LIFE BENEATH THE SURFACE

 

 

 

 

 

 

As long ago as the 1970s the USSR sponsored research into the nutrient value of several types of algae. Today, that research is the foundation for techniques that are being used to produce some brands of nutritional supplements. In order to have a large area that is climate controlled, some companies utilize underground caves. Additionally, several niche businesses have begun to spring up which produce both fish and vegetables in a self-sustaining system. These methods utilize the filtered water from the fish to provide nutrients to the vegetables which are grown in trays of irrigated pea gravel. Solar energy provides full spectrum growing lights for both the plants and fish, which are fed automatically. And, yes, it is conceivable that these techniques could be used to provide food, clean air and water within a cave environment.

An imaginative writer from rural Tennessee managed to put all of these pieces together and use it as one of the elements in her new book, The Vision. Debi Pearl and her husband Michael Pearl reside in an area where many of these caves exist. Together, they operate a ministry known as No Greater JoyThe Vision

 

 

Debi delivers on her promise to both entertain and inform in The Vision, the first in a series. Order your copy of The Vision today.

 

 

RUNAWAYS, TARGETS FOR ABUSE

Teaching children survival skills may keep them from becoming targets of abusers and help them escape from abductors. A child that knows how to find food and shelter until he or she can be rescued will be less likely to be lured into traps laid for children. More importantly, providing children with a secure family unit

 

Criminals target runaways because they are easy prey. Debi Pearl takes a hard look at the victimization of runaways in The Vision.

 

As the fabric of family life frays even in religious homes, children are running away in greater numbers. According to the US Department of Justice, numbers of runaways exceed 2.5 million each year. Of those children who leave home, the majority become involved in prostitution. Of those, the majority are enslaved by abusers. Because many of these children are from unstable home situations, they are not always reported missing.

 

As recently as October 2008, Federal law enforcement agents in a nationwide operation broke up over a dozen child prostitution rings that used girls and boys ranging in age from 13 to 17. These crimes were not limited to urban areas. Rather, many were found in suburban and rural areas.

 

Predators understand their victims. They know that these children seek safety and security. They lure their victims with promises of all that was missing at home: money to survive, caretaking, a loving environment, food, shelter, clothing. Predators also know how to use physical force and the threat of further violence to control children.

Local law enforcement agencies often respond by giving these children a criminal record. While the age of consent in many states is 17, there is no limit to the age at which a child can be charged with the crime of prostitution. The same laws that state a child is not old enough to consent to the act can be used to charge the child with a crime for being engaged in the act.

Further, the children often have no home to which they are willing to return, or no home that is willing to receive them. Most communities do not have safe houses where victims can receive crisis intervention, medical services, counseling and protection. With nowhere to go upon release from jail or juvenile services, the victims often return to the same elements that enslaved them previously.

In The Vision, read what happens when several individuals encounter a young runaway who seems to have outrun all hope and help. Faith, patience and endurance are all tested as a distrustful, angry soul hangs in the balance. It is just one element of The Vision which weaves current events throughout a page turning tale. Get your copy of The Vision by Debi Pearl to discover what happens.

The Vision by Debi Pearl -- Fiction set in Reality

Debi Pearl's latest literary work is entitled The Vision (ISBN: 978-0-9819737-0-8). A dramatic work of fiction, The Vision follows its main characters as they devote themselves to a controversial mission amid community disruption, political upheaval and environmental concerns.

 

The largest environmental concern is a probable eruption of Yellowstone. Some may think that asking readers to accept this possibility may be asking too much. This thinking is corrected when one realizes that Yellowstone is classified as a super volcano and may be due for an eruption.

 

The US Yellowstone National Park is located on a caldera. A bowl-shaped depression in the earth, calderas cover molten lava near the surface of the earth. Roughly three miles below the surface of Yellowstone's caldera, earthquakes are focused.

 

Yellowstone's size and its dormancy qualify it as a super volcano.

