The Road > Limited Release only

Well, back from the Thanksgiving Break and a bought of flu (weee!), wanted to go see The Road on Saturday afternoon. Lo and behold, it was playing NOWHERE nearby. I don't live out in the boondocks, but near a major city in the Western U.S. I've never had a problem seeing a new release movie, ever. What's the deal?

Pissed off, I turned to the interwebs and found others complaining of the same problem. In seems the distribution company has decided to do a limited/rolling release of the movie. Lame. This movie was supposed to come out last fall, was pushed back by a year, and now they can't even release it correctly? I would understand if this was a steamer of a film like Pluto Nash, but it's gotten solid reviews, has a name brand cast, and is based on a book that won a Pulitzer Prize. What the hell?

I can't find a listing of when the movie will be released on a wider scale, no note on the movie's official website. It may not come out on a wider scale at all.

I don't get it.  Whoever is in charge of the film's release is an incompetent fool who needs to find a new line of work.

Anyone with any info--post in the comments.

Survival-Related Black Friday Ads

Well, if you want a sample of the rioting and mass hysteria we'll see in when TSHTF, you can always head out for some Black Friday shopping. Here's some of the better survival/prep related deals that we've been able to dig after spending much to long combing the ads. Now you don't have to :).

Amazon
If you have a Blue Ray player, Amazon has some killer deals on normally over priced Blue Ray discs. 60% off. The full list is here, some of the manly movies that made the sale are:
The Terminator [Blu-ray]
Predator [Blu-ray]
Man On Fire [Blu-ray]
Die Hard [Blu-ray]

Cabela's
Fairly good deals this year at Cabela's. Their deals vary by store, so check your local retail shop's listings:

Heavy Duty Army Cot for $44.99
Remington 870 Express shotguns with $30 mail-in rebate for $259
Remington Tactical shotgun for $369.99 after mail-in rebate
Mossberg 590A Tactical shotguns for $399.99
Marlin 795 .22lr rifles for $99 after mail-in rebate
Jumpstart 250 jumpstarter/compressor/power source for $39.99 after mail-in rebate
Bushnell Sport 450 Rangefinder for $99
Meat Grinder $49.99 (normally $99)
Meat Slicer $49.99 (normally $99)
Big Chief Smoker for $99 (holds 50 pounds of meat), usually $150
10 Million Candle power Spot light for $29.99, normally $59.99
Cheap-o Midland Walkie Talkies for $20

Harbor Freight
Digital Caliper - $9.99
2HP Air Compressor - $79.99
3000lb Camo Winch - $49.99

Things I'm Thankful for: The Stanley FuBar

So we all know the destructive power of the simple crowbar...well, the Stanley FuBar is the wicked love child of a pry bar, a hammer and a breaching tool. Hold one in your hand and the destructive capabilities become clear. Smashing your way through just about anything? Fubar! Need to pry open a crate of old Soviet ammo? Fubar! Killing zombies? FUBAR!!!

There are at least 3 different sizes of Fubar--small, Medium and HUGE!!!

I've had the small version riding in my truck for the past year and a half, and it's a comforting tool to say the least. I'm pretty confident that it could smash/pry/tear through just about anything that I might need it to. They're a damn fine tool to have around in your vehicle kit or in an urban get home bag.

Fubars have gained a cult-like following in some groups--the Usual Suspect Network (USN) has a 340+ post thread about customized and tricked out fubars. Replacing the rubber grip with a paracord wrap seems to be the most common mod. 

Fubars can occasionally be found on uber-sale--like 60%-75% off, although I've never personally seen one that low. They can be ordered on Amazon, or purchased from Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc.

Update: Escaping from zip ties

So I experimented with several of the methods featured on ITS Tactical. I tested it using some fairly heavy duty automotive zip ties that I had laying around. However, while strong, they are thinner than the ones shown in the ITS videos.

Method 1: Breaking the Zip Ties


My results: Little success here--just sore wrists. I had a buddy try the method out as well, and he had similar results. We were probably not doing it perfectly, but I also suspect the thinner zip ties had something to do with it--more digging into the wrists, harder to apply the force needed to snap the ties. Also, the reliance and brute strength has its draw backs--you could be malnourished, beaten, etc. and need to break out.


Method 2: Paracord Saw

My Results: This worked, first try, and I think it would be a more reliable method of escape than the break method--if you had paracord handy (shoelaces, bracelet, etc.). Getting the paracord into place takes a bit of effort and contorting, and you would need to alone for 2-3 minutes to execute this technique, but it would work on any variation of zip tie, and doesn't rely on brute strength to open them.

