When Hurricane Andrew hit Miami in 1992 I was pretty sure that our little family had everything we needed. We had gallons and gallons of water plus had filled our large, roman-style tub full of water for basic washing and sanitation needs. We had plenty of non-perishable food items (more on this later), and lots of snack items handy. Yep. We were sure that we would be just fine.
Then the electricity didn't come back for a very long time; not just at my house, but for an entire community. Within the first day after the storm there was a rush on bags of ice with the commodity being sold for upwards of $20 for a small, five-pound bag. Violence erupted at the sales sites for ice, but law enforcement was busy elsewhere, mostly arresting the hundreds and hundreds of looters who had taken to the street within HOURS of the storm to raid shopping centers, malls, etc. On the radio we heard reports of people stealing TV's, stereo systems, cars, etc., hardly the necessities of life. A small raid at an ice truck (also stolen from the City Ice Company) was not a big deal.
As the days became more violent our Governor, Lawton Chiles, still would not lift a finger, or a telephone, to call upon the Federal Government to come in to restore order, to offer assistance, or to coordinate any relief efforts. Dade County had literally become a war zone until finally, showing more testicular fortitude than our governor, the director of Emergency Management for Dade County, Kate Hale, went on national television and infamously called out, "Where the hell is the cavalry?". Only THEN did Lawton Chiles get off his Prozac-riddled ass and make the call to the White House.
Mr. Chiles then instructed all law enforcement to STOP arresting looters which left me and thousands of other citizens at risk in their own homes. It is laughable, however, that the police department didn't find themselves entirely powerless. Rather than arresting the looters, they got a long car ride to the middle of the swamp, at night, where they lost their shoes, and were told to walk back to town. For many, this was not a survivable situation.
Here I offer the list of things that I wish I had stocked for myself and my family:
1. Water purification system. Water was coming out of the tap, but we were told to not use it because of contamination.
2. Charcoal grill with at least 5 bags of charcoal. We had a gas stove, but you have no idea how hot a kitchen can become with no windows, no ventilation, in 92 degree weather with high humidity. Cooking outside would have been preferable.
3. Tons of baby wipes. We had "some" because we had an infant, but not nearly enough. A baby wipe on the back of the neck and under the arms a couple of times a day can do WONDERS for your state of mind.
4. Plastic utensils. We had some, but not nearly enough.
5. Plastic garbage bags, cat litter, lysol spray, and a large paint bucket with a toilet seat on top. Need I say more.
6. A gas-powered generator and a couple of plug-in, rechargable generators. The rechargable type were not available then, but now they are. I have two of them that I keep plugged in CONSTANTLY.
7. A small, cube-style fridge. Something like this can be run from one of those small, rechargeable generators, and can be used to keep prepared powdered milk cool. But of more importance, there is something so refreshing about drinking something cool when it is so darned hot. Keep a container of baby wipes in there, too, to be used in case someone overheats.
8. Lyson or Clorox wipes. Use these for cleaning up that toilet seat on top of the paint bucket, for wiping down doorknobs, window latchings, etc.
9. Something that is NEW that I would have killed to have would be battery or solar powered outdoor lighting. There are motion-activated, battery powered lights on the market. When law enforcement is too busy to get to you, you need to be able to see what is coming near your home at night.
10. Cast-iron cookware. This type of cookware is durable and I can't say enough about how invaluable your cast iron will become once you begin to use it. I recommend at least one skillet and one dutch oven. With practice, you can actually use your dutch oven for baking on charcoal.
11. Dish soap, brillo, loads of paper towel.
12. A hand-crank can opener, a wire whisk, a hand-crank egg beater (for mixing pancakes, etc.), an old-timey bottle opener, an ice pick.
13. Make sure you have plenty of shampoo, deodorant, feminine supplies (even if you don't need them, somebody else may). Mini-pads work great on the inside of a cap to keep your hat clean and keep you clean and cool.
14. Sunscreen, burn ointment, talcum powder, insect repellent for when the mosquitoes move in (and they will!!!). Speaking of mosquitoes, if your screens are torn, use old pantyhose and sew them to the screen.
