Amazing lights are all natural, made from Strontium Illuminate and the rare earth Uropium. They are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The crystals have many jagged facets that allow light absorption from all angles. Simply charge the lights briefly with any light source-sunlight, headlight, flashlight, and the crystals will store the rays, allowing them to glow for an entire night. No, you cannot read a paperback by the glow, but you are able to play cards, and you can definitely find your socks within the tent before dawn. The Amazing light is often used as a trail marker and nightlight, and they even offer a light specifically for scuba diving.

All UV Paqlite products are waterproof and temperature resistant. They come in various sizes, depending on your needs. They are extremely light and portable, and the pads can be rolled and placed in your BOB, or clipped to the outside of your backpack to allow for maximum solar ray absorption as you go about your hike. The Amazing lights last forever-they will glow the same today as they will 30 years from now.

The UV Paqlite company is family owned and operated, and all American. They produce a quality product with spectacular customer service. These lights are a must have in any emergency kit and camping backpack. My kids have even requested some as nightlights for their rooms. Best of all, a portion of all sales go to youth scouting programs. Pop on over to www.uvpaqlite.com and have a look around.

 An Amazing light at an amazing price.

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Work. That four-letter word that strikes fear into the masses. The inspiration for the automatic drip coffee maker. The creation of the need for a snooze button on the alarm clock. Whether you like it or not, most of us have to do it, and many of us work in high-rises or other situations where survival would be wrought with extra dangers if a disaster were to hit. The most important thing to remember is to keep calm. If you panic and lose your head, your chances of losing your head are heightened vastly.

Preps
You may wish to keep your preps small and nondescript if you are in a situation requiring the upkeep of a certain image. Walking in Monday morning in your freshly pressed suit and tie, sporting a bright orange 72-hour kit might bring up some juicy conversation behind your back at the water cooler. Or you may work at a job where there is not anywhere you can store emergency supplies. In any case, you will need to have something quick and portable.

An emergency blanket is important in case you are stuck in the building after some catastrophic event and the power is out; or if you have to leave and walk home because transportation is stopped. They are cheap, you can find them in any drug store, and they are small enough to fit in a pocket.

Stash a couple water bottles in your desk. Whether the situation requires you to stay or go, you will not have thirst hampering your spirits.

You also might want to think about a hand crank emergency radio. Some are the size of your hand and have adaptors to charge cell phones. You can monitor the emergency weather broadcasts in a natural catastrophe, and even know which way to flee from the zombie hoard upon your escape from the office building.

A knife is highly valuable. The uses are vast; from protection to getting yourself out of tight situations, to ease in eating.

You may want to consider killing two birds with one stone with a stun-gun/flashlight combo. The possibilities of riots are substantial in any scenario where there is a need to break into your survival preps.

If you are a woman who wears high heels, keep a pair of tennis shoes at work. Moreover, you will have a reason to take a brisk 20-minute walk on your lunch hour. Great for survival and your middle!

Have a Plan
And practice it. Know the emergency escape routes out of your building.

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Cleaning your teeth

Herbs and plants
Sage
Many indigenous tribes use sage today.  You will find it works very well.  It normally takes three to four decent sized leaves to do a good job.  Using your finger, rub the leaf around all surfaces of your teeth, replacing the leaf when it falls apart.  Use your fingernail or a thin stick to get in between the teeth.  It is antiseptic and fresh smelling, and leaves your whole mouth feeling squeeky clean.
Mint
Another “hairy” leaf you can rub over your teeth.  Leaves your mouth smelling great.
Eucalyptus
Use the leaf as the others, and note that eucalyptus leaves have been shown to reduce periodontal disease when chewed several times per day.

Trees
Chew on dogwood or birch twigs to create toothpaste, they are very fibrous and clean well.

Mouthwash
Grind pine needles and add boiling water.  Let sit for 10 minutes to infuse, then strain.   Pine needles are antiseptic and will leave your mouth fresh and tingly.

Charcoal
Charcoal has been touted for centuries as a wonderful tooth cleaner and mouth freshener.  After dry charcoal is cool, grind it down into a fine powder.  Sift to remove any larger pieces.  Store the powder in a waterproof container.  To brush your teeth, add a pinch to your toothbrush, and then add water and brush.  If you are lacking a brushing implement, you can use your finger.  Be sure to rinse very well.  Charcoal is also a surprising teeth whitener!

