X-Entertainment | Build your fallout shelter.

Build your fallout shelter.

Let's try out another poll. Either we're at war, toxic asteroids are falling, or some other great catastrophe is going on that causes you to head underground, alone, to a small fallout shelter you built for just such an occasion. It's a special fallout shelter -- no phones, but you took the time to add battery-operated TV/VCR combos so you can watch videos while the world explodes. What do you take down there -- movies, books or whatever else, to keep yourself occupied for the many weeks or possibly even months? What kind of fallout shelter are you running?

Posted by Matt on 02/04/2004. E-mail me!

Discussion Thread: 127 comments

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Well, I own a lot of books I haven’t read, so I would start with those…then I’d make sure I had a whole bunch of ebooks and my laptop computer (which is crappy and wouldn’t use much power)

I’d take my collection of Sailor Moon episodes, all 200 of them, and watch them…in succession.

I’d probably buy some dvd boxsets or something… I’d bring my guitar and my keyboard, both of which I have not yet learned to play. I might teach myself to knit or embroider or something

And of course, I would write every novel or play that had been bumping around in my head, and organize several volumes of poetry.

Chestnuts roasted by Megan @ 02/04/2004 8:46 AM

My Xbox YEAH BABY! EAT IT PS2 AND GAMECUBE!!

Chestnuts roasted by Pete @ 02/04/2004 8:49 AM

I would somehow get my guitar and a notebook down there to write music. I’d also take the book I’m currently reading, "Nothing Feels Good" about the evolution of Emo music in today’s society.

I’d take all my family guy DVD’s,
and my huge assortment of horror movie DVDs becaues that’s the perfect place to watch scary movies. I’d also take all my "girls gone wild" DVD’s… because well… If I’m stuck, I’m going to need them…

I’d also take my CD book since I could play my CD’s in the DVDplayer, and I’m going to wanna listen to music.

Oh, and some food and water. I guess some of that should be down there too.

Chestnuts roasted by chad @ 02/04/2004 8:49 AM

Wow, first comment.

This is one of those questions like the "who would you want to have dinner with, living or dead" and the safe conventional answer is Jesus or Ghandi or Shakespeare.

But your really thinking of inviting the 15 minute celebrity of the moment.

Chestnuts roasted by c. cuthill @ 02/04/2004 8:50 AM

* A copy of "Big Trouble in Little China"; because it’s ‘all in the reflexes’.

*A copy of "The Lord of the rings"; the book, not the films

*The board game "Keys to the Kingdom"; because no one else knows about it or how to play it and I’ll win every time.

*A chainsaw, so as to compete in any Thunderdome festivities.

*A universal remote, to conveniently tune out any invading beautiful blonde T-Xes.

*A pool table.

*A priority shipping package, in case Kevin Costner stops by to pick up my mail.

*A tire iron, with which to fong Kevin Costner in the skull for making "Waterworld".

*The "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" DVD

*Kegs, upon kegs, upon kegs of bootlegged Octo-cooler and MGD.

*A Rubix cube, when I feel like killing myself.

*My girlfriend, naturally

*And the assorted neccesities of life.

Chestnuts roasted by SilvaKrown @ 02/04/2004 8:51 AM

Hmmm… Ditto on the Sailormoon tapes, though I’d like the first season in japanese. All the old Rogers and Hammerstein musicals, so I can sing and dance in peace. The Wheel of Time books (which in the imaginary senario would already be finished) Lord of the Rings DVDs… yummy fellas. A few girly porn type romance books. Lots of yarn for crocheting (to keep my hands busy)
And some hot young thing to keep everything else busy.

Chestnuts roasted by allicat @ 02/04/2004 9:03 AM

My guitars – I’ve been neglecting Isabella Rosalita and Stinky.

My CDs – I need the inspiration to play my guitar.

Mad Libs – I would need a pencil, too. One with a crazy long eraser.

PS2, N64, Genesis, and NES + games – I have so many freaking RPGs and adventure games which I haven’t finished due to new releases.

A shite load of good beer – Only PBR, High Life, Schlitz, and Schaefer need apply. Maybe some Jack Daniels for boilermakers.

