Friday, July 31, 2009

An Ode to Grandparents

While browsing the Survivalist Boards today I ran across this thread. The topic was "what did your grandparents teach you?" For many people, grandparents were often the cornerstone of their real life education. Here's what my grandparents taught me:
  • How to shoot. And to keep your finger off the trigger until you were ready to kill something.
  • How to listen. Once when I was a kid, grandpa gave me $20 with instruction to go into the store and get some candy for all of us along with a specific dollar amount. Apparently I only heard the word candy and saw the $20 because I came out with $20 worth of candy which in those days was quite a bit of money. He never got angry but when he needed your attentions he would say "listen up Pardner" kind of like John Wayne. That day I got a lecture on listening and we ended up eating that candy on random occasions over a period of many months.
  • To pay cash for everything. Granddad always had a wallet full of cash. Mostly this was because credit cards hadn't been invented then and also because of his second financial lesson which was to never be in debt to anyone.
  • How to enjoy the wilderness. Granddad spent some years with the CCCs (Civilian Conservation Corps) which was a jobs program created during the Great Depression. Most of his time was spent in the wilderness doing various jobs like trail building, firefighting, etc. During that time, he mostly lived outside. He never got tired of camping out, with or without a canvas tarp as a shelter, and neither did we.
  • All of your food scraps (except meat which went to the dogs) are to be saved for the compost pile.
  • Grow your own vegetables, fruit, and meat...it's fresher and healthier than the stuff you can buy in the store.
  • If you do need things from the store, read the ads first and save money by shopping sales.
  • Don't swear. Grandpa could use some colorful language on occasion but I can count on one hand the number of times grandma swore and if she did, everyone watched out because that meant she was really pissed.
  • Take care of your animals. This isn't the goofy dress your dog up in clothing and pamper them but when it was really cold, the dogs were allowed to sleep in the kitchen. They were always provided clean water and given food and attention but they were animals so they lived outside so that they could do their job like protecting the house (dogs) or keeping the mice down (cats).
  • Make do with what you have. If something broke it was repaired. If it couldn't be repaired then it was replaced but that happened only rarely.
  • Give to those in need. My grandparents had a farm and many times they would give food to neighbors or even those who stopped by but were unable to pay the full price because it was the right thing to do.
  • If you are going to buy something, it should be something that held its value. Granddad always bought cars used but he had a prized collection of firearms and guitars that he wouldn't hesitate to pay top dollar for.
  • How to trade. Grandad was a horse trader from way back so he would just as often acquire things by bartering or trade than he would by purchasing an item.
  • Take work when it was available because you don't know when more work will come along. Since my grandparents came of age during the Depression, they never turned down work. Besides having a farm, granddad was a welder, they ran barn dances on Saturdays, grandma worked in a factory during World War II and she also worked on the election board each year...basically if there was a job to be had, they took it.
  • How to bake, cook, preserve food, and sew. Grandma was an expert at all of these things. I can still whip up a mean apple pie thanks to grandma.
  • Cook with cast iron as much as possible.
  • Everything in moderation. Junk food was fine as long as it was a rare treat and not a dietary staple.
  • Work outside every day...it's good for you.
  • Family takes care of family.
  • Treat your employees well. And feed them lunch.
  • Keep quite about your personal life. No good will come from discussing your finances, problems, or other personal information with others.

There's plenty of more things I could write about the lessons learned from grandparents because they really are an integral part of the extended family unit. They have the time to pay attention to the grand kids and pass along valuable skills while parents are often more focused on working and paying the bills. I hope parents realize how valuable time spent with grandparents is for their kids and, on the flip side, I hope "modern" grandparents realize how important it is that they spend time with their grand kids imparting their valuable wisdom.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Pandemic Flu Update

The main topic of the conference I am at this week is pandemic flu. Unfortunately the answers to many questions that people have about this topic is "we don't know." Not very reassuring.

What is the outlook for a more virulent strain of pandemic flu this fall? We don't know. When will the vaccine be ready? We don't know. What will be the target populations for the vaccine? We don't know but probably kids, first responders, and pregnant women. How much antivirals will be available (based on percentage of population)? We don't know (or we wont say, I'm guessing). What are the chances that the virus could mutate to the point that the current antivirals will be ineffective? We don't know.

I realize that the government is doing what it can in regards to the pan flu and planning for millions of people for an event that may or may not happen is difficult to say the least, however, being a few months out from what some researchers say may rival or surpass the 1918 flu and having the most widely shared piece of advice be to wash your hands and keep your distance from people is a bit concerning.

