They are an improbable group of superheroes. But some of Britain's greatest minds have got together to focus their powers on saving humanity from itself.

Led by the Astronomer Royal and Cambridge don Martin Rees, famous thinkers such as physicist Stephen Hawking and former Government chief scientist Robert May have formed a society to draw up a doomsday list of risks that could wipe out mankind.

From crippling cyber-attacks by terrorists using the internet to cause havoc, to the release of engineered diseases and killer computers, they warn the future is far from rosy.

Cyber attacks: Power grids, air traffic control, banking and communications rely on interconnected computer systems. If these networks collapse due to action by enemy nations or terrorists, the paralysis could result in society breaking down.

Engineered infection:A man-made super virus or bacteria with no antidote escapes the lab or is released by terrorists. Millions die.

Food supply sabotage:Efficient distribution networks mean many Western nations have only 48 hours worth of food stockpiled. Any disruption would result in panic buying and riots.

Extreme weather: As the Earth continues to warm a tipping point is reached and the process snowballs, resulting in irreversible and worsening natural disasters.

Fast-spreading pandemic: International travel means a new killer virus, mutated from animals, could travel the globe in days, wiping out millions before a vaccine can be developed.

War:Growing populations put a strain on water and food resources. Nations will go to war to protect or capture these precious supplies.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2418990/Science-superheroes-famous-thinkers-form-doomsday-society-save-humanity-asteroids-pandemics--itself.html#ixzz2ejvqL6tJ

Some of these we have no way of preparing for, some we do.

Some other undeniable realities, such as the city dwellers have very little chance of survival, while the country folks have a lot better odds.

K-I-S-S......basic, affordable stuff that increases your odds.  Emergency food commensurate with the big earthquake or flood; not the 10-year horde lol. Bulk Walmart stuff is good.  150-200 dollar weapons, not the fancy 1000-2000 dollar toys.  200-800 rounds per weapon, not necessarily 10,000-20,000.  You can't carry that.  Should be using quiet self-defense anyway (bows and 1000 fps pellet guns).....gunshots bring more thugs.  Some basic, affordable fishing and camping gear.  Reference books and materials on wild foods / medicines.  Most people can afford this setup.

Quote from: AndyJackson on September 17, 2013, 02:10:30 PM
Some of these we have no way of preparing for, some we do.

Some other undeniable realities, such as the city dwellers have very little chance of survival, while the country folks have a lot better odds.

K-I-S-S......basic, affordable stuff that increases your odds.  Emergency food commensurate with the big earthquake or flood; not the 10-year horde lol. Bulk Walmart stuff is good.  150-200 dollar weapons, not the fancy 1000-2000 dollar toys.  200-800 rounds per weapon, not necessarily 10,000-20,000.  You can't carry that.  Should be using quiet self-defense anyway (bows and 1000 fps pellet guns).....gunshots bring more thugs.  Some basic, affordable fishing and camping gear.  Reference books and materials on wild foods / medicines.  Most people can afford this setup.

All true, and I like the point about expensive weapons and thousands of rounds.
If you are packing light and forced on foot, the basics are so important.
And great point about the pellet gun, a well placed shot can kill silently and not attract attention.

Have recently read some 30 or so fictional accounts of the end of civilization as we know it. Each presents a scenario based on one or more EMP attacks, CME events, Yellowstone eruptions and New Madrid Fault earthquakes. In each presentation, the disruptions presented strip civilization as we know it down to the survival of the fittest. Each book has given me new insight into what might happen and some solutions to the changes and conditions presented.

In reading these I've had my eyes opened to hazards I never considered. Am I prepared? Answer is not really. I find myself living in a house that isn't very defensible, in an area that would likely be overrun by very hungry people. In the event of either a EMP or CME event, my ability to leave to get to anywhere less hazardous at 67 years of age are problematic. Can I defend what I do have? With it being just my wife and I, I have my doubts.

What I need to do is sell everything and buy some land out in the sticks. I would need to ensure that it had good access to water and that underground housing could be built. It would need to be off grid and self sufficient.  Convincing my wife of this won't happen. So I'm just going to have to deal with what I have.