Ganja – I think nuclear fallout would be a good time to pick up an old habit.

Uma Thurman – Hey, I will need someone to play Mad Libs with. Of course, she can bring whatever she likes, too… as long as it isn’t competition. It’s just her and I playing Mad Libs, baby.

Chestnuts roasted by Nachokhaki @ 02/04/2004 9:19 AM

i would bring the matrix trilogy and use the time to decifer what the hell is going on in that movie.

Chestnuts roasted by mikey @ 02/04/2004 9:20 AM

-books
-my laptop and my games: the sims, zoo tycoon, roller coaster tycoon and simcity
-my boyfriend (he’s a computer tech so if anything goes wrong with my laptop and I can’t play my games anymore he can fix it)

…and the usual stuff like food, water, a chef, maid, butler, personal assistant, massage therapist, therapist…

Chestnuts roasted by Jen @ 02/04/2004 9:27 AM

I’d definitely want to have some books down there — particularly the complete works of Plato and collections of short stories by Kafka, Poe, Hawthorne, and Flannery O’Connor (to name a few). My dvd collection (along with the means to watch it) would also be nice to have.

And a number of legal pads and a large supply of pens, so I could continue to write my own fiction, god-and-creativity/inspiration-willing.

Other than that? I’d really want to have my toys down there, and my digital camera, and my computer, with a broadband connection, so I could continue to update SC with toy comics (and dvd reviews). I’m sure you’d do the same with X-E, Matt.

Oh, and I guess we’d all starve without food…so I’d also want my shelter to have a tunnel that led to an underground lake, on the shore of which lived a number of fishermen and Japanese sushi chefs who worked together and offered up the resultant wares for free.

And I guess mundane stuff like purple toothbrushes and baking soda toothpaste and comfortable toilet paper, etc., would be necessary too.

Interesting poll, Matt. You wouldn’t happen to be so worried about the future that you’re starting construction on one of these shelters, with this poll being a way for you to get suggestions, would you?

I wouldn’t blame you.

Chestnuts roasted by Wes @ 02/04/2004 9:35 AM

-My Game Boy Advance and a slew of games

-All of the LotR movies & books

-All my Terry Pratchett books

-All my Anne of Green Gables Books

-Anne of Green Gables DVD trilogy

-Help & Hard Day’s Night DVD

-All of my quilting supplies

-My Grateful Dead, Beatles, Indigo Girls, and Donna the Buffalo CD’s

-A radio so I could listen to Red Sox games

-Triscuits, Ring Dings, Hostess Fruit Pies, Coke, Cheddar cheese, chips and dip, water, turkey jerky, cat food

-My cats

-My fiance

Chestnuts roasted by B-Dawg @ 02/04/2004 9:42 AM

Hopefully there’s a dvd player down there, too… I’d take my simpsons dvds b/c I could watch them over and over. I’d throw a few other movies in, too, like The House of Yes and whatever else I could run off with. I’d also take a few books, but not too many b/c I’m a slow reader. I’d go back and reread some of the Harry Potter books and take a few more I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t.

The gamecube was a good idea, too. Definitely Mario Kart Double Dash and Wind Waker would go with me since I’ve been too lazy to actually finish it. Animal Crossing, too, since it’s addictive and literally gives you something to do every day.

And my bomb shelter wouldn’t be complete without a few He-Man toys scattered about. I’d have to take those to set up around the place.

MATT: by the way, thanks for helping us .org members out with the SAVE THIS MAN link on the main page. That’s very cool of you. Hopefully the petition will either not be needed or it will help if the line is in trouble. All the support we can get is welcome! You rule.

Chestnuts roasted by hammington @ 02/04/2004 9:49 AM

I would take:

Nicole Kidman
Liv Tyler
Miranda Otto
Keira Knightley
Famke Janssen

and a copy of "How to Get Girls With Hypnosis". I wouldn’t need anything else to keep me entertained…

Chestnuts roasted by malibupete @ 02/04/2004 10:22 AM

I’m glad malibupete and me are the only guys worried about our sex lives while being stuck in a hole for a week or a month.

and nachokhaki too, his is just a little more under the radar.

