Lessons Learned
What I Did Right
- Paid attention to the weather many days in advance. I regularly watch weather YouTubers who cover big national weather events, such as tornado outbreaks and hurricanes. Many do livestreams with updated info in advance of storms. I highly recommend Ryan Hall Y’all to keep and eye on big events in the making. I also set notifications to “on” for weather YouTubers to remind myself to pay attention. I also check my weather app daily. I like MyRadar.
- Made a cancelable hotel reservation as soon as possible. I understand not everyone can afford to post up in a hotel; some other options might include making arrangements to stay with family or friends in other areas, or staying with family or friends that have a safe location within your town. But making the hotel reservation as soon as the storm track looked remotely like it would possibly maybe hit my area saved me hundreds of dollars, as I was charged a normal weekday rate. Other storm refugees in my hotel were paying ~$400. Making a “flex” reservation that could be canceled with no penalty cost me less than $10/night. I also did not choose the cheapest hotel in town, so I probably could have saved a bit more. But the hotel I chose was the closest to my home and on very high ground.
- Gassed up the car. I got gas two days before the storm, knowing that I wouldn’t need to drive anywhere except the two miles to the hotel. I noticed that the gas pumps were busy the day before the storm, so I’m glad I filled up a bit early.
What I Did Wrong
- Failed to get cash. Yep, cardinal sin. CARDINAL. I got used to life with a debit card. Too comfortable. The only time I ever needed cash was to pay the guy that sells me the things ifyouknowhatimean. Anyhoo, with all land-based communications on the fritz, it became a cash-only society for a few days. I had to waste some of my precious gasoline to drive 80 miles round trip to a Walmart that accepted cards. And yes, I got cash back (limited to $20, but at least I have that going for me, which is nice).
- No bugout bag prepared. With a weather event like Hurricane Helene, there is ample time to prepare, generally. Not so much with tornadoes and incoming asteroids. I’ll be looking for a bag and some basic non-perishable supplies. I also realized I’ll probably need an additional firearm, dedicated to the bugout bag. Darn.
- Lack of cordless phones chargers. Luckily the hotel didn’t lose power for more than a few seconds, otherwise I would have had dead devices within hours. Cordless chargers go into the bugout bag and around the house post hence.
General Thoughts
I think I did OKish in this situation. I was woeful unprepared to make post-disaster purchases, which could land me in a heap of trouble if I’m not careful. I was down to two hamburger patties as the only substantial protein in the house.
The exorbitantly expensive Starlink was a saving grace in this situation. One of the best purchases I ever made.
The fact of the matter is that this is (hopefully) a once-in-a-lifetime event, but there are simple things I can do to make the situation easier on myself, at very little cost and maintenance.
Help Your Appalachian Neighbors
My preferred weather disaster relief organization is The Y’all Squad. Add yours in the comments.
*faints*
This was awesome, thank you. My older sis is on the Atlantic side of Florida, and her daughters live more inland. We’ve been texting about her preparations. She’s in a condo, but I know she has storm shutters and she has a stash of food and water and such. She’s been down there for 25+ years so she’s got a plan.
Have you looked into one of those solar battery chargers? I think they fit in a backpack. Just set it outside to charge your phone chargers.
Yeah — in one of my “I should be more prepared for things” moments – I picked up something akin to this that I would think would be what you want in a modern emergency type situation. Obviously find something that fits your needs — but at least the stuff is out there.
This is the one that I have, it’ll fit into a large pocket (think cargo shorts). I’ve also got several other battery packs stashed around. Having a UPS for primary computer/network connections can help as well, as most of them can be used to charge, and will help protect devices during brown outs/intermittent power drops.
One issue if you’re planning on leaving them in a bugout bag (or the like) is that they will slowly discharge. For the solar powered ones, not as big of an issue, but for the others, make sure to check them and charge them on a regular basis.
This is the one I have. I don’t know how long the solar charging takes, because I’ve never fully drained it.
