We Survive It

Answer Man answers:

John Popper, lead singer of Blues Traveler.

This guy is crazy paranoid I guess.

Answer Man answers:

I have a VX-7R and it’s great. Now that the VX-8R’s out I probably would have gone with it based on features alone, however it seems to me you’d be more interested in the ruggedness of the VX-7R. It’s a pretty solid built radio and can take abuse. They’re both submersible and maybe the VX-8r can take abuse too; time will tell. The VX-8r has built in APRS support which can be great in an emergency situation where an EOC needs to see where everyone assisting is located at any given time. The optional GPS puck maximizes this of course. VX8r has bluetooth capabilities which can be handy as a wireless hands free system.

Keep in mind that these radios only transmit on 6m/2m/1.25m/70cm which are all generally local communication bands. If you’re without a repeater or a satellite in view, you’re not going to be able to communicate a heck of a lot of distance, especially with the supplied antenna. They both can receive shortwave although the ferrite rod antenna built into the VX8 is better suited for this. Personally, I’d like to have an HF radio and easily deployed antenna for an emergency. The little HT’s are great for local emergency coordination but if things really hit the fan and you want a way to talk to the outside world, only an HF radio is going to cut it. A little FT-857 and a trolling motor battery and a roll of wire for an antenna would do wonders. An FT-817 is even more portable with an internal battery but limited to 5W. Something to think about.

Answer Man answers:

I don’t need all that stuff. I have an M4 with a crate of ammo.

My liberal tree hugging neighbor has all the food. He doesn’t think guns are a good idea.

Who do you think is going to end up with the food when it’s all said and done?

I’m just kidding.

Answer Man answers:

I didn’t really like it and you had alot of misspelled wrods.
To collect sexual organs? Thats creepy dude
lol
good luck =)

Answer Man answers:

Easy answer to your question is yes… your list is true. BUT, the reality of carrying all of that is in fact, difficult to impossible in a true survival situation. My philosophy is that everything that you carry to “be prepared” needs to have a multiple use, if it doesn’t it is not necessary for true survival. You would be surprised as to what you actually NEED.

I love this topic of being “prepared” and in my free time I write stuff like below. Read on if you have the time or interest. I am an experienced long distance hiker and just recently completed a 900 mile hike.

Everyone will give you their opinion on whether these items you list are true. Remember it is their OPINION. SO with that said here is my opinion…….First off you cant prepare for the worst. You can try and be prepared, but when it comes down to the question of wilderness survival, the top ten things you need to bring with you is KNOWLEDGE. Each case of being in the Wilderness is different, like if you have put yourself into the wilderness such as a hike or if your plane goes down in the forest somewhere. Knowledge can save you, especially something that you have practiced.

If you are planning a hike, putting yourself into the wilderness, you will want to have an extra day or two of food and the knowledge to find food in the wilderness. Also some string to make a snare to capture food.

Water… of course, but iodine is not the best choice, there are other options like Aqua Mira. This has no bad taste and can kill more of the bad stuff in the water, also is fast to treat. On long hikes, I carry more than a liter, in warm weather I carry 2- 1L Gatoraid bottles because they are light, and in cold I carry a 1L Nalgene for hot liquids. A hydration pack is the best choice, make sure it is lightweight.

Extra clothing is necessary, but it must be light as possible, if it is heavy you will be tempted to leave it behind. Wool is not a good option for EXTRA clothing, its heavy. If you have the $$ buy high tech clothing. Remember that you can layer and a rain jacket is great because you can “BAKE” yourself dry by trapping your body heat. Garbage bags are excellent but try and find a bigger 50 gallon yard waste type carry two. They really don’t have much in the insulation department. Mylar can save your life in hypothermia situations.

Maps are important, if you have an idea of where you are. Simple knowledge of sun navigation is great knowledge. I carry a topo map and try and have some knowledge of service roads and such. In an emergency, a map can become some insulation.

Compass ….carry one.

Flashlight should be LED type. I carry Petzel headlamp with extra batteries and a small LED keychain backup. LED lamps are lighter and most are waterproof and can last 10,000 hours.. Bulb lamps burn out, are heavy and you have to hold them in your hands, which can be difficult to work with.

Sunglasses are personal choice but sunscreen can be left behind. It can be heavy and messy. You can use mud to keep the sun off your skin if available.

