When the Internet and all Electronics Hard-Reset

[univurshul]

I have a 55watt fold-out solar blanket myself. Charges the everything from the notebook to the ipad.

Those watches are sobering. "Style meeds Armageddon".

[StevePoling]

I neglected to mention solar flares. I read about an event in 1859 that had a major impact on telegraph lines, but there was no electrical grid back then. If one of those monster solar flares hit the earth, it'll wreck transformers that are big and not quickly replaced. And not manufactured in the states. This could take down large swaths of the electrical grid for a very long time. Months.

According to this site http://nextbigfuture.com/2010/08/solar-activity-effects-decay-rates-and.html#more the physics boffins think they may have a way to get advanced warning of grid-frying space weather. If we know a solar flare is coming, we can take equipment off-line and it won't get fried. So, you won't have to prepare your survivalist redoubt for a grid-destroying solar flare. Now, a zombie apocalypse or a robot uprising, those are another matter.