We have a very similar charger but without the wireless charging. Works great for camping.
I had an 800ma one – no longer offered on amazon (bought over 5 years back and saved my car a few times).
Just bought this one for my parents. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FP4P6BR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
Unfortunately…may not be able to order something like this to ship to Italy. Will need to see if I can get something like it through the NEX or if I can order from amazon.it or someone else (may need to get an Italian PO box or maybe they can deliver to my [eventual] address).
The Kentucky Fried Chicken of today doesn’t even come close to the KFC of my yoot.
Either my taste buds have changed or KFC has gone downhill.
These days, I’ll choose my girlfriend’s fried chicken over anybody elses.
Definitely downhill out here in CA, but I strongly suspect that’s due to business costs and needing to skimp on the food. The chicken tenders from KFC the last couple of times I tried could best be described as “paper thin”. Not worth it.
I’ve been hitting KFC somewhat frequently these days because it’s convenient when I’m endlessly driving from place to place. It’s not bad. Is original really better than extra crispy?
All restaurant food has gone downhill. A lot of what we joke about these days used to be genuinely good stuff. Ex: Taco Bell.
Increasing regulation, tax, food weirdness, mandated wages…etc has killed restaurant food.
*Heard Elon Musk ranting about this. Bureaucracy kills everything. He cited his being fined for using potable water to cool and wash one of his launch pads. An outdoor launch pad in a place where fresh water falls out of the sky in large amounts on a regular basis. SpaceX hurt nothing, the FAA agreed he harmed nothing but the rules is the rules and they would not approve anymore launches until he paid up.
Regulations will increase and increase until everything is completely ossified; no one can do, build or innovate anything. Any given regulation may seem reasonable on its own but put them all together and they mean death. And really bad restaurant food.
I’ve see the local version of that. EPA rules on water contamination force cities to try to limit what goes into the storm drain. So to pressure wash a commercial business and sidewalk, you have to pull a permit and block off the drains & reclaim the water for offsite disposal. Which means it costs more so the bum shit and filth doesn’t get cleaned as often. And washes into the storm drains when it rains.
I wonder if Taco Bell has really gotten worse, or if competition from actual Mexican restaurants has made us realize it wasn’t that good to begin with.
I’d say a bit of both in regards to TB. Never was great, but was passable food. Now it’s a colon cleanser.
“And washes into the storm drains when it rains.”
Why, it’s almost like the point of regulations, licensing, etc. isn’t to solve a problem, its raise revenue for the state and create state jobs!
Babes Fried Chicken is the best, hands down. You have to get it in a restaurant though. Not a fast food joint.
$27 for a dozen Chik-fil-A strips the other day!
For the storm is strong. He may hurl back our Firsts. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall First again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the First is won.
Beyond the Firsts, I’m just hoping another major hurricane wards off the invaders from the south and Miami to my corner of Florida.
Bug out bags in each car,
Flashlights everywhere!
Battery backup for your phone
Duraflame logs, they burn easy
Silver quarters
All weather gear at hand
Good luck folks
I’m glad you made it through safely.
Regarding the devices, I keep one of these in my vehicle. Beyond jump starting it has plenty of power for charging devices.
I’ve gotten lazy about prep since fire is our biggest concern and I’m not in the mountains. But shit can go sideways in many terrifying directions so thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I can also recommend:
https://no.co/gbx45
If you buy one of these jump boxes make sure it has the ability to force 12V in the event the battery is completely toasted. Many of the cheaper ones won’t do this because the safety system to do so costs more cash.
Yes, good call. The bypass is really important and worth the extra money.
Yeah, here the biggest threat is snowstorms (not counting a tornado once every 20 years or so). So I’ve been lax on quite a bit of prep, but we were able to get through the week of questionable power with minimal loss and damages.
I’m where you are, Tundra. Tucson gets zero point zero natural disasters other than fire in the mountains. We actually were in a potential evacuation zone when the Catalinas north of town burned in 2020. I need to reconsider our bug out situation, though.
