hurricane and earthquake, ask and ye shall receive

Well apparently there is now a hurricane slightly heading towards me. hurricane Irene, I have been watching the weather channel regularly, and not but a few minutes ago an earthquake happened in Virginia. Do not know any damage reports yet, also it was apparently felt south of me in Charlotte coming north of me in Virginia, and of course I felt nothing. from the reports they are shutting down some am-track trains on the east coast.

Summer Fun/ Summer Heat

Seems every time I come in here to blog its about the freaking weather. I am not a weather man I swear, I just realize that the thing that effects our lives most of all is the weather, you would realize this a lot more if your car leaked I am sure. At the temp we are at right now in the south AC is a godsend if not needed completely I have been trying to avoid using it in my car but it is difficult. Where I live in the city ac is needed for a few reasons and those same reasons are why ac is needed in a car, one being no shade, in this apartment no trees cover it at all, when I lived out in that old lake house I loved, trees hundreds of years old dwarfed everything, and covering over the house and all the ground around me, shade over a home makes a big differences in how cool it gets.

Now about in your car, state highways rarely have shade, beyond that your car does not have curtains. simple?

In your house please be smart, close the curtains in the afternoon, during the hottest times of the day, letting the sun in kills any chance you have of cooling off the place, even if you are not using ac close the curtains, and let the wind blow the air in through them, or place a fan in the window.

beyond all this, carry water with you, this should be your side arm in this heat, dehydration sucks, if kills people every year, more and more younger adults want to drink sodas, and sugar drinks for thirst rather than water, there really should not be a substitution,  and if you are about taste, get over it, train your taste buds and body to just prepare for it, drink water, drink it hot, you never know when you might need the ability to do so, get your picky kids to do it too.

I know this from my own past experiences and my own past spoiled nature. I did not like just plain water. went on a long camping trip, two weeks, ended up in the hospital in the middle of it. My friends and I had all the supplies needed to survive out there, but our bodies were not prepared. your body is the most important thing remember to train yourself for anything.

I dislike thinking that is only June and this warm already, because this same camping trip, was eight years ago now, in the middle of June and I remember being cold at night outside, now it would only feel comfy, and miserable during the day, just like it was this last week when I went on a hike through those same woods. Still I plan on a camping trip later this month. I hope it will be cooler up on those mountains.

Glued to the News

Literally I have been, working or not, this has me stressed out, I do not know anyone in japan, but just watching the news I see how much they are not telling us, you compare the information coming out of cnn, to bbc, the information is different in leaps and bounds, then compare it to the videos in youtube or the messages all over twitter, stark differences, its easy to see that this era, the news is all on the internet, and not even on old news media sources, if you want the news, you have to know where to look. The best way to know where, twitter, people broadcast their lives, their stories, and their problems. 

From the many stories I've read or watched about japan, there was a 9.0 earthquake, for japan they had minor damage from this because of how many earthquakes they apparently have over there, (not a piece of news we hear everyday) they have most of their building codes to withstand a 7.5 quake. the tsunami went 6 miles inland, now that the tide has drawn from the tsunami the island is 12 wider, the tsunami also hit Hawaii and California, doing some damage to California' coast, mostly to boats. 

A nuclear power plant was in the path of the tsunami, the tsunami knocked out power from the area causing this power plant to be unable to cool its 6 ( I believe) reactors, one by one these have been heating up, during this time the USS ronald Regan was approaching to aid japan, yet stopped and moved further from the coast after a helicopter detected radiation. that was about 2 days ago. 

between then and now I have heard back and forth of reactors and buildings exploded or didn't explode, or did explode but didn't cause a meltdown. This is all depending on which network, or news source you are reading or listening to. 

What I understand is, Japan hasn't had any help in cooling the reactors, from anyone, they have been trying to cool them with water which has cause hydrogen explosions,( thats quoted from cnn) they have gone back and forth saying there is no meltdowns or there is, BUT I know they are evacuating people for "possible" radiation leaks( and even CNN is saying that this company that owns the plant hasn't been completely forth coming with information.)  There have been explosions, between the reports and a US aircraft carrier not getting closer to help, beyond that some people have already been tested positive for radiation, I state that one or more of those reactors is leaking radiation. they have been telling people to keep their skin covered if they must go out, or just to stay inside. Honestly full chemical suit would be handy at this point for those people. 

I was dumbfounded at the first reports telling people to cover their mouths with a wet washcloth, I was thinking what could that accomplish. 

Now What news you may not have heard! there has also been a volcano eruption in japan, right like there were not enough problems, it was north of most of this from what I recall. New Jersey is flooded, still, and the Ohio river is close to flooding, so there are some problems close to home that I have not seen even hitting the news, which is why my segment on them is also rather small. 

sorry I've been missing for almost a week, work has had me stressed, my car broke down, which didn't put me in a happy place, now tomorrow I get to attempt to fix it.

Snow day?

