Survival

OK, being I am always trying to come up with subjects out of the norm and as I say unusual, here is one that may be of interest.

(You can do a lot with a commercial garbage bag)

So you are middle age somewhere between 45 and 60 and all of a sudden the power is off everywhere, the roads are blocked and the sewers don’t work. The police and emergency folk are overwhelmed and there are no fire stations in operation.

You’ve boarded up the house, turned loose the dog and counted your cans of beans and whats left rotting in the refrigerator you can eat. You just ran out of the bottle water you had and now you’ll beginning to panic.

The last time you exercised was in college of high school and you did watch a lot of football and even went down to the exercise place and lifted weights every once in a while but you are a little over weight and so is your wife or live-in partner. All this flashes through your head as you think about the next meal and where you might find clean water to drink. You are thankful the kids are away in the military and in college, safe you hope.

Now what do you do, that old back pack hasn’t seen light in years and its somewhere in the attic. As you rummage through the bath room looking for items to pack and think about where to get food you remember you had an old knife in the garage somewhere and your watch do work. There are no telephone service, cell or land line so you can’t call anyone and that four-wheeler don’t have enough gas to make it across the street. “What the heck am I going to do” you think. At this point you begin to feel like an idiot knowing you should have attended those sits downs with George when he talked about ways to survive in an emergency and not thought he was crazy and just a military idiot. Where is he now?

All those cooking parties, menu and recipe pictures you shared with your friends and the pounds you gained as your friend kept hinting you were gaining weight as you viewed what you imagined a well-shaped beauty in the mirror don’t look so well shaped now as you wonder why you let yourself get out of shape. What are you going to do, no one is coming to help you, and you’ve got to find a way to get to a place of safety with food, water, shelter and available sanitation.

Panic is in. What to do? Who to look for now?

Back to now. What do you do? Should you prepare for the unexpected? Should you have an emergency kit available at all times easy accessible and ready to move with?

My answer is yes, yes, and yes. Also all in your house whole should be prepared too. Now don’t go overboard with this preparedness but be ready, just in case.

A natural disaster could happen. An unnatural could also. Our leaders and other leaders can cause such and so could your co-workers. Just think what the possibilities are and you will get the idea.

So to begin remember you can’t carry enough water to survive long. There is food available in many places if you know what to look for, in most cases. Travel will most likely be on foot in a real emergency. Help may not be available and others may be roving to take what you have or may have including your life. (People do strange things in disasters) So pack light and everyone that walks carry a pack.

(This picture is of the type backpack the adult should carry, it’s water proof and will carry all you need and note the tools, you’ll need them)

The two year old carry one too and remember travel is restricted to the ability of the oon

e with the most difficulty unless the life of all is dependent in which case you will have to carry or leave the one that can’t make it.

Got your attention? Remember packing is critical so here are some thoughts on what to carry.

First, if you do not have weapons knowledge, don’t carry one. If you do teach the rest of your group how to use it properly and carry the less weight and as little ammo as possible, by packing the ammo last then carry as much as you can handle. Example, each person carry three bullets plus which may be used to gain food and protect from others. (Last resort, remember?)

Now select a compass, learn to use it and how to find direction without it. You may have to learn this on the move if not prepared. Carry a good watch, don’t have to be expensive but it should work, a good working battery and one that works without a battery too if possible, a flash light, the LED type, in each pack. Each person should carry a watch. Next is a knife, all persons with pockets carry a knife, the adults, that’s 14 and older carry a large knife, the kind that you can cut trees down with but not too big. (You can cut down a tree with a small knife it just takes forever) A map is next, get one that covers all the US or a large portion and a one sheet type may work. If possible get a terrain map and learn now how to use it. A map is a most critical item if a real emergency should happen, you will need it along with a compass. A first aid kit will be a must carry, one with bug bite and antibiotic ointment, iodine, aspirin, thermometer, garbage bags, rubber gloves, work gloves, soap, duct tape, eye wash, cigarette lighter, matches, (Keep matches in dry container like a film case or water tight zip bags) safety pins and fish hooks in it along with band aids and tournaments. A hand full of those plastic bags you find in grocery stores should be carried too. Remember you can’t carry enough water or food; you’ll have to scavenge for water and food along the way. Remember carry as much water as possible and food for three days. That’s survival food not restaurant food and not a lot. Don’t forget to carry at least three changes of clothing, extra socks, a heavy stocking cap, good boots and three garbage bags in each pack.

Now the question is can you read a map? If you haven’t taken the time to learn how to read a map you may be in trouble. Knowing how to avoid the rough areas, steep hills, the larger parts of rivers and the thickets may be a life saver. Learn now.

Can you build a shelter, large enough for your group, just you, or you your wife and kids? This is necessary to keep you out of the rough environments, rain and snow, wind storm, hail storm, etc. Remember to survival is staying healthy as you find your way to safety and support systems.

