Monday, April 18, 2011
83 Year Old Japanese Woman Escaped Tsunami on Her Bicycle
This is kind of fun. Annie and I ride our bikes around Sweet Haven quite a bit, especially in warmer weather. We used to get some looks from people whom I assume think that unless you under 30 or dressed in $500 worth of bike costume gear and ride a $1000 bike, that you have no business on one. We often ride to church, which is admittedly pretty close, but got quite a few disbelieving looks for a while as well. We even reclaimed the bike rack parking place from the cars - first come, first served after all.
So I was really interested to watch this little clip about this lady that escaped the tsunami on her bike. She was a farmer all of her life, and is proud of being strong and fit. Actually, as I write this, I remember the story that Mom told me several times of Great Grandpa Barthel ( I think) and his bike. If I remember the story right, he never learned to drive a car and rode his bike into his late 80's. (Mom: If you read this, correct any mistakes in the 'Comments' section). Anyway, I thought is was a great story. Hope you enjoy it as well. Happy riding!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Taming Chaos with a Personal Plan - by Scott Stewart of STRATFOR
Taming Chaos with a Personal Plan is republished with permission of STRATFOR.
By Scott Stewart
Over the past week we’ve seen a massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan that caused a nuclear accident, the Saudis sending troops into Bahrain to quell civil unrest there and the government of Yemen taking measures to expel foreign media as protests have swelled against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
We have also recently seen large-scale evacuations of expatriates from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and it is not unreasonable to assume that we might see a similar exodus from Bahrain and Yemen if developments in those countries deteriorate. Moreover, in Japan, the risk of radiation and conditions that are not yet under control at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant could force further evacuations there.
In light of this uncertain environment, STRATFOR thought it prudent to address once again the topic of personal contingency planning. Indeed, we also made this topic the subject of this week’s
Above the Tearline video. While we have often discussed this topic in relation to terrorist attacks, its principles are also readily applicable to crises caused by natural disaster, war and civil unrest. When a crisis erupts, having an established personal contingency plan provides people with a head start and a set of tools that can help them avoid, or at least mitigate, the effects of the chaos and panic that accompany crisis events.
In many instances, an attack or natural disaster will cause damage to electrical lines, or the electricity will be cut off as a precautionary measure. Natural gas, water and sewer lines can be damaged, causing leaks, and in the case of natural gas lines raising the threat of explosions and fire. Earthquakes and mudslides can cut roads and shut down mass transit. Often, people find themselves trapped in subway tunnels or in high-rise buildings, and they are sometimes forced to escape through smoke-filled tunnels or stairwells. Depending on the incident, bridges, tunnels, subway lines and airports can be closed or jammed to a standstill. Grocery stores are frequently inundated by people scrambling (and sometimes fighting) to obtain food and supplies.
In the midst of this confusion and panic, telephone and cell-phone usage soars. Even if the main trunk lines and cell towers are not damaged by the event or otherwise affected by the loss of electricity, this huge spike in activity quickly overloads the exchanges and cell networks. This means the ripples of chaos and disruption roll outward from the scene of the crisis as people outside the immediate vicinity of the crisis zone hear about the situation via the media and wonder what has become of loved ones who were in or near the crisis zone.
Emergency plans are vital not only for corporations and for schools but also for families and individuals. Such plans should be in place for each regular location — home, work and school — that an individual frequents and should cover what that person will do and where he or she will go should an evacuation be necessary. This means establishing meeting points for family members who might be split up — and backup points in case the first or second point also is affected by the disaster.
When school-aged children are involved, parents need to take the time to coordinate with the school to learn what the school’s crisis plans are so any measures the school employs can be accounted for during the planning process. A crisis plan should also account for any pets a family may have.
The lack of ability to communicate with loved ones because of circuit overload or other phone-service problems can greatly enhance the sense of panic during a crisis — especially in this age, when people are so dependent on almost-constant communications via the ubiquitous smart phone. Perhaps one of the foremost benefits of having personal and family contingency plans in place is the reduction of stress that results from not being able to contact a loved one immediately. Knowing that everyone is following the plan frees each person to concentrate on the more pressing challenges presented by their personal evacuation. This is critical because someone who waits until he or she has contacted all loved ones before evacuating might not make it out.
It also is important to have a communications plan, which should include the contact information for the designated rallying site as well as an alternate communications hub outside of the area. It might be difficult to communicate from point A to point B, but someone at point A or B might be able to get through to a person at point C. For example, it may be impossible to call from Tripoli to New York, but both parties may be able to call through to Rome.