Matches are not a good option, even if they are the so called waterproof kind. You may carry something like 3 strike anywhere, but no more. They are unreliable, fragile, and limited. You should carry a large “BIC” lighter and have the knowledge to start a fire using sticks, and using the BIC lighter’s flint striker, when out of gas, to start a fire with tinder or the lint balls from your socks. If you expect to survive in the wilderness you need to be an expert in starting a fire without the use of paper. Don’t depend on firestarters to start your fire, but you may still want to carry a tea-light candle.

Knife- a pocket knife is essential make sure it is a quality one, with a good sharp blade. Try and avoid the serrated blade, they are not good for carving wood and precision. Multi tools are good for anything, in my opinion, that may arise but a survivalist would prefer a hunting knife. A multi tool that is the small type, not the cheap ones but the $40 Leatherman is excellent. Remember that you will have to carry all this and even an ounce over the length of a day becomes heavy and with a lack of food you wont have the energy to carry a heavy tool/knife.

First-aid kit if you want to carry it all. I have found that Duct tape is the best barebones kit out there. Antibiotic cream in small one or two use packets is good also, can be used for firestarter, some types. It will do just about anything. It is a multi task must, even more than just first-aid.

Answer Man answers:

I would think you are being safe and helpful…..and that you care about reaching out to families to make sure they are secured

Answer Man answers:

Some of the best advice.

Http://www.survival.com/y2kkarens.htm

Answer Man answers:

By the time we are putting people into long hibernation, we will probably have the food problem sorted out. I would hope so. Perhaps genetic engineering will help provide an answer? I’m sure they will be able to automatically organise fresh vegetables and such to be available when they wake up.

Answer Man answers:

I use a non-stick cover that lies in the tray, (best answer please!)

Answer Man answers:

I really wouldn’t trust trying to reuse a potato chip bag. Just getting them cleaned out properly would be a booger. There are plastic bag sealers on the market but none of them work very well. I’d trust a mason jar over a used potato chip bag any day.

Answer Man answers:

That depends upon whether you are good at seed starting. If you enjoy gardening and like to watch the development, seeds are the way to go. If you are rather in a hurry and not too gardening savvy, you will want to go with the starts. I love to plant, and there is only one way to get started: just do it!

If you do not want many herbs, however, you may just want to buy a start or two; depending upon the herb.

Organic means there were no chemicals used on the seed and that they were harvested and grown naturally. You can buy organic seed; most of the ones in the stores are not. Some are, so read the packet.

I would avoid peat pots and peat in general. It is running out and soil and pots are great anyway. We do not want to deplete the earth too quickly!

Seeds of Change has great organic seeds. You pay a bit more for them, but of course it is environmentally desirable to use them.

Http://www.seedsofchange.com/default.asp

Answer Man answers:

The nice thing about the kits is they are first, cheaper. They have 3-5 pots, all the right size, some with peat pellets that you just water and they expand. No need to buy soil. And many have some sort of a plastic top that acts as a greenhouse for the seeds, promoting growth. The only down side is that THEY pick the types of herbs you’ll grow. If you like the idea of everything all in one, buy a kit. If you don’t like their assortment of herbs, you can always buy a pk or two of seeds to replace theirs.

Answer Man answers:

To grow herbs successfully indoors you will need to provide for their needs of light, warmth, water, humidity and nutrients. Be sure to provide them with plenty of elbow room. Herbs hate to be grown where they have to compete for light and air. Here are the basics.

Light Herbs needs lots of light to do well indoors. You will need to provide a minimum of 12 hours of strong light each day. Indoors in winter in Minnesota, this will require supplementing the available natural light. Fluorescent lights are the best for the job, providing the most light over the largest area for the least money.

Temperatures Herbs will grow well in cool to average room temperatures. If possible, keep the room 10º cooler at night.

Air Circulation Plants indoors in the winter often suffer from stale air. You can ensure good air circulation with those little personal fans they sell in the housewares departments. You don’t want to create a wind, but it is important that fresh air be circulated through the area on a daily basis.