After the banking crisis of ‘09, when banks actually were not able to get (much) currency, I built up and keep a cash supply in the house, so we’ve got that covered. Our biggest challenge will be the two elderly dogs.
I also realized I’ll probably need an additional firearm, dedicated to the bugout bag. Darn.
As long as you have a gun, you can get the rest of what you need.
Someone’s been reading Lucifer’s Hammer again, I think.
Not recently but that’s where the idea came from
/silver quarters
Or the Munchkin’s Guide to RPG’s. The only skills worth investing in? Combat skills, as they can be used to replace any other skill, even bartering!
Until you run into someone else who has a gun in their kit. But then I guess needing supplies would become a moot point.
No cash? Turn in your libertarian membership!
By phone charger do you mean the one that runs on 120VAC or a so called “bank”?
A USB power bank can be very useful. Buy one of the better ones and only charge it to 80% or so. That will keep the batteries healthy the longest. The better ones shouldn’t self discharge. Also cell service frequently goes out during disasters. A battery operated radio is actually quite useful.
Spare batteries for the radio and flashlights
+ 1 for the flashlight. You can use the phone in pinch, but the flashlight is much better.
Flashlights, and especially headlamps. Hands-free lighting is critical.
I bought one with a small solar panel on one face. It’s not enough to charge a phone directly from solar, but you can trickle charge the bank then charge the phone.
You might want to test just how much power that solar cell provides. Most of them are just gimmicks and it would take days or even weeks to put much of charge into them.
I assume I can’t rely on it.
I got it as a gimmick.
You can get foldable solar chargers that can directly charge phones.
I’d rather charge batteries, so I can charge the phone while I’m asleep.
Anker for the win. I have a bunch I keep charged.
Those tiny solar chargers are toys that would take a week to charge to 20,000 mAH. You need a solar array the size of a a Yes triple play album to effectively charge a big battery during the day, or to run a laptop. An even bigger downer is if the weather is less than blue skies, your solar efficiency drops off a cliff.
Anker is Chez Mojeaux’s go-to brand. That, Asus, and Android.
No cash? Turn in your libertarian membership!
Relax, she had her Trezor.
Moving to NKY the threat of tornado is greater than 0 and the thunderstorms are more prolonged than the monsoon type in Vegas so we have built up a cache of things to hunker down with.
Plan is of course if we can safely get to the in-laws, we grab them some additional…hardware…and back to our house. We are on a bit of high ground and the creek is a good 60 feet below our foundation level so no worries about that. While the basement is a walkout, it faces east and generally tornadoes move west to east. Basement has a solid back room that is all concrete and is our safe haven in the event of a major storm or otherwise.
Of course, in the event of tornado, we aren’t getting the in-laws, they too have a solid basement area they can hunker down in.
I’ve never seen a Starlink setup. How do they work when the power is out? Do they have their own battery, or can they be plugged into a backup battery?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/1enthru/observations_running_starlink_mini_on_battery/
Mine runs off normal A/C power. We didn’t lose power this time, but if we had, my RV has a generator.
Failed to get cash
I was reading a Bogleheads thread a while back re: ‘cash at home’ and it was basically split between people who thought “everyone takes cards or you can just go to an ATM” and people who actually had been without power at some point.
Cash, in the strongbox (I’d really like a real safe but don’t think I have the space).
Oh, and thanks for the write-up – glad it worked out for you.
I remember growing up and we had to empty my girlfriends house after her mom passed. Them being old mid-western farm folk, we found probably close to 100k in cash stashed in books, nooks, drawers, and every other place imaginable.
My wife, her family being from a farm, did it instinctively too, I would prefer a safe also.
My wife jokes (sorta) that if she passes, I have to go through EVERYTHING to find where she has squirreled away some cash.
Given the “impressive” actions of FEMA and other Feds in NC — I wouldn’t put it past them to go civil forfeiture happy if too many people did keep a ready supply of cash.