15. Pens, pencils, paper, crayons, magic markers, legal pads, a tape measure, a camera with a fully charged battery or at least 5 of the disposable ones (for recording damage).
16. A plastic wading pool or washtub, liquid laundry detergent and softener, and a strong stick (a broom handle works). Strong, nylon cord and several wooden clothes pins. You can wash your clothing in this little pool and it works fine. Just don't use too much detergent because you want to rinse just once.
17. An airhorn, a gun, ammo. Work out with your neighbors some form of alliance for defending your community. Let them know that the airhorn is an alarm sound and a call for help.
18. Plenty of games, books, etc. A couple of decks of cards, games of monopoly, scrabble, etc. Games for kids are crucial, as are crayons and coloring books. We had a small, battery tape player for our daughter that she played quite often to hear "her songs" to help her sleep at night. Get a few good books and have them stored. Take turns reading aloud or just share the books.
19. Back in the day I learned how to make a "stove" from an metal coffee can. Invert the open can, use a bottle opener to punch a few holes at the top to vent the heat, and place a candle (on a saucer) underneath. It takes a while, but you can boil a small pan of water in about 10 minutes.
20. Sterno. At a cost of a little over $1 a can, can you afford to NOT have it?
If you're lucky you can keep your sense of humor.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Preparations and Ruminations
I've done a lot of thinking about how I expect the population of America to react to the election just a week away. Either way, there are going to be huge numbers of people upset with the results. Either way, there will be tremendous blame going around. And there will be anger. Just how much anger spills over into your neighborhood remains to be seen.
Already there are reports of voting machines not working properly, so there are accusations of voter fraud buzzing the airwaves. Groups like ACORN are still up to their same old tricks, and media outlets who claim to be non-partisan (OpenSecrets.org) are making the mistake of following the orders of their primary donors (George Soros) and are either failing to report the truth (public union money outspending any other sector) in the financing of this election, or using their platform to poison the minds of people who are unable to seek the entire truth. NPR fired a well-known, liberal news analyst (Juan Williams), supposedly over this intolerant remarks about Muslims. But, we know that it is because he made the comment on Fox News that he was fired. He would have been reprimanded had he said the same on NPR, but would still have his job there. Of course, I would hope that Mr. Williams find this a transformative moment in his life, causing him to leave "the dark side" and come over to the side of the "Light of Liberty".
I'm a naturally paranoid person and I will admit with a moderate amount of chagrin that I have, on occasion, overreacted to change. But I have also learned how to listen to that "little voice" in my head and my heart that tells me when danger is afoot. Women have an instinctive ability to sense danger, something that anthropologists would tell us is from our days of having to protect our young from saber toothed tigers and such. Maybe. I know that I have a very strong instinct toward survival and protection, so I'm going to do everything I must do to protect myself and my family. Most women "just know" when something is not right. It's only when we allow politically correct thoughts pop into our head that we get hurt - or killed - by the bad guys. Right now my instincts are telling me to hold on to what I've got, prepare for the worst, and try to find peace through securing my home and my property.
Just suppose that you planned on cashing out part of your paycheck on a Friday and you went to your bank just as you have done every payday during your entire life. What if the bank was closed, its assets seized, and your money were inside that vast computer file of numbers that you couldn't access? What happens when the U.S. government does not pay the huge debt it owes to China? Will our money be worth anything at that point?
I have made a plan, I'm carrying it out, and I'm encouraging other moms to do the same. For the price of a new pair of shoes you could buy some extra food and store it. For the cost of a tank of gas you could buy a camp stove and fuel. Hunger is a powerful motivator, I've been told, and it can cause people to do the unthinkable when it gets bad enough. I've learned that the light of a single candle can keep a man from freezing to death, so, if you live in a northern climate, do you have enough candles?
Do you know to kill an animal such as a rabbit or a squirrel in order to feed yourself? Would you have the stomach to be able to clean the animal for cooking? Do you have a means to protect your family from the raids that WILL occur in the aftermath of a complete default of our banking system? Do you have fuel to cook with, do you know how to build a fire and cook on it? Do you have a few tools that you might need for simple survival? A few sheets of plywood, matches, nails, screws, sheets of plastic, a tarp or two. How about a good first aid kit?
