A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

Surviving hard times is not so much about learning how to be tough or eating cheap noodles as it is about careful planning and self control. First, lets consider a worst-case scenario. Suppose we are entering another great depression. It’s worth noting that at it’s worst last time, there was 25% unemployment, but that meant 75% of people who wanted jobs had them.

Step number one for surviving hard times then, is to try to be in that 75% (and the good news is that it’s more likely that 85% will retain jobs this time around). If you are in an industry which is likely to face large job losses, then, start looking around at what else you can do. Learn some new skills if necessary, but at least have an idea of where you’ll immediately start applying for jobs if your current one is lost.

Make yourself important where you currently work as well. If you are the only one there who knows how to run some machine or fill out some forms or any other obscure task which is essential, you are less likely to be let go. You may want to find ways to save the company money as well. Be the employee that management can’t afford to lose.

Whatever you do, a job can be lost, and if lost at the worst time it may mean months before you can find another. Prepare for this possibility. How do you do that? There are three basic steps you can start taking right now.

1. Start Stocking Up

You may not have the money to go out right now and buy two months worth of food and household necessities. But what you can almost certainly do is buy a little bit more than normal each time you go shopping. In this way you can stock up on everything from toilet paper to canned peas. Have enough food and other items stashed away to survive a loss of income for a couple months if possible.

2. Start Saving Money

This is the time to start saving money (okay, maybe it’s always the time). Build that savings account up until you have enough to live on for at least several months without falling behind on any bills. And though it may sound extreme to some, having a few hundred dollars of that in cash – perhaps hidden in your basement – is not such a bad idea. Bank failures have happened before, and it can take a few weeks for the FDIC to sort things out.

3. Reduce Your Expenses

This is one of the most important steps you can take. Suppose you are living on $2,500 per month, and after losing your job you have to take a $7 per hour fast food position for a while? What would happen? Not too much if you had cut your basic expenses in half before you lost the job.

First, pay down any debt you have as fast as you can. Start with the highest-interest debt – most likely your credit cards. I normally would not recommend rolling such debts into a home-refinance (you essentially convert short-term debt into long-term debt and pay far more in interest as a result). But if it seems likely that you will be losing your job, you may want to reduce your monthly payments by converting them into a lower house payment.

Look at every single thing that you regularly spend money on and find ways to reduce the cost of each. It might be the right time to refinance your home. You can install  fluorescent bulbs all over the house to cut electrical costs, turn down the thermostat when you are out, buy a low-flow shower head. Maybe you will even decide to cut back to one car instead of two.

Surviving Hard Times – A Review

Made yourself indispensable at work. Explore other job possibilities. Learn new skills if necessary for other employment. Have a contingency plan or two. These are the steps to take so you’ll be one of those who stay employed.

Stock up your cupboards. Start setting aside some money for hard times. Pay down debts. Find a way to live on less and make it a habit. These are the steps to take so that even if you lose your job you’ll be okay until you find the next one.

By the way, this isn’t just a recipe for surviving hard times. It will also make you more financially secure in any economic circumstances. In fact, if your job seems secure, and you have taken the steps outlined above, you may find that you have enough excess income to take a nice vacation.

If your tired of waiting for the world to change join the discussion every Saturday at 11:00 PM on blogtalkradio at www.blogtalkradio.com Join the discussion and lets do something about saving this country NOW before it’s to late.

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Those who live in a storm prone area indeed understand the severity of the matter and are quite used to facing that bas weather. They become quick decision makers in the times of such crisis as to where to go, what to do, etc.

Yet, if you have yet not got used to getting struck by the high winds & hard rains, that implies that you are starter in the field.

To begin with, storms usually do not come unalarmed. The changes in the weather conditions and the atmospheric changes day in & day out clarify the alarm of the storms.

In case the storm is expected, the Government issues two types of the warnings. These are:

1. Storm Watch

a. This is issued in the cases when storm is possible in the area.
b. The conditions that you can gauge through before such a storm are as follows:
i. Dark & cloudy sky
ii. Unusually windy day
iii. Some rain
c. Might be that the alarm proves to be bluff and the storm does not come, but remember no human being has till date been able to predict the mood of Mother Nature.
d. In the given circumstances one must get prepared and tune to their local radio news for the regular updates.