The government is not totally ineffective. During the first outbreak of pan flu this spring, distributions from the Strategic National Stockpile went as planned. There is a difference, however, between distributing enough of a product to more than meet the current need when the need at the time was confined to pockets of outbreak that didn't turn out to be nearly as virulent or deadly as what would happen during a 1918-type pandemic.

So I will keep you updated about this evolving situation as information becomes available but for now, the general answer to your pandemic flu questions is "we don't know."

Heatwave Update

As much as I would like to commiserate with the people in my city who are enduring near 100 degree temps, I am actually at a conference in a nicely air conditioned suite. I have been keeping up with the local news, however, and have a few more suggestions about dealing with the heat:
  • There have been many drownings and near drownings. People go to the lakes and rivers to beat the heat and then they end up drowning. There seem to be a range of factors involved in these tragic accidents including alcohol use, cold water, strong river and ocean currents, inexperienced swimmers, not using life jackets, etc.
  • Find out where your local cooling center is. If you do not have air conditioning and your house feels like an oven, better to hang out somewhere cool then risk heat stroke.
  • Realize that even if you have fans or air conditioners, often during heatwaves everyone comes home from work, hits power on all of these units and the power grid promptly shuts down. Generators are good during the winter as well as the summer.
  • Like any kind of pending emergency situation, pre planning is a good idea. The news showed people lining up today, when the temperature was like 100 degrees, to buy fans at local stores. Sounds like lousy planning to me. Not only do you pay top dollar, you also run the risk of the stores running out of the things you need because everyone else who did not plan ahead has the same idea. A better way to do this? Buy winter equipment and supplies at the end of winter when demand is low and prices are discounted. Ditto for fans and air conditioners--buy these items at the end of this summer for use next summer. If that isn't possible, at least buy these things any time but during the height of a heatwave. The same thing happens when people race out to stores for hurricane preps, as the hurricane is bearing down on their town or when people go to the store to buy tire chains, in the middle of the biggest snow storm of the year. In all of these cases, everyone else is doing the same thing causing a mob scene. Plan ahead!
  • Even though work dictates that I stay in a nice air conditioned hotel this week, it is actually a good place to ride out a heatwave. The same goes for bugging out to a hotel when other emergencies such as a wildfire, winter storm, or other situation happens where you have the choice of staying home and suffering/making do or relaxing in more optimal conditions. This is what an emergency fund is for and while some people are loath to spend money on something that isn't a "necessity" it is nice to know that you have options and the more money you have stashed away, the more options you have.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Heat Wave: 5 Ways to Beat the Heat

We are officially in the middle of a heat wave. Temps have been up to the low 90s and even higher temperatures are predicted for all of next week. That may be normal if you live in Texas or Arizona but here that is practically an emergency because people simply aren't used to such hot weather. Here's five simple ways to beat the heat if you find yourself in a similar situation:
  1. Keep cool. In our temperate climate, people can pretty much exercise, work in the yard, and play sports outside no matter what time of day it is. When the weather is hot however, you need to keep cool during the heat of the day. Exercise or work in the yard early in the morning or later in the evening when the weather is cooler. Never stay in a car or other confined space unless the AC is on or the windows are down because it only takes minutes in high heat for such a space to become oven-like. Keep your home cool or seek refuge somewhere that has air conditioning such as a library, mall, or office building.
  2. Keep hydrated. During hot weather or when you are working up a sweat with work or exercise, be sure to drink a lot more than you usually would. Your body needs water to replace the liquid lost to sweat and to keep all of your internal organs cool and well hydrated. This goes for children, pets, and livestock as well.
  3. Keep an eye on others. While you may handle hot weather just fine, the sick and elderly often have a difficult time moderating their body temperature during extremes in weather. If you have elderly relatives of friends, be sure to check on them during really hot weather to ensure that they are handling the weather well. A cool home, appropriate clothing, and staying well hydrated is imperative for those who are old or infirm because their body may not tell them that they are too hot making them much more likely to suffer from heat stroke and other complications. Many cities have "cooling stations" set up for those whose homes are too hot to comfortably stay in. If you notice that an an elderly or infirm person is acting ill, lethargic or confused, be sure to seek medical treatment for them immediately.
  4. Keep an eye on your home. If your home is surrounded by dry brush and trees, it only takes a spark to turn the entire area into an inferno. When a hot, dry spell is predicted, that should be your cue to make sure the area around your home is cleared of dry brush, dead trees, and other flammable stuff. Creating this firebreak may be the difference between watching your home light up like a torch and watching the wildfire that is heading your way skip completely over your property. I as well as some neighbors have been out each morning soaking the ground around our homes not so much for the green grass affect but in order to keep the dust (and the likelihood of a fire) down.
  5. Keep in mind other problems that can come along with a heatwave. Obviously the possibility of wildfire greatly increases during a heatwave--often times this is due to lightning strikes. Lightning storms can also be responsible for toasting your appliances and electrocuting people who are outside during a lightening storm so be aware that if an electrical storm is predicted, you may need to change your outdoor plans. Other things such as warnings not to burn during times of high heat, not to throw cigarette butts on the ground, and not to leave your children or pets unattended in a car should go without saying.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Website Update