Building your bug out kit for less

Wilderness Outfitters has a new 7-part series of videos up around building a discount bushcraft kit that I've found pretty interesting. While a bushcraft kit has a different purpose from a bug out bag, there are definite commonalities and overlaps. Check out part one down below; the rest of the videos can be found here >

Replacement Sheaths

A buddy of mine recently picked up a Cold Steel Bushman; he told me that he loves the knife, but has found that the cheap-ass sheath leaves much to be desired. I've pointed him to On/Scene Tactical; I've been pleased with their work in the past--he's going to pick up their sheath, and I'll hopefully get to give it a look after it arrives.

Like a gun and a good holster, a proper sheath is essential for every fixed blade knife. A knife and a sheath compose a system; the knife does the cutting, while the sheath keeps the knife secure, while making it accessible and readily available at all times. A good sheath adds greatly to any knife, but a piece of crap sheath can make an otherwise good knife frustrating to use.

I've had great experiences with quality kydex sheaths--not cheap zytel, but real kydex. Theyhold the knife securely while being fast on the draw, and easy to re-sheath. A good mounting option--tek-loks where possible--is a must have as well.

As mentioned, I've had some good sheaths from On/Scene. I also have a Ka-Bar TDI in an In-Fight Access kydex sheath as part of my EDC, which is an awesome combination. In Fight Access Kydex has a fairly small selection of "stock" sheaths that they do--mostly geared around small, fast access self defense blades. However, they also do custom work as well, so don't let the limited choices of the online store discourage you--if you can part with your blade for a few weeks while they do a custom fitting.

Prices from either vendor are very reasonable for the custom, high-quality work that you receive.

You might be a survivalist if...

My wife pointed me to this all-to-true list of signs that you might be a survivalist, over at The Survival Mom. Some of my favorites:

Your shopping list includes numbered items like .22, .308., .357 and 7.62

You can’t put your groceries in the trunk of the car because its already jammed full with emergency kits, first aid supplies, and fully-stocked BOBs.

You know what things like ‘TSHTF’, ‘BOB’ and ‘TEOTWAWKI’ mean.

You must open the door to your pantry very carefully for fear of a canned goods avalanche.

Read more >

Note: My wife pointed me to this, meaning she actually perused the site. Point your wives to The Survival Mom blog if they're at all interested--or to help get them interested--in the prepping ways!

Left 4 Dead 2 is out!!!

(Badass and not for the kiddies!)

Left 4 Dead 2 hit stores and was unlocked for download on Steam today. Wondering what's new? Bios of the new player characters and callouts for the new weapons and powerups are here:

Ellis the Mechanic

Coach

Nick the Gambler

Rochelle The Reporter

(If you're lazy, the new weapons are: AK-47, Sniper Rifle, Desert Rifle, Grenade Launcher, Chainsaw, Guitar, Axe, Magnum pistol)

The new Special zombies are:

The Spitter

The Charger

The Jockey

Looks good! Gameplay footage of the Chainsaw and Grenade Launcher (not for the Kiddies!!!):

Swarms of tiny, open-sourced, German robots to conquer the world

Developed by the University of Stuttgart and the University of Karlsruhe, these micro-robots have an entirely open-source hardware design and software. Open-sourcing, when embraced by the development community, can lead to lightning fast development times and technology breakthroughs.

To me, the obvious goal for these robot swarms would be self-replication--growing the swarm, and adapting the swarm's robots to overcome new challenges. Hyper-fast evolution of the new robot race to solve all of our problems--medical nano-bots, swarms of cleaning bots to do our dirty work.

And then the cute little swarm bots decide that they need the earth's resources more than their human masters do, and we have the War against the Machines.

Human race: meet your new worst enemy. He's kind of cute, isn't he? Learn more. >

Left 4 Dead 2: Out tomorrow!!!

The sequel to the GREATEST ZOMBIE GAME OF ALL TIME hits stores tomorrow. I'm sure it will exceed the greatness of the original, adding new weapons and ample zombie killing mayhem.

Really, there's no better way to prepare for the the zombie hordes than by getting your Zombie Killer squad together and gunning those cold bastards down from behind the safety of a keyboard or a game pad.

Much easier to work out those teamwork issues that way, too.

All manner of zombie kick-assery, I'm sure. Will try to get some tender loving time with L4D2 over the Thanksgiving break.

Trailer:

Every Day Carry

As mentioned in this post, your every day carry comprises your first layer of problem-solving tools. My current personal EDC is fairly simple and straight-forward, geared towards what I face on a daily basis (sorry for the crap-quality picture).