Flossing
Dip silk or cotton thread in melted wax
Non-toxic cactus needles
Fibers peeled from green twigs

Toothbrush
Green twigs from non-toxic trees can be frayed at one end.

If you happen to live near growing eggplants, the following is great information to know.  The ash from the eggplant is said to cure any toothache and mouth or gum disorders.  Slowly roast the eggplant until it is black, and grind the ashes into powder.  If you keep it in an airtight and waterproof container, it can store for years.  Might be a great thing to make now and add to your BOB for emergencies.

Brushing your teeth with salt and baking soda is a time honored and proven technique, although if you have enough of supply of those at TEOTWAWKI to brush your teeth with for years to come, I would say your priorities were a bit out of whack!

Please add any information you may have on this topic below.  And rest assured that even if the world were to end, you would still be able to lock lips with your significant other…more than once!

Wood ash or charcoal from your campfire
Water
Oil or fat (either animal or vegetable)
For antibacterial purposes you can add pine needles or pine resin, although it is not necessary.  Plus it will give your soap a pleasant smell.
A stick for mixing.  This is important as the wood ash and water mixture is highly alkaline, and can burn your skin
A filter or strainer, a piece of cloth will do

Making the Soap
After the fire has cooled a bit, collect charcoal and/or wood ash from the center.
Grind the charcoal into a fine powder.
Using the stick, stir water into the powder. Mix it well, and then strain it through your filter, reserving the water.
Heat the oil or fat and mix the reserved filtered water into it.  Bring this to a boil.
If you have chosen to use pine needles, grind a handful and add them to the mixture.  Boil until all the water has evaporated.
Take the mixture from the fire and allow it to cool completely.  If you have a small mold (altoids tin?) you can pour it into one.  You now have a basic soap!

The events below were discovered by scientific organizations such as NASA, not by me! These events were discovered in the 20th century, and are occurring simultaneously, and are slowly worsening. Many of these events below have been occurring for less, than a millennium (LTM).

I believe they are now beginning to affect the earth’s climate. Greenhouse gases have nothing to do with global warming. Many scientists believe the sun plays a larger role in climate change, than first thought.

The oil company’s crude oil extraction process is causing less crude oil to reach the core, causing the core to cool, which causes the earth gravitational, and magnetic fields to weaken, which is causing the earth orbit around the sun to destabilize. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_orbit This link below proves hydrocarbons (crude oil, and methane) are be burned in the lower mantle, and outer core, and carbon materials are also ejected from volcanoes during eruptions. Carbon is a by-product of hydrocarbons. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Carbon_cycle_reaches_Earth_lower_mantle_999.htm

If climate change not reversed in time all life on this planet will perish. Below are the reasons I believe the earth’s orbit around the sun is destabilizing, and is responsible for global warming. The heat from the sun will spread from the equator toward both polar ice caps as the earth orbit destabilizes. The temperature is always higher in regions on,or near the equator, than regions near the polar ice cap. The temperature depends on the location, not green house gas concentrations. Keep in mind there’s no empirical data on solar irradiance output, before 1978, when NASA launched the radiometer satellite. That not enough time to study solar irrradiance output.

(1). The sun is getting hotter, and brighter. It is possible earth is moving closer to the sun. (LTM).
A. http://www.biocab.org/Amplitude_Solar_Irradiance.html.
B. http://telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/3325679/the-truth-about-global-warming-its-the-sun-thats-to-blame.html.
C. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/sun-brightness.html.
D. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0313irradiance.html.
E. http://www.appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/GW_Part6_SolarEvidence.htm.

F. http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=232.

G. http://www.oism.org/pproject/s33p36.htm.

(2). The earth is developing a breach in its magnetic field. (LTM).
A. http://www.science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/16dec_giantbreach.

B. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0909_040909_earthmagfield.html

(3). The moon is moving away from the earth. (Read last sentence above figure 11.).
A. http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new17.html.

(4). The earth’s rotation is slowing down. (LTM).
A. http://bowie.gsfc.nasa.gov/ggfc/tides/intro.html.

(5). The earth is increasingly shifting, or tilting on its axis. (LTM).
A. http://divulgence.net/axis%20shift%202.html.