The CNI website is a work in progress. Checkout out our latest effort at revamping the site to make it cleaner and easier to use at www.codenameinsight.com.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Colony...An Update

While perusing the SurvivalistBoards (www.survivalistboards.com) I was happy to see a thread about the show "The Colony". It was interesting to read what other viewers (103 comments to date) had to say about their takeaways from the show. Check it out here.

News Roundup and Some Commentary

It's been a busy few days in the news. Here's some stories that have been in the news recently and some lessons learned:
  • A murder-suicide on a local military base. Lessons learned: just because you are on a secure military base, it doesn't mean you are safe. If you are in a domestic violence situation, you better have a damn good plan to protect yourself.
  • Harvard professor arrested. Lessons learned: if you are breaking into a house, even your own, the police may show up. It only makes sense to prove your identity and cooperate because they are in essence protecting your property. It isn't a race issue, it is a "my actions make me look like a burglar" issue so stick the race card back in your pocket and thank the police for their quick response to what could have been a burglary at your home.
  • Baby killed in car accident. Lessons learned: don't drink and drive (duh). Everyone in the car should be seat belted and babies and children should ALWAYS be in appropriate child safety seats. Basically these people killed their baby because of their (really really stupid) choices. Sad.
  • Our states are going broke, good luck if you rely on them for a check. Lessons learned: minimize your expenses, maximize your savings/job skills/sources of income and above all, don't rely on the government. Note that it is hard to pay your rent or buy groceries with an IOU from the government.

I really need to go on a news fast. Most news is bad news which is a real downer (as you can tell from my tone).

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Could You Live Without Money?

I used to think that one of the best things about backpacking away from civilization for days or weeks at a time was the fact that I could live, even though it was for such a short period, without using any money whatsoever. Obviously it took some cash to get prepared with gear, supplies, and food but for an entire week or more I didn't need one cent to survive (this was before you had to pay for wilderness permits, when you could drink out of a stream sans filter, and when backpacks weighed upwards of 40 pounds when filled).
Today I came across an article about a man who actually lives without money. I am always fascinated by people like this. They turn what society says people must do, into things that aren't necessary. Like the author, I am rather spoiled by hot water on demand, AC in the car, and the occasional batch of Chinese food being delivered. Could I live like Mr Suelo in the article? If necessary, most anyone could. Would I do it by choice. No. But the takeaway for everyone who reads this article and Mr Suelo's blog are many:
  • You can live however you want.
  • You don't need to live in a house, an apartment, or even a tent.
  • You don't need to be in debt.
  • You don't need to work.
  • You don't need to spend money if you don't want to.
  • You can actually live off the land (but your diet, your clothing, and your lifestyle will probably be significantly different that your current consumerist lifestyle).
  • You don't need electricity, running water, a TV, a refrigerator, or other things that people feel are "must have" items to survive.
  • You don't need to act "normal" or what society at large considers "normal". (IMHO when you look at a group of "high class executives" their behavior is often anything BUT normal--buying stuff not because they want it but to impress others, working 18 hours a day and completely ignoring their families, etc).
  • You do need an open mind to live like this gentleman. Unfortunately our minds start closing (mine included) around junior high school. From then on we follow a path of what is expected of us. The more open we are to the wide range of possibilities available to us, the more possibilities we find.
Some of the most memorable people I remember from growing up were, as grandma called them, "the eccentrics". An aunt who left her family to travel around the world like a gypsy with only what she could carry in her backpack. They guy who came back from Vietnam and lived in the local woods because he couldn't stand to live in society. The man who gave away all of his money and started over just to see if he could do it. Learning from people like these will teach you survival skills that won't be included in survival school curriculums.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Colony Part 1