From left to right:

- Smartphone (rides in left front pocket)

- Clickie pen (shirt pocket)

- Ka-Bar TDI in an In-Fight Access kydex sheath

- Eagle Creek wallet (right front pocket; has a tiny back-up pen inside that sees a lot of use)

- Lip balm (right front pocket)

- iPod Nano, 8GB and headphones (shirt pocket)

- Seiko Kinetic

- Keys with: Fenix AAA light, Leatherman Squirt S4

- Byrd Cara-Cara, G10 (rides in right front pocket)

(Not pictured: reading glasses)

A few notes:

Nothing extraordinary here, really--I work in an office and live in surburbia, so no boot knives, billy clubs or brass knuckles in my pockets. Affordable, "common man" gear.

I like a bigger blade and a full handle in my knives--no sissy knives here. I'm also picky about pocket clips and overall ergonomics. It has to stay clipped where I put it, and it has to be comfortable to use. The Cara-Cara wins on all these points, and it has the massive advantage of being only about $30. This Cara Cara replaced a Spyderco Endura and a Benchmade Mini-Griptillian that were my previous EDC knives, so that should tell you something.

The TDI is the only item that is only put into the rotation some of the time. Its there as a fast-access self defense weapon; the In-Fight sheath is amazing and makes the knife quite comfortable to wear and lightning fast on the draw. I wear it center line, just to the left of my belt buckle, where it can easily be drawn with either hand. When carried, it does not get used for utility purposes--the Cara Cara is there for that.

Except for the TDI, all of these tools see use on a daily basis--and they look it. I've had the Seiko for about a decade, the Leatherman Squirt on my key chain since 2003, the Fenix AAA light since 2005, and while beaten up and worn, they all function perfectly. Both of my keychain tools (and my car key) are on McGizmo clips available from TAD Gear, which I highly recommend. They make using key chain gadgets much faster and easier--detach and you're no longer tied to that ball of keys.

Putting together an EDC

When putting together your EDC, think about tools that you can't live without, and then on how to make sure those tools are always handy, easily accessible, and comfortable to carry. If it's a piece of gear important enough that it's made it into your on-person EDC--almost an extended part of your body--you want to make sure that you can quickly and easily access the tool, use it and then replace it back to where it came from. One-handed. Sitting, standing, driving and whatever other position you may find yourself in. And you want to make sure that it's comfortable, both to carry and to use.

Also, "comfort" doesn't just apply to physical comfort, but also that it's a tool that you're comfortable putting through your daily life. If you're uncomfortable using your high-end knife on the chores that you need it for, get a cheaper one. If you're worried about scratching up your expensive watch, get a beater, etc.

Your EDC going to be a part of your day, every day, so make sure that you can live with it happily :)

ITS Tactical: Escape from Zip Ties

Saw this plugged on Survival Blog--several techniques for escaping from zip ties. Coolest and most useful thing I've seen in a while. Go >

Last Stand 2: The Joy of Killing Zombies

If you've got a hankering to rid the world of undead brain-eating scum, The Last Stand 2 is for you. Like the first game, you've got to hold out against increasingly large and better equipped zombie hordes that come out at night. During the day, you must figure out how best to use your time to prepare for the next zombie horde--search for weapons and supplies, try to locate other survivors, or repair the barricade that keeps the horde at bay.

I've only played halfway through the game so far (made it to about day 20 before being over-run), but it's good times. For those who have played the first game, the second game has expanded upon the exploration part of the game--now you have a city map, choose the locations you want to search, and can travel to other cities in search of greener pastures.

The Last Stand 2 is free--free is good--and runs in your web browser. What's not to love? Enrich your weekend with zombie slaying fun. Play it now >

2012 Opens Today

The apocalyptic flick 2012 opens today--it's been much hyped, you've seen the previews and probably aren't too hyped over this one. Reviews are coming in as "meh overall--but good special effects", which is about what I'm expecting out of this one. Some snippets from Rotten Tomatoes:

"Congratulations, John Cusack! You star in the worst movie of the year! "

"Bigger, louder, crazier and more wildly exhilarating than anything previously attempted. "

"160 minutes of this nonsense is at least 90 minutes of back story too many."

My favorite:
"The scenes of destruction composed by Emmerich's team--earthquakes, tsunamis, rains of earth and fire--have an enveloping majesty; they transcend mere expensive photorealism and cross over into art."

Personally, I'm looking forward to The Road, which opens at Thanksgiving.