Alternative means of communication also should be included in the communications plan. If the phone lines and cell phones are clogged, many times text messages can still get through and Internet connections may work to send e-mail. Satellite telephones, though expensive, are also very useful in a communications blackout, as are two-way radios. Analog fax lines can also prove useful when other forms of communication are shut down.
People who are going to serve as communications hubs need to be briefed on the evacuation plan and have contact information (landline and cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) for each person who will be participating in the evacuation. The communications hub should also be provided with important personal data on each person, including full name, date of birth, passport numbers, etc. The communications plan also will be helpful in case one member of the family is unable to evacuate immediately or finds it unwise to evacuate at all. In that case, he or she will know where the rest of the family is going and how to contact them once communications are restored.
Planning is important because, when confronted with a dire situation, many people simply do not know what to do or where to start. It is not unusual to find people wandering aimlessly at the scene of a disaster. Not having determined their options in advance — and in state of shock over the events of the day — people quite often find themselves unable to think clearly enough to establish a logical plan, so they just drift around or collapse in helplessness. Having a plan in place gives even a person who is in shock or denial and unable to think clearly a framework to lean on and a path to follow.
Situational awareness also aids in reacting to a dangerous situation while on the move. If a subway tunnel is filling with smoke from a fire or bombing, situational awareness tells one to keep low in order to avoid being overcome by smoke. Better still, proper preparation can lead people to carry important items such as a smoke hood that can be worn to protect against smoke and a flashlight to help navigate a dark place like a tunnel.
For individuals who work in high-rise buildings, frequently travel or routinely take a commuter train or subway, these two items can greatly assist you if the need to evacuate arises. Smoke hoods are relatively inexpensive devices that can be carried in a briefcase or purse and quickly donned in case of emergency. They will usually provide around 20 to 30 minutes of breathing time, which could quite literally mean the difference between life and death in a smoke-filled hallway, stairway or subway tunnel. Likewise, a small flashlight could prove to be invaluable in a crisis situation at night or when the power goes out in a large building or subway. Some of the small aluminum flashlights can also double as a handy self-defense weapon.
Of course, in some situations, evacuation might not be the best idea. If there is no immediate threat at a specific location, it may be more dangerous to join a crowd of panicked people on the street. In some cases, it might be safest to just stay in place and wait for order to return — especially if the shelter is stocked with food, water and other basic necessities. Situational awareness will allow you to make the call on whether to stay or go.
As part of a contingency plan, it is also prudent to prepare a small “fly-away” kit containing clothes, water, a first-aid kit, nutritional bars, medications and toiletry items for each member of the family. It also is a good idea to include a battery-powered or crank-powered radio and other items such as appropriate maps, multi-tool knives and duct tape. An appropriate amount of cash can also prove quite useful. The kit should be kept in a convenient place, ready to grab on the way out. Even if it is impractical to keep all these items in constant readiness, keeping most of them together and using a prepared list to collect the other items quickly can help get one out the door in seconds. Maintaining important papers, such as vehicle titles, deeds, licenses, birth certificates, passports and credit card information, in a central file allows it to be quickly retrieved in case of an evacuation. Of course, passports are of vital importance in an overseas situation.
Another important part of situational awareness is having the means to receive instructions and information from the authorities. In addition to radio and television, many locations have emergency text and e-mail alert systems that can provide critical information. Overseas, embassies also maintain networks for disseminating information to expatriates such as the U.S. Department of State’s warden system. Individuals should register for such services and ensure they know how information is disseminated before the crisis hits and results in communication disruptions.
When it comes to information pertaining to emergency plans and fly-away kits, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration’s ready.gov site is an excellent resource. For people residing overseas, the U.S. Department of State’s travel information site and the Overseas Security Advisory Council are also valuable resources filled with helpful information.
Now, while it is important to listen to authorities in the case of an emergency, individuals cannot rely on the government to take care of them in every situation because the resources simply may not be available. This means that individuals must have a plan in place designed to take care of themselves and their families.
Plans must be also reviewed periodically, at least once a year. A plan made following 9/11 might no longer be valid. Bridges and roads included in the original plan might be closed for construction at the present time or could have been changed to a one-way traffic pattern. Communication plans may also need to be updated if family members move or change telephone numbers.
The contents of fly-away kits should be checked periodically to ensure the kits are functional. Flashlight and radio batteries can lose their charge and need to be replaced. Items such as smoke hoods can become damaged by being carried around in a purse or briefcase for too many years. Food can become stale and inedible. Medications can expire. Children can grow and require different sizes of clothing.