2. Storm Warning

a. This kind of warning is issued when the storm is already heading towards the area.
b. Once this kind of warning has been issued one must stay indoors, as far as possible.
c. In case the warning states that the residents must evacuate to some safer places, make sure to move out as early as possible.
d. Waiting to leave the house in the last minutes, that is, when the problem is just near by is just not advisable.
e. This is because by that time all the streets would be flooded & the traffic conditions would get bad.
f. This would only lead you to getting stuck in to your car amidst the bad weather.

3. Blizzard

a. This usually happens during the winters.
b. A blizzard implies heavy snow along with strong winds & wind chill.
c. Like all other calamities, when such a warning is issued, you must try to avoid traveling and stay indoors as much as possible.
d. This way you might get trapped in some area where you can not seek for any help or rescue.

While our technology can only predict that the storms are coming, we have no way to stop the storm. To survive the storm the only way is to get prepared to face such an emergency. While it is not necessary that the things would go bad in a storm, that is an unpredictable situation where anything can happen, so you must be prepared for the worst coming ahead.

Here are some tips to face the worst situations caused by the storms:

1. Clothing

Make sure to yourself warm enough by wearing enough clothes.
At times, the houses are also not that warm so arrange for some extra blankets & coats that would help you maintain your body temperature at the right points.
Gear up with all protective winter wears like mittens, hats, gloves, socks, boots, etc.

2. Water & Food

a. During emergency situations, usually one can not move out, so stocking enough food at home is a must.
b. Make sure that the food you keep in reserve is ready to eat.
c. The food must be non-perishable.
d. It must not call for refrigeration.
e. Prefer the canned food items and candies.
f. Of course, don’t forget the can openers, utensils, scissors, etc.
g. When the storm gets too bad, the streets get flooded, so one can not move out to get the grocery for the house.
h. Also a majority of the stores are closed in such times.
i. Be ready with some handy bottles of water.
j. In the emergency situations, you surely won’t be able to get clean water. And dehydration is the worst thing one could ever suffer, and in extreme conditions dehydration even leads to death.
k. Make sure to save at least 1 gallon water per day in the house.
l. That would last you around 3 to 4 days.

3. Water for Daily Chores

a. In such scenarios of course with no electric supply the water pumps would fail to work.
b. Stock some water for the daily chores of the house like flushing the toilets, washing, etc.
c. The best way to do that is to fill in all possible vessels with water like the bath tub, pails, etc.
d. Make sure that this water is kept covered so as to keep it clean.
e. Also keep the children away from deep vessels.
f. Make to keep a check on the young children that they do not get in to the bathrooms unnecessarily.

4. Emergency Medical Kit

a. Make sure to have a medical kit or the first aid box ready with all medicines fresh and unexpired.
b. The key contents of this kit are as follows:
i. Disinfectants
ii. Gauzes
iii. Cotton balls
iv. Q-tips
v. Medicated plasters
vi. All necessary medicines.
c. Make sure to have one of such kit in your vehicle as well.
d. Also, in case some member of the house is under some special medication, have enough stock that should last you until the storm gets over.
e. Remember the drug stores might not be opened for a few days even after the storm gets over.

5. Light & Hot Water

a. During the storms one must not expect to have enough electricity.
b. You must have sufficient sources of light at your disposal like candles, match boxes, flash lights, emergency lights, etc.
c. Also do not forget to stock extra fresh batteries & the matches.
d. To keep in touch with the latest news updates & climatic conditions, make sure to have a battery operated radio.
e. Media would monitor the storm in the area and would keep you informed.
f. One might feel the need for hot water in the storm times. For this make use of a small gas tank.
g. The outdoor gas grill is a great option for such a purpose.

6. An Alternate Shelter

a. For those who think that their house would not be able to stand the storm, considering some other shelter is necessary to survive the storms.
b. The alternates could be like an evacuation center and / or some other building or house that is safe.
c. Also ensure that you have enough fuel in the vehicle in order to reach the hide out.
d. A hide out that is higher than the ground level would be rather safe and would be able to keep you dry.