I randomly skipped a day? Sorry. I am surprised at NC and our schools and businesses, the schools have been closed all week, and this is suppose to be the first week back to school, that is rather crazy. I know that the roads have been bad, more so than most since I have had to work each day of snow and ice and drive on the roads during it for my job. I have seen many cars on the sides of the road, and even co workers sliding and one crashing, he is fine however. I guess in the south people are not required to learn how to drive in any condition, like bus drivers.
The co-worker that wrecked did tell me a good story about seeing two police cruisers sitting in a parking lot then one backing up preforming a reverse 180 then drifting in circles around the other police cruiser. I would have liked to see video of this.

Winter time

I never have understood why holiday poems involve snow, it never happens here, and as far as I am aware you have to be rather far north to see snow early in winter, also in the north you see people with two sets of tires, winter and summer, and even owning chains on tires, if I ever move north I will have to deal with this. In the south I have all season tires and everything this winter has thrown at me so far has been drivable, at least for me. I have a few pictures or snippets of video where I saw trucks on the side of the road from crashing, and I was driving in a small 4 cylinder front wheel drive car.

Speaking of cars, trucks and other. I want something other, an Suv, I have access to a truck, a Ford F 150 that was my father's. It doesn't fun to well at this point, I have never been that great at car upkeep, and money is also a requirement of that, not something I have much of.
Regardless, I would like a Jeep or a Subaru beyond that I do not know, I want some luxury in a vehicle, but I do  want it to have the capability to go off road and have 4 wheel drive. I also want something 4 door so I can carry people, things and future family easier, and most of all I am tired of sitting on the ground while I am driving.
Any suggestions on an SUV please comment and tell me what you think?

down time

What is there for you to do in your downtime as a survivalist, prepper, or such. Well you can continue to learn like I am sure you are attempting to do now by reading this and any other blog about survival. Currently I am in my own downtime, I am off work for the night, a night I was planning to be out working for the entire night, because of the snow I had to close the store early as directed by my boss. Now I am in my self looking for something to do, the first thing for me to do as always is for me to find something to read, normally I find myself entranced into one of the many other survival blogs or something dealing with my many other hobbies, anime, paranormal, I can not stay on just one topic, it would drive me nuts.  

The normal things to talk about right now a congresswoman got shot, I believe from this I do like North Carolinas congressman's reaction, he bought a gun. I believe the idea of "if my security can not protect me I will protect myself. " 

The Weather it's self is a story too, because, well It sent me home from work among other things. I saw many wrecks when I was out driving  for work, and many people who are not capable of driving in this mess. 

Returnith

I really do not feel as if I have missed much, so that means my good people, you have not missed much from my own comments.

It snowed on Christmas, the first white Christmas in North Carolina since 1947, and honestly first white Christmas for many states and cities for a good many years, I hear for Atlanta this is a first in 128 years. With all this snow I far too realize that people in North Carolina do not know how to drive in any condition, I worked all day today out driving, and the roads were quite clear, you see the snow was a fine powered snow, it sticks to the ground and did also to the roads, but it did nothing to make them slick, that is ice. We have not seen ice yet this year and maybe tonight the melted snow will bring ice, but I doubt it.  It baphles me that someone seemingly prepared for the weather driving a hummer or a large SUV would be driving slow to the point it annoys me, knowing they can handle the road at a higher speed when I am only in a front wheel drive sports car.

enough about the weather, I have enjoyed my holiday, I didn't really see much in the way of presents, thats fine,  I was given money, money is always good, it can be put forth useful things. I enjoyed giving presents to my new inlaws and watching them play.

During my break I believe some may have noticed my presence on twitter, I have an auto post for my blog, however I can access it from my phone, so I put a twitter feed on the blog to display. follow and comment and such, here there and everywhere, also take some time and rewatch the walking dead, I did.

QOTD What prepper stock should I get with the money?

Saturday News post, I need a slogan for it or something

First story, Korea, good, bad, north, and south. lets see, south Korea doing firing tests, north Korea thinking this is a war effort, and now north Korea jumping further on the war issue, I think we have been here before. lets hope this time we stay out of it, but what am I saying the USA lives to fight other peoples battles for them.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/12/17/exp.tsr.bill.richardson.korea.cnn?hpt=T2

Snow. Okay this time it isn't in NC, it was suppose to snow today, I kinda missed it, wanted it, hoped for it, it failed me, so its snowing in Europe, apparently this is odd weather for them this early too!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/18/europe.winter.weather/index.html?hpt=T2

Prison Break at a Mexican border prison. this is not good, 141 prisoners escaped most likely with the workers help, leaving out of a service entrance used for vehicles
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-12-18-mexico-inmates-escape_N.htm

Did your childhood suck? were you abused, beated, sexually abused at one point in your life? your not alone, as an adult or a child really. welcome to the world of why the world sucks and why if you aren't abused at home then you are at school or work.
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/parenting-family/2010-12-17-adult-majority-troubled-childhood_N.htm


Fat kids multiply we blame the schools, Okay so schools are letting our fat kids opt out of P.e. and well I do believe this requires a parental consent form we are still blaming the schools for it. when I was a kid I played outside riding my bike around in circles and I stayed skinny, I did not gain weight until I moved and got cable Television. P.e did not do much to help me with my weight because at my size then I wasn't big enough to do a pull up, I did not have the muscle build I was just skinny, if you want to complain about the lack of P.e then it should attempt to be effective in the first place.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-12-14-physed14_ST_N.htm

two things in life that are certain

Death and Taxes, and we all have experienced both I am sure. apparently we are getting the bush tax cuts extending into this year.