I just stumbled across "The Colony" on the Discovery Channel as I was writing my last post. Looks like a fairly interesting series. The scenario is that a group of people will be stranded together for a period of ten weeks in an urban area in order to simulate what would happen after a major global disaster. Here's some notes:
  • The group has in interesting mix of people: scientist, martial artist, handyman, doctor, nurse, ex con, etc.
  • Prior to beginning the taping, the people were deprived of sleep, food, and water for 30 hours to simulate what would happen to people immediately after a disaster.
  • The people scavenged what they could as soon as they were set loose.
  • Secure shelter is important. These people are using an abandoned warehouse.
  • They immediately located a water source (a disgustingly dirty river in Los Angeles)
  • They filtered the water with sand and charcoal then boiled it to make it safe to drink.
  • Basic needs: fire, water, shelter, security, sanitation, food.
  • To protect their feet while their shoes and socks were drying out over the fire, they made "shoes" out of shipping envelopes and duct tape.
  • Cleanliness and sanitation are important so as not to spread disease. Toilets were flushed manually with water.
  • Beds were made out of pallets, cardboard, Styrofoam, drapes, and rags.
  • People were rotated on two hour security watches
  • A quote: "people will attempt to get supplies and resources by any way possible after a disaster." Security is a must and will be a continual effort.
  • Assume you are not alone and will have other survivors to contend with.
  • A quote: "In survival mode you may have to let go of your moral compass".
  • If you have limited resources will you share with other survivors who are strangers? This was a contentious scene for both the "inside" group and the new survivors put in the situation.
  • After the basics were taken care of, the people moved on to power. They used scavenged batteries which were "daisy chained" then converted to household AC for power.
  • One man kicked alcohol, tobacco, and coffee when he started the challenge--he wasn't a happy camper for the first few days. Somehow coffee was found on Day 4.
  • Water is budgeted to one gallon of water per person per day. The average American uses 144 gallons of water per day (!).
  • The warehouse had lots of useful materials and supplies for their various projects.
  • Storage of water in the shelter was valuable.
  • During a rain storm, they devised a system to collect water from the gutters (it's easier than traveling to the river and hauling it back to the shelter).
  • Baking soda was used for laundry soap and corrugated steel was used for a washboard in order to wash clothes.
  • Jobs were pretty much divided up along gender lines.
I will definitely watch this show next week. While I usually find a lot of technical faults in these types of "reality" shows, the random bits of information gleaned even from TV shows may prove valuable should I find myself in this type of survival situation.

Preparing for...Court

Today I had to go to court. Nothing major, just a parking ticket that I felt I should fight on principle, however I came away with some court preparedness tips. Note that fighting something simple like a parking ticket is less about saving money (compared to what I make per hour, I would have been financially better off to just pay it) than it is about learning something from the experience. I tend to go to court somewhat regularly but usually as an observer, not as the one talking to the judge. Here's some notes:
  • Arrive on time. Granted this was an inner city court for very minor cases but I have seen district court cases where the defendant came in late and the judge was not happy. Being on time shows respect.
  • Arrive period. Some people blow off court summons and this is a bad idea. The next time you get pulled over for a traffic infraction you may find that there is a warrant for your arrest because you were summoned to court and took it upon yourself not to attend.
  • Dress appropriately. The people waiting to plead their cases today ran the gamut from torn shorts and tank tops to appropriate business dress. Again this is a respect issue. A court room is not the beach and although this judge let things slide, I've seen other judges toss people out for being inappropriately dressed.
  • Other basic respectful behavior: cell phones off, pay attention, be silent unless spoken too, say yes sir and no sir, etc.
  • Don't do something that will piss off the judge and/or in civil/criminal cases, your attorney. I've seen people show up in court intoxicated or visibly under the influence of drugs, rival gang members fighting in the hallway, people who didn't understand simple logic, et al.
  • When you are called in front of the judge, stand up straight, look the judge in the eye, state your case factually--in proper English--and briefly (the judge has to hear dozens of cases a day and doesn't need to hear a long story/boring story/expletives/mumbling/slang/information not at all related to the case/etc).
  • Bring evidence. A few people today tried to describe a situation where a simple picture would have been much more effective. In other cases people say "I could have brought", "I have it at home", and "I can call the bank/landlord/employer for that document if needed"; all of these are excuses for not being prepared. Be prepared with any supporting documentation that will help your case.
  • Get an attorney if needed. Traffic court and small claims court allow you to present your own case and in criminal court you are assigned an attorney if you can't afford one, but I have seen people show up for civil cases that are pretty important (ie: where their children or finances were at stake) and not have an attorney. Yes attorneys are expensive but that is what your emergency fund is for. Also, don't represent yourself, even if you are a lawyer. I have only known one person (he wasn't a lawyer) who represented himself all the way up to the state Supreme Court (and did a better job than all of the prosecution's attorneys combined) but that is a rarity.
  • When you're done, pay up. Although the judge knocked everyone's tickets down (including mine) I was prepared to pay in full if needed. I was rather surprised that people who needed to pay only $50 asked for months to pay off that small amount and a few even signed up for community service to pay off the debt. It's scary to think that more than half of the people at the court during the time I was there didn't have $50 extra to their name. What if they had to buy a tankful of gas to escape the area? What if their kid needed medication? Another good reason for an emergency fund.