(6). The earth is wobbling on its axis.
A. http://www.world-weather.com/world-weather/our-wobbling-earth-wobbled-by-the-worlds-weather/.
B. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/chandler_wobble.

(7). Both polar ice caps outer regions are being melted by the sun, during each ice caps summer season, and the oceans are rising. (LTM)

A. You should know this by now.

People shade themselves from the sun, not from the greenhouse effect. You will never get sun burn, heat stroke, or skin cancer from the green house gas effect, beware of the sun.

Please go to my blog to learn the truth about global warming at: orbital-decay1.blogspot.com

Edward Peden and Larry Hall have it all planned out in the form of  spectacular WTSHTF scenario getaways.  And all you need is a mere $2 million… honey?  Where did I put that trust fund?

Condo at the end of the world

I had been going through a particularly busy fall of 2010, so did not think too much about checking my online banking statements on a regular basis.  Not to mention the fact that I am SO not a target, I do not have anything one would want!  Before work one morning in late November, I figured I should do my civic duty, logon, and take a peek.  What appeared on the screen was completely unbelievable.  In the prior 5 days, almost a thousand dollars had left my account…  Strange, I thought, must be some mistake.  Therefore, I went to work knowing it would be cleared up that afternoon with a quick trip to the bank.  I could not have been more wrong.

The bank trip took the entire hour and a half they had left before closing for the weekend.  A multitude of questions and searching and signings of papers later left me with few answers.  Now, I am not an online shopper, the couple of times I had was through Pay Pal or a very reputable bookstore. Somehow, though, someone in China had gotten a hold of my information and went on a crazy spending spree on my dime!  Amongst his/her purchases:
$1.43 in noodles
A massage
Several outfits
A handheld television
A plate
Moreover, many random objects and services, none of which cost much but all together…
Gave me a negative balance in my account.

I assured the bank that I had not recently visited China, much less just come back today, and showed them pay stubs as proof.  Yes, I had to prove I did not just return from China!  They closed the accounts and told me I would be mailed new cards in 10 to 14 days.  “What am I supposed to do in the meantime?” I asked them.  “Just come to the bank when you need cash,” they told me with generous smiles upon their faces.  They explained to me that the Anti Theft department would review my case, decide within three business days if they were going to keep reviewing it for 90 days while temporarily refunding the disputed money back into my account, of if they would simply call it negligence on my part and refuse to look into it.  At that point, I was pointedly assured I could always appeal their decision, yet had I taken advantage of identity theft protection, they told me, all this could be taken care of by my chosen provider.

My money was refunded the next Thursday, pending further review.  The next three months were a nightmare of faxes and phone calls, being placed on hold for many, many hour’s total.  They took the money back at the end of February 2011.  They said it was because they could not read my signature on the last forms I had went in to sign…  Hmmmm that was actually at the bank and my broken hand was in a cast!  I laugh now when thinking about all of this… (albeit a bit bitterly!)

They reopened the case, but this time would not put my money back into my account.  Three more months and many hours spent in person and on the phone later, I received a phone call stating all the money was returned to my account, and that the matter was final.

I have no idea who took my identity, and probably never will.  Nevertheless, I will tell you to be very careful and do what you can to protect yourself… Identity Hawk is a good one, and I like their 360 degrees of Protection.  I thought I was never going to be a victim, who on Earth would want to steal from me when I have nothing to steal of any worth?  Nevertheless, I learned the hard way that if they can get a hold of anything, they would take.  And take until it runs dry.

The moral of this story? Do what you can to keep yourself and what is rightfully yours safe.  That’s the real meaning of survival, isn’t it?

Photo courtesy of AP

Let’s face it ladies, when the worst comes to the worst, we’re probably going to have a harder time adapting to our new situation than men will. Not because we’re weaker or smaller or can’t function without high heels or whatever, but because our bodies are generally more high maintenance than men’s’ are. I don’t mean more high maintenance in the sense we take longer to get dressed in the morning, but once society has broken down it’s going to be a lot harder to find things that we’re used to having, or alternatively, getting used to things that we’re not used to having.

