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CALCULATE SUNSET BY HAND
Coping without electrical power or residing out of doors will mean that daylight becomes a very important resource. The sun's light delivers illumination needed to accomplish important responsibilities. When you know how much daylight remains, you are better able to determine how to best allocate your time.
This is important; especially should you be comfortable with a schedule that features such things as a late supper and relaxing afterwards. The preparation and washing will best be performed while the sun continues to be shining and you can still see what you're doing. It is No fun to awaken in the morning to soiled cooking equipment because there was not adequate light to get the job done correctly the evening before. A speedy survey of campers will provide you with an earful about how much better it really is to put together shelter before sunset.
Approximate the time you've got until sunset by locating the sun's position in the sky without staring directly into it. Fully extend your arm and angle your hand to look at your palm with your fingertips pointing to one side. Notice the number of fingers that can fit between the line of the horizon and the sun. For every thickness of a finger that can be fitted between the sun and the line of the horizon, there is about a quarter of an hour of daylight. Therefore, if you measured a single width of your hand between the sun and the horizon, there would be about an hour (four fingers X fifteen minutes) before the setting of the sun.
During the morning hours this process can be used to estimate about how much time has elapsed since sunrise. Likewise, measuring the space between the sun and both the eastern and western horizons will provide you with a good general idea of the length of time you'll have between daybreak and nightfall. Half of that time will give you the number of hours between daybreak/nightfall and the middle of the day. This valuable tool will help you avoid becoming so consumed with any solitary task that you use up the time to accomplish other important things.
SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR EARTHQUAKE SURVIVAL
When the ground is rumbling every second counts. There is no time to panic. Refusing to panic can save your life. If you are close enough to feel the tremor, you are close enough to the quake (or explosion) for buildings in your area to be damaged. It is possible that the following suggestions may help you survive.
BASIC SAFETY
DUCK, COVER & HOLD
IF YOU ARE LOCATED INDOORS kneel next to an interior, weight-bearing wall. Get beneath something solid such as a strong table. Use your hands to protect your neck and head. Take a firm hold of the object you are beneath to keep yourself steady.
IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN A HIGH-RISE get beneath something sturdy. Use your arms and hands to shield your head and neck. Grasp the object shielding you to steady yourself. Use the stairs when you exit. Elevators should NEVER be used during a fire or earthquake.
WHEN OUTSIDE
Quickly note the location of large trees and power lines. These could be a threat to your safety if they fell. Avoid overhead hazards such as these. Try to position yourself in an open space in order to avoid falling objects. Move away from high buildings. Two to thirteen feet of broken glass can crash onto streets beneath high-rise buildings.
IF YOU ARE IN AN AUTOMOBILE
IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH
Secure your flashlight.
Wait for instructions from authorities before attempting to shut off natural gas. Tune in by radio to the emergency broadcast network for information on relief efforts.
Locate any pets you own. Soothe and reassure them. To protect them from running away, restrain them or place them on a leash until it is certain they are no longer afraid. This will also help prevent bites that occur due to anxiety.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
Respect the role that instincts play in survival. Pay attention to what you see small animals and insects doing. In 2008 there was a mass migration of frogs crossing roads in China that began on a Monday (May 5th). A few days later (May 12th) a 7.8 magnitude quake killed nearly 10,000 people in central China.
TAKE HEED
These measures are offered as guidelines. Considering your course of action ahead of time will increase your likelihood of survival if you find yourself in an earthquake. This advice is not meant to take the place of professional emergency aid. All liability is assumed by the person that utilizes these measures.
HERBS USED FOR INCENSE
Historically, sick rooms were once cleansed using the smoke from burning sage and rosemary. A fragrant wood, Cedar is known to have expectorant, antifungal, antiviral and lymphatic cleansing properties. The needles from Pine, Spruce and Fir trees contain the main ingredient in Tamiflu (a medicine used to treat the bird flu) called shikimic acid. Respiratory ailments have been helped with the application of incense made with Frankincense. Other similarly beneficial herbs are Eucalyptus leaves and Mullein.
I know of one instance of a woman that was left struggling for air, choking and vomiting from a strong cytokine response during the flu. The man of the house closed the damper on the wood stove and placed cedar in the fire box, which produced a cleansing smoke. The cytokine storm stopped right away. Twenty minutes later, she had no more mucus and was relieved of her flu symptoms. Since that time, they have used this same remedy on other family members to good effect (of course, they air the house out afterwards).
Native Americans often used the smoke of Cedar to cleanse their homes. Smoke can be used in rustic conditions as a cleanser to rid a person, bedding, clothing or shelter of vermin, viruses and harmful bacteria. The last part of Leviticus 14 records that priests were instructed to cleanse a house of the plague using Cedar.