Finally, while having a contingency plan on paper is better than having nothing, those plans that are tested in the real world prove to be far superior to plans that are never tested. Running through an evacuation plan (especially during a high-traffic time such as rush hour) will help to identify weaknesses that will not appear on paper. It also will help ensure that all those involved know what they are supposed to do and where they are supposed to go. A plan is of limited use if half of the people it is designed for do not understand their respective roles and responsibilities.
No plan is perfect, and chances are that individuals will find themselves “shifting on the fly” as conditions on the ground change in the event of an actual emergency. However, having a plan and being prepared allows a person to be more focused and less panicked and confused than those who have left their fate to chance.
By Scott Stewart
Over the past week we’ve seen a massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan that caused a nuclear accident, the Saudis sending troops into Bahrain to quell civil unrest there and the government of Yemen taking measures to expel foreign media as protests have swelled against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
We have also recently seen large-scale evacuations of expatriates from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and it is not unreasonable to assume that we might see a similar exodus from Bahrain and Yemen if developments in those countries deteriorate. Moreover, in Japan, the risk of radiation and conditions that are not yet under control at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant could force further evacuations there.
In light of this uncertain environment, STRATFOR thought it prudent to address once again the topic of personal contingency planning. Indeed, we also made this topic the subject of this week’s
Above the Tearline video. While we have often discussed this topic in relation to terrorist attacks, its principles are also readily applicable to crises caused by natural disaster, war and civil unrest. When a crisis erupts, having an established personal contingency plan provides people with a head start and a set of tools that can help them avoid, or at least mitigate, the effects of the chaos and panic that accompany crisis events.When Chaos Reigns
When a crisis erupts due to civil unrest, natural disaster or a major terrorist attack, a number of things happen rapidly and sometimes simultaneously. First, panic ensues as people attempt to flee the immediate scene of the disaster, usually seeking safety using the same escape routes. At the same time, police, fire and emergency medical units all attempt to respond to the scene, so there can be terrible traffic and pedestrian crowd-control problems. In the event of large civil disturbances, roads can also be clogged with protesters, troops and panicked civilians. This can be magnified by smoke and fire, which can reduce visibility, affect breathing and increase panic.In many instances, an attack or natural disaster will cause damage to electrical lines, or the electricity will be cut off as a precautionary measure. Natural gas, water and sewer lines can be damaged, causing leaks, and in the case of natural gas lines raising the threat of explosions and fire. Earthquakes and mudslides can cut roads and shut down mass transit. Often, people find themselves trapped in subway tunnels or in high-rise buildings, and they are sometimes forced to escape through smoke-filled tunnels or stairwells. Depending on the incident, bridges, tunnels, subway lines and airports can be closed or jammed to a standstill. Grocery stores are frequently inundated by people scrambling (and sometimes fighting) to obtain food and supplies.
In the midst of this confusion and panic, telephone and cell-phone usage soars. Even if the main trunk lines and cell towers are not damaged by the event or otherwise affected by the loss of electricity, this huge spike in activity quickly overloads the exchanges and cell networks. This means the ripples of chaos and disruption roll outward from the scene of the crisis as people outside the immediate vicinity of the crisis zone hear about the situation via the media and wonder what has become of loved ones who were in or near the crisis zone.
The Need to Plan
Those caught in close proximity to such a disaster site have the best chance of escaping and reconnecting with loved ones if they have a personal contingency plan. While such planning is critically important for people who live and work overseas in high-threat locations, recent events have demonstrated that even people residing in places considered safe, like Cairo and Tokyo, can be caught in the vortex of a crisis. Taking this one step farther, sudden disasters, such as tornadoes, earthquakes, school shootings or the derailment of train cars carrying chlorine, can strike almost anywhere. This means that everyone should have a personal contingency plan.Emergency plans are vital not only for corporations and for schools but also for families and individuals. Such plans should be in place for each regular location — home, work and school — that an individual frequents and should cover what that person will do and where he or she will go should an evacuation be necessary. This means establishing meeting points for family members who might be split up — and backup points in case the first or second point also is affected by the disaster.
When school-aged children are involved, parents need to take the time to coordinate with the school to learn what the school’s crisis plans are so any measures the school employs can be accounted for during the planning process. A crisis plan should also account for any pets a family may have.
