# I blame (and thank) Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle



## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Did anyone else read _Lucifer's Hammer_ in their formative years?










For those who haven't, it's _THE_ (imo) classic end of the world novel - and started me, in 1978, on the path of 'keep cool, travel light, stay low'.

What 'started' you?


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

The Ashes series of books written by William Johnstone.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Yes, that book was important to my me as a budding prepper. Super-realistic novel. 

A film called "Panic in Year Zero" was my introduction to survivalism. That and Paladin Press.


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

Shortly after 9/11


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

What started me as a hard core prepper was the 9-11 attacks. It amazed me how vulnerable our society was to relatively small attacks. We came very close to a full blown depression and collapse of the financial sector. Yes, we had been thru that before but back then many families were still tied to the farm in some way and most of the food came from local farms. Plus back then, there was no expectation that the government would save you. After 9-11 I realized there would be anarchy if we went into another great depression... that folks would riot if things went bad. Also realized the vast majority of food was not grown locally and that few folks had relatives living the rural life on a farm.

So now I prepare for society to collapse after a crisis. That means lots of food in storage & having the ability to become self sufficient. 

BTW, I read Playboy in my formative years.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

******* said:


> What started me as a hard core prepper was the 9-11 attacks. It amazed me how vulnerable our society was to relatively small attacks. We came very close to a full blown depression and collapse of the financial sector. Yes, we had been thru that before but back then many families were still tied to the farm in some way and most of the food came from local farms. Plus back then, there was no expectation that the government would save you. After 9-11 I realized there would be anarchy if we went into another great depression... that folks would riot if things went bad. Also realized the vast majority of food was not grown locally and that few folks had relatives living the rural life on a farm.
> 
> So now I prepare for society to collapse after a crisis. That means lots of food in storage & having the ability to become self sufficient.
> 
> BTW, I read Playboy in my formative years.


Hi *******. I agree with all your post. Yes, 9-11 changed the mindset of a lot of folks and for sure accelerated the efforts of those already on this path. After I read LH, my take was that there was no place defensible _(other than like the Stronghold, in the book) _so the best option was to learn skill-sets needed for life pretty much on the run: edible wild plants, water purification, knife work, etc. It wasn't until recently (2015, when I moved up here) that focus switched to 'standing ground'.

Here, we're normal-life prepared for 6mo because of the winters.... but there are some SHTF plans & preps in place as well...not so much from the hot hungry hordes - more from an EMP event. Still researching how one will affect our solar set-up. Can easily go back to no lights/fridge...but it runs the well pump, and that would be a headache. There's enough surface water close (and snow melt later) to cover that, though, and food (protein) wont be a problem; quiet bow-hunting, loud stuff saved for wrong-intended two-leggeds that might make it this far. I'm ramped up on pre-electric 'old-ways'...and, if all of this is for naught, well, life is and has been good and this is a good place to die...if you know what I mean.

Thanks for your reply!


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

MountainGirl said:


> Here, we're normal-life prepared for 6mo because of the winters.... but there are some SHTF plans & preps in place as well...not so much from the hot hungry hordes - more from an EMP event. Still researching how one will affect our solar set-up. Can easily go back to no lights/fridge...but it runs the well pump, and that would be a headache.


EMP is the scary one & there is little definitive proof on what it will do & what is needed to protect from it. IMO, water is sooooo critical. We too have water on site and nearby but that would be a pain. So I bit the bullet & have solar panels in storage along with a flex well pump that can operate directly from attached panels. All of the above are protected in Faraday enclosures.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

******* said:


> EMP is the scary one & there is little definitive proof on what it will do & what is needed to protect from it. IMO, water is sooooo critical. We too have water on site and nearby but that would be a pain. So I bit the bullet & have solar panels in storage along with a flex well pump that can operate directly from attached panels. All of the above are protected in Faraday enclosures.


I looked at the flex pumps, good call. Do you have tanks it can pump into while the sun's out? btw...I was really surprised how much the panels generate even during overcasts. My last project here before it snows is to set up H2O holding tanks.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

The original good book .... The Bible.


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

MountainGirl said:


> I looked at the flex pumps, good call. Do you have tanks it can pump into while the sun's out? btw...I was really surprised how much the panels generate even during overcasts. My last project here before it snows is to set up H2O holding tanks.