ThinkGeek is Infested with Zombies

ThinkGeek has conveniently organized their undead-related loot in one easy to browse location. Check it out if you're in need of brain-eating zombie fun for the holidays.

Really, what says "Merry Christmas!" better than a Dismember-Me Plush Zombie?

Closing in on 100K

TEOTWAWKI Blog closing in on 100,000 page views--an exciting milestone for us! Thanks to all!

Camelbak Stainless Steel Better Bottle - Review

I've been in a long search to find the ideal water bottle for EDC uses. I've used Nalgene's in the past--opening is too big, hard to drink from on the move, and they tend to get stanky after a while. They don't fit in cup holders particularly well, either.

I have used Sigs, which area a step up, but the opening is too small to fit ice in easily, which I have come to consider a must have. I've found them the right size to fit in larger cup holders, and resistant to picking up tastes and funky smells.

I tried a Nalgene-style sports bottle, but had it spurt water down me on more than a few occasions. No good. It was fairly convenient to drink from, though.

I've eyed the Guyot Designs stainless bottle, recommended by Dave Cantebury of Wilderness Outfitters fame, but decided that it would have much the same ease-of-drinking problems as a standard Nalgene.

So, I decided upon the new Camelbak Better Bottle in stainless steel. It's pretty much perfect.

- Wide mouth opening, easy to put ice into
- Bite valve is heavenly to drink from, and compatible with other Camelbak accessories--you could put a full length drinking tube on this if you wanted
- The stainless steel looks good and is smell resistant. It also means that the bottle can be used to boil water, cook in, or make char-cloth if needed
- Very sturdy build
- Fits in cup holders
- So far, the bottle has proved to be completely leak-proof. There's a small gasket in the top of the bottle that keeps pressures under control--no spraying water
- Accessories readily available from Camelbak

I have a few minor nit-picks; the clear bite valve looks like it may pick up colors fairly easily, but these should come out in the dishwasher. The .75 liter capacity isn't ideal, however, it does make the bottle a nice handy size. The $24 price tag is a bit high for a water bottle, but the build and features make this genuinely worth it.

I definitely recommend the Camelbak Better Bottle in stainless--and it looks like Amazon has it for a few dollars less than retail. If you're looking for water bottle Zen, this is it.

CamelBak 0.75- Liter Stainless Steel Better Bottle

Adding Paracord to your EDC Bag

Paracord is pretty great stuff, and it's always good to have some extra on hand. I'm not much for the paracord/survival bracelets out there--don't get me wrong, they're cool, I'm just not a bracelet guy. I wanted to add about 15 or so feet to my EDC kit, and wasn't exactly how to do so.

I did some research and came across this video on tying a hojojustsu rope bundle. Try it out--it works. It's not the cleanest looking bundle of rope, but it pulls out quickly, with no tangles.

"Realistic" Preps

The more time that I spend thinking about survival/preps, the more that it becomes clear to me how important it is to think through the challenges that you are most likely to face, and figure out your game plan for those.

Most of our biggest challenges in life will be financial in nature. I've personally never needed my bug out bag, but I have needed my emergency fund on more than a few occasions. If you do not have one, set one aside. You'll be glad that you did.

Get your finances in order so that you can save and prepare--and a big part of that should be paying off debt and building up savings. The recession hasn't made this easy, and we're all feeling it--I know that I am.

Food storage is simple, but again, another prep that is often used. When finances are tight, we rely on stored foods to help supplement what we can purchase at the store. We also save money by stocking up on foods when they are on sale. They're not flashy, but they'll keep your family from going hungry when things are tight--or if there's a disaster that disrupts the food supply.

Be realistic in your preps. Very, very few people in recent times have needed to abandon their homes and head into the wilderness to survive. Many, many people have been laid off, seen their incomes drop substantially, or seen their homes foreclosed on. Which would e the wisest to prepare for?

Field Sutures: Dave Canterbury is tougher than you are

Now I've plugged Dave Canterbury/Wilderness Outfitters' YouTube videos before, and if you haven't checked them out yet, you owe it to yourself to get over there.

Dave has landed himself a TV deal with a major network and will have to stop making videos shortly, but he has a group of other survival experts lined up to keep his channel active. If you're at all interested in wilderness survival, I can't recommend Dave's videos enough.

I would like to extend a personal thanks to Dave for all the work that he's done and the information that he's shared with the survival community. Congratulations on the TV deal!

Dave has frequently amazed me with his creativity and inventiveness when solving wilderness survival problems. In this latest video, he actually sutures up his own figer, on camera. Three stitches with the gear that he had in his first aid kit. And does so without barely a peep.