The lack of ability to communicate with loved ones because of circuit overload or other phone-service problems can greatly enhance the sense of panic during a crisis — especially in this age, when people are so dependent on almost-constant communications via the ubiquitous smart phone. Perhaps one of the foremost benefits of having personal and family contingency plans in place is the reduction of stress that results from not being able to contact a loved one immediately. Knowing that everyone is following the plan frees each person to concentrate on the more pressing challenges presented by their personal evacuation. This is critical because someone who waits until he or she has contacted all loved ones before evacuating might not make it out.
It also is important to have a communications plan, which should include the contact information for the designated rallying site as well as an alternate communications hub outside of the area. It might be difficult to communicate from point A to point B, but someone at point A or B might be able to get through to a person at point C. For example, it may be impossible to call from Tripoli to New York, but both parties may be able to call through to Rome.
Alternative means of communication also should be included in the communications plan. If the phone lines and cell phones are clogged, many times text messages can still get through and Internet connections may work to send e-mail. Satellite telephones, though expensive, are also very useful in a communications blackout, as are two-way radios. Analog fax lines can also prove useful when other forms of communication are shut down.
People who are going to serve as communications hubs need to be briefed on the evacuation plan and have contact information (landline and cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) for each person who will be participating in the evacuation. The communications hub should also be provided with important personal data on each person, including full name, date of birth, passport numbers, etc. The communications plan also will be helpful in case one member of the family is unable to evacuate immediately or finds it unwise to evacuate at all. In that case, he or she will know where the rest of the family is going and how to contact them once communications are restored.
Planning is important because, when confronted with a dire situation, many people simply do not know what to do or where to start. It is not unusual to find people wandering aimlessly at the scene of a disaster. Not having determined their options in advance — and in state of shock over the events of the day — people quite often find themselves unable to think clearly enough to establish a logical plan, so they just drift around or collapse in helplessness. Having a plan in place gives even a person who is in shock or denial and unable to think clearly a framework to lean on and a path to follow.
Evacuating
One of the keys to surviving a catastrophe is situational awareness. Situational awareness allows people to recognizing a potential threat at an early stage and take measures to avoid it. Situational awareness also helps people know where to go when an unforeseen disaster strikes. For example, if the airport is closed by the crisis, situational awareness enables one to understand the alternate means of leaving the country, and if a bridge is damaged on an alternative land route, you can locate another way out. Being aware of the layouts of your residence and workplace is also critical. If an office building is hit by an incident of workplace violence or catches fire, people with a plan will know where the fire exits are and where they lead. Situational awareness will then help them realize when an exit could lead them out of the frying pan and into the fire.Situational awareness also aids in reacting to a dangerous situation while on the move. If a subway tunnel is filling with smoke from a fire or bombing, situational awareness tells one to keep low in order to avoid being overcome by smoke. Better still, proper preparation can lead people to carry important items such as a smoke hood that can be worn to protect against smoke and a flashlight to help navigate a dark place like a tunnel.
For individuals who work in high-rise buildings, frequently travel or routinely take a commuter train or subway, these two items can greatly assist you if the need to evacuate arises. Smoke hoods are relatively inexpensive devices that can be carried in a briefcase or purse and quickly donned in case of emergency. They will usually provide around 20 to 30 minutes of breathing time, which could quite literally mean the difference between life and death in a smoke-filled hallway, stairway or subway tunnel. Likewise, a small flashlight could prove to be invaluable in a crisis situation at night or when the power goes out in a large building or subway. Some of the small aluminum flashlights can also double as a handy self-defense weapon.
Of course, in some situations, evacuation might not be the best idea. If there is no immediate threat at a specific location, it may be more dangerous to join a crowd of panicked people on the street. In some cases, it might be safest to just stay in place and wait for order to return — especially if the shelter is stocked with food, water and other basic necessities. Situational awareness will allow you to make the call on whether to stay or go.
As part of a contingency plan, it is also prudent to prepare a small “fly-away” kit containing clothes, water, a first-aid kit, nutritional bars, medications and toiletry items for each member of the family. It also is a good idea to include a battery-powered or crank-powered radio and other items such as appropriate maps, multi-tool knives and duct tape. An appropriate amount of cash can also prove quite useful. The kit should be kept in a convenient place, ready to grab on the way out. Even if it is impractical to keep all these items in constant readiness, keeping most of them together and using a prepared list to collect the other items quickly can help get one out the door in seconds. Maintaining important papers, such as vehicle titles, deeds, licenses, birth certificates, passports and credit card information, in a central file allows it to be quickly retrieved in case of an evacuation. Of course, passports are of vital importance in an overseas situation.