As opposed to going to external holding tanks, the Grundfos flex pump would be setup to fill the underground pressure tank already in use by the ac well pump. All the controllers and pressure switch are inside a Faraday enclosure too. I understand that capacity is somewhat limited, but I can live with that. I want the current water system to stay pressurized and could live with very limited water pressure at nights or exceedingly cloudy days. I have extra panels that could be attached to the well if needed when cloudy. Cool thing about the flex pump is it keeps working when the power level drops without damaging the pump... as would occur on a normal pump. The gallons per minute is just reduced.

I do have some external talks that could be filled but nothing larger than a 160 gallon tank.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

******* said:


> As opposed to going to external holding tanks, the Grundfos flex pump would be setup to fill the underground pressure tank already in use by the ac well pump. All the controllers and pressure switch are inside a Faraday enclosure too. I understand that capacity is somewhat limited, but I can live with that. I want the current water system to stay pressurized and could live with very limited water pressure at nights or exceedingly cloudy days. I have extra panels that could be attached to the well if needed when cloudy. Cool thing about the flex pump is it keeps working when the power level drops without damaging the pump... as would occur on a normal pump. The gallons per minute is just reduced.
> 
> I do have some external talks that could be filled but nothing larger than a 160 gallon tank.


Sounds like you're pretty well good to go. My next buy will be a backup inverter, to run the ac pump controller off the battery bank - and will just use manual switches to fill tanks from yard spigot/hoses... but it's a lot different set-up than yours, oh hell this is so off-topic. Oh well. My thread, my bad. 

Thanks for your reply!


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

MountainGirl said:


> Sounds like you're pretty well good to go. My next buy will be a backup inverter, to run the ac pump controller off the battery bank - and will just use manual switches to fill tanks from yard spigot/hoses... but it's a lot different set-up than yours, oh hell this is so off-topic. Oh well. My thread, my bad.
> 
> Thanks for your reply!


That's the thing about preparedness, right? So many proverbial avenues to turn down and it's just amazing the amount you have to think about.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Annie said:


> That's the thing about preparedness, right? So many proverbial avenues to turn down and it's just amazing the amount you have to think about.


Very true! Hi Annie, nice to meet you. Urinal Cake says you might want some snow. Any truth to that rumor? What started you on this path, if I may ask? If you don't want to tell, that's okay. No harm, no foul.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

MountainGirl said:


> Did anyone else read _Lucifer's Hammer_ in their formative years?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes. Read Lucifer's Hammer but it didn't start me on the path of preparad-ness.

Growing up on the Gulf Coast and the threat of Tropical Storms and Hurricane's started me on the path to being prepared. Watching my Grandparents "Can" and put up food, watching my parents fix stuff, watching my neighbors be self sufficient during times of no power or water, etc.

Not wanting to be dependent on others, being Free and experiencing Liberty...that is what motivates me.


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## modfan (Feb 18, 2016)

Malevil in about 1973, I read Lucifer's hammer later. I've really become addicted to post apocalyptic.


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## Mike54 (Feb 16, 2014)

Alas Babylon was my introduction to prepping.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Slippy said:


> Yes. Read Lucifer's Hammer but it didn't start me on the path of preparad-ness.
> 
> Growing up on the Gulf Coast and the threat of Tropical Storms and Hurricane's started me on the path to being prepared. Watching my Grandparents "Can" and put up food, watching my parents fix stuff, watching my neighbors be self sufficient during times of no power or water, etc.
> 
> Not wanting to be dependent on others, being Free and experiencing Liberty...that is what motivates me.


Hi Slippy, that's a big part of it for me too. You're lucky to have seen how things are done growing up. Lots of us didn't, back then; and my guess is very few do now. Maybe the localized disasters now - will help wake folks up a bit, even if they're only watching from a safe distance, so they have a better chance of making it when/if a _really_ big event happens. That, and there's no bigger liberty and freedom - than being able to take care of ourselves. Thanks for your reply.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

modfan said:


> Malevil in about 1973, I read Lucifer's hammer later. I've really become addicted to post apocalyptic.


Hi modfan, have your readings affected your lifestyle or choices at all? You keepin a good balanced perspective? Whenever I re-read LH, I go check my gear & make sure everything is still there and working, lol, and it takes me a good day to 'come back down' a bit.


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## pakrat (Nov 18, 2012)

I came out of a section of very rural America (locked in the 50's) at age 19 to join the Navy. After 5 years of seeing “the world”, I took my separation papers, bought 162 acres on a back road, off a back road of my home turf and worked hard to avoid regular contact with people for 25 years. I walked away from the farm 15 years ago, but the attitude has stayed for life.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

pakrat said:


> I came out of a section of very rural America (locked in the 50's) at age 19 to join the Navy. After 5 years of seeing "the world", I took my separation papers, bought 162 acres on a back road, off a back road of my home turf and worked hard to avoid regular contact with people for 25 years. I walked away from the farm 15 years ago, but the attitude has stayed for life.


