Survival Trifecta: Earthquake, Hurricane, Layoff
I’m back after having a vacation of sorts imposed on me. About a month ago, I got word that my employer was eliminating my position. The time I normally would have spent blogging is now devoted to resumes, cover letters, online portfolios and other assorted hassles.
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NASA again sounds off on Elenin nonsense
When I became interested in survival training, I was unprepared for the sheer volume of conspiracy theories I would encounter. My favorite–as in “I can’t believe people would buy into such utter nonsense”– is Comet Elenin. The people who are lining up to hide out in the Ozarks will say “Oh, you can’t trust NASA. They’re part of the government.” And yet, I had a hard time finding any information about the comet that was NOT from some wacky conspiracy, end-of-the-world website.
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Stormy Solar Weather: While unlikely, grid outages from solar storms are a real threat
Stormy Solar Weather: Grid outage from solar flare is a real threat
NASA photo of coronal mass ejection
The sun has gas, and it stinks.
Have you heard of the term “coronal mass ejection”? I hadn’t until a few months ago when a gentleman used it during the National Geographic “Doomsday Preppers” special. I had always heard of it referred to by the more common “solar storm.” I tend to get exhausted when I search the blogosphere and read about the dozens and dozens of SHTF scenarios, every one of which will definitely happen, so everyone had better stock up on food, ammo and silver right now. But the CME, which many experts fear could lead to widespread power outages as transformers overheat and fail, sounds a lot more plausible. And anyway, while I have about a month’s worth of food on hand and several ways to get water, I don’t own a gun and missed the silver boat while I waited for it to drop back to $25 per ounce.
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Like this:
Did faith or science lead to 12-year-old’s survival?
Did his family’s strong religious faith play a role in 12-year-old Charles “Dale” Ostrander’s survival?
By now, you’ve probably heard the amazing story of Ostrander, the boy whose lifeless body was pulled from the 56-degree Pacific Ocean near Long Beach, Wash. after spending 20-25 minutes underwater. The boy had been wading in the water when a riptide pulled him away from shore.
So what led to his survival? While he was in the water, his family gathered on the beach and prayed. Dale spent time on life support in Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, and his parents arrived Sunday night to say goodbye. Dale was removed from sedation and began breathing on his own. He’s not out of the woods yet, but he’s doing better than anyone would have expected at this point.
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Nuclear Prepping literature from the 1950s
Just a quick post today, since I’m warn out from following stock market news all day and need my beauty sleep. Does it seem to you like people are already starting to forget that the U.S. and world economies aren’t exactly out of the woods yet? In any case, all we can do is focus on ourselves and our families and hope that things improve. At least that God-awful debt ceiling debate is over. That was like watching two little brats argue over who would get the last cookie.
I came across this online and thought I’d share it. It’s a “nuclear readiness” manual issued by the city of Boston in 1951. Interesting reading for anyone involved in disaster preparation. It’s a quick read, so take a look. What struck me was how the writers clearly made an effort to convey a sense of calm and quell panic. What differences do you see between what was suggested then and what is suggested today?
Mr. Bean: Survivalist
He has entertained millions with his sophomoric hijinks and silly skits. And like so many of us, he goes to work every day in a shirt and tie. And he apparently has put some thought into preparedness. Nobody who has watched any of Mr. Bean’s work would have guessed that he sported such an impressive every-day carry kit. Today, we’ll take a look at what items this quiet yet calculating Englishman considers essential if the SHTF.
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Read carefully: This could happen to any of us
A couple sets out on a hike in Mount Hood National Forest. At some point, they started arguing. The woman, Pamela Salant, walked away from her partner, Aric Essig, as the two searched for a better campsite. Essig told the Oregonian that he figured his main squeeze just need a little time to her self. After four hours, he started to think Pamela was being “kind of rude” for staying away for so long.
So where was she? Fortunately, she hadn’t met someone else during that time. Instead, she had become disoriented, fallen off a cliff, and broken her leg. She survived for three days, eating creek water, berries and bugs, and using moss to insulate her during the chilly evenings.
Take a look at the story. I’m sure you’ll spot some things Pamela did correctly, as well as some things you might have done differently. How well did she handle this very common survival scenario? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Food storage: A feast among the chaos
Food storage got some attention in the mainstream press Monday, with the San Francisco Chronicle picking up a news release from PRWeb featuring David Morris, author of Urban Survival Guide. Commodity prices are at or near record highs, which might make many families disregard the idea of food storage. That’s understandable, for if you have a limited budget, you’ll be naturally inclined to focus on your more immediate needs, which in this case would be the standard grocery list. But there’s another way of looking at food storage: If you are afraid that prices will continue to increase, you might save some money by buying more than you normally would. If one of your staples is appropriate for storage and is on sale, by all means, buy more than you need. Otherwise, get ready to pay more the next time you shop.
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Corporations are preparing for U.S. default, and they’re sounding like preppers
Of course the U.S. won’t default on its obligations. They’ll work it out. This is just politics.
Sorry, I’m not buying any of that this time around. And apparently, neither are many corporations that stand to be impacted by a U.S. default or credit rating downgrade.
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A will to live made the difference for crash survivor
Michael Trapp says his will to live kept him alive for 17 hours after the small plane he was piloting crashed in Lake Huron Tuesday night. That long in the water would break just about anyone, but Trapp kept swimming. Thirteen boats passed without seeing him, despite his efforts to reflect light with a credit card.
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