Mind you, it's not exactly a tutorial--the conditions are probably not the most sanitary--but it's still pretty amazing to see. Check it out--but definitely not for the squeamish.

Cheap .223

AIM has the cheapest .223 ammo that I've seen in years. Steel cased and Russian-made, and I'm unable to vouch for the quality, but 1K of plinking ammo for $215 is fairly amazing. Thought Id give a heads up. Go there >

Layers

The first thing that many interested in survival/preps start out with is a bug out bag (BOB)/72 hour kit/Get out of dodge kit. They spend some time researching, picking out gear and assembling. Then their loaded up kit sits in a closet, collecting dust.

Instead of putting all of your emergency/survival gear into one place, I suggest instead looking at a layered approach to your preparations. These layers are nothing new, and they are meant to supplement preparations that you have at home or at your dedicated retreat. They are:

Layer 1: EDC (Every Day Carry - on person)

Layer 2: EDC bag (Every Day Carry bag - carried with you)

Layer 3: Truck/Car Kit

NOTE: I have chosen to avoid using the terms 1st line, 2nd line and 3rd line, which are typically used in reference to a military-style fighting load. These EDC layers are different in nature and purpose, so I wanted to avoid use of the "lines" to avoid confusion.

What gear composes your various layers depends greatly on what your day looks like and what tasks you will be called upon to accomplish. As most of us lead fairly quiet lives, my discussion of EDC layers take into account that most of the problems that we face on a day-to-day basis are rather mundane--boredom, hunger, bumps and scrapes, dead cell phone--but also that we may find ourselves in extraordinarily bad situations, and should prepare for those when possible. If you find yourself in bad situations fairly often, adjust accordingly :)

Also--keep in mind that most of us live and work in an urban/suburban environment--not the back country. Your gear should reflect that.

I will go into each of these layers in more detail in separate articles, but a brief run down of each:

1st Layer: EDC

These are the tools that you ALWAYS have with you when you are outside of your home. These should be comfortable for you to carry--if it's not comfortable, you'll generally tire of it and leave it out. These items should also be generally work-friendly.

Typical tools:

- Wallet

- Keys

- Cell phone

- Watch

- Pocket Knife

- Small flashlight

- Pen

2nd Layer: EDC bag

This is your bring-everywhere-bag, with additional tools that don't find their way into your on-person carry. It's a pseudo Get Home Bag, but also the bag that you live out of on a daily basis, and always have nearby. The bag should be light enough that you can move quickly and long distances with it if needed.

This could be a shoulder bag or a backpack, depending on your needs and tastes. A discrete, average-looking bag is wise--nothing that screams "tactical" or "steal me." This gear should also generally be work-environment friendly.

Typical tools:

- Water bottle

- Spare batteries

- Chargers for electronics

- Laptop

- Food/snacks/lunch

- First aid kit

- Additional tools (less used or too bulky for on-person)

3rd Layer: Vehicle Kit

Your vehicle is an important tool--it allows you to travel quickly away from danger, gives some protection from the elements, and carry more gear and supplies than you can on your person. You should incorporate these traits into your plans.

This layer can take the form of a full-sized bug out bag and a box of tools and parts, or gear stored throughout your vehicle.

You can store additional, heavier and less-work friendly tools and supplies in your vehicle kit.

Typical tools:

- Blankets/sleeping bag & rain or cold weather gear

- Dedicated Get Home Bag or Fighting Bag

- Comprehensive first aid kit

- Extra clothes

- Car repair tools

- Bolt cutters, pry bar

- Food & water for several days

- Extra fuel

- Long gun & ammo

- Long range communications gear (Ham radio, etc.)

NOTE: If you do not have a vehicle, do not have much storage space inside your vehicle, or can't store much gear due to security concerns, then you will need to adjust your EDC bag (and your plans) accordingly. You may also consider setting up a cache of gear at some point convenient to your place of employment.

The Layered Approach

This layered approach ensures that you always have at least some of your important tools with you. When you're away from your vehicle, you have your EDC bag, and if you're away from that, you still have your on-person EDC.

These layers are also intended support each other, filling in gaps and adding capabilities as they expand out. Your 2nd and 3rd layers are intended to supplement your EDC, so keep that in mind when organizing them. Focus on adding and expanding on capabilities that you otherwise lack, and including backups of important gear.

Over the next several weeks, I will go into more depth on the various layers and show you some of the my EDC and EDC bag.

Note: As part of this discussion, if anyone would like to share the gear that they carry, send pictures and a description to our e-mail address at: teotwawki.blog@gmail.com and we'll be glad to post 'em on up for you.