Body Hair

Yes, I know we usually portray ourselves as graceful magic nymphs, all soft skin and smooth legs, but once the SHTF, your leg hair isn’t going to go anywhere in a hurry. While men will be relishing in the chance to finally grow a big ol’ manly face beard, the majority of us woman are not looking forward to growing our very own armpit beards.

So, ladies, what are our options? Well, if you’ve got enough money I’d recommend Laser Hair removal as a precaution. It probably won’t stop hair growth forever, but after a regime it reduces the total amount of hair in the treated area permanently. Intense pulsed light (IPL) is another option. It’s cheaper and faster, but potentially not as effective.

If you have an epilator, it could work for a while. These pull hair out by the roots (ouch) and help prevent regrowth. However, they are powered by electricity and while you can get battery operated ones, I’d much rather put my batteries in a torch than in an epilator.

A pair of scissors can be used to trim away the worst of the hair (e.g. underarms) and have you looking generally well groomed for the post-apocalyptic world.

In the end though, I think we’ll have to eventually come to terms with our newfound hairiness. I mean, if men can grow forests on their legs, then why shouldn’t we? It’s not like anyone is going to see our legs under our thermals anyway.

Head Hair

Ah, our crowning glory. A well groomed head of hair is often what makes us feel human in the mornings. I sure as hell feel a lot more attractive when my hair is in place. Now think of all the things we have for our hair: shampoo, conditioner, dryers, straighteners, curlers and enough hair product to choke a colony of sea lions. I know this might not seem like a big deal to guys who can get out of the shower and shake their hair dry in 1 minute flat but long hair is quite high maintenance.

There is a very simple solution to this, however: chopping it off.  I for one am going to hack my hair down as short as possible. Now ladies, I know it might be hard to cut your gorgeous locks off in the event of an apocalypse, but there are quite a few reasons why you should.

1)     1) Tangles. Unless you have a hairbrush with you, your hair is going to snarl up pretty quickly. Tying it back won’t help- I’ve seen girls with ponytails they haven’t brushed in a week and they basically have a knotted mat hanging down their back. Plaiting and finger combing might get you through for a while but eventually your head will be a mess.

2)     2) Dirt. Yep, seeing as you won’t be washing your hair anymore it’s going to get dirty pretty quick. How often do you wash your hair normally? Once every two days? Every single day? You know how horrible your hair feels when you skip a day of washing- all that grease and grime- and that’s basically how your hair is going to feel  forever if you keep it long. It will also turn into a health hazard. You could be carrying around anything from radioactive ash to the cholera virus in your tangly, greasy hair.

3)     3) Bugs. If anything is going to survive the apocalypse it will be the nit because sometimes, the world just likes to make us miserable. However, nits won’t be the only thing taking up residence on your scalp. A nice warm nest of long hair will be the perfect home for insects looking for somewhere to survive, and that’s going to itch like a bitch.

All in all, shorter hair is better hair. It’s cleaner, easier to look after, and you probably won’t get sticks and stuff caught in it. You might even look cute with a bob- think Emma Watson, but grimier.

Teeth Care

This might be a section the guys will want to read too. Your teeth are so useful, and you’ll definitely need a good set of gnashers to survive for any length of time. Now, stockpiles of toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss only last for so long and eventually you’re going to have to use more basic methods to keep your teeth in good working order.

Swilling your saliva around your mouth and licking your teeth often can be a good way to keep tartar build-up at a minimum, but you’re really going to need something a bit scratchier to truly help your teeth. Early ways of ensuring good teeth included powdered pumice stone and scrubbing with sticks. The plant sap will replace toothpaste.

It’s important to remember to clean between your teeth after meals to reduce bacteria. Get a sharp stick and a scrap of mirror or something and spend a few minutes picking the food out of your teeth and you’ll be a happier person for it. Toothache isn’t fun at the best of times so getting it when you’re traveling across a post- apocalyptic wasteland with your crew (or your faithful dog) is the last thing you want.

However, girls and boys, to ensure good dental health in the future you have to have good dental health now. If you can afford it, go to the dentist once a year. I don’t care if you’re scared of the dentist, do it. A professional clean and check-up is the best thing for your teeth. And honestly, your dentist is not that scary. They’re mostly nice chaps who are just tired of you screeching whenever they pull out a tool. If you can’t afford to go to the dentist, and I realise that some of you would be, take very, very good care of your teeth. Dental floss, mouthwash, toothbrushes, the whole shebang. Always use a soft toothbrush as harder ones can damage your gums. Brush your teeth for at least five minutes twice a day, swill regularly with mouthwash and use dental floss religiously and you should be golden.  

