watchcap type
1 Scarf, Polypropylene
1 Stove, Multi-fuel (Coleman Dual Fuel)
1 Container, Sigg, fuel
Items for Defense (also voted most likely to draw flames)
***Please don't flame me on either weapon choice or how much ammo.
Most of the stuff in this section is considered group standard and not
open to change***
1 Rifle, Colt AR-15A2, Lightweight Sporter w/ collapsible stock.
7 Magazines, 30 round, (minimum, 14 preferred)
1 Assault Harness (capable of carrying a minimum 6-30 rd magazines)
2 Ammo Pouches (Optional, to hold 3-30 round magazines each)
3 Bandoliers, with 140 rds 5.56x45mm (62 grain Mil Spec. preferred, 55 grain acceptable)
1 Pistol, H&K USP45
3 Magazines, Pistol, 10-rd
50rds Ammunition, .45 ACP 230 grain Ball
16rds Ammunition, .45 ACP Shotshell
1 Web Belt
1 Holster, Pistol, Nylon
1 Pouch, Ammo (capable of holding a minimum of 2 magazines)
7 Magazines, 30 round, (minimum, 14 preferred)
1 Assault Harness (capable of carrying a minimum 6-30 rd magazines)
2 Ammo Pouches (Optional, to hold 3-30 round magazines each)
3 Bandoliers, with 140 rds 5.56x45mm (62 grain Mil Spec. preferred, 55 grain acceptable)
1 Pistol, H&K USP45
3 Magazines, Pistol, 10-rd
50rds Ammunition, .45 ACP 230 grain Ball
16rds Ammunition, .45 ACP Shotshell
1 Web Belt
1 Holster, Pistol, Nylon
1 Pouch, Ammo (capable of holding a minimum of 2 magazines)
1 Weapons Cleaning Kit
1 Rod, Cleaning, 5-piece
2 Patch Holders
2 Bore Brushes for AR-15
2 Bore Brushes for .45
1 Swab for .45
1 Chamber Brush for AR-15
1 Roll Cotton Patches
1 Bottle, Break-Free CLP (4 oz)
1 Bottle, Break-Free CLP (.25 oz)
1 Bottle, Hoppe's #9 (.25 oz)
1 Toothbrush, Nylon
1 Toothbrush, Brass
3 Dental Cleaning picks
2 Rags, cleaning, cotton (shoprags)
25 Qtips
25 Pipe Cleaners
2 Patch Holders
2 Bore Brushes for AR-15
2 Bore Brushes for .45
1 Swab for .45
1 Chamber Brush for AR-15
1 Roll Cotton Patches
1 Bottle, Break-Free CLP (4 oz)
1 Bottle, Break-Free CLP (.25 oz)
1 Bottle, Hoppe's #9 (.25 oz)
1 Toothbrush, Nylon
1 Toothbrush, Brass
3 Dental Cleaning picks
2 Rags, cleaning, cotton (shoprags)
25 Qtips
25 Pipe Cleaners
Thursday, March 1, 2012
How Many Different Calibers Should I Own?
Simply put: as few as possible.
It is okay to have some variety, but having a dozen (or even half a dozen) different caliber rounds with associated weaponry is totally unnecessary in terms of survival practicality. Especially if you're mobile and you can only carry so much with you.
If you're a gun collector then this probably won't apply to you.
If you're a gun collector then this probably won't apply to you.
Here are few guidelines to help you understand my reasoning...
