I live in a "nice town" in the hills and until very recent years it was generally a safe and nice place to live.
Now it looks just as nice but there are strings of break-ins and other felony activity no doubt driven by not just the economy but the meth problem that has been brewing for about a decade.
Today I got a reminder of how little things I do protect me and allow me to survive this suburban environment, which used to be a very safe place.
I had my brother over and we played some video games. After a while he left to go home I was alone. I decided to take a shower it was about 8:30pm. I instinctively checked the front door and locked the deadbolt as I always do when ever someone comes or goes.
During the shower the phone started to ring. After about 15 rings I figured it might be important and I turned off the shower to go get the phone. As soon as I did the phone stopped ringing but I left the shower off anyways and started to dry myself.
Less than 5 seconds later I hear my front screen door followed by the sound of someone wiggling my front door handle. The deadbolt was locked but the bottom was not so it made a very distinct noise of a complete turn and I could even hear whoever it was try to push in.
One of my dogs let out one bark and it fell to a growl. About 9 seconds later a old car was driving away, in the dark, without headlights on.
Who knows what would have happened if whoever that was got in while I was still putting on my robe. I'm happy not to find out.
This makes me think I should mount some pepper spray in my bathroom. It's a room in-between all of the bedrooms and at the end of the hall. It may buy me enough time to get my gun or help someone (maybe a visitor) who can't get to my gun. (I still lock them up, I know some people want one available without any effort at all times but I think that can be bad too, unless it's on your person.)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Don't freak yourself out.
Don't freak out!
When I'm falling asleep at night sometimes I hear someone in the distance yelling my name, and sometimes it's right next to my damn ear. I know this is just me going into my subconscious but if I were insane it would definitely make me think I was being yelled at by a ghost.
The subconscious works during the day too. Many people who think they are psychic are just nagged by their subconscious that has analyzed a situation in more detail than your primary brain function and has sent you a warning or observation. This is called intuition.
Fatigue, stress, sensory deprivation, sensory overload, drugs, and alcohol can all cause the subconscious and conscious to miscommunicate or go haywire. This is when 99.9999999% (Guesstimate) of all paranormal activity is observed.
Ghosts are real?
Your reality is your perception. Nothing more. At the time those things you see or feel are real, because in a very real way it effects you. At that point it's not just a thought but a reality. It's part of your surroundings.
A bad habit we have is to sense other's fear and have it become our fear. Just because someone is noticeably scared or intrigued and points somewhere and says "did you see that" the answer would probably be yes. You are not lying because you've been psyched into thinking something was really there. This happens more the close you are to the other person, or if the person is in a position of authority.
In that moment the "ghost" may be real for two people, no matter how false it is for everyone else in the world.
Control and Survive
An important aspect of survival situations is to know how to control being freaked out by nothing. Often times this is the reason why a flashlight destroys the fears of ghosts and other things that go bump in the night. It gives some more control and understanding to the person in that specific environment. The illusions go away. It also eases some of the sensory deprivation.
Find out what makes you in control and use it to your advantage. Your delusions will start to go away. The more control you have over a situation, and the more action you take to control it, the more you can cope with it and understand it.
Someone who hides during a gun battle and is not harmed is more likely to have PTSD than someone who maybe was harmed but took action. Just be careful not to put yourself too much in harm's way.
When I'm falling asleep at night sometimes I hear someone in the distance yelling my name, and sometimes it's right next to my damn ear. I know this is just me going into my subconscious but if I were insane it would definitely make me think I was being yelled at by a ghost.
The subconscious works during the day too. Many people who think they are psychic are just nagged by their subconscious that has analyzed a situation in more detail than your primary brain function and has sent you a warning or observation. This is called intuition.
Fatigue, stress, sensory deprivation, sensory overload, drugs, and alcohol can all cause the subconscious and conscious to miscommunicate or go haywire. This is when 99.9999999% (Guesstimate) of all paranormal activity is observed.
Ghosts are real?
Your reality is your perception. Nothing more. At the time those things you see or feel are real, because in a very real way it effects you. At that point it's not just a thought but a reality. It's part of your surroundings.
A bad habit we have is to sense other's fear and have it become our fear. Just because someone is noticeably scared or intrigued and points somewhere and says "did you see that" the answer would probably be yes. You are not lying because you've been psyched into thinking something was really there. This happens more the close you are to the other person, or if the person is in a position of authority.
In that moment the "ghost" may be real for two people, no matter how false it is for everyone else in the world.
Control and Survive
An important aspect of survival situations is to know how to control being freaked out by nothing. Often times this is the reason why a flashlight destroys the fears of ghosts and other things that go bump in the night. It gives some more control and understanding to the person in that specific environment. The illusions go away. It also eases some of the sensory deprivation.
Find out what makes you in control and use it to your advantage. Your delusions will start to go away. The more control you have over a situation, and the more action you take to control it, the more you can cope with it and understand it.
Someone who hides during a gun battle and is not harmed is more likely to have PTSD than someone who maybe was harmed but took action. Just be careful not to put yourself too much in harm's way.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
When cities die.
On the verge of collapse
A city is a living breathing thing. Traffic, Water, Sewage, Rails, Emergency Services, and more.
But what happens when a few or all of these services stop? The city becomes vulnerable. Each and every life form inside the city is fighting to survive, though it's host is dying.
You may be prepared with your stash of food and supplies, but most people are not. Let's face it, there will be a riot. Will that riot spill on to your property?