Quote from: Possumpoint on September 21, 2013, 06:43:44 PM
Have recently read some 30 or so fictional accounts of the end of civilization as we know it. Each presents a scenario based on one or more EMP attacks, CME events, Yellowstone eruptions and New Madrid Fault earthquakes. In each presentation, the disruptions presented strip civilization as we know it down to the survival of the fittest. Each book has given me new insight into what might happen and some solutions to the changes and conditions presented.

In reading these I've had my eyes opened to hazards I never considered. Am I prepared? Answer is not really. I find myself living in a house that isn't very defensible, in an area that would likely be overrun by very hungry people. In the event of either a EMP or CME event, my ability to leave to get to anywhere less hazardous at 67 years of age are problematic. Can I defend what I do have? With it being just my wife and I, I have my doubts.

What I need to do is sell everything and buy some land out in the sticks. I would need to ensure that it had good access to water and that underground housing could be built. It would need to be off grid and self sufficient.  Convincing my wife of this won't happen. So I'm just going to have to deal with what I have.

PP
Just getting some land out in the countryside would help.  I and my wife are much older then you.  We moved 5 years ago across state and are now 68 miles from a town with over 35 people.     My good wife is a city girl and she just love it.  In the Spring, Summer and Fall we go into town around every 2 or 3 weeks.  In the Winter we go in about once a month or so if the roads are good.  We are good for 3 + months of food if we need be.  Longer if I go out and go hunting and fishing.  Just saying young man.   

Also consider the odds. Being prepared for the most likely scenarios, which are more disaster prone, put you in a better situation than most for any situation. I am better prepared than most of my peers for the environment in which I live, and am geared more towards getting out of an environment than sustaining myself in a long term situation. When my environment changes and I am no longer traveling as much, I will adapt to what my new local determines is best for short and long term living.  Even if you feel a worse case scenario is greater than your resources can sustain you, you have options and time to join others. it is a common trend to be totally self sustaining, but it is not always the practical or best solution, especially for aging people.

Quote from: Solar on September 12, 2013, 08:34:10 PM
Food supply sabotage:Efficient distribution networks mean many Western nations have only 48 hours worth of food stockpiled. Any disruption would result in panic buying and riots.

1.  Nearly everyone who lives in western nations can go a month without eating.  For a very large percentage, that would actually be an improvement. 

2.  Anything big enough to destroy all food and transportation networks would probably kill 99% of the population anyway -- leaving more food for the survivors!

3.  If you're going to include "panic" and "riots" snowballing out of control, an unexpected result in the voting on Star Search could wipe out mankind.  If we lose our sanity, the human race is nothing more than any other bunch of overcrowded caged monkeys.

And that's just one example.  Sure the Yellowstone Caldera might explode some time in the next 600,000 years.  But - assuming human advancement continues - we should easily be in a position to avoid any ill effects from it at least 599,000 years before that happens.  It's only the assuming advancement continues part that I worry about.

We KNOW for a FACT that Communist, Socialist and Islamic governments ROUTINELY mass-murder millions of people EVERY year.  If the light of reason is ever extinguished in the only nation proven capable of keeping a lid on that, all these hypothetical doomsday scenarios will literally be the least of our worries.

Quote from: Possumpoint on September 21, 2013, 06:43:44 PM
Have recently read some 30 or so fictional accounts of the end of civilization as we know it. Each presents a scenario based on one or more EMP attacks, CME events, Yellowstone eruptions and New Madrid Fault earthquakes. In each presentation, the disruptions presented strip civilization as we know it down to the survival of the fittest. Each book has given me new insight into what might happen and some solutions to the changes and conditions presented.

In reading these I've had my eyes opened to hazards I never considered. Am I prepared? Answer is not really. I find myself living in a house that isn't very defensible, in an area that would likely be overrun by very hungry people. In the event of either a EMP or CME event, my ability to leave to get to anywhere less hazardous at 67 years of age are problematic. Can I defend what I do have? With it being just my wife and I, I have my doubts.