Another important part of situational awareness is having the means to receive instructions and information from the authorities. In addition to radio and television, many locations have emergency text and e-mail alert systems that can provide critical information. Overseas, embassies also maintain networks for disseminating information to expatriates such as the U.S. Department of State’s warden system. Individuals should register for such services and ensure they know how information is disseminated before the crisis hits and results in communication disruptions.
When it comes to information pertaining to emergency plans and fly-away kits, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Administration’s ready.gov site is an excellent resource. For people residing overseas, the U.S. Department of State’s travel information site and the Overseas Security Advisory Council are also valuable resources filled with helpful information.
Now, while it is important to listen to authorities in the case of an emergency, individuals cannot rely on the government to take care of them in every situation because the resources simply may not be available. This means that individuals must have a plan in place designed to take care of themselves and their families.
Flexibility Required
In order to be effective, an emergency plan must be fluid and flexible. It is important to recognize that even a good plan can be worthless if reactive measures taken by authorities during an emergency impede execution of the plan, or if the catastrophe itself closes down the airport or a section of a primary escape route. For these reasons, it is best to have several alternate contingency plans that account for multiple scenarios and include various routes and modes of evacuation. Once the emergency is announced, it likely is too late to start devising a back-up plan.Plans must be also reviewed periodically, at least once a year. A plan made following 9/11 might no longer be valid. Bridges and roads included in the original plan might be closed for construction at the present time or could have been changed to a one-way traffic pattern. Communication plans may also need to be updated if family members move or change telephone numbers.
The contents of fly-away kits should be checked periodically to ensure the kits are functional. Flashlight and radio batteries can lose their charge and need to be replaced. Items such as smoke hoods can become damaged by being carried around in a purse or briefcase for too many years. Food can become stale and inedible. Medications can expire. Children can grow and require different sizes of clothing.
Finally, while having a contingency plan on paper is better than having nothing, those plans that are tested in the real world prove to be far superior to plans that are never tested. Running through an evacuation plan (especially during a high-traffic time such as rush hour) will help to identify weaknesses that will not appear on paper. It also will help ensure that all those involved know what they are supposed to do and where they are supposed to go. A plan is of limited use if half of the people it is designed for do not understand their respective roles and responsibilities.
No plan is perfect, and chances are that individuals will find themselves “shifting on the fly” as conditions on the ground change in the event of an actual emergency. However, having a plan and being prepared allows a person to be more focused and less panicked and confused than those who have left their fate to chance.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Ode to Garden Huckleberry Jam
As the fruit mixture cooks it will form a foam on it. You have to stir it constantly, and be ready for the foam to boil up and over the top of the pan. It can be rather exciting. Pull the pan off of the burner to stop the foam from boiling over. You can control the heat a lot better by pulling it part way off the burner than you can by trying to use the heat adjustment knob - it's way too slow.
You have to realize that you really are making a candy or confection, rather than a healthy fruit treat. It will taste a lot better than store bought jams, but it is mostly fruit flavored sugar syrup. But tasty! :)
After it has boiled for 10 minutes you put it in hot, clean jars. I like to put them in the oven, and have it heated to about 180 degrees. This makes it very unlikely that the jars will crack when you put the hot liquid in them. You could probably add the hot liquid to cold jars and not have a lot of trouble, but if there is a tiny crack or flaw in the glass, and the bottom cracks around and falls out, you will wish that you had heated the jar first.
That is about it for jam. I had a lot of trouble getting this to work. It was hard to put in the amount of sugar that is called for in the recipes. So - measure everything. Some things in cooking you can be casual with your quantities - but in making jam it pays to make sure you have the right amounts. Make sure to boil the mixture for 10 minutes. If you don't, you might have a yummy fruit syrup, but you won't have jam.
That is about the extent of my experience. Good luck. Homemade jam on fresh homemade whole wheat bread.....mmmmmmmmmm
Friday, August 27, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
One Oven Sunday Chicken Dinner
Time hurries on, and if I don't get this posted, the leaves that are green will have turned to brown. My sloth and schedule have let about 3 weeks go by since we had this dinner. It was a broiling hot Sunday, and the swamp cooler and the one-room AC and all the little fans were going full blast and I didn't want to add any heat to the house. I had a Lemon Pepper Chicken all thawed (not un-thawed) and we had some squash from the garden and come corn from earlier in the week. 