Chestnuts roasted by chad @ 02/04/2004 10:40 AM

I would bring nothing and take the opportunity to meditate and reflect on the rhythm of the beating heart of the Universal Soul Fire.

Bwa-ha-ha-haaa!

I’m just kidding: I’m a child of the massively consumerist ’80s and a bookworm to boot. Of course I’d take shit with me!

Because I’ve been effectively trained out of bachelorettehood, I immediately asked my girlfriend (which takes care of the sex life problem) what we would take, and we came up with a list:

• Our five cats who are extrememly entertaining. Also, something to kill the smell of the litter.

• Nonperishables. Spongebob comestibles probably count.

• Various books that we haven’t had time to read between work and school. For me, the literature I didn’t get a chance to read when I was working on my English degree and a box or two of old horror/suspense/sci-fi-themed comic books. And other art books.

• Paper and inks and pencils for drawing.

• You know, Legos are a really great way to pass a lot of time. Of course, I’d probably have to learn the kitty Heimlich.

• Old-timey DVDs like her Lauren Bacall and my Vincent Price movies. Especially The Last Man on Earth. Hell, I like apocalyptic movies at the best of times.

• My Old Timey Radio CDs (The Shadow, X Minus 1, etc.) and whatever music I could grab on my way down.

Chestnuts roasted by Molten @ 02/04/2004 10:57 AM

-My Journal and a gross of pens

-My husband

-My sons

-LoTR books and movies

-Indiana Jones trilogy

-Crossword puzzle magazines

-All of Stephen Kings novels ("The Stand" alone should keep me busy for a while)

-Endless supply of Salsa Doritos

Good poll, Matt. You’ll get a chance to see from this question how different your readers are.

Chestnuts roasted by Kookie @ 02/04/2004 11:11 AM

I would take 3 or 4 of my good friends with me, and then
-My GameBoy (I’m a Pokefanboy)
-Discman (mmmm The Clash)
-One nice comfy single bed
Then I’d see how long it would take my friends to get bored with talking about the same stuff we always do.
And how long it would take them to turn on me and eventually eat me because they are lacking entertainment.

Chestnuts roasted by Brrent @ 02/04/2004 11:18 AM

First I would bring my important books: Complete works of Shakespeare, Poe, Twain, Azimov, Heinlein, Steve Perry, Guy Gavriel Kay, Piers Anthony, Nietzsche Sagan, Hawking, all the Potter books (I can read them now that there won’t be any more movies coming out) and many more.
More books would include: How to learn (insert language here) of every language I can find.
I would bring a guitar and a piano plus learning manuels.
I would also bring a huge TV and entertainment center with all of the consoles and a kickass computer which I will aquire during the pre-apocolyptic looting.
I will walk into my factory (I build catamrans http://www.endeavourcats.com) and walk out with several generators (diesel, solar, wind), a watermaker, all the radios I can fit.
I will bring the important DVD movies: Legend, Princess Bride, Goonies, Dark Crystal, True Romance, Starwars, LOtR, MTS3K collection, Indiana Jones, Six-String Samurai, any Peter Jackson, NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth, Willow, Crouching Tiger, Well ALL MOVIES!
I will bring various manuels and videos on Martail Arts to continue my training amd protect myself from the post-apocolyptic looters.
And, of course, a picture of my mom.

Chestnuts roasted by Stilewalker @ 02/04/2004 11:29 AM

Oh, and a monkey. Monkeys are cool.

Chestnuts roasted by Stilewalker @ 02/04/2004 11:34 AM

Each and every one of the X-E blog regulars, all with a significant portion of their various collections of cool old toys, DVDs, books, and video games. I figure between all of us, we should be able to keep ourselves entertained for a long, LONG time to come. Also, lots of TVs to cut down on the fighting. (Because I really don’t want to be arguing with anyone about why my continuous Simpsons/Family Guy/Adult Swim marathon eliminates any hope of them watching Sailor Moon, well, ever, f’r instance.)