 

According to Bill McGuire of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre, a professor at the University of London, a super eruption is "a volcanic explosion big enough to dwarf all others and with a reach great enough to affect everyone on the planet."

 

Exploding every second, it would take 1,000 atomic bombs to equal the force of a super-volcano's eruption. The volcanic crater of Yellowstone is so large that Tokyo (the world's largest city) could fit inside.

 

According to geologists, an eruption takes place every 600,000 to 700,000 years. By their calculations, the last massive eruption took place six hundred and forty thousand years ago. Said differently, Yellowstone could erupt any time within a few thousand years.

 

Estimations are that within a six hundred mile radius, there would be widespread death to both humans and animals (90%) if Yellowstone blew. Deadly ash, inhaled by survivors, would turn to mud in lungs, claiming lives of many throughout the United States. Not only humans, but livestock would succumb, leading to food shortages.

 

Transportation would screech to a halt. While temporary, planes would be grounded and railroads halted along with other means of travel.

 

Particulate matter would be spewed into the atmosphere with the force of the blast. There they would become sharp, jagged bits of rock and glass. An immediate result of this cloud of matter would be that day would turn to twilight or thick darkness. Lightening would flash while thunder sounded and an odor of sulfur would permeate for hundreds of miles. Sounds would be muffled while the thunder rumbled across an unnaturally quieted area. For the next twelve to sixty hours, ash would continue to fall heavily. On average, the weight of a foot of firmly packed ash could cause rooftops to collapse.

 

Clouds seeded by volcanic material would yield unseasonable rains, creating a slimy residue on all surfaces. This rainfall would produce dangerous mudflows. Contamination would plague drinking water. Roadways would become slick and clogged engines would fail. Electric power would likely be interrupted as power-stations also deal with engine failures.

 

 

For several weeks or even years, the layer of ash that had settled could be stirred up by human activity. Masks would be required to prevent the inhalation of ash into air passages. The diminished air quality would lead to compromised health among the surviving population. There would be widespread crop failure and depletion of vegetation.

 

Sunshine would be muted because of the matter in the upper atmosphere. Europe's skies would be red within days of the eruption. Two to three weeks later, Yellowstone's sulfuric acid cloud would blanket the earth. There would be a global cooling of the climate resulting from the sulfur released into the atmosphere. Normal temps might not begin to return for six years to a decade later.

 

Scientists also believe that the monsoons would not occur because of changes in the temperature in the southern hemisphere. This lack of rain would result in widespread food shortages for Asia.

 

Yellowstone National Park scientists believe that there will be plenty of warning -- weeks or even years -- before such an event. "If the park were poised for a major eruption, the signs wouldn't be subtle," stated Hank Heasler, park geologist.

 

The Vision, by Debi Pearl, is a fictional account. Yet, regarding the super-volcano of Yellowstone, there is some unsettling reality.

 

 

SIGNALING FOR HELP

 

 

Trailblazer and explorer, Daniel Boone said,

 

 

Should you arrive at a similar state of confusion and require assistance, there are several ways to signal for help.

 

To signal for help you may use a variety of items such as radio beacons, colorful cloth, fires, flashlights, smoke, whistles or mirrors. The ability to calm yourself will enable you to creatively consider ways to alert rescuers to your location. Knowing how to accurately assess your options can save your life.

 

 

Leave a note at this location if you decide to move from it. Detail your intentions and the direction of your travel. As you move along your path, mark your way with piles of rocks, broken sticks or some other sign at even intervals. These markings will help search teams determine your location.

 

 

Battery operated signaling devices are of great value. However, over-dependence on them is unwise.

 

Individual Location Beacons (PLBs), satellite telephones, avalanche rescue beacons and other personal communication technology can are useful outside. Other emergency location devices are ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters), used by pilots, and EPIRBs (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons) used by sailors.