I decided to see how much I could get into one dutch oven. It all fit, as you can see. This was a deep 12" oven, and it has a little more capacity, but I think a standard 12" would do just fine.
The zucchini recipe is one that we got a year or two ago. It is actually was for eggplant, but we prefer the squash, and it works really well with more mature fruits. Scoop out the fruit with a melon baller and saute with onions, peppers, and tomatoes- or just what you want. We season it with pesto and garlic, and Italian Seasoning - basil and oregano, and a little black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Add some fried sausage and bake for 30 minutes. Since we had the chicken to cook, we didn't do the sausage, but seasoned it Italian and assembled it and put it into the DO. You wouldn't really have to saute the stuffing I don't think, but I had a chicken and some corn in there too, and was worried that I might not have enough heat in one batch of coals.
Recently, B & T were down and we did some chicken in a DO, but it was still a little frozen, and the wind was blowing hard. If you have conditions like that, you should probably cut the chicken into pieces as it would cook a lot faster. Ours was done.... but not falling-off-the-bone done. Until I put it in the oven after dinner and finished it off.Anyway, there you have it. I had a bunch of little videos to use instead of the pictures, but they ended up being about 350 MB, and it just wouldn't load into Blogger. Have fun.
Friday, July 16, 2010
White Panel Vans and Robbers
Today I read a scary article written by a lady that survived a home invasion robbery . Here are three response letters you might want to read as well. Also, I ran across this blog on rape prevention - another scary but related topic.
I couldn't help think about my dear daughter that recently had her home burglarized. She has always been a tender heart, and very afraid of white, windowless panel vans - Robber Vans. Fortunately no one was home, but the burglars took what they wanted and left.
When I read this article I kind of put myself in this ladies (home invasion) position. I thought about running back to our bedroom, and that I don't have a gun on the night stand, loaded and ready. I would have to ask the robbers to wait while I retrieved a gun from it's hiding place and found the bullets and carefully loaded it....so that wouldn't happen. I could run to the kitchen and maybe find a kitchen knife...but likely many of them would be in the dishwasher. Baseball bat in the coat closet? Run like heck out the back door, race back to the front to the side yard and run over to the Sheriff's house? Not too practical, but the best plan yet. So, no, I don't have a plan. Barricade in the bathroom and call 911 on the cell....
You who know me know how much I like to shoot, and you might be thinking that I would be agreeing with Susan G. and recommend that you get your concealed carry permit and carry a loaded weapon at all times. While I think this might be kind of fun in a 'I'm Magnum P.I.' kind of way, I don't think that it would be appropriate at this time for most of the circumstances of the people that I know and love. Things may change, and that might be the best solution for some of us at some time, but I hope not.
I was telling Susan G.'s story to the guy that I ride to work with, and told him of my daughter's recent burglary, and how this Dear Daughter was something of a lightening rod for burglaries .... and started counting up the scary incidences that had happened to people that I care about. And I came to the conclusion that it's not as safe a world out there as we think it is. Let's count them up. Maybe you can think of more incidents, or perhaps you are aware of some that I don't know about. I would welcome corrections/additions/etc in Comments.
(Much later) I've thought a lot about this topic since I started the blog entry and I haven't really come to any sweeping conclusions other than security is a topic that is very personal, and very different for each of us, but also one that probably deserves some thought and action. What are somethings that could help make you a less inviting target?
The simplest thing that I can think of, the one that will give you the biggest bang (metaphorically) for the buck is probably pepper spray. For $15 or so you can get an aerosol pepper spray with UV dye in it as well. Like most things you carry in your pocket or purse, a pepper spray aerosol container would probably be a quiet annoyance most of the time. But the time when you feel creeped out, when your Unagi is telling you that you are not in a good spot, well then you will be glad you have it. If, perish the thought, you ever would have to use such a device, then it would sooo be worth the $15 bucks. In the wild, the predators most often go after the animal that will give it the least fight and provide the easiest meal. Human predators are not so different.
I couldn't help think about my dear daughter that recently had her home burglarized. She has always been a tender heart, and very afraid of white, windowless panel vans - Robber Vans. Fortunately no one was home, but the burglars took what they wanted and left.
When I read this article I kind of put myself in this ladies (home invasion) position. I thought about running back to our bedroom, and that I don't have a gun on the night stand, loaded and ready. I would have to ask the robbers to wait while I retrieved a gun from it's hiding place and found the bullets and carefully loaded it....so that wouldn't happen. I could run to the kitchen and maybe find a kitchen knife...but likely many of them would be in the dishwasher. Baseball bat in the coat closet? Run like heck out the back door, race back to the front to the side yard and run over to the Sheriff's house? Not too practical, but the best plan yet. So, no, I don't have a plan. Barricade in the bathroom and call 911 on the cell....