Overall it was an interesting experience and a useful way to spend an hour.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Making the Most of Your Summer Weekends

There were no posts this weekend because I was up to my elbows in paint. My goal for each weekend throughout the summer has been to make some sort of improvement to our house before for the coming fall and winter.

Home improvement projects are a great way to get prepared. By doing simple things such as clean up, painting, cleaning or replacing carpet, installing new appliances, etc, you reap the following benefits:
  • You create a nicer environment in which to live.
  • If you do need to move quickly, your home is already in sell-able condition. It doesn't take a major overhaul to get your place ready to sell.
  • Your home functions better and you preclude major problems. You can clean out the gutters and winter rains will flow away from your home like they are supposed to or you can not clean out the gutters and the water will overflow and damage your foundation and siding. Regular maintenance will allow the systems in your home to function as they are supposed to and you are less likely to develop major, preventable problems down the road.
  • Your home is safer. Cleaning the moss off of your stairs now, during the summer, will make your stairs infinitely safer when the weather turns colder and wetter. A well cared for home also send a message to the public that the people who live in the home are a) usually home because all of these improvement projects take time, b) aware of their surroundings and will notice when something is out of place, and c) these are people who will take action and not just let things slide.
  • You save money in a variety of ways. Taking care of small roof problems now precludes a major (and more expensive) fix later. Clearing everything out of a room to paint allows you to sort through what you have when you put it back. This makes it easy to find lost items so you don't duplicate your purchases and also allows you to organize and store items that may come in handy during a disaster. Also, simple things such as insulating your hot water tank or doing some home weatherization projects will save you money on your utility bills come fall and winter.
  • It's good exercise. You don't need a gym when you are lifting, hauling, and generally moving for eight to ten hours a day.
  • You learn new skills. Even if you have never done much home maintenance, you can start with simple projects (like painting) then move up to larger projects (like plumbing). Most home improvement skills can be learned from books, online, or skilled friends and as a bonus, these are usually skills that you can sell to others who need things done around their homes.
  • Home maintenance projects are also good family maintenance projects. When families work together, not only are valuable skills passed on to the next generation, but everyone learns how to function together as a team (this is a good survival skill!).
  • You become more in tune to your home and local environment. When you know how things usually work in your home, yard, and neighborhood, you are more likely to have the heightened awareness to notice when something seems "off".
Although there are plenty of other things I would like to be doing on my summer weekends, taking the time to do maintenance and home improvement projects now will pay off later. Whether I avert a home disaster such as a fire caused by poorly stored chemicals or a larger SHTF disaster because all of my supplies and equipment are organized and ready to go at a moment's notice, taking the time to improve my home will pay a range of dividends.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Link Roundup and a Question and Answer

First some interesting links:

And now a question from a reader:

An email came in today with the question "why don't you write more stuff about tactical things like tactical shooting, tactical entry, tactical gear, etc"

My answer: This is a blog for the general public. I am not a skilled tactical trainer and don't want to mislead the public or worse, write a short "how to" on a topic that requires years of practice and training and have a bad outcome from someone who takes my posts as gospel. That being said, I think any skill you learn that could end in your death should be learned in person and under the guidance of a professional instructor (someone who has a great track record and a great deal of field knowledge as opposed to an instructor with a glitzy website and knowledge gleaned from SOF). You wouldn't read a book or blog post on how the swim then jump into the deep end of a pool thinking that you have the knowledge to swim because you read about it. Ditto for any tactical/firearms/medical skill.

And a side note: due to my unusual range of experiences I have a general knowledge of hundreds of topics (most seem to be in the travel, medical, legal, preparedness, firearms, research, and tech fields) but I'm not an expert on anything (writing and research being the exception). I tend to write about personal experiences, interesting events, interesting opportunities, or other things I find fascinating and/or useful...basically things that the general public should know in order to better prepare and protect themselves.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Where to Access Services

I was finishing up my last blog post when a friend called and needed help with his elderly mother in law who was recently widowed. A sister-in-law that the father was also supporting now needs help too because the main breadwinner for this family is no longer around to provide the finances that kept this family afloat. While I strictly advocate against relying on Welfare and social services, when a crisis happens, I strongly advocate FOR getting any benefits you can qualify for in order to give yourself a bit of time to collect up yourself and put yourself back on track. Here were my suggestions:
  • Get thee to the local welfare office and sign up for anything you qualify for (food stamps, housing, medical benefits, cash assistance, etc).
  • For older people or those with disabilities, check with Medicare and see if you qualify.
  • Get a list of the local food banks, Salvation Army, and free meal providers in your community. You never know when you will have more month left than food.
  • For older people, check with the local senior services agency. This office usually has lots of information on resources that are available for seniors in the community (free meals on wheels, job re-training, home care, etc).
  • If you have kids, sign them up for free or reduced lunch programs (which are also usually offered in the summer).
  • For legal issues, contact the closest legal aid office (these go by various names so Google free legal services and your closest city).
  • Check out the local community resource center (and/or campus resource center if you are a student). Our local community resource center provides a huge range of services--everything from paying for utilities, to help with eviction notices, to job training.
  • If anyone in the family has served any time at all in the military or reserves, contact the local Veteran's service center and see what programs you qualify for.