Water/Humidity Most herbs prefer to stay evenly moist and are sensitive to over watering or soggy soils. Check them daily by pressing on the surface of the soil. If you can still feel moisture, leave it alone. It is better to run them a little dry than too wet. Rosemary is the exception. It can be easily damaged if it is allowed to dry out. At the same time, it hates to stay wet. Ideally, rosemary should grow in soil with excellent drainage so that you can water daily without fear of the soil becoming soggy.

Where While you can grow herbs anywhere you grow plants, most kitchens are ideal because they are usually more humid and lighter than other rooms indoors. If you don’t have a sunny kitchen window, consider placing your plants beneath an under-the-cabinet light.

Containers and Soil Any container with adequate drainage can be used for herbs. Clay pots give off moisture through the sides of the containers, allowing the soil to dry out more quickly. This can be an advantage, or disadvantage, depending on your soil and watering habits. Herbs need a well-drained potting soil that is high in organic matter. A mixture that is 2/3 quality potting soil and 1/3 sand is good for most herbs. When growing rosemary, make it a 50/50 mixture

Fertilizing For a more intense flavor, keep your herbs a little hungry. When you do fertilize, use a water soluble plant food at half strength.

Grooming and Pruning All indoor herbs will need occasional grooming to clean up any yellowing leaves, especially later in the winter. Once every month or so, place the plants in the shower or sink and rinse them off to remove any dust build up.

Insects and Diseases Herbs aren’t any more or less likely to have problems indoors than any other plants. When dealing with pests on edible plants, be sure to use products such as Safer’s Insecticidal Soap or Schultz’s Instant Houseplant Spray.

Harvesting/Using Culinary herbs should be pinched often to encourage new growth. To pinch, snip off the growing ends of branches and remove any bare stems down to their source. You can use what you have pinched fresh or it can be dried or frozen.

Herbs Most Suitable for Growing Indoors
Bay
Chives
Garlic Chives
Marjoram
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Scented Geraniums
Winter Savory

Herbs That Are Challenging* to Grow Indoors

Basil
Coriander/Cilantro
Dill
Ginger
Lemon Verbena
Thyme

Answer Man answers:

They all want full sun.

Rosemary and thyme are perennial evergreens, others are annuals. I prefer miraclegro soil. Just plunk them in their permanent containers, 1, 3, or 5 gallon size and water. They’re all pretty forgiving.

Answer Man answers:

Hello nicky,

I recommend you to visit my gardening site to get a complete info:

thanks

Answer Man answers:

I figure a variety of stuff and options are probably pretty good–in case something doesn’t work.

Good job on getting on top of it though. You’re awesome, keep it up.

Answer Man answers:

Lots of dish soap, very hot water and a sponge should do it for the insides. After that, I’d put a solution of ammonia and hot water inside, put the lid on and slosh it around, then rinse very well. Dishwasher detergent could work the same as the ammonia and not smell so much when you dump it out.

Answer Man answers:

Freeze them for a minimum of 24 hours. No change to the nutritional value that I am aware of.

Answer Man answers:

Good luck. Keep in mind that MRE’s are stored cooked for a year before they’re even packaged.

Answer Man answers:

You could probably make do with 2 federal 550 bulk packs a year. That’s 1100 rounds of ammo in a year, if ALL you did was hunt for food, and did NO target shooting, you’d have some left over.

Answer Man answers:

Robert did it. The country was subject to economic sanction by the US and the EC due to human rights violation and electoral fraud. The confiscation of the farmland caused a sharp decline in agriculture. The country had to depend only on mining and tourism. That caused a severe shortage of hard currency that led to hyperinflation and a chronic shortages in imported goods and fuel. Moreover, HIV/AIDs has spread throughout the country. The life expectancy declined sharply.

Answer Man answers:

One of the main reasons is that they pay off debts by printing money. Another cause is that Mugabe broke up working farms and distributed small parcels to poor farmers without training them on how to farm, so the agricultural industry was destroyed.

They tried revaluing the currency a couple years ago, and it didn’t do anything, because it doesn’t attack the source of the problem, which is that too much money is being printed.

The solution would be not only to control the printing of money, but also to implement comprehensive economic reform, which I don’t think is possible as long as Mugabe is in power, since he seems to be concerned only with keeping himself in power at all costs.