This information is simple a guide, modify it to meet your requirements and keep a go bag ready (One for each member of the family) at all time and remember in a real, (emphasis on real) emergency you may not have time to do anything other than pick it up and go.

Use this guide if you do not already have one and go over it to add or deduct as necessary making sure that the smallest and the affirm in your group has packed per their requirements. Last is to make sure you pick up all the medicines you have. (I always try to keep a 90 day supply in storage using first in first out as a guide to keep all fresh.) Try to ween yourself off all medicines prescribed with the doctor’s support if possible. Survival may be dependent on your ability to live without prescriptions. Also, learn to substitute prescriptions with wild plants, berries and fruits in the forest. Learn what is best for you based on the prescriptions you take. They may prolong your life until you make it to a support area.

(Note this kit will carry all the pins and fish hooks plus and small enough to fit in the smallest backpack without taking up much room)

I am a radio enthusiast so I have portable radios. That is the kind that don’t need a cell tower and I try to always keep one working, you may want to do the same even a CB portable works in an emergency. Also carry a small portable am-fm shortwave radio, one of those you have to buy and keep the batteries fresh. When radio stations come on the air there may be instructions as to where to go for support.

OK now you at least have some idea as to how to be ready. Remember travel will be on foot and highways will not be accessible in a real emergency. Trees will block all roads and those not blocked by trees will be blocked by other broken down vehicles. Those all-terrain vehicles will not make it either. They will be limited to good paths and roads that will also be blocked. River-ways may be possible to some extent but don’t expect long travel on narrow waterways.

How you navigate, make shelter, kill small game for food, eat certain safe plants and fruits, cross rivers, protect yourself in rough weather, and obtain drinking water is all another subject and all one in which you need to be comfortable with.

You are probable thing now that this appears to be a lot and you just can’t be concerned with it. OK.

Hope you have enjoyed the read and find it worthwhile. See here for more: http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2013/02/04/diy-survival-101-15-clever-kits-tricks-hacks/

The good things about being old

The good things about being old

I have heard many people say that the new 30 is over 60 and I’m beginning to wonder if those people saying that are all over sixty.

There is new data every day about the aging population in the news and as we, more correctly, as I, get older I seem to pay more attention to the news about aging and us who are beyond sixty. Sixty was an old person who was respected because of their age and gave cause for young people to be polite around and listen closely when they spoke. Mainly polite because as a young

person you didn’t know what to say to a person so old that they knew everything and always gave advice or told you what you could or could

Alexander Imich lived to 111 not do and in short terms what you better do.

As I have aged and gotten to join that old folk group, I find myself described as one of those people who did what I thought was because of age and somewhat ancient to young people. Viewed by the young one’s as alone most of the time, sitting and thinking a lot, wanting someone to talk to often and complaining about relatives not coming around as often as they used to, and most obvious always giving advice.

My grand’s will say, “you are old grandfather” and my response is always “yes and don’t you forget because you have to respect old folks cause they know everything.”

Well most of us old fork know very little when I give it much thought, we may have known a bit but some of us have forgotten much of what we knew and are constantly trying to remember something that used to come to us as quick as the young one seem to be to us now in our oldness.                

Yes, we grow old with all the advantages and disadvantages and obstacles placed before us along with the love and care, the dislikes and likes, the  envy and

goodwill or just ignoring just because we seem to be of another time,    Richard Overton 107 yrs old

speak a different language or as they say just don’t understand what's going on now.

Well, when I was your age, or my parents would never, well, you know that good old time when we were young and there were the drive-in or the meet market on the corner or Joe’s ice cream place or not so many folks on the internet, you get the meaning in that another time seem to always be best during those times when we were a certain age.

Boy I remember that time, you know when, remember that girl that lived on, or that guy down the street with the red car. We all have that disease and yet we, as we age seem to want to tell everyone how great it is in retirement after 25 years of working at such plant or place.

Well as an old person let me set the record straight. You are old, if you are reading this, I know that because young folk don’t read old folk’s ramblings about age and if you are not old you are reading this because you want to tell an old person something they don’t know, you hope.

The real record to be straightened is we all are old and if not now you should hope to get old, why, you ask, because you want to know what will happen. You want to be around when that other person get to a certain time in your life or when your children finish high school or college or when the grandkids come or when they start school or completes college or get a great job or get married or when cars fly.

You want to be here when the next president is a woman, another black, Japanese, Chinese or Mexican, when the rich is only 15 percent of population or when the congress and the president don’t act like fools.

So we ascribe to grow old and retire so we can draw a check and watch TV all day or walk in the park as long as we wish or go to the old folk place down the street or road and hang with the other old folk or in rare cases work to help other folk volunteering with the AARP where many other old folk are talking about other old folk.   

So, if you haven’t gotten to feeling old reading this yet consider this, us old folk now make up the fastest growing population and are projected to be twenty percent of the population by 2020. No wonder there are over 27 million old folks with AARP cards.