Then...

  • Make a list of all of the free things in the community you can think of (the library, free night at the museum or art gallery, free outdoor movies in the summer, free outdoor concerts, etc). If you are in a depressing situation, putting a little free fun back in your life is a good thing.
  • Round up some cash. In the midst of trauma it is hard to part with things but if necessary, cash to survive the current situation is much more important than stuff. Have a garage sale, list stuff for sale on Craigslist, etc. then put the money that you earn away for an emergency. Some people like to spend when they are sad or depressed but obviously if you are in dire straits, the money can be used for better things than more consumer junk.
  • Downsize immediately. A cell phone may be necessary but the $100 plan probably isn't. Get a basic plan for around $30 a month. Cut cable, cancel magazines...basically if it isn't a necessity then it isn't necessary, at least until you get back on your feet.
  • Get a job. Anything will do if you are unemployed. While you are waiting to find a job, volunteer somewhere in order to develop contacts and job skills.
  • Check with the local community college. Some colleges have free or very inexpensive job training courses for those who are unemployed or low income. Note that this isn't the time to take out a huge student loan and go back to school. You're trying to save the money that you don't have not put yourself deeper in debt.

That was about all I had at the moment. The main point was to stop, review your resources, find out what other resources you can access as quickly as possible, then move forward with earning money, cutting spending, and trying to get your life back together.

Everyday Carry

I am a big fan of the EDC forums (http://edcforums.com). Being a kind of techno-geek, I like to see what other techno-geeks find new, useful, and interesting. The EDC forums is a good place to do this. One thing I like to do is refine the things I carry with me on a regular basis. My criteria for these items: compactness (I've long since passed the days when I want to lug around a backpack full of junk in the off chance I might need it), usefulness (items should do double or even triple duty and be things that are used almost daily), and quality (I've also long since passed the days when I want to carry around cheap crap that cost very little up front but ends up in the garbage after very little use). Here's what I carry in order of usefulness:
  1. Cell phone (this is a basic Nokia cell phone which I can also use to access the internet--with effort. I am tempted to get a new touch screen iPhone type phone with all of the bells and whistles but the monthly cost would be double what I pay now and I'm not sure if it is doubly valuable compared to what I have now. That said, my phone provides a clock, alarm, phone capabilities--obviously, access to the internet and my email/Twitter/news, a camera for stills and videos, and a music player/FM radio.
  2. Wallet (with ID, cash, bank cards, concealed carry license, etc).
  3. Pocket knife (a Swiss Army knife that is so old I don't even know what model it is. It is sharp enough to perform surgery but quite basic with a couple of blades, a bottle opener and Phillips and flat screwdrivers).
  4. Small nylon pouch (which contains a packet of two aspirin, a couple of bandaids, a alcohol prep pad, a Handi wipe, a jump drive with all of my important files, a mini lighter, flat roll of floss, tiny flashlight, a Fischer tekker space pen, and a few quarters).
  5. A digital camera (an 8 mg Canon Power shot which has been used for everything from documenting accident scenes to photographing documents that I need to save).
  6. An aluminum water bottle.
  7. A Nike windbreaker that folds up ultra small.
  8. A granola bar, raisins, or other portable snack food.
  9. A small Moleskine notebook.
  10. A KelTec .380 with spare magazine (depending on where I will be for the day--courts, airports, and military basis frown on such an item and going out of my way to secure the firearm at these types of facilities is a huge hassle).
  11. Occasionally I carry an Asus netbook, but even though it is really small it is still a bit heavier than I like for everyday carry.

My work can take me from downtown in a large city, to an airplane, to mountain biking, to hiking down a wilderness trail sometimes all in the same day so I carry these items in a Timbuk2 messenger bag that blends into almost any environment.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Poll Results and a New Poll and More

Item #1 Here's the results from our last poll which asked 'What do you think about the situation in Honduras?' Your answers:
  • 32 people (76%) said that world leaders should leave them alone and let them figure out their own problems.
  • 0 people (0%) said that world leaders should intervene to reinstate the ousted president.
  • 8 people (19%) said world leaders should give them time to fix the situation before intervening.
  • 2 people (4%) said what problem in Honduras?