Paranoid or black pill or both today… not entirely sure. Grumble.
I see no mention of bacon or bourbon.
I got that covered for sure. *eyes the 9lbs of bacon I just made*
Amend #1 to include breakfast and evening reception.
Here in the Northeast, snow is the only regular threat, and that’s just ‘hunker in place’.
But, given that we’re also in the “you could freeze to death” zone, I do already know what local hotels accept pets should the furnace go out.
I _have_ briefly looked into getting a battery pack big enough to run the blower fan on the furnace (it’s gas forced hot air) should the power go out, but initial draw is quite high so I think I’d need a real generator – then I have to deal with storing it, fueling it, etc.
I really wish I had an alternate heat source but tough in a condo; I look with envy at my MIL’s wood stove.
Get a natural gas generator! There are some compact Honda / Yamaha conversions. That would be the same size as a so called “solar generator”. They are quite quiet too, but I’m betting the HOA won’t be pleased.
Obviously you’d have to run it outdoors and you’d need an hookup like what is normally used for gas grills.
I’m thinking seriously about getting a tri-fuel generator and having a transfer switch put in. We’ve lost power a few times and the condition of the grid in general doesn’t fill me with confidence.
We have two generators that I need to go through since we moved from Vegas and my wife sold her business. One is 4750W and the other is a 10K but both are just gas. We aren’t really worried about whole-house so fridge, charge cellphones and TV/accessories etc.
Yep. Not trying to live “normally” but it would be nice not to lose the food in the freezers, freeze to death or be par broiled in the summer.
I was eyeing tri-fuel generators – I have a couple of tanks for the grill already and could spring for a nat-gas hookup; I’d probably go full transfer switch at that point, too.
But outside storage is near nil, so I’d need something I can hump up and down the basement stairs.
Still on the “maybe” list.
Had a generator inlet and interlock placed when we had the panel replaced 10+ years. Totally worth it. Soft start for your AC will let you get by on a lower rated generator.
If I had my druthers, I’d have a fixed generator with LP tank (too far away from NG) and auto transfer switch.
What you want is:
https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu1000i#Specs
It’s 28 pounds dry. Don’t put any gasoline in it, but obviously you will need oil.
You have to convert it because Honda won’t do it for liability, but what you want is one of the conversion kits
https://centuryfuelproducts.com/honda-eu1000i-tf
I’m incredibly tempted as my current generator is ancient and very noisy. This thing is whisper quiet and efficient.
Pretty slick, Sensei. Thanks for the links!
The Honda is nice, but 1kw is a bit undersized for a house generator.
Gustave – 100% agreed. But if you have to haul it up and down steps the Honda EU2200i is almost twice the weight.
With that he can alternate heat and the fridge as well as keep devices going.
For me I’d probably go with the Honda EU2200i as I can lug it out from the garage and they have a wheel kit for it.
The aftermarket tri-fuel conversion is slightly concerning but otherwise that looks great.
slumbrew – there are multiple makers of the aftermarket kits. You are going to want to research them.
There are a few dealers that convert them for you, but usually the manufacturers shut them down. They don’t want the liability.
I converted my old generator to dual fuel. Gas and NG. It was a bit a PITA, but it works just fine on NG at slightly reduced output because NG has lower energy density.
I’d go with the 2200 or 3200. LP or NG will derate the wattage, with NG at about 600w running.
Also, please no suicide plugs and back feeding through outlets.
Two 1000w gennies can be paralleled together with a kit from Honda.
(snark on)
Get a gun — and you can always burn your neighbors in a pinch!
(snark off)
Initial draw is milliseconds at 7 amps or so, then you are at about 3.5 amps continuous, your battery should handle the spike.
It’s a good idea
Thanks, Yusef.
You can get propane heaters that are indoor safe. That way you can keep a room warm. Now I am in Texas, so I don’t need that often. Mostly I used it to save pipes in the attic. I used an adaptor to attach a full 20 pound cylinder and keep it going.