Answer Man answers:

Mugabe and his cronies are running the printing presses non-stop trying to keep themselves in power. Shortly before the presidential election, all members of the military got substantial bonuses. Ditto all government employees. Teachers got a smaller raise (because they are seen as opposition). Two days after all these bonuses were doled out, the prices on nearly everything at least doubled.
Mugabe’s response has been printing ever larger quantities of money (A Z$50,000,000 banknote was introduced last week. At the current free market exchange rate, that is US$0.60).
You can read much more at the link below – reasonably up to date news form a range of sources on the current situation in Zimbabwe:

http://allafrica.com/zimbabwe/

Answer Man answers:

The Zim dollar no longer exists in Zimbabwe, they use the US$, the South African Rand and the Botswana Pula. Their economy is shot to pieces due to foreign investors pulling out of the country because Mugabe is busy nationlising business’s, taking over white owned farms and making white owned companies give 51% of the shares to a Zimbabwean. It’s a long story and I could go on, but I think you can get the drift. Having shopped there myself, I can tell you the price of ‘stuff’ is unbeleivable, Like 2$ for a toilet roll (and that could have increased by now).

Answer Man answers:

You won’t find one article that summarizes the entire scope of what you’re looking for. If you read this, you’ll understand substantially better how the world works and by what mechanism it is going to change governments every where. Show me a nation with a runaway inflation problem and I’ll show you a nation with a bank related problem. Zimbabwe is no exception there. It is in fact a perfect example. International bankers the world ’round seem hell bent on demolishing the nations in which they practice their trade, which should be illegal. In essence, what they do is show up on the scene, take over all minting, charge interest on the money they print, print money to pay themselves, charge interest on that, print more money to pay themselves the interest, charge the nation in question interest on that money, and it doesn’t end until they control every thing of actual wealth. In the United States, we rebelled against England largely because their centralized bank wouldn’t allow us to utilize foreign currencies – which is PRECISELY what’s been happening in Zimbabwe. The world bank coerced the government there to make it illegal for the average person to conduct business with foreign currencies unless they had a special license. After a century or so without a centralized bank, one snuck in to the U.S.

I think Andrew Jackson ran for presidency a second time specifically to destroy the centralized bank then, because… Well, it was evil. Even if Andy was a genocidal racist, he did a great thing in destroying the centralized bank. It was such a proud achievement – and he knew it – that he had engraved on his tombstone the phrase, “I beat the bank.”

Some 50 years later, the U.S. Citizens ignorantly allowed it to form again. Centralized banks appear to follow a formulaic process that begins with devaluing their dollars slowly until they can be pulled from metal standards and fixed to thin air. Shortly after, the U.S. Government (to make life more convenient for the centralized bank) made it illegal for its citizens to own gold. (Yes, ILLEGAL) The gold was all accumulated by the government. Unfortunately, our government has become head over heels in debt towards the Fed Res because they’ve printed money galore. What our bank did was take the bulk of its early earnings and use those to buy federal bonds. When those bonds matured, the banks sold them back to the government. The government needed money to pay out those bonds, so they asked the Fed Res to print more money… Which caused the government to owe the banks even more money. The Fed Res turned 10 million dollars in to 10 billion this way over about 10 years. But it’s not over yet. Once the government is in debt, it needs to eventually pay back the Fed Res. But every time it pays them back in Fed Res money, it goes further in debt. So they eventually have to pay them off with (dun, dun, dun!) ALL OF YOUR NATION’S GOLD!

More recently, centralized banks have exhibited an interesting habit of admitting they were wrong about the various choices they’ve made over the years. Gideon Gono, who heads Zimbabwe’s centralized bank, has stood up and admitted they made massive mistakes. Alan Greenspan did the same thing. Both of these men basically stood up and said, “Yes. The institution in question obliterated my nation’s chances at being a nation in 500 years.” They then go on to behave as if this were an accident of some sort, when the truth is that it’s the result of decades worth of 100% intentionally planned and crafted decisions that have been commented upon and criticized by respected economists the world over who told these centralized banks every step of the way that they were leading their nations down a long road paved with failure ending in Failville, populated by failbuses ridden by failures.

In essence, the cause of Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation was the exceptionally greedy World bank. A lot of people who benefit from the exceptionally greedy World bank will claim that Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation was caused by Zimbabwe, but that’s complete garbage.

The last link is probably your best bet if you only can use one article, or are disinterested in understanding this terrible crime against Zimbabwe with greater detail.