Riots fan out away from the city and into neighborhoods as supplies are depleted. Some beg. Can you afford to help them? Some trade. Do you have items you can spare to trade for something you need? How do you protect your own supplies from those who just want to use force?
Fires break out, earthquakes, tornadoes, and weather are still on the table. Mother nature won't give you a break.
Best case scenario, you get out of the city. A lot of others will be doing that too. If that becomes impossible you should be prepared to live on your own, in your own home. Protected. So how do we do this?
There is no answer to this question. There are only a series of precautions you can take to make this dynamic and volatile situation better for you. Anyone in an apartment is at a huge disadvantage. Anyone who has a yard and a fence is a lucky person if they can defend it.
How would you handle this situation?
What would you need?
A city is a living breathing thing. Traffic, Water, Sewage, Rails, Emergency Services, and more.
But what happens when a few or all of these services stop? The city becomes vulnerable. Each and every life form inside the city is fighting to survive, though it's host is dying.
You may be prepared with your stash of food and supplies, but most people are not. Let's face it, there will be a riot. Will that riot spill on to your property?
Riots fan out away from the city and into neighborhoods as supplies are depleted. Some beg. Can you afford to help them? Some trade. Do you have items you can spare to trade for something you need? How do you protect your own supplies from those who just want to use force?
Fires break out, earthquakes, tornadoes, and weather are still on the table. Mother nature won't give you a break.
Best case scenario, you get out of the city. A lot of others will be doing that too. If that becomes impossible you should be prepared to live on your own, in your own home. Protected. So how do we do this?
There is no answer to this question. There are only a series of precautions you can take to make this dynamic and volatile situation better for you. Anyone in an apartment is at a huge disadvantage. Anyone who has a yard and a fence is a lucky person if they can defend it.
How would you handle this situation?
What would you need?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Paracord Water bottle Holder
What if you don't have a proper canteen belt? My answer is use paracord. If that does not work then use more paracord. Paracord is like Duct tape, you can fix any problem with it if you are determined enough.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
1st Aid NEEDS
The most simple first aid kit is called a 'blow-out-kit'. The blow-out-kit is the very minimum needed to deal with loss of blood, breathing, or fluids.
Since they are so small I usually also add pills to my blow-out-kit.
A blow out kit has the following items:
2 Trauma Pads. I don't care if you use the venerable Israeli Trauma Pad or a large Maxi-pad. Whatever works.
Gauze roll.
Self-Adhesive bandage tape (like when you give blood).
Hemostatic clotting powder.
Gloves
Condoms
Hemo Tape (better than standard 1st aid tape)
EMT Sheers
Pills: 8 Diphen, 4 Ephedrine(primatine pill), 4 Anti-Diarrhea, 4 Aspirin, 4 Tylenol
All of these things together should fit in a single EMT/ACU/Cargo pocket and have a lot of room left over.
It will cost you about 24$ for a good BOK.
The BOK should be in it's own removable bag that can be attached to your belt if need be.
To make this into a more expansive FAK add those expensive and rarely helpful Adhesive Bandage Strips. I usually only grab the finger/knuckle and large size bandages. I glue any small cuts.
Get a suture kit and some glue. Not all super glue works. Get Medical Super Glue or something proven to bind to blood/skin.
Your tools may look like this: Razor, Tweezers, Nail Clippers, Safety Pin, Mask, Razor.
Your topicals may look like this: Burn cream, 3x antibiotic, Allergy cream, hydra-cortisone cream, allergy eye drops, eye wash, calamine lotion, sting stop.
Add extra medicines like a multi-vitamin, electrolytes, sugar, and whatever you need to use regularly.
Finally add some hand sanitizer and a bottle of water.
Weather you are spending 20$ or 200$ try to keep it simple. A huge first aid kit is not likely to be used effectively or be carried where you need it.
Since they are so small I usually also add pills to my blow-out-kit.
A blow out kit has the following items:
2 Trauma Pads. I don't care if you use the venerable Israeli Trauma Pad or a large Maxi-pad. Whatever works.
Gauze roll.
Self-Adhesive bandage tape (like when you give blood).
Hemostatic clotting powder.
Gloves
Condoms
Hemo Tape (better than standard 1st aid tape)
EMT Sheers
Pills: 8 Diphen, 4 Ephedrine(primatine pill), 4 Anti-Diarrhea, 4 Aspirin, 4 Tylenol
All of these things together should fit in a single EMT/ACU/Cargo pocket and have a lot of room left over.
It will cost you about 24$ for a good BOK.
The BOK should be in it's own removable bag that can be attached to your belt if need be.
To make this into a more expansive FAK add those expensive and rarely helpful Adhesive Bandage Strips. I usually only grab the finger/knuckle and large size bandages. I glue any small cuts.
Get a suture kit and some glue. Not all super glue works. Get Medical Super Glue or something proven to bind to blood/skin.
Your tools may look like this: Razor, Tweezers, Nail Clippers, Safety Pin, Mask, Razor.
Your topicals may look like this: Burn cream, 3x antibiotic, Allergy cream, hydra-cortisone cream, allergy eye drops, eye wash, calamine lotion, sting stop.
Add extra medicines like a multi-vitamin, electrolytes, sugar, and whatever you need to use regularly.
Finally add some hand sanitizer and a bottle of water.
Weather you are spending 20$ or 200$ try to keep it simple. A huge first aid kit is not likely to be used effectively or be carried where you need it.
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