In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in Miami I experienced first-hand the crazed emotions of people who felt stranded. They were waiting for someone to come save them, personally, and help was slow in coming. I was attacked in my car and had to use an umbrella to ward off an attack. A group of looters came to my home and, thankfully, I was armed. I was also ready to use my weapon to defend myself and the toddler sitting on my hip. Our governor at the time, Lawton Chiles, would not permit looters to be arrested, so they took over the streets and roamed house to house, taking as they pleased. Law enforcement was on the job, but the storm had taken down all street signs and building landmarks. You would be waiting a long time for a cop IF you could get through on the telephone.
I've been making plans, getting my kids educated, and spreading the word. I know that some people may call me crazy, and this is fine. I've not been buying gold, but I've got peace of mind.
Already there are reports of voting machines not working properly, so there are accusations of voter fraud buzzing the airwaves. Groups like ACORN are still up to their same old tricks, and media outlets who claim to be non-partisan (OpenSecrets.org) are making the mistake of following the orders of their primary donors (George Soros) and are either failing to report the truth (public union money outspending any other sector) in the financing of this election, or using their platform to poison the minds of people who are unable to seek the entire truth. NPR fired a well-known, liberal news analyst (Juan Williams), supposedly over this intolerant remarks about Muslims. But, we know that it is because he made the comment on Fox News that he was fired. He would have been reprimanded had he said the same on NPR, but would still have his job there. Of course, I would hope that Mr. Williams find this a transformative moment in his life, causing him to leave "the dark side" and come over to the side of the "Light of Liberty".
I'm a naturally paranoid person and I will admit with a moderate amount of chagrin that I have, on occasion, overreacted to change. But I have also learned how to listen to that "little voice" in my head and my heart that tells me when danger is afoot. Women have an instinctive ability to sense danger, something that anthropologists would tell us is from our days of having to protect our young from saber toothed tigers and such. Maybe. I know that I have a very strong instinct toward survival and protection, so I'm going to do everything I must do to protect myself and my family. Most women "just know" when something is not right. It's only when we allow politically correct thoughts pop into our head that we get hurt - or killed - by the bad guys. Right now my instincts are telling me to hold on to what I've got, prepare for the worst, and try to find peace through securing my home and my property.
Just suppose that you planned on cashing out part of your paycheck on a Friday and you went to your bank just as you have done every payday during your entire life. What if the bank was closed, its assets seized, and your money were inside that vast computer file of numbers that you couldn't access? What happens when the U.S. government does not pay the huge debt it owes to China? Will our money be worth anything at that point?
I have made a plan, I'm carrying it out, and I'm encouraging other moms to do the same. For the price of a new pair of shoes you could buy some extra food and store it. For the cost of a tank of gas you could buy a camp stove and fuel. Hunger is a powerful motivator, I've been told, and it can cause people to do the unthinkable when it gets bad enough. I've learned that the light of a single candle can keep a man from freezing to death, so, if you live in a northern climate, do you have enough candles?
Do you know to kill an animal such as a rabbit or a squirrel in order to feed yourself? Would you have the stomach to be able to clean the animal for cooking? Do you have a means to protect your family from the raids that WILL occur in the aftermath of a complete default of our banking system? Do you have fuel to cook with, do you know how to build a fire and cook on it? Do you have a few tools that you might need for simple survival? A few sheets of plywood, matches, nails, screws, sheets of plastic, a tarp or two. How about a good first aid kit?
In the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in Miami I experienced first-hand the crazed emotions of people who felt stranded. They were waiting for someone to come save them, personally, and help was slow in coming. I was attacked in my car and had to use an umbrella to ward off an attack. A group of looters came to my home and, thankfully, I was armed. I was also ready to use my weapon to defend myself and the toddler sitting on my hip. Our governor at the time, Lawton Chiles, would not permit looters to be arrested, so they took over the streets and roamed house to house, taking as they pleased. Law enforcement was on the job, but the storm had taken down all street signs and building landmarks. You would be waiting a long time for a cop IF you could get through on the telephone.