Hi pakrat, it does abide. Thanks for the reply, warm regards.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

MountainGirl said:


> Very true! Hi Annie, nice to meet you. Urinal Cake says you might want some snow. Any truth to that rumor? What started you on this path, if I may ask? If you don't want to tell, that's okay. No harm, no foul.


I love your forum name, Mountain Girl. In all seriousness if I wasn't going to be Annie, I would've been Mountain Girl. Honestly.

Sent from my SM-G530T using Tapatalk


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## modfan (Feb 18, 2016)

MountainGirl said:


> Hi modfan, have your readings affected your lifestyle or choices at all? You keepin a good balanced perspective? Whenever I re-read LH, I go check my gear & make sure everything is still there and working, lol, and it takes me a good day to 'come back down' a bit.


I wouldn't say they have had a large impact on my lifestyle. They have made me realize how many different ways the SHTF. It also gives me different prepping ideas.

In the past few years, I've taken a deeper look at sustainability vs. storing food and items. For instance the only planting I do around the house is fruit and vegetables using heirlooms seeds, ensuring I have supply of potable water, creating renewable heating sources, and building several different modes of transportation not prone to limited single fuel sources.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

MountainGirl said:


> Hi modfan, have your readings affected your lifestyle or choices at all? You keepin a good balanced perspective? Whenever I re-read LH, I go check my gear & make sure everything is still there and working, lol, and it takes me a good day to 'come back down' a bit.


William Forstchen's book "Day of Wrath" changed my thought on daily concealed carry. I only read "Lucifer's Hammer" last year.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

No book turned me on to Prepping. I grew up dirt poor. Getting milk from the Cow, Eggs from the Hen, Chicken from the Chickens, and fish from the water. My grand father and my mother were heavy into canning and always having a store room full of canned foods that was there for "rough" times.

After my Special Forces survival training, I continued to learn more about outdoors living/surviving and honed my skills on the basic things like fire starting, traps, water purification, shelter construction. As I went through the wars I began to think about offensive/defensive actions I could take to either gain an advantage or to maintain one. Mostly I conceive of something, go test it out, see how it can best be used, then keep the required material on hand to put them out if needed.

I prep for many events that share common reactions, most common of those is civil breakdown and localized violence, followed by government encroachment into our lifes demanding compliance and the giving up of our rights by having to contribute my stuff to the general welfareof the town or taking my guns to ensure security.

They will get very little from my, as I won't be home when they show up and nothing left will be really that useful. cept maybe my 62' TV.

My strenths are my stategic and tactical planning for defense and offense actions concerning security. Other than that I can make just about anything work.

I'm one of those that believes that when it comes down to it people will kill you for what you got if times get tough enough...so I'm a man that plays what I have close to my vest and spread out.and I'm prepared to turnaway anyone I think would threaten my hegemony and breed dissension among the ranks. 

Well nuff bout me....


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Old SF Guy said:


> No book turned me on to Prepping. I grew up dirt poor. Getting milk from the Cow, Eggs from the Hen, Chicken from the Chickens, and fish from the water. My grand father and my mother were heavy into canning and always having a store room full of canned foods that was there for "rough" times.
> 
> After my Special Forces survival training, I continued to learn more about outdoors living/surviving and honed my skills on the basic things like fire starting, traps, water purification, shelter construction. As I went through the wars I began to think about offensive/defensive actions I could take to either gain an advantage or to maintain one. Mostly I conceive of something, go test it out, see how it can best be used, then keep the required material on hand to put them out if needed.
> 
> ...


Thank you for that post, Special Forces. 
More than most, this seems to be in your nature. 
May we all stay safe.


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## Winston Smith (Oct 21, 2017)

The Pournell / Niven book I loved was _Footfall_. Yeah, it's not likely that sentient pachyderms will invade anytime soon. Still, a classic. 
Never got around to reading _Lucifer's Hammer_. Perhaps I should.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Winston Smith said:


> Never got around to reading _Lucifer's Hammer_. Perhaps I should.


Hi Winston, I read it about every couple years. It's dated, yeah, but it so parallels what's going on even now. I liked the prepping parts of it (by Randall, Stoner, the Stronghold, others) and it's what informed my young at the time mind to lean towards minimalist survival, rather than stockpile. Everything in LH was plausible; no aliens or sentient pachyderms to take it out of the realm of very possible. Still is.


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