(*For the purpose of this conversation let's put shotguns in a category of their own because everyone should own one for at least home defense)
- Stick mostly with "common" calibers
- Overall availability, purchasing prices and the ability to easily find and scavenge later on if needed (I doubt you'll find a huge cache of 6mm Remington anywhere)
- You don't need multiple calibers for multiple firearms
- It's usually good to have a couple firearms that use the same ammunition (i.e. Springfield M1A and a Remington Model 700 both chambered in .308)
- Between rifles and pistols 3-5 different types of ammunition is good
- It's okay to have at least a couple less-than-common calibers and associated weapons as backups or even for bartering in the future (i.e. .300 Savage or 9x18mm), but don't rely heavily on them
An example of what an arsenal could be:
- S&W M&P9 (9x19mm) [self defense/short range]
- GLOCK 17 (9x19mm) [self defense/short range]
- GLOCK 30 (.45 ACP) [self defense/short range]
- Olympic Arms AR-15 (.223) [short-medium range]
- Mossberg MVP (.223) [medium-long range]
- AMD-65 (7.62x39mm) [short-medium range]
There are a couple of basic principals for both the firearms and the ammunition they use in the list above.
- Useability
- Practicality
- Availability
- Compatibility
In the example list I have: three pistols, two tactical rifles and one hunting rifle. There are six guns overall and only 4 different calibers.
My theory on shotguns is that one should be loaded and near your bed (if you live in a state that actually trusts you with a loaded gun) so it shouldn't need to be listed.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Gas Masks
They ARE important
There really isn't much in the way of opposing arguments on that point anymore with the current geopolitical climate being what it is as well as things like the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster in Japan still looming fresh in our minds and being an ever-present issue for countless Japanese citizens.
Only problem I see currently for people wanting a good quality gas mask is not wanting to spend so much money for one - plan on spending anywhere around $170-$400 for one that you can really trust.
In terms of real-use, life-saving gas masks I'd stick primarily with NATO gas masks and avoid most Warsaw Pact\Ex-Soviet bloc masks.
I personally own two Soviet PBF EO-19's (one black, one white) and one Czech M10 gas mask that I usually only use during light work that will involve particles I'd rather not inhale, but other than that they're more or less not going to save me in a really bad situation that involves any kind of NBC event.
Some recommendations I would make:
Country of Origin
|
Gas Mask Models
|
Belgium
|
4GP
|
Britain
|
S10, SF10, FM12
|
Canada
|
C3 (40mm model), C4
|
Israel
|
M15
|
Russia\USSR
|
GP-7VM
|
United States of
America
|
M17A2, M40, MCU-2/P, FM12
|
Another specific thing to look for (and to narrow your search for a good all-around mask) are masks that accept 40mm filters, which are still currently the most commonly accepted filters for modern NATO masks. There are some 60mm can filters available as well for gas masks that accept them, but that are not as easy to find or purchase.
Most good modern masks are from the late 90's to present, anything earlier probably won't do you much good nowadays and quite frankly weren't very effective when they were first released either.
Tactical Note!
If you plan on using your gas mask while shooting a rifle, make sure to think ahead and get a gas mask that accepts filters on the cheek or use internal filters instead of having a filter right in front of you - it's hard to look down the sights of a gun if there's a big can coming out of where your mouth would be.
Like everything else do your research on gas masks before purchasing, read reviews because there's tons out there - you just have to look!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Population Zero
A friend brought this to my attention.
Also, this is one of the most interesting interactive tools I've seen so far about a post apocalyptic world, which is surprisingly from National Geographic.
There's a new series running about it and it looks pretty interesting. In my opinion they pretty much hit it right on the nose.
Also, this is one of the most interesting interactive tools I've seen so far about a post apocalyptic world, which is surprisingly from National Geographic.
There's a new series running about it and it looks pretty interesting. In my opinion they pretty much hit it right on the nose.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Apocalypse Concept Art
Russian artist Vladimir Manyuhin aka "mvn78" conveys a world without a bustling modern civilization. Seen here are a couple of his vignettes of Moscow and New York after the apocalypse. Definitely some striking work that should leave a needle in the hearts of those who believe it is right around the corner... Good work, Vladimir.
More of his work can be seen here: http://www.beautifullife.info/graphic-design/life-after-the-apocalypse/
 |
| I think I see the Chernobyl NPP in the background... |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)