What I need to do is sell everything and buy some land out in the sticks. I would need to ensure that it had good access to water and that underground housing could be built. It would need to be off grid and self sufficient.  Convincing my wife of this won't happen. So I'm just going to have to deal with what I have.

Walks is right, you could pick up 5 or 10 acres of raw land pretty cheap assuming there is some in your area for sale, but you could pick up a storage container, stock it up and leave it secured on the land.
This would at least give you an option other than staying behind.

My concerns aren't so much of a national calamity, rather earthquakes, fires, etc, natural disasters.
Unlike the the SF quake a century ago where people came together, today we have leaches thinking only of themselves.
So if a quake were to cut off all supplies, people will quickly turn on each other in the cities.

But assuming an airburst nuke were to be set off somewhere over the US causing an EMP, nothing would work, not even radios and no one would know what was going on, but I'm almost certain the national guard would be called out immediately to quell any angry mobs and would be supplying rations.
So an EMP is not really a concern IMO.

Quote from: kopema on September 21, 2013, 07:43:53 PM
1.  Nearly everyone who lives in western nations can go a month without eating.  For a very large percentage, that would actually be an improvement. 

2.  Anything big enough to destroy all food and transportation networks would probably kill 99% of the population anyway -- leaving more food for the survivors!

3.  If you're going to include "panic" and "riots" snowballing out of control, an unexpected result in the voting on Star Search could wipe out mankind.  If we lose our sanity, the human race is nothing more than any other bunch of overcrowded caged monkeys.

And that's just one example.  Sure the Yellowstone Caldera might explode some time in the next 600,000 years.  But - assuming human advancement continues - we should easily be in a position to avoid any ill effects from it at least 599,000 years before that happens.  It's only the assuming advancement continues part that I worry about.

We KNOW for a FACT that Communist, Socialist and Islamic governments ROUTINELY mass-murder millions of people EVERY year.  If the light of reason is ever extinguished in the only nation proven capable of keeping a lid on that, all these hypothetical doomsday scenarios will literally be the least of our worries.

Regardless. Are you prepared for the unexpected? Do you have enough water for a week, food to get you through a natural disaster?
That's the purpose of this forum, to raise awareness of an individuals personal situation, not to worry about meteorites or the end days, but to educate those that never consider something bad happening.
Being prepared is like buying insurance and hoping you never need it.

We're prepared, this is Toys site (link below) and we are completely stocked for years, but then we live in the wilderness off the grid and miles from any city..
Our biggest concern is fire in our area, or a quake in the valley of Ca, which will drive people out of the cities in search of food, like hunting, which also means they'll be armed, which raises a whole other shit list of issues.

http://www.rochelle_blanco.shelfreliance.com/Rochelle_Blanco

Simple answer........ yes.

Quote from: Elfie on September 30, 2013, 11:19:08 AM
Simple answer........ yes.

I know you guys are, you food canning animal you.

Quote from: Solar on September 30, 2013, 11:23:10 AM
I know you guys are, you food canning animal you.

and double yes. lol. See foods see jar,,its on!!!! lol
yaaaay

Quote from: Elfie on September 30, 2013, 11:30:02 AM
and double yes. lol. See foods see jar,,its on!!!! lol
yaaaay

There was a power cut in my building two weeks ago. Half the town was out. TV, computer, telephone, everything blacked out. I was roaming up and down stairs with a lighted candle.  Someone was stuck in the elevator for 30 minutes.
 
That's what it would be like.  We'd all have to depend on each other.... again.

Quote from: Pearl Earrring on September 30, 2013, 11:58:26 AM
There was a power cut in my building two weeks ago. Half the town was out. TV, computer, telephone, everything blacked out. I was roaming up and down stairs with a lighted candle.  Someone was stuck in the elevator for 30 minutes.
 
That's what it would be like.  We'd all have to depend on each other.... again.

But what happens after a week or longer when people get desperate? That's the big question.
I think it's safe to say, the city is not the place to be. People just aren't prepared like rural folk are.