Item #2 Take our new poll...>>>

Item #3 Just a side note on our poll--every meeting/conference/planning session I have been to in the past couple of months has been focused on pandemic flu. These people are state, federal, and international experts who seem to see a disaster coming and who am I to doubt the experts? I know that my personal planning has taken a decided turn towards pan flu preparedness and may I suggest that you do the same. More on this topic in future posts.

Item #4 This is post #500 for the CNI blog. Thanks to everyone who reads this blog and especially all who comment. There is no such thing as an expert on preparedness and survivalism. I learn a lot from national level disaster planners but I learn as much if not more from country folk who have the day to day experience of "doing for themselves" and refugees from third world countries who have survived just about everything. Input, ideas, and comments are welcome from everyone. Who knows, info you share could save someone's life someday.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Link Round-up: Creativity Edition

Here's some interesting links and a bit of commentary...

Friday, July 10, 2009

5 Basic Survival Skills

When it comes to basic survival skills, you might automatically think such skills would include things like firearms handling, bugging out, and the proper use of camouflage paint. Here's five survival skills that anyone can learn that will be a whole lot more useful (and critical) than the aforementioned items:
  1. How to make money. Money makes the world go round. There are very, very few people who can live off the land indefinitely and be satisfied with such a life. For the majority of us, living takes money. Knowing how to make money in any circumstance and situation is a very useful skill to know. To learn how to make money, learn a skill or three, sell your skills to someone who wants to pay for them, and continue to refine the process.
  2. How to live a low profile life. This includes everything from not earning a bad reputation to living below your means so that you don't have creditors and the IRS hunting for you. You want to avoid lawsuits, legal problems, court issues, vindictive/psychotic exes and anything/anyone else that can thoroughly disrupt your life.
  3. How to take care of your health. An ounce of prevention, you know... The better your health, the more easily it is to survive a disaster or even function on an average day. If you are in good health, keep it that way. If your health is declining, take all possible steps to return it to a better state.
  4. How to do for yourself. In most survival situations, you are on your own, at least during the initial stages. This means that the more that you can do for yourself, the more likely you are to survive. I know people who are infinitely specialized (neurosurgeons, international business lawyers, derivatives traders) yet they are clueless about basic things like replacing a light fixture, growing a vegetable, or cooking a meal from scratch. Granted these particular skills aren't critical to survival, you can usually pay someone to do these things for you, but the idea is that the more skills you have and the more experiences you have, the more likely you are to be able to fix problems as they arise if there is no one else around to do it (plus in a disaster, who would you find more useful--someone who can cobble together a meal from stuff found in the forest or someone who can trade a now worthless financial instrument?).
  5. How to be flexible and creative. Life isn't always linear and it doesn't always turn out how you expect. Rolling with the punches and handling difficulties with creativity instead of stress and frustration will go a long way towards lowering your blood pressure, solving small problems before they explode into something huge, and making others more likely to respect you (and offer a helping hand if needed).

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

20 Wilderness Skills

It's mid summer and (hopefully) you will be getting out to the wilderness to practice your survival skills before fall. Here's 20 things you should know how to do in the woods:
  1. Start and maintain a fire.
  2. Find and purify water.
  3. Use a map, compass, and GPS device for route finding (land navigation).
  4. Make a shelter from native materials.
  5. Fish.
  6. Hunt/use a snare.
  7. Find and prepare wild foods (nuts, berries, roots, etc).
  8. Travel cross country (ie: not along a trail).
  9. Perform basic wilderness first aid skills.
  10. Signal for help.
  11. Cross a stream/river.
  12. Cross a variety of terrains (ice, rock, scree, etc).
  13. Track animals.
  14. Improvise tools and weapons.
  15. Predict weather.
  16. Keep yourself warm (ie: prevent hypothermia).
  17. Protect yourself from animals (from the smallest bugs like tics and mosquitoes to bears).
  18. Night skills (travel, stalking, navigating, etc).
  19. Knots and rope skills.
  20. Keeping yourself entertained (whittling, carving, etc).

Some of these things you can learn from a book or video, some things you can learn from friends, and some things (like crossing glaciers and rope skills) you may want to learn from an expert (learning a skill means you give yourself room for error under the guidance of an instructor, not risk life and limb to practice a difficult skill).