HOW TO USE HERBS FOR INCENSE
Carefully place a hot ember or coal from a hardwood fire (use tongs) onto a heat resistant surface. Assemble the herbs around and onto the ember and watch for smoke. Allow the smoke to waft over you and inhale. Be careful that the plant material does not burst into flames but only smokes. The smoldering is accomplished by using hot coals rather than an open fire; you can also tie your herbs or wood into tight bundles.
Herbs tightly bundled for incense are called smudge sticks. In some cases, leaves and stems can be tightly braided. If you only have dry leaves, these can be tightly wrapped in unbleached paper and tied with cotton thread. To use smudge sticks, light one of the ends. Extinguish the flame by gently blowing on it, leaving the smudge stick to smoking. These smudge sticks make it easier to direct the smoke and they tend to smoke longer than loose plant material.
WARNING
Never inhale or come near the smoke of a plant to which you are allergic. The purpose of this article is for information only. Persons utilizing these methods assume all liability and are encouraged to use safety guidelines. This article is not a substitute for the care of a trained health professional.
MAKE CHANGE & LEARNING FUN
The projects were designed to change encourage positive changes in behavior.
What value does this have to you? It is due to the fact that these things can be used to enhance your learning experiences as you gain new skills. Whether you are trying to become proficient at primitive life skills, herbal medicine or plant identification it is very important to be knowledgeable and prepared. Your education will be difficult if you are full of fear instead of happy adventure. Few are motivated to practice skills that they view with overwhelm and dread.
Make time in your schedule for your family to enjoy some fun adventures together. Develop a family hobby. Together you can discover the beauty and wonder of nature in your area. How can you use the plants growing near you? Plan educational outings. Offer assistance to other that are working on educational projects. Consider starting your own class and inviting friends. Enjoy the social aspect of learning. Choose a specific skill and invite others to a friendly competition or workshop. Your family will be drawn closer by the memories and fun you create while gaining valuable information that may prove useful in times to come. With a creative approach, the joy of learning can be yours.
HERE ARE THREE OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE FUN THEORY PROJECTS:
In this first example, the goal was to increase the use of trash receptacles by members of the public. Watch to see how they found a way to make using a trash can so much fun that a boy is seen looking for more trash to place inside the bin.
Here, the object was to increase bottles placed into the recycling bin. A few flashing lights later, a crowd gathered to cheer on their fellow recyclers.
We all know that taking the stairs is better for us than taking the escalator. In this video watch the time elapsed footage that shows a dramatic shift in use of the stairs when the steps are creatively covered.
HELPS TO AVOID CHILD ABDUCTION
AN APPEALING UNTRUTH
familiar tones of the original liar
PREPARED, NOT AFRAID
To help your family and children avoid danger, the first step is to accept this world can be a dangerous place, and predators hunt easy targets. Arm your children with the information they need to avoid being targeted and how to react if approached. By giving a child the tools he needs to deal confidently with an emergency and avoid peril, he is less likely to live in fear.
FIND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Discuss with your child the how to identify a stranger. Make a game of it and review what you have learned while going about your normal routine with your child.
* Demonstrate to your child how he can choose a safe stranger to ask for help in an emergency.}
* Libraries, police stations, restaurants, stores, homes of trusted family members or friends, community centers and other locations should be discussed and shown to the child as safe places he can go for help.
* Sit a while and watch people. Discuss the differences between a person that pretends to be your friend and someone that is simply being polite. Show your child how to determine when someone is just a bit too perfect, too nice, in a creepy sort of way.
KNOWLEDGE YOUR CHILD SHOULD HAVE
These scenarios (and similar ones) should be avoided:
* A person holding a leash and asking for help finding a lost puppy.
* People asking directions.
* Drivers asking for help with mechanical difficulties.
* A person that tries to get a child to help find something in a house or car.
* Make it your custom to tell your child who and when another adult will be driving them.
* Teach children to have confidence in their instincts. Running away should be the first response of a child that feels threatened. A child that is afraid should run for help. Escaping quickly to a safe place, a child should then find a trusted adult and ASK THAT PERSON TO HELP.
* Take on the role of a stranger and pretend to ask for directions or try to get your child to help you find a lost pet.
* Show your child the safe range to remain beyond the reach of a stranger.
* Practice running away for times when a stranger gets too close or grabs another child. Tell your child the importance of running for help (and not staying to help) if another child is grabbed.
* Practice with your child the art of yelling and screaming to attract attention.
* Show your child how to claw an abductors face (eyes, ears, mouths & nose) with their fingers to get away.
MAKING YOUR CHILD LESS OF A TARGET
* Show your children how to look out for each other and stay in a group.
* Remind your child that he should never go with someone that invites them to leave the group.
* Playtime should be with a group or a safe buddy.
* Require your child to check with you before they leave home or some other approved location.
* Plan a neighborhood meeting to share these tips with other parents.
When you make these things part of your daily living, your child should not become fearful. Rather than something extra, a child can learn these things in much the same way as he learns to brush his teeth, wear a seatbelt and check for traffic at an intersection: as a means to insure his well-being.