You who know me know how much I like to shoot, and you might be thinking that I would be agreeing with Susan G. and recommend that you get your concealed carry permit and carry a loaded weapon at all times. While I think this might be kind of fun in a 'I'm Magnum P.I.' kind of way, I don't think that it would be appropriate at this time for most of the circumstances of the people that I know and love. Things may change, and that might be the best solution for some of us at some time, but I hope not.
I was telling Susan G.'s story to the guy that I ride to work with, and told him of my daughter's recent burglary, and how this Dear Daughter was something of a lightening rod for burglaries .... and started counting up the scary incidences that had happened to people that I care about. And I came to the conclusion that it's not as safe a world out there as we think it is. Let's count them up. Maybe you can think of more incidents, or perhaps you are aware of some that I don't know about. I would welcome corrections/additions/etc in Comments.
- 197something Sister has house broken into while at work. Front door latch beaten in with a hammer.
- 197something Sister has Peeping Tom. Doberman is completely baffled as sister tosses dog abruptly out of door to chase Peeper. Peeper escapes, dog surely questioned sister's sanity.
- 1977 Sister-in-law seriously wounded and nearly murdered in home by ex-boyfriend.
- 1970 or 80something Sister works at store where women are escorted to cars by male employees as a female employee was abducted and raped. (this is kind of fuzzy Dot, but I'm pretty sure you told me this story.)
- 1990something: Sister-in-law surprises man/burglar in garage. Screams break glass and scare off burglar...not really with the glass. But she scared him off.
- 2003 Daughter(1)'s car burglarized. Leather bound scriptures and some change stolen.
- 2004 Daughter(3)'s car burglarized. Stereo and two nice sets of tools stolen (Thanks for the comment J).
- 2005 Daughter(1)'s car burglarized. Stereo stolen.
- 2006? Son-in-law(1)'s car burglarized, window broken, sunglasses stolen...stereo too?
- 2006-9? Daughter(2)'s friend was murdered in her home when she surprised a burglar.
(Much later) I've thought a lot about this topic since I started the blog entry and I haven't really come to any sweeping conclusions other than security is a topic that is very personal, and very different for each of us, but also one that probably deserves some thought and action. What are somethings that could help make you a less inviting target?
- pepper spray
- flash light on keychain - no fumbling when getting in house or car
- motion sensing perimeter lighting
- security system including alarm
- good door hardware and deadbolt
- replacing door hinge screws with 3+" screws that screw deeply into framing 2x4's
- window, especially basement window security hardware.
- yappy little dog, or big scary doberman type. Effective if not targeted by bad guy
- I would really like to say martial arts training, and some would be better than none, but unless you are going to get really good at this, maybe it would provide a false security... a la Rachael and Phoebe.
- concealed carry. Not for everyone. Or most people.
- tasers
The simplest thing that I can think of, the one that will give you the biggest bang (metaphorically) for the buck is probably pepper spray. For $15 or so you can get an aerosol pepper spray with UV dye in it as well. Like most things you carry in your pocket or purse, a pepper spray aerosol container would probably be a quiet annoyance most of the time. But the time when you feel creeped out, when your Unagi is telling you that you are not in a good spot, well then you will be glad you have it. If, perish the thought, you ever would have to use such a device, then it would sooo be worth the $15 bucks. In the wild, the predators most often go after the animal that will give it the least fight and provide the easiest meal. Human predators are not so different.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Unagi = Relaxed Awareness
We make fun of Ross, and his state of Unagi, but Scott Stewart of STRATFOR talks about 'relaxed awareness' in terms of spotting dangerous situations in our personal lives, and in our national security.
"This report is republished with permission of STRATFOR"
"A Primer on Situational Awareness:
By Scott Stewart
The world is a wonderful place, but it can also be a dangerous one. In almost every corner of the globe militants of some political persuasion are plotting terror attacks — and these attacks can happen in London or New York, not just in Peshawar or Baghdad. Meanwhile, criminals operate wherever there are people, seeking to steal, rape, kidnap or kill.
