quote:

ORIGINAL: jlf1961
My father's family is from the mountains of Western North Carolina.

The area is known for tobacco farms and moonshine, which averages 93 to 99% pure alcohol.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MasterCaneman

My one and only experience with shine was right after I got home from Basic. Was at a kegger in the mountains, and this old vet poured me a shot glass. I powered that down and thought I was gonna die. "I guess I should have told you to sip it before I handed it to you. That was uncut," he said. Man, it felt like there was a three feet red-hot pole inside of me. Got seriously messed up, passed out, and threw up all over myself. Yes, there were pictures and my buddies drew shit on me. Fuckers. You live and learn. The hard way, sometimes.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jlf1961

The One World trade center tower is designed to withstand the impact of aircraft, a truck bomb the size of a fully loaded tractor trailer, chem and bio air filtration system, expensive but in light of the facts, practical.

Engineers routinely design for one, two, even 300 year storms, again deemed practical.

The common philosophy in the two statements is that you plan for the rarity, not the daily occurrence.

Therefore, the following would fall into the idea of practical preventive measures.

1) A howdah, a double barreled large bore pistol worn by hunters while on elephants to use as a weapon of last resort if a lion or tiger attacks the hunter on the back of the elephant.

Reasoning: While the odds slim, this situation may arise in the middle of Texas, Montana or Central Park.

2) Home with 3 foot thick blast proof reinforced concrete walls shielded against EMP, radioactive fallout, chemical warfare agents, bio agents, volcanic dust and super heated atmosphere caused by planetary debris re-entering the atmosphere after a large comet or asteroid strike, and of course all intake vents designed to be tsunami proof just in case the impact is a water impact resulting in a super tsunami capable of coming 500 miles inland.

3) Monster truck just in case some pandemic leaves the high ways and streets packed with abandoned cars.

4) Ge mini guns mounted in gun positions around the upper floor of the house in case of attack by zombies, terrorists, ford fanatics.

5) Whiskey still in the basement in case whiskey is outlawed.

Now I challenge you folks to either prove the above are not needed, or add to the list. Whatever.