This is the one I’ve been looking at for this winter.
https://www.mrheater.com/portable-buddy-heater.html
That’s exactly what I have. I bought it and the adapter hose for full size propane tanks. Works great for a room or to keep pipes from freezing.
We Minnesodans use those for ice fishin’ ya know.
They are excellent.
State Restriction: MA
*le sigh*
Ah, looks like there’s a version for MA & Canada – AFAICT, the only difference is:
“Automatic low oxygen shut-off system (ODS)”
I’m thinking that’s a good, inexpensive hedge vs. loss of the furnace.
They’ve got you covered!
https://www.mrheater.com/portable-buddy-heater-massachusetts-and-canada-version.html
See if the hotel you’re booking has a standby generator. Seeing them more and more, especially on new builds.
Also, room plan so not next to it.
I had been messing with the idea of solar and battery backup. Got a bid that was way too high and procrastinated. So I didn’t have a generator which was definitely my big screw up.
This is sitting in my 3rd garage now.
https://powersmartusa.com/products/4400w-inverter-gas-generator-mb5040b
Depending on where the solar thing goes, I might get a 2nd as backup or to run in parallel.
Make sure you have motor oil. I have an ancient generator with an 8HP B&S motor that I ran during Sandy for 10 days. With those kinds of hours you’ll burn through oil.
I was happy I had some from the car! At the time I wasn’t exactly concerned what viscosity it was, just that I had it.
Yep. I also need to invest in an additional gas can, fill with ethanol-free and stable.
The good news, sort of – two more oak trees down in the yard. I now have a lifetime supply of firewood for the wood stove.
I’ve had better luck with Sea Foam, fwiw.
The fuel injector cleaner stuff?
It does everything.
But I’ve always stored a lot of fuel and this stuff seems to work best.
Not used Seafoam, but have used ethanol free w/ Stabil long past where it would have gone bad without. I’m happy with it.
If only I could get corn free gasoline in NJ…
It looks like you can.
Who doesn’t want 100 octane AV low lead?
I live about 120 miles north of Tampa and 30 miles inland on the gulf coast. Not worried in the slightest. Barely noticed Idalia and Helene. It rained a lot and there was some wind. Helene knocked out my power for about 2 days. That was my only convenience. I ate pizza, drank beer, and paced. When that got boring, I laid in bed. My only inconvenience so far with this one was the evacuation route goes through my town and is a brief segment of my commute.
My current hurricane supplies are several cans of beans and sardines, 3 gallon jugs of water, and beer.
As for why I got suspended from teaching geometry until they make a final decision, here’s what happened:
I have a stupid who is annoying, dumb, loud, disobedient, stubborn, lazy, and disruptive. I finally had enough last week and had him escorted to the principal’s office by the school cop. When he came back to class yesterday, I had him sit next to me up front and copy a book by hand. When I excused him to use the bathroom, some students complained I was being to harsh so I said “he’s probably beating his meat in there.”
Those were the magic words which sent a gaggle of chatty Cathys off to tattle on me to the nearest adult they could find, probably the receptionist. I will not be surprised in the least if they all grow up and work in HR.
Dude. Do you really think that making sexual references in front of schoolchildren is going to fly?
Said miscreant cursed like a skid row drunk in front of me.
God, what a low bar for taking offense. What I said isn’t even profanity.
What am I supposed to do? Perch my hands on my hips like a schoolmarm, waggle my finger, and say tsk, tsk, tsk?
The music that nitwit and his friends like is loaded with foul language. Their ears are not virgin.
Not to pile on but, yes, that’s an unforced error.
Mea culpas and you should be back in business, I imagine.
How am I supposed to maintain order if I can’t reprimand, threaten, or yell at them? If I sent every disruptive student to the principal’s office, it would be the same 4 or 5 out of the 100 I have every single day. Whatever discipline, if any, was used on them in the past clearly didn’t work.