Knockers

I think it’s important to dedicate a section of this article to our boobs ladies, because let’s face it, they’re going to be a whole lot of trouble post-apocalypse. Once you get past how sexy they are (aww yeah) they’re basically just jiggly bags that are going to make our lives harder, from accuracy with weapons to having CPR administered to running. Who has run without a bra on before? I have, and it hurts! I’m not even particularly generous in the chest area so I feel sorry for all those D-cup and over ladies who have to hold their boobs when running lest something unfortunate happens.

Honestly, the best advice I can offer is to stock up on some really good quality sports bras, the kind that basically strap your boobs down, while remaining relatively comfortable. They exist, I promise- I own some. You might have to fork out a bit of cash for them but they are so worth it, in your everyday life as well as for your emergency stockpile. Basically, your aim is to reduce jiggle.

Depending on how big your ta-tas are, you might have problems with manuvering. Your ability to fit through tight spaces, climb things and even lie on your stomach for long periods of time will be reduced the bigger your boobs are. Now, I know there isn’t much you can do about this, except get a breast reduction If you’re a serious survivalist but it is important to know your body’s limits and not, say, get stuck and starve to death because you couldn’t squash your upper body through a gap. I, for example, don’t have to worry about my boobs much but I do know exactly how big a space has to be if I’m going to have any chance of squeezing my hips though.

There’s not a lot more I can offer in terms of boob- management, apart from the legend of the Amazonian women. It’s said they used to lop off their right breast in order to increase their accuracy in archery, but I’m sure we won’t have to go that far.

I’m sure at least one girl has read through this and thought “how superficial does this chick think I am? I don’t care about body hair or whatever, none of this applies to me” but no matter how dedicated to survival you are, this next section applies to all women and in that vein, dudes, you may want to look away now. That’s right, the next section deals with…

“Monthlies”

Your moon time. The red tide. Yes, your period. I’m sorry. I know this subject squicks a lot of people out and I’m going to try and keep it as brief as possible. The fact is, pads and tampons just aren’t going to be readily available once society breaks down and you’re going to have to find an alternative unless the idea of a red river flowing down your legs appeals to you. Well, look no further, for I am your guide!

If you’re a regular pad user and can’t abide the thought of sticking anything in you, menstrual sponges or cotton pads are available. These can be washed and re-used but you really should boil them before you use them again to get rid of bacteria. This can be problematic if water is at a premium.

Another option is the menstrual cup. This is emptied several times a day and should also be washed, but is smaller and will need less water to be cleaned effectively. These are a good option as they last for years and are non-toxic.

Now, you might think that with the breakdown of society the regulation of your menstrual flow won’t be important. I mean, women in some African tribes just let it run, and what’s so bad about that? Nothing, inherently, but you have to remember that post-apocalypse we’re going to be living in a very different world and it will be so important to keep yourself as clean as possible. You wouldn’t walk around with dried blood down one arm because it would attract bacteria, flies and other nasties. This is the same principle. Also, you will always want to keep your clothes as functionally clean as possible and, let’s face it, layers of blood on the inside of your trousers is not good.

Well, that’s about it! Feel free to post more advice, other alternatives or correct me in places because I am by no means an expert and don’t pretend to be. However, I noticed there wasn’t an article like this on the web and I really wanted to get some ideas out there because I thought it might help, and because us ladies are important, of course.

Peace Out!

 photo courtesy of  Patrick Jost Photography

much appreciated -Andrew Serio

1. Pick a lock.
2. Use your head to amplify your car alarm remote’s signal.
3. Know your direction without a compass.
4. Predict the weather (without a forecast).
5. Read body language to tell if someone’s lying.
6. Boost your night vision.
7. Recover from a late night.
8. Tell time without a watch.
9. Get into and out of tricky conversations.
10. De-fuzz your sweater or coat at the last minute.

Of course, de-fuzzing your sweater won’t be all that useful in a post apocalyptic situation, but several of these skill may come in handy. Plus they are things you can practice now.