Regardless of the threat, it is very important to recognize that criminal and terrorist attacks do not materialize out of thin air. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Criminals and terrorists follow a process when planning their actions, and this process has several distinct steps. This process has traditionally been referred to as the “terrorist attack cycle,” but if one looks at the issue thoughtfully, it becomes apparent that the same steps apply to nearly all crimes. Of course, there will be more time between steps in a complex crime like a kidnapping or car bombing than there will be between steps in a simple crime such as purse-snatching or shoplifting, where the steps can be completed quite rapidly. Nevertheless, the same steps are usually followed.
People who practice situational awareness can often spot this planning process as it unfolds and then take appropriate steps to avoid the dangerous situation or prevent it from happening altogether. Because of this, situational awareness is one of the key building blocks of effective personal security — and when exercised by large numbers of people, it can also be an important facet of national security. Since situational awareness is so important, and because we discuss situational awareness so frequently in our analyses, we thought it would be helpful to discuss the subject in detail and provide a primer that can be used by people in all sorts of situations.
An important element of the proper mindset is to first recognize that threats exist. Ignorance or denial of a threat — or completely tuning out one’s surroundings while in a public place — makes a person’s chances of quickly recognizing the threat and avoiding it slim to none. This is why apathy, denial and complacency can be (and often are) deadly. A second important element is understanding the need to take responsibility for one’s own security. The resources of any government are finite and the authorities simply cannot be everywhere and cannot stop every criminal action. The same principle applies to private security at businesses or other institutions, like places of worship. Therefore, people need to look out for themselves and their neighbors.
Another important facet of this mindset is learning to trust your “gut” or intuition. Many times a person’s subconscious can notice subtle signs of danger that the conscious mind has difficulty quantifying or articulating. Many people who are victimized frequently experience such feelings of danger prior to an incident, but choose to ignore them. Even a potentially threatening person not making an immediate move — or even if the person wanders off quickly after a moment of eye contact — does not mean there was no threat.
read the rest on the STRATFOR site.
"This report is republished with permission of STRATFOR"
"A Primer on Situational Awareness:
By Scott Stewart
The world is a wonderful place, but it can also be a dangerous one. In almost every corner of the globe militants of some political persuasion are plotting terror attacks — and these attacks can happen in London or New York, not just in Peshawar or Baghdad. Meanwhile, criminals operate wherever there are people, seeking to steal, rape, kidnap or kill.
Regardless of the threat, it is very important to recognize that criminal and terrorist attacks do not materialize out of thin air. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Criminals and terrorists follow a process when planning their actions, and this process has several distinct steps. This process has traditionally been referred to as the “terrorist attack cycle,” but if one looks at the issue thoughtfully, it becomes apparent that the same steps apply to nearly all crimes. Of course, there will be more time between steps in a complex crime like a kidnapping or car bombing than there will be between steps in a simple crime such as purse-snatching or shoplifting, where the steps can be completed quite rapidly. Nevertheless, the same steps are usually followed.
People who practice situational awareness can often spot this planning process as it unfolds and then take appropriate steps to avoid the dangerous situation or prevent it from happening altogether. Because of this, situational awareness is one of the key building blocks of effective personal security — and when exercised by large numbers of people, it can also be an important facet of national security. Since situational awareness is so important, and because we discuss situational awareness so frequently in our analyses, we thought it would be helpful to discuss the subject in detail and provide a primer that can be used by people in all sorts of situations.
Foundations
First and foremost, it needs to be noted that being aware of one’s surroundings and identifying potential threats and dangerous situations is more of a mindset than a hard skill. Because of this, situational awareness is not something that can be practiced only by highly trained government agents or specialized corporate security countersurveillance teams. Indeed, it can be exercised by anyone with the will and the discipline to do so.An important element of the proper mindset is to first recognize that threats exist. Ignorance or denial of a threat — or completely tuning out one’s surroundings while in a public place — makes a person’s chances of quickly recognizing the threat and avoiding it slim to none. This is why apathy, denial and complacency can be (and often are) deadly. A second important element is understanding the need to take responsibility for one’s own security. The resources of any government are finite and the authorities simply cannot be everywhere and cannot stop every criminal action. The same principle applies to private security at businesses or other institutions, like places of worship. Therefore, people need to look out for themselves and their neighbors.
Another important facet of this mindset is learning to trust your “gut” or intuition. Many times a person’s subconscious can notice subtle signs of danger that the conscious mind has difficulty quantifying or articulating. Many people who are victimized frequently experience such feelings of danger prior to an incident, but choose to ignore them. Even a potentially threatening person not making an immediate move — or even if the person wanders off quickly after a moment of eye contact — does not mean there was no threat.
read the rest on the STRATFOR site.
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