You better learn the system, because your little miscreants sure as hell have. There is no symmetry and they know it.
1. Sex + kiddies = bad.
2. Said miscreant wasn’t in the room at the time, so you were also talking about someone behind their back, which might not be as bad of an example now as it was when I was young, but…
3. You are a dude. Just by being in the same room with kids you’re going to start pinging people’s pedo alarms. Do not hand amoral vicious animals a club to beat you with!
Oh yeah, back in May when I was a substitute, I got punched in the face by an 8th grader because I thought it was overkill to call in a sheriff’s deputy to wrangle someone I outweigh by at least 60 pounds.
Said miscreant has been tied up in the court system for months. Serves the son of bitch right. I have no doubt he’d been terrorizing his classmates and teachers all year.
When I excused him to use the bathroom, some students complained I was being to harsh so I said “he’s probably beating his meat in there.”
I’m not a derpetologist, but this looks like derp to me.
What am I supposed to do?
Not say what you said.
Not to pile on…. well, I suppose yes, to pile on.
Not say what you said.
I’ve only every tutored adults one on one and taught university students in an in-class environment and I would never say something like that in a class room context with those age groups – 100% out of line with the younger age groups you are dealing with.
Almost as if you are trying to project the tough, cool teacher? But enough remote analysis – If you like the job, as someone suggested above a heartfelt mea culpa (if it’s in your nature and you believe it is warranted – hence ‘heartfelt’) seems in order. One can be strong and not take shit, but do it in an adult fashion and most kids will adapt to it, if not even embrace it as a much needed constraint/boundary.
“some students complained I was being too harsh”
That would have been literally unimaginable when I was in school.
Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude.
You have probably burned your bridge with the students in that class.
When I excused him to use the bathroom, some students complained I was being to harsh
“Not really. I’m actually helping him. Kids who can’t handle adversity grow up to be adults who can’t handle adversity.”
The first thing that I put into a new bug-out bag is $1500 in small bills, in a waterproof container. That’s enough money for a bus or plane ticket anywhere in the country, plus three days of hotel rooms and restaurant meals when I get there.
Surprisingly, I don’t have any weapons in my bug-out bag. Worst comes to worst, if there’s no other option save for evacuating to a government shelter, they won’t let you bring any weapons in with you. I do have a separate bag with extra ammunition for my usual defensive guns, along with extra medical supplies and night vision, but that’s maybe going a bit far for ordinary disasters.
They try to strip your rights, shoot the guards.
/bad advice
+1 Superdome running gunfight
Something to consider?
My brother has a similar one and says it works great for camping, etc.
Out of curiosity I did a quick search for solar-charged batteries. Looks like the main considerations are size and efficiency (how fast they charge, and can they charge on a cloudy day).
My new wheels arrived!
Any thoughts on putting a coating of graphene on them before installing?
Pretty spendy stuff. But it will keep them nicer longer.
Not the pricey stuff.
https://www.goldeagle.com/product/303-graphene-nano-spray-coating/
I have a bottle of this.
Gotcha. I was whining about brake dust the other day and Shpip suggested something like this.
I would definitely hit them with something since they are clean and perfect now.
That made me think you were putting graphite on the wheels of your Pinewood Derby car.
He is – along with two pulsejet engines. It’ll be loud and disqualified, but it’ll be the fastest machine in the league!
Thanks, KK. Excellent article.
So, as I have mentioned before, I live tucked back in a cul-de-sac at the north edge of the city in a well-off neighborhood. It’s quiet and safe.
We have tornadoes, which, if you’ve never been through a warning with sirens, means you’re SOL anyway because they change course and have no pattern, not driven by wind, just takes the path of least resistance (e.g., trailer parks), but that really isn’t saying much. In other words, you can’t bug out for a tornado. You just go to the basement or get in a bathtub with a mattress over you.