A new killer flu virus is on its way. Ducks and geese carrying this virus are now winging their way across the globe, spreading the disease wherever they go. Started in Asia, it has now spread to Europe. Soon it will be in North and South America. So far it has only killed a few dozen humans. It is, after all, a virus that’s passed from bird to bird. Or from bird to animals. So far it can’t be transmitted from human to human. But flu viruses are crafty. They have the ability to change.

This is what happened in 1918 when the Spanish Flu Pandemic swept over a war weary planet killing 50 – 100 million people – far more than were killed in the war. This time it will be much worse. After all, we now have 4 times the number of people living on the planet. And most of them live in cities. Large, crowded cities. The five largest cities in the world have over 100 million people living in them.

A killer virus that can be passed from human to human, let loose in our major cities where people are living elbow to elbow, would have a catastrophic effect. And consider this…back in 1918 it was a much bigger world. It took weeks to get from one side of the world to the other. It took days to get from one side of the continent to the next. Today it takes hours. Last year more than 46 million international visitors came to the United States. If only one infected visitor passes on the virus to 2 others, who pass it on to 2 others, and so on, by the end of a month everyone in the US could be infected. I don’t even want to consider the implications if this idea ever occurs to muslim terrorists who are only too happy to blow themselves to bits in order to take out a few infidels.

So what can we do? Fortunately it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some very specific steps you can take to minimize the dangers and protect yourself and your loved ones.

1. Draw up a Plan. Outline the steps you and your family need to take, both pre-pandemic and during. Identify responsibilities for each family member. Make lists of supplies required. Find appropriate sources. Develop a realistic timeline. By establishing a plan now, you will avoid becoming a victim of the panic that will grip the general population, resulting in civil chaos and pandemonium.

2. Keep Informed. If and when the virus mutates so that it is being spread from human to human, it is likely to start in Southeast Asia. Pay attention to the news. When you hear that this has taken place, it’s time to act. We might only have weeks before the pandemic reaches North America, but with international travel so fast and easy it could be much sooner. Sign up for free newsletter notifications at http://www.survivetheflu.com .

3. Prepare Your Child for Home Schooling. Most flu outbreaks get their start at schools. You can be certain that the schools will be closed. And if they’re not, you should give very serious thought to keeping your children at home.

4. Minimize Contact with Others. The H5N1 avian flu virus can be transmitted for two days before a person is showing any symptoms and for a week after symptoms have disappeared. You never know who isn’t and who might be infected. If possible you should stay home. Every time you go into an area where there are people you are at risk.

5. Wash Your Hands Often. Sneeze particles can travel across a room at 600 miles per hour. If the person sneezing has the flu, everything in that room is covered with flu virus. And when you touch anything, the virus is transmitted to your hand. Eventually it will be transmitted to your mouth. Your only protection is to wash your hands, well and often. Each washing should involve vigorous scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds.

6. Stock up on Food & Water. Supermarkets only have enough food for about a week or less. It’s critical that you stock up on enough food to last you for the duration which could be 3-4 months.

7. Buy Enough Anti-Viral Medication for Every Member of your Family. Currently there are two drugs that can help mitigate the effects of the avian flu virus. One is called oseltamivir, or Tamiflu. It comes in a tablet form. The other is zanamivir, or Relenza, which is inhaled. You will need a prescription for either of these drugs. They should be taken within 2 days of the onset of symptoms and taken twice a day for 5 days. These drugs are in very short supply, especially Tamiflu which is considered the drug of first choice. You should attempt to secure enough for your family as soon as possible, since once a pandemic hits they will be impossible to obtain. Currently you should be able to buy them at your drug store, or you can order them online.

8. Stock up on Face Masks. You will need to wear these when you absolutely have to come into close contact with others. It’s likely that any public businesses or government offices that remain open will make it mandatory that you wear a mask before entering. Make sure that your mask has a rating of N100. The more common N95 masks will not give you enough protection. There is one mask — the NanoMask® — which not only blocks the H5N1 virus, but kills it as well.

9. Exercise. According to the American Council on Exercise, research has shown that moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) brings about measurable changes in the immune system, sending white blood cells zipping around the body to find intruders and kill them. But after a few hours, the immune system returns to normal so it’s best to exercise regularly.