 

 

Keep in mind that battery-operated equipment can fail, even under ideal conditions. Rugged outdoors with uneven, hilly terrain can cause poor reception or none at all. Equipment wear, damage, weak batteries and user incapacitation could make it impossible to utilize these tools.

 

It is wise to carry additional survival supplies and equipment and lean heavily upon acquired skills and sound judgment for survival. Know realistically what your personal limits are and be familiar with the limits of your equipment in different conditions. These measures will limit the need for PLBs and emergency recovery efforts.

 

 

 

Whistles are little items that are not heavy to carry and are simple to use. Emergency whistles can alert others to your presence. The sound of a whistle can tell a human ear the direction from which it originates. Conversely, the sound of a human voice calling out can be muted and dispelled by leafy cover. The exertion of extended bouts of yelling or calling can leave you weak and winded. Instead, whistles can be used for an extended time by those who are weak or injured.

 

The worldwide signal for distress is a grouping of three bursts of sound. This is true whether you are using a whistle or a blast from a rifle. A grouping of two bursts of sound signals that all is well. The blast of an emergency whistle can be heard as much as five miles away.

 

In city settings, a personal whistle is valuable. It enables the wearer to attract help by alerting others of dangerous conditions. A signaling whistle can be worn on a string about the neck of a child.

 

 

 

The ResQ signal whistle (known as the ACR WW3) is a flat plastic whistle with a double chamber. It retails for less than $3.00 and was designed for use by the U.S. Navy. Lifeguards use plastic storm whistles. The decibel level of these whistles is so loud as to be heard under water. Storm whistles are priced around $5.00.

 

Emergency signal mirrors will make you visible to searchers, but this is dependent upon your ability to use them effectively. A well-aimed signal mirror cannot be ignored. Your position will be revealed to those 10+ miles away, even in a heavily forested area or in hilly terrain.

 

Mirrors produced for the purpose of signaling are often resistant to breakage, small, lightweight and produced with an eyelet hole for attaching it by a strap to the neck or waist. Another hole is located in the center of the glass for use in aiming the reflected beam of light. This hole is used by looking through it to direct the light towards specific locations along the ground or in the sky. When looking through the viewing hole, the user can determine the point of impact of the reflected beam and adjust it to catch the attention of emergency personnel.

 

 

Emergency mirrors are not required to use this method. Mirrors from a car, compass mirrors, a polished music CD, a makeup mirror, foil wrappers, shiny cans or any other polished flat metal can be used in this manner.

 

Stick aiming and the hand technique are two methods that will allow you to aim reflected sunlight.

 

 

The stick method uses a twig or limb that is equal to the height of your chest or head. Your position should be such that the top of the stick and your mirror are in line with the target. By positioning the mirror so that the light touches the top of the stick (while still in line with the target) you can alert rescuers.

 

 

To become proficient with a signal mirror, practice the skill before you need it in an emergency situation. View the video below for a demonstration on the use signal mirrors.

 

 

 

These symbols can be stamped out with your feet or formed using piles of rocks, branches, brush, or whatever materials you have on hand. If you are in a flat or sandy area, you may be able to scratch the symbol into the dirt. The corners of a triangle can be made more visible by setting fires or flares at each angled point.

 

An automobile should be made easier to spot by air search teams by clearing away brush, use fabric as a flag, or anything else you have on hand

 

 

RULE OF 3'S TO SURVIVE

The number 3 can be the key to your survival in an emergency. When you must prioritize your needs quickly, it helps to know what is most urgent. Knowing the rules of 3 can give you the information you need to make smart decision

YOU CAN ONLY SURVIVE . . .

3 SECONDS without hope

3 MINUTES without air

3 HOURS without shelter (in extreme conditions)

3 DAYS without water

3 WEEKS without food

3 MONTHS without companionship or love

FOR FURTHER READING:

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood (ISBN-10: 0446580244)

http://www.free-camping-recipes.com/wilderness-survival.html

http://www.mountainsurvival.com/