BUT there are other things that can go wrong. In the 70s, our church was really hitting the prepping drum HARD. We had wheat and a wheat grinder. Jugs of water in our basement purified with a couple drops of Clorox. This was inadvisable because they were used milk jugs. My mom spent blistering summers canning garden veggies—without AC. Most testimony I heard on the wisdom of food storage came about job losses and people able to eat during a loss of income.
During the Great Mojo Prepper Panic of 2008, I spent A LOT of money on stuff, bugout bags, camping gear, water storage, canned goods, etc., but usually chose exactly the WRONG things to prep. We had a chest freezer full of cow. The chest freezer died and I didn’t know for a few days. THAT was a mess to clean up that I knew I didn’t want to be out digging up bodies to go all forensic on them. I had bought a gun and a safe, but I made a stupid decisionon what TYPE. I didn’t know until I sold it that having a gun in my house was very dangerous to have because of one of my children.
So, because nothing happened and I lived in a constant state of fear and panic, and the near-miss with my kid, I don’t do anything now. I can’t live that way. I’ve withdrawn from Twitter, here, the news, definitely Facebook, and live peacefully in my weird house tucked deep in this enclave. Most of my preps, especially the canned goods, went to waste. Most of our food storage is frozen because Dr Atkins, so I know that will go to waste in case of a power outage.
What I HAVE done is get cash and a small disguised safe. What I DO have is a backpack full of power banks and chargers because sometimes, any number of people in my family ends up in the hospital, and we go prepared to entertain ourselves. I’m thinking about getting a gun again since the child in question doesn’t live here anymore and is on solid mental ground again. I can’t stock up on my meds because the DEA and my insurance company won’t let me.
What I CAN and SHOULD do is prepare myself physically to walk great distances. I always use this as my bellwether: “Could I have walked out of New Orleans?”
But if I start actively prepping again, this time to actively fight the gummint or looters instead of just lasting through a disaster, manmade or otherwise, I will once again fall into a pit of perpetual despair, hopelessness, and anger, and I just cannot live that way. I can only hope to die at the first shot fired.
Also, and this is the dumbest thing imaginable— I am VERY attached to my knickknacks and other possessions. I shouldn’t be. It’s just stuff. If my house were to go up in flames, providing no one got hurt or died, I would heavily grieve for them.
” I can’t stock up on my meds because the DEA and my insurance company won’t let me.”
Mexico’s nice this time of the year…
After 9/11, I always wore comfortable shoes to the office.
Oof, walking the 10 miles or so home after that in dress shoes was not fun.
Yeah, that might be the last time I wore dress shoes on the commute.
I suspect that some kind of power backup would be the next level you might consider, short of the full TEOTWAWKI prep you did before.
One problem we have is that our refrigerators and freezer outlets are behind the appliances and functionally inaccessible to a generator. I’d have to go with more of a whole house thing with a transfer switch, and frankly I gag at the price, especially one that can run our air conditioners (as we are quite likely to lose power during the airco season in Tucson). I’ve thought about getting one anyway for grid instability, but again, gag at the price.
Any thoughts on putting a coating of graphene on them before installing?
Why? keep them clean(er)?
Basically.
So, because nothing happened and I lived in a constant state of fear and panic, and the near-miss with my kid, I don’t do anything now.
Not necessarily stoicism, per se, but a good path.
Something something the things I cannot change.
If only I could get corn free gasoline in NJ…
How badly do you want it?
Slo Joe’s revenge
Between 60 minutes actually make her answer and Biden knocking her under the bus at every turn I’m starting to think no one wants to be associated at all with her anymore.
The Maga hat, not going out on the campaign trail, saying she’s been an integral part of his admin.. Joe (or Joe’s handlers) must be seething (and understandably).
Comment *Yup
Biden’s puppet masters are pissed at being forced out.
Biden did live presser while Kamala was on the View. Oops – bad timing.
Second time in recent days that Biden has done that.
DeSantis played things pretty well. He pointed out that she’s not part of the chain of command so what help would she be? Her team wanted her to play act as girl boss but he shut that right down. She looks even more like a child at the adult table.