Monday, July 6, 2009

DPT--Clean Out Your Garage

Actually that's what I've been doing most of the day. Each summer we have a garage sale to get rid of stuff that has built up in the garage over the winter (the garage is kind of a dumping ground for unwanted house stuff mostly). After the garage sale we donate what's left to charity then go through and clean pretty much anything that won't get up and walk away from us. This allows us to rotate our water and food stores, reorganize everything that wasn't put back in the right place, and check out the emergency supplies (we are running low on AA batteries, probably because of all of the kids/relatives/friends we have had over during the past six months or so...all of those electronic gadgets seem to take AA batteries).
The garage is our first "go to" place in an emergency. Everything we need from food to water to batteries to toilet paper to stored winter clothing to clean up supplies to candles to tools ad nauseum, is stored in plastic tubs in the garage. It always amazes me when people, even those who live in tornado or hurricane-prone areas, know a disaster is imminent and they still are shown on the news running out to the store for emergency supplies and provisions. By having a well organized, well stocked garage (or attic or shed or closet) you should be able to shop a little each week and build up enough stores to see you and your family through at least the first week or two of a disaster without having to run out to the store.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Personal Threat Assessment Update

A while back I wrote a post about doing your own personal threat assessment. Recently I ran across a few good templates to do this. Even though they are business-oriented, you can modify them a bit to fit just about any situation.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Rant: Palin and Responsibility

This has little to do with preparedness but much to do with how to be responsible. When I saw the news today that Sarah Palin was quitting her job as governor, I was shocked. Now I can understand if someone has a family member in the hospital with a terminal condition or there is some giant scandal that would prevent you from doing your job (cough *Spitzer* cough), but I was taught from a very young age by my grandfather that when you give your word, you keep it. Even if the job turns out to be different or harder than expected.
I may be getting old and crotchety but people seem to give their word then bail out as soon as they get bored or annoyed and it isn't right. People will charge up their credit cards, get tired of paying the bills, then file bankruptcy. People will take a marriage vow then run for the divorce court as soon as the first big blow up in their marriage happens.
This is why, in the survival realm, that knowing who you can count on NO MATTER WHAT is so important. There are only a few people I know who fall into this category. How do I find these people? By watching. Actions definitely speak louder than words. As soon as someone tells me how good, skillful, responsible, etc. they are, I begin to have doubts about them because if you are good, skillful, responsible, etc. then it shows in your everyday life, you don't have to tell people these things because they will see it in your actions and in your work.
The people who fall into this NO MATTER WHAT elite category keep their word, they pay their bills (if they lose their job, they will pick up three jobs just to be able to make their bills because they had made a deal and intend to keep it), they behave reasonably and aren't flaky, they don't cancel if they have given their word unless they are in the hospital, and you can count on these people for ANYTHING--money with no questions asked, they will drive 200 miles to pick you up if needed--basically they have your back and you would happily return the favor.
The bottom line is that being responsible is a full time, lifetime job. How you handle responsibility, how you keep your word, how you respond when times get tough show the world the quality of your being.
Done ranting now and hopping off of my soapbox.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

DPT--Fire Safety

Now is the time for fires--camp fires, land clearing fires, and wild fires. You can also throw in fireworks because it is the 4th of July weekend. With any of these fires comes the risk that people can be injured (burning themselves, catching their clothes and themselves on fire), property can be destroyed (it only takes a little bit of wind to change a camp fire or controlled burn into a forest fire), and lives can be changed forever (homes can be destroyed and people can be killed or severely injured because of fire).
Take extra care when the weather is hot and the ground cover is a brittle brown to make sure that your fire:
  • is under your complete control
  • is not started where there is dry grass or brush nearby
  • can be easily put out because you have water and/or a fire extinguisher on hand
  • is not started or continued when there is a lot of wind

Some other pointers:

  • no matter where you are, be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice if you find that a wildfire is headed your way
  • have multiple ways to escape from where you are in the event that you need to evacuate due to a wild fire
  • always supervise kids around campfires and fireworks
  • never throw cigarette butts on the ground; numerous fires are started this way
  • always make sure your fire is completely out before you leave it
  • if you are doing a major burn, always have a fire watch on duty
  • if your fire needs a permit, get one (it's better than paying the fine afterwards)
  • realize that simple fireworks can cause injuries if not used properly and the big illegal fireworks (M80s, homemade bombs, etc) can take off a limb or cause death
  • if a firework didn't go off, don't pick it up and say "gee, why didn't this one work?" before you can finish your sentence it will probably go off and take some fingers with it. Douse the fireworks first with water then sweep them up

Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Poll Results and a New Poll

Our last poll asked "Will you get out to the wilderness and away from society this summer?"
Your answers:
  • 19 people (48%) said they have an overnight camping trip planned.
  • 12 people (30%) said they head out camping or backpacking for a week at a time.
  • 1 person (2%) said they take multi-week wilderness trips during the summer.
  • 7 people (17%) said the closest they get to the wilds is a low budget hotel.

While some people will just flat out refuse to even go camping for one night, I can not over emphasize the fact that taking your BOB out for a night or two in the woods will provide a very valuable preparedness experience.

Be sure to take our new poll>>>