As for the whole supermodel thing… enh. I’d rather keep it to stuff I could actually lay my hands on without too much trouble (and chloroform). Besides, with all of us 20-somethings down there, you know that celibacy ain’t really gonna be much of an issue. (Because I am NOT gonna be that one guy who can’t get laid in a friggin’ isolated bomb shelter…)

Chestnuts roasted by The Lucky One @ 02/04/2004 11:37 AM

I’d bring my PS2 and 2 of the longest games i have ever played Xenogears and Dragon Warrior VII.

On DVD I’d bring the 3 simpsons box sets released so far, my transformers season one box set, my martian sucessro nadesico box set, and martain sucessor nadesico the movie, and finally my Slayers box set.

On Book i’d bring my complete works of shakespeare, my colelction of H.P. Lovecraft Short stories, The Silmarillion, hobit, and LOTR, The Jedi Academey Trilogy.

Comic books i’d bring Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller Vol 2, The Essential X-men vol 1-4, The essential Iron Man, All 10 volumes of the Sandman, Marvel Masterworks Avengers, and Essential Fantastic Four vol 1-3

Finally I’d bring a computer with dsl or cable connection and the games Ragnarok Online, Dark Age of Camelot, and Final Fantasy XI.

Chestnuts roasted by Bright Noah @ 02/04/2004 11:46 AM

well if it was my shelter, I’d definatly bring my complete series of freakazoid,

every mst3k ever made, including the movie.

all of my philosopy books, and my two orweillian books, 1984, and animal farm

a sword, just cuz it’d be nice to learn how to use one, any kind.

my drumset, there’ll be plenty of guitarists in the new world order, I’ll have my pick for my new ska band…..

my entire cd collection, gotta have something to practice drums w/.

my ps2 w/ my 2 fav games, Devil May Cry, and Disgaea, Hour of Darkness

instructions for masage (eastern and western), acupuncture, Ki Gong, Kung Foo…etc

somebody to practice on. preferably somebody hot, and of the oposite sex.

an archive of every article, and post ever appearing, or even mentioned on x-e.

my talking yoda (he answers basically "yes," "no," or "squeeze to hard you have." along with all my other office toys that are ok at passing time.

and on a seperate note I think Disgaea is most likely longer than the two mentioned by bright noah. seeing as I’ve been playing for over 80 hours and my highest level character is 29 of a possible 9999. every equipable item, as well as the usable ones have an item world with anywhere between 30, and 100 levels of their own. also has the best feature ever in rpg games…new game +.

also last night I was watching Lost in Translation w/ my wife, (odd movie) durring a scene where they were singing karaoke on the movie my wife turned to me and said. "at least they have karaoke in Japan." I don’t know what she meant to say, but that’s damn funny.

Chestnuts roasted by brandon @ 02/04/2004 12:39 PM

Hmmmmm…
1. I’d bring books, first and foremost.
2. Before I brought books, I’d take a few friends. They can carry more things than I can (however they have no choice in what things are chosen). Friends must be willing to "experiment" and "follow orders."
3. As much rice snacks as we can carry.
4. More books.
5. A gun (gotta keep the friends in line).
6. Ramen noodles, ramen noodles, ramen noodles.
7. My movie library, and my friends’, and whatever we could grab from Movie Gallery in the riotous chaos.
8. Pencil, paper, and more guns.
9. Alcohol and possibly something equitably potent.

Chestnuts roasted by MadMax1001 @ 02/04/2004 12:54 PM

- Every Twilight Zone Episode
- Fallout and Fallout 2 for the laptop
- welding goggles
- couple gallons of Jim
- a bag of grass, salt shaker half full of cocain, 75 pellets of mescaline, and bag full of multi colored uppers, downers, screamers and whatever else they are, but no not any of that ether

Chestnuts roasted by Edthacow @ 02/04/2004 12:58 PM

brandon. I watched lost in translation in the theaters, I won a free ticket to the premier. i didn’t know what to expect because I never heard of it, and I love bill murray. I thought the movie was well acted, and pretty good. FAR from funny. and FAR from worthy of all the awards it’s been getting. Too me, there really wasn’t much comedy or plot. Bill Murray is awesome though, and I think he made the movie worth watching regardless.

Chestnuts roasted by chad @ 02/04/2004 12:59 PM

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