10. Spread the Word. Regardless of how much coverage the avian threat is receiving in the media, most people are reluctant to act. Perhaps if they don’t acknowledge the danger they think it will somehow go away. Or maybe they think the government will look after the situation. Desperate, panic stricken people are arguably even more dangerous than the virus. The more people surrounding you who are prepared for the pandemic, the safer you will be. You’ll be secure in the knowledge that your neighbors won’t be eyeing your resources. So please spread the word.

And don’t give up, even though you may feel like the voice in the wilderness. Eventually, if they hear it often enough, some people will take notice. And then they will also spread the word. And in this way we’ll all be a little safer. “Up to one billion people could die around the whole world in six months…. We are half a step away from a worldwide pandemic catastrophe.” Dmitry K. Lvov, Director, D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Whether or not it will happen this year, and whether or not it will be as catastrophic as many virologists are predicting, one thing is clear: There WILL be a pandemic of unimaginable proportions some time soon. We can either bury our heads in the sand and hope it won’t happen, or we can begin taking immediate steps to ensure that in a worst case scenario, we’ve given ourselves and our loved ones the best possible chance for survival.

Surviving job loss in this urban jungle is quite challenging. Your source of income disappears, your confidence shatters and you find it difficult to move on. You feel negative all the time and wallow in self-pity.

To get out of the rut, you need to start being active again. Below are 5 ways to surviving job loss.

Tip # 1 For Surviving Job Loss: Time To Grieve.

Allow the fact that you lost your job to sink in first. Others find themselves trapped in denial and are thus unable to move on. Don’t be one of those victims.

Instead, try to review the circumstances which led to your current situation. Focus on the solutions and opportunities that await you, not on the problem. Finding the answers will help you pick up the pieces and decide on a new path to follow.

Tip # 2 For Surviving Job Loss: Save Up For A Rainy Day.

It’s a sensible idea to save up for any emergency, and job loss certainly falls under that category. Start putting aside a small percentage of your earnings. In case of job loss, you will at least have enough money for food, rent, and basic needs.

Tip # 3 For Surviving Job Loss: Find A Friend.

Friends are the best therapists. They help make you feel better about yourself and help you cope with job loss, too. You can confide in them and just let all the negative feelings and insecurities out. Who knows? One of your friends might be able to help you land a better job and career!

Tip # 4 For Surviving Job Loss: Set Worthwhile Goals.

Losing your job can lead to depression and a lack of interest in general. To keep yourself upbeat and productive, make a list of short-term and long-term goals – and strive to achieve them. This way, you have a compelling reason to live life to the fullest by achieving your purpose.

Tip # 5 For Surviving Job Loss: Be Positive.

Being negative won’t help make your problem go away. Instead, be positive and believe that there are countless possibilities waiting for you. Don’t let job loss deter your from your dreams. Keep your head up high and keep doing your best.

It’s hard enough to land yourself a decent job these days, and losing it might seem like the worst thing in the world. When surviving job loss, you must see the situation as a challenge rather than as a problem. Believe that you now have a chance to excel in other areas and you’ll soon enjoy a rewarding career.

TheYouDataBase – for ‘QUALITY INFORMATION’ ‘OPEN SOURCED’ for ‘OPEN MINDS’ This series has been uploaded following a request and information received that it was not easily available. If you are aware of a title on any subject which is not generally available, or can’t be found on YouTube – Please contact us and we’ll see if we can locate and then upload it. * ADVICE FOR REASONS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR OUR ‘YOUTUBE’ ACCOUNTS ARE OFTEN ‘DELETED’ IF YOU LIKE THE ‘INFORMATION’ PROVIDED & SUBSCRIBE – WE ADVISE THAT YOU EITHER MAKE A NOTE OF OR SUBSCIBE TO ‘ALTERNATIVE’ BACK UP ACCOUNTS – TO ENSURE YOU ‘RECIEVE’ FUTURE ‘UPDATES’ YouInformation TheYouIndex TheYouFiles TheYouDataBank THIS ‘INFORMATION’ WILL BE REGULARLY ‘REVIEWED’ AND ‘UPDATED’ TheYouDataBase

Almost all countries with coastlines are plagued by typhoons. This tropical cyclone is the same type of storm as a hurricane (in the Atlantic) or cyclone (in the Indian Ocean). Typhoons are massive accumulations of wind and rain rotating around a central low-pressure zone that develop over large bodies of water, more likely oceans. A tropical storm becomes a typhoon when its winds reach 74 miles per hour.