We are getting the attention of advertisers faster than you can find a non-old ad on TV and even new car sales are beginning to target us old folks. Just the other day I got a hand full of snail mail offering everything from enhancement pills to a new ford. I even got a call from some agency wanting to buy my house and offering me a deal saying I could still live in it until I die, I guess they had not checked to see that I may live to beyond one hundred.  

So is all the hype great too, well I guess, it’s great to be old if as they say, when you are 60 it’s like 30.  I don’t know but there are a few times while at the grocer trying to read the label some pretty young thing, about 40, I guess that would mean 20 today, offer to help and smiles willingly wanting to know more about me than I wanted to diverge. Well I did inform her I was retired with my wife to her slight disappoint that did not cause the smile to go away.

There are some other things that go along with aging like many of your friends will no longer be around, more funerals to attend, you won’t be able to turn flips like you used to, there may be more doctor visits and a few pains will let you know time isn’t what it used to be and you’ll get the call every so often that you are to keep the grand’s or could you lend a few dollars that never return.

Being retired has many advantages that you young folk won’t learn about until you retire, and I’m not speaking of the new young things at the grocer either.

First and most important to many is you get to sleep late or all day if you like (That gets tired and shorten your life) not having to do the 8 to 5. You can take your time at the grocer or the pharmacy and coffee never taste so good at the local coffee shop. You get to hang out on Wednesday or whatever day you choose with that retirement group down at the local Hardee’s or Bojangles. You get to join a local nonprofit and offer your opinion or expertise. You don’t have that mortgage payment, may be. You don’t spend much and food taste better at home, you don’t cook in a hurry any more. You get to do a vegetable garden, grow grapes or chickens. Travel now is on your schedule and you can stay away as long as you like and you may even stop by and visit that old girl or boy friend to see how they made out. You may even spend more time helping Reverend out at church. You really get to find out who that lady is you been living with all these years and folk call her your wife, husband to you ladies.

So with you being in the fastest growing, the most wealthy and the most educated population ain’t it good to know you have lived longer than most others even if your days left is just possible shorter.

That is why you know now you can pretty much have your way, why not, you are old. Consider this:

Here are three sites worth checking:

http://publichealthonline.gwu.edu/cost-of-aging/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=blog

Must read: http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p25-1140.pdf

Click here and move slider to 1:45 http://www.wral.com/news/video/14357849/

I’M NOT LOST I’M EXPLORING

I’M NOT LOST I’M EXPLORING

Having always been curious, wanting to know how things work, where everything was and how it is that things exist I’ve always had a desire to work as a “finder” that is until I found that all things are now “on line” and not too difficult to fine. There is http://lifehacker.com/329033/how-to-track-down-anyone-online and all kinds of finders out there now and you can’t find a place to be alone anymore.

So you think you are anonymous, think again.

You are everywhere unless you are a hermit. Your name is on the web, in stores if you shop, in all public records available to anyone, with the services departments in your city, at the hospital or doctor's office, in every government office that has anything to do with disbursements, security or taxes, at every entertainment facility you attended and with the DOT as well as the IRS and in all your friends computer, cell phone and all the phone networks through the country. So where are you? Are you here: http://www.name-list.net/facebook/surname/Barner or here? http://radaris.com/p/George/Barner/ or here?  http://www.spokeo.com/George-Barner, don’t even think of hiding, I can find you.

Today almost any ten year old can locate anything or anyone on the web and you don’t have to be on the web to be found either.

So as I say to all, I’m available, just a click or call away and I have nothing to hide either,,, but, don’t come looking without an invitation. I guard my little acre for that tiny piece of privacy where I can be somewhat alone and listen to music or watch a movie while also watching the door, electronically.  

Year I’m a tech nut too with all the gadgets, bell and whistles too. Oh yes I’m ex-military too as you know so I like my stuff to myself but call and I’ll invite you and share my bread with you, providing you are nice.

Why all this nonsense you ask? Well I thought I’d simple give you a little insight as to what the real world is now and it isn’t my parents worlds and most likely it will not be my grandchildren’s world either. They are always making changes to the one I know. Building gadgets that come to them when they call, no matter where it may be, creating something called a self-driven car; imagine that, a car that drives itself. 

And an electronic fly that can fly around the world and attack an enemy, any enemy too, and picture takers that follow you everywhere you go and send a disabling thing in the air to apprehend you if required.

Yes, kids of tomorrow may even be traveling at supersonic speeds in the stratosphere from continent city to city and thinking nothing of it while enjoying movies streamed to something that look like a pair eyeglasses or talk to back home family members as if they were standing next to them thanks to their approved holographic phone and video system.

So yes, things are changing and just maybe as the earth become inhabitable they may even get to travel to some distant place in the stars and make a new home somewhere else to destroy. Imagine, we have come full circle and still going, somewhere. Yet, we have no privacy and we are not alone and can be found anywhere we go.  Life is changing. GB 1-21-15

What do you think?