I've been making plans, getting my kids educated, and spreading the word. I know that some people may call me crazy, and this is fine. I've not been buying gold, but I've got peace of mind.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Liberty Killers
Over the last few weeks the Nation has witnessed a change, of sorts, coming from the quasi-leaders in Washington, D.C. While not admitting to defeat, and certainly not standing before the American people with any confessions of truth, the Democrat-controlled world is beginning to unravel. The People, it seems, may yet have a voice.
Plato said, "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
I believe that most Americans are good people. We work when we are able, we take care of our families, we do our civic duty, we obey the law, and we are willing to pay our fair share. Good Americans are seeing their dreams chipped away. Good Americans are learning that the ideals once held as virtuous are now considered dangerous to society. It seems that today a man is not merely responsible for taking care of his OWN family, but rather he must toil in order to care for the families of ALL men. The "village" mentality has seeped into the halls of democracy and has brought with it the loss of individual liberty and family values that had previously built this great Nation.
In the words of John Adams, "All the perplexities, confusion, and distress in America arise not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, nor from want of honor or virtue, so much as downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation."
Today our "leaders" as a group appear completely unable to grasp the concept of commerce, money, or profit. The members of the Liberal Elite despite profits and have found a way to bend the ear of those now in power to punish those they deem corrupt enough to manage "a profit". These fools believe that by punishing profit they are benefiting the working man. However, how much of the ill-gotten gains of Government actually find their way into the mouth of the working man?
As a candidate, Barack Obama made 510 promises during his campaign, most of which went unnoticed and will never be realized. Mr. Obama demonstrated then a clear ignorance of the value of work, the importance of capitalism, and an unwavering hatred of the right of a man to work hard, keep what he earns, and spend it as he wishes. In only one year Mr. Obama has created a Nation in which government worker salaries outpaced the salaries of private sector employees. He has created more division among the American people, brought class-warfare to the top of the political discussion. He has created an atmosphere of doubt, fear, and suspicion among Americans.
While the world reels in their economic collapse, Mr. Obama has continued to "sell America" and her future to our enemies. Our Congress has failed to authorize the drilling permits they promised in 2008, and we are yet even farther from so-called energy independence. The civil rights of Americans are suffering more now than they ever did under George Bush. While the liberal media turns a blind-eye toward the extension of The Patriot Act (the same Patriot Act that Obama decried as a candidate), the media remain a compliant, willing partner in the destruction of the American individual.
Our schools have become a breeding ground for the moral vacuum that pervades America today. Our children are no longer learning of greatness through individual work, but rather they are learning that the individual is irrelevant to today's society, that only through groups and associations of like-minded people can any good be accomplished.
My son recently brought home a book from his English class, "Great Speeches by American Women". In it I could not find a single speech from a woman with a conservative background. Every one of the American women in this book was, in my opinion, a man hater. But more importantly, it was their ideal of what America should be that struck me. Our public schools force compulsory thought onto our students every day. They are literally programming failure and hatred of individual strength into the minds of our youth. One of the speeches included passages decrying conservatism and conservative thinkers, and I thought it odd that our public schools could get away with promoting one thought process over another.
But then I came across a quote by William T. Harris, a former educator, who saw the danger that public schools posed to our children and to our nation. "Our schools have been scientifically designed to prevent over-education from happening. The average American should be content with their humble role in life, because they're not tempted to think about any other role."
Can we really blame America for voting for someone as inept as Barack Obama?
Plato said, "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
I believe that most Americans are good people. We work when we are able, we take care of our families, we do our civic duty, we obey the law, and we are willing to pay our fair share. Good Americans are seeing their dreams chipped away. Good Americans are learning that the ideals once held as virtuous are now considered dangerous to society. It seems that today a man is not merely responsible for taking care of his OWN family, but rather he must toil in order to care for the families of ALL men. The "village" mentality has seeped into the halls of democracy and has brought with it the loss of individual liberty and family values that had previously built this great Nation.
In the words of John Adams, "All the perplexities, confusion, and distress in America arise not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, nor from want of honor or virtue, so much as downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation."