Typhoons form in the Western North Pacific and tend to affect China, Japan, and the Phillipines. At the extreme, typhoon wind speeds can reach up to 150 miles an hour, and gusts can reach 300 mph. Along with these strong winds come torrential rains and a devastating storm surge that can reach 20 feet above normal water levels. These tropical storms tend to dissipate when they can no longer get their energy from the warm water. When it moves over land, its energy source quickly disappears, and the storm begins to lose its power.

Unlike tornadoes, typhoons and hurricanes do not form suddenly. It takes several days before a minor storm becomes a major typhoon. Normally starting as a normal thunderstorm, the right conditions can build them into intense weather disturbances. Thanks to modern satellites and communication systems, it is easy to spot and track typhoons. Weather bureaus can, therefore, inform people well before a typhoon event that the danger is approaching.

Most countries subject to frequent tycoons have established safety procedures and plans to help people prepare and prevent injuries and property damage. By the time a typhoon is close, local authorities will already have issued warnings, anywhere from 24-48 hours before the predicted landfall. People in the area should follow these tips to stay safe:

* Store enough fresh drinking water and food for several days. The typhoon’s destructive power may make it impossible to return home right away or to get to groceries or markets. Further, the storm may destroy local water delivery systems.

* If you are caught outdoors during the storm, seek high ground and find some type of durable shelter.

* If your home is not strong enough to withstand powerful wind gusts and rapid flooding, seek cover at a designated evacuation center or shelter. Don’t risk your life by staying in a poorly-constructed building.

* If you do stay home, turn off and unplug electric appliances and equipment to avoid possible electrical shorts and fires. Frequently, your local utility will cut off power to prevent additional emergencies.

* Make sure you have adequate protective rain gear to keep warm and dry in case you need to flee the area.

* If you are indoors during the storm, stay there. Going outside may expose you to fallen power lines or flying debris that is extremely dangerous.

* Make sure you have a battery-powered radio to monitor the situation through local news services whether the community’s power is on or off.

Man hasn’t learned how to prevent typhoons, but we can anticipate their direction and power soon enough to find safety and survive. Being well-prepared will spare you the emotional stress of panic and avoid making possibly deadly mistakes. Fear and panic are responsible for many lost lives, and that is one condition you can control.

How would you survive if the end of the world were to happen on December 21 2012 as many theorists are predicting. If you are one of the lucky survivors what do you do next? You have survived an earth-changing event but now how do you actually live?

Failing to plan is planning to fail. The gift of hindsight. Would have, could have, should have. These are all the clichés that you could be espousing on December 22 2012. It would be wiser to consider possible outcomes should the Doomsday predictions prove to be true. Simple ideas such as packing a survival bag will not cost much. Pregnant women do this simple little task before impending childbirth. So if there is to be a cataclysmic event of biblical proportions to descend upon us would it not be prudent to prepare, just to be on the safe side.

There are organizations that provide Wilderness courses that teach how to live off the land, how to create fire, plant and sew your own harvest. All the things that we take for granted in our every day living have now to be totally forgotten and we need to go back to the very beginning and think about starting all over. Move to a higher altitude and build a dome-shaped living structure. Start your own allotment where you can grow your own fruit and vegetables. Stockpile seeds and plants of all varieties, canned goods, and dried food – think ahead.

It is inevitable that all communications and power sources will be non-existent so invest in gas-fired cooking facilities, heaters etc. Fill your wardrobes with warm clothing to survive the coldest of winters. Blankets, sleeping bags, socks could well be the currency of the future as there will be no financial or banking organizations remaining, which is not necessarily a bad thing based on the current world economic situation.

Fill your shelves with books and board games as it is likely that there will be no TV or radio or internet. A musical instrument or two would not go astray. A well -stocked first aid kit is of extreme importance and again your book supply should back up any requirements that you may foresee. Stockpile potable water supplies and include water purifiers in your inventory. Maps, compass, implements such as shovels, pitchforks all become imperative. Weapons will be necessary as you may revert to being a hunter and gatherer.