Survival tips for the urbanite: Part 1 – Nuclear Radiation

Rady Ananda
Activist Post

Though many survivalists like to prepare for TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it), joblessness and homelessness have led me to the end of the world as I know it. With coffee in hand, I opened the warehouse door of my temporary digs to greet the dawn. Only, it’s noon, there’s a downpour, and the smell of rubber from a pile of decomposing tires greets me. This marks Month 4 in New Orleans and two years since I was laid off.

In this vein, I finally started reading Mat Stein’s two survival books, When Technology Fails (2008) and When Disaster Strikes (2011). I also headed over to Jim Rawles’ Survival Blog and Mat’s website, whentechfails.com.

Instead of a lone-wolf, Mad Max world which plays well on film, Stein reasonably argues that individual survival relies on a community of like-minded folks. So plan your survival migration or shelter with room for your core group. The essential wisdom from both books and most survival websites is to plan a strategically sound survival budget, taking into account the climate of where you expect to be after you hit the road.

Few experts would call the US a failed or fragile state given to eco-migration, but most Americans already live in toxic zones, with our land, air and water being systematically poisoned by industry. New Orleans is only one of many areas suffering from hyper-industrialization and weather destruction. Locals call the corridor from here to Baton Rouge, “Cancer Alley.”

Survival Reading – Books for the Summer Book Bag

Gaye Levy, Contributor
Activist Post

For many of us, summer is a time when we fill up the book bag and head to the mountains or the beach for a little R&R. This year, why not add some survival reading materials to the book bag?

Over the past few months, I have acquired a number of books relating to prepping and survival. Some I have read and others are still in the queue. Alas, it is my intent to put up reviews on all of them, but until I gather my somewhat scattered wits about me, I thought I would provide you with a list so that you can pick and choose for yourself.