Today our "leaders" as a group appear completely unable to grasp the concept of commerce, money, or profit. The members of the Liberal Elite despite profits and have found a way to bend the ear of those now in power to punish those they deem corrupt enough to manage "a profit". These fools believe that by punishing profit they are benefiting the working man. However, how much of the ill-gotten gains of Government actually find their way into the mouth of the working man?
As a candidate, Barack Obama made 510 promises during his campaign, most of which went unnoticed and will never be realized. Mr. Obama demonstrated then a clear ignorance of the value of work, the importance of capitalism, and an unwavering hatred of the right of a man to work hard, keep what he earns, and spend it as he wishes. In only one year Mr. Obama has created a Nation in which government worker salaries outpaced the salaries of private sector employees. He has created more division among the American people, brought class-warfare to the top of the political discussion. He has created an atmosphere of doubt, fear, and suspicion among Americans.
While the world reels in their economic collapse, Mr. Obama has continued to "sell America" and her future to our enemies. Our Congress has failed to authorize the drilling permits they promised in 2008, and we are yet even farther from so-called energy independence. The civil rights of Americans are suffering more now than they ever did under George Bush. While the liberal media turns a blind-eye toward the extension of The Patriot Act (the same Patriot Act that Obama decried as a candidate), the media remain a compliant, willing partner in the destruction of the American individual.
Our schools have become a breeding ground for the moral vacuum that pervades America today. Our children are no longer learning of greatness through individual work, but rather they are learning that the individual is irrelevant to today's society, that only through groups and associations of like-minded people can any good be accomplished.
My son recently brought home a book from his English class, "Great Speeches by American Women". In it I could not find a single speech from a woman with a conservative background. Every one of the American women in this book was, in my opinion, a man hater. But more importantly, it was their ideal of what America should be that struck me. Our public schools force compulsory thought onto our students every day. They are literally programming failure and hatred of individual strength into the minds of our youth. One of the speeches included passages decrying conservatism and conservative thinkers, and I thought it odd that our public schools could get away with promoting one thought process over another.
But then I came across a quote by William T. Harris, a former educator, who saw the danger that public schools posed to our children and to our nation. "Our schools have been scientifically designed to prevent over-education from happening. The average American should be content with their humble role in life, because they're not tempted to think about any other role."
Can we really blame America for voting for someone as inept as Barack Obama?
Friday, January 8, 2010
Old Charlie Rich Song.... Behind Closed Doors
So, I was wondering...who exactly is taking their hair down "behind closed doors" in the healthcare reform deliberations? We'll never know, and certainly it is supposed to be that way; at least according to our elected representatives. Now, I question with absolute absurdity the qualms that I have about this. After all, I'm a nothing--a nobody--and I really won't understand the complexities of the writing of a Bill as intrusive as the current healthcare legislation. However, there are lots and lots of people out there who are much more intelligent that I, and wouldn't it be great if I could get them to peek under the door for me?
I was particularly impressed when Chris Dodd decided to step down from the Senate. Why now? If Dodd has so much support in his home state why is he accepting the winds of change, the turning of the tide, and stepping down from his seat in the Senate? Can't the rest of the liberal government take a hint?
Would folks like the Tax Foundation, for instance, see that our taxes are increasing exponentially and give us an opportunity to speak publicly about our concerns?
Would the ACLU, for instance, see an unfair intrusion into the personal liberty of Americans by the Federal Government by linking our healthcare with our taxes? Will the same ACLU find it unconstitutional for the government to force healthy, young adults to pay $5,000 a year for health insurance or face a fine...or go to jail?
I wonder if I'm old enough to hand the rigors of federal prison. Can I as a 51-year old woman handle the tribulation of going to jail in protest of what I deem to be a violation of my constitutional rights? The federal government cannot force me to drive a car, to get on a jet, to travel outside of the country. The federal government cannot force me to take pills, get vaccinated, or accept the counsel of strangers about when I should die.
The federal government, apparently, is botching everything these days and it's time for all of us to become proactive in teaching the government that they serve US--the people--, and not the other way around.
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