From what I am reading in blogs, all of the bigger survival bloggers are speaking of a shortage of freeze dried food. This is something I can not report on, I do not have the sources they do, I have also never bought at freeze dried food. I do know however with the winter storms going through the country, that eggs, milk, gas, and antifreeze are pretty well out of stock at most stores and gas stations beyond walmart. walmart doesnt stockpile anything, most stores do not anymore, so they get shipments as they run out or low on stock. a flawed system in storms and possible times for the traffic to be at a stand still. more people buying food and other items to stock, and the stores running out unable to restock. now preppers are another story they do not have to worry about these problems, which is why they prep. I suppose its something everyone should try.

wintry mix

Okay, so I took my first day off right? no I still did stuff, like laundry, it is horrid that I have to go to my mothers to accomplish this task but its either there or laundromat and I lack the funds for that venture. while I was loading up my car with clothes it started sleeting then snowing and sleeting some more, so I got to enjoy driving in the wintery mix as the weather men put it, it was funny to me since the weather channel and all news reports said we were just to have snow flurries late that night. It was quite cold though so ice fell from the sky, while I was driving people were already running off the road, I could then plainly tell that the state had not issued to salt the roads, its amusing that the snow I knew was coming wasn't predicted by anyone else.

I know weather seems to be a big topic for me, hitting the last few posts talking nothing but about the weather, but honestly its cold, and in North Carolina, the part I live in, it is not normally this cold in December, whats worse is the fact that this is a very drafty apartment. so today I went to work with my duct tape and garbage bags, like my two favorite redneck fixing tools.

this would be my air conditioner, where the sealing around it is so bad the wife doesn't want to sit next to it, and the vent system inside it does not close right. so it gets covered, I am trying to talk her into letting me cover the windows in garbage bags or plastic to help them out, its easier than having the apartment repair idiots come through the place and fix things. 




Today the weather is, windy, and indeed it is very windy and a brisk 25 degrees outside, and I work tonight, joy of joys. 

weather woes

Well I live in the southern United states, so I am only dealing with the cold so far, and there was some snow that fell last week here while I was on vacation. I wonder if the gulf spill will have an effect on the wind streams and currents this early on from the spill. I do have to say as long as I have lived here( my entire life ) I have never seen winter weather come from above the mountains then down into the foothills. When the weather comes from the north like Illinois it hits the mountains and they break up the snow clouds. So something odd happened with the weather stream to make it take a path which I have never seen. it is typical for the snow to come from the south to hit North Carolina then move up the coast. Currently though, normal amounts of winter weather is hitting ... well the normal parts of the country to receive it.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/11/winter.weather/index.html?hpt=T1

next link!
this one is about Identity theft. It's an interesting statement, your username, your code name to yourself. what to do you call yourself online, and what you do call yourself could lead to your own downfall of your identity, this basically goes on the idea of how many different accounts you have with one username. I use a few different usernames, thats a good thing for me. look over your own accounts. be secure.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/12/11/exp.nr.digital.fingerprint.cnn?hpt=T2

Car Carry

This post is brought on by a question from me to a customer at my day job, me stating, your not really dressed for the weather are you? her answer " Yeah, I don't like wearing a jacket in the car." and she was wearing a light jacket for early spring maybe, and its suppose to be 19 degrees F tonight. I have a thermal suit I brought inside work with me tonight, I've had it in my car since it got cold, with her answer all I could think of was what if her car broke down. her other answer was that she had left her car running so it would be warm still, what if she locked her keys in her car? I know its a lot of 'what ifs' but thats the idea behind preppers, to prepare for any situation that could happen no matter how unlikely.

 I have locked me keys in my car so often that I carry a spare car key in my wallet, and I have a spare to my wifes car, in the first 3 days she locked her keys in her new car and tore up a lot of the rubber seal getting back inside. I knew how to break in my car, and did it a few times, but it wont work for me now, but I have that key, and I locked my keys in my car on my honey moon even, wasn't a problem I had the spare.  thats just one situation.

Where I work we deliver food, I don't always deliver but I have before and keep a lot of things in my car, food, water, first aid kit, roadside kit, normal car stuff for me, I even have a jumper box in the back of my car, its been the best 100 dollars I ever spent, with it having a tire pump, av inverter, and car jumper, it is one all around handy tool. its one of those things I have everyday in my car that I don't think about, like the camp shovel, I left it in my car, do not know why I would ever need it, but I do not know thats why its there.

QOTD whats something that you think is odd, that you carry in your car?

also please dress warm in the winter do not rely on your cars heater.