I’m starting to think no one wants to be associated at all with her anymore.
This fits my theory that wWalz was the only person dumb/desperate enough to accept the offer to be her VP.
The real numbers must be atrocious.
We’ll never know…
They’re fine and she will win. She’s kicking ass in Michigan in the early voting. The overseas votes will drag her to victory in key swing states. Team Red waiting 3.5 years to start to fix voting procedures was a bad move.
“Team Red waiting 3.5 years to start to fix voting procedures was a bad move.”
Yup. The moron Repubs in AZ basically refused to do anything because securing elections/vote fraud had the Trump stink on it, and are now locked out of statewide offices. I suspect Trump will get more votes than Harris in AZ, but Harris will have more ballots counted for her.
I don’t think Shapiro would make that much of a difference, so he’s probably thanking his lucky stars he dodged this train wreck.
He’s not the bumbling commie clown Walz is.
He’s clean and articulate!
And if the rig machine stays in low gear in PA and MI next month, he and Whitmer can run in 4 years.
My house is out in the country-side in rural Iowa. A tornado or derecho could render it un-inhabitable. But I have no other reason to bug out.
The next worst case scenario would be an extended period without power in the middle of January. Could be rough keeping warm and preventing damage from burst pipes.
Mater and Pater Dean went without power for a week or so during an ice storm several years ago.
They now have a whole house generator set up.
Biden’s puppet masters are pissed at being forced out.
I think we can assume Doktor Grandma definitely is. She has pretty much been disappeared.
The big question is whether or not the cheaters will come out and cheat for Harris or whether they let her go down in flames and then worry about 2028.
It’s not a question.
Then what was the answer
I shall celebrate 🥳
Excellent news.
Now we have to figure out how to stop the EPA from shutting down meat plants
Can vegans eat bugs?
GM ditching ‘Ultium’ name for batteries, tech amid EV changes
Yes, geniuses. That was the problem.
Lol, ok Jan.
I don’t get the point of that either – it was their battery and platform.
It’s like saying they are no longer referring to the parts as AC Delco. Do consumers really care?
We don’t want none, hun.
Lol. Nice.
While I have purchased a number of cars, I’ve never adopted one. Maybe that was part of the problem?
Bug out bag gun:
https://gun.deals/product/beretta-apx-a1-carry-9mm-3-8rd-odg-22999-17999-after-50-mir
You’re gonna be hard pressed to find a quality piece at a cheaper price point.
Small, light, effective. Optics ready, if that’s your thing.
I have one. *points to avatar*
For $179 how can you not buy one?
I have plenty of pistols.
I understand the individual words, but they make no sense to me when joined together.
I shot one. Felt awesome, couldn’t hit shit. No idea if the sights were off or if there was somethign else wrong.
Biden doesn’t know what he had for breakfast the AM, but I’m supposed to believe this?
https://nypost.com/2024/10/08/us-news/enraged-biden-called-netanyahu-a-f-king-liar-over-rafah-invasion-told-him-he-had-no-strategy-new-book/
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/10/07/oregon-dmv-department-motor-vehicles-voter-registration-voting-vote-elections/
Oops, we registered 300 non-citizens. Oh, we found a 1000 more. Well, another 300 on top of that. But only 3 voted. Well, maybe 10, but we only know that 5 are non-citizens.
But election fraud is a Republican talking point. It’s not real. Stop playing into their hands.
JD Vance asked a gotcha question – and responds exactly how I would have.
https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/1843724439042830694
Didn’t realize my comment was related Sensei’s.
Apparently Bob Woodward is alive and trying to sell a book.
Similar to Vance I couldn’t have told you if he was alive or dead either.
After living in the very window town (well, Census Designated Zone) of Pahrump NV a while, I got a Jackery.
Comes with solar panels (which also have direct USB outs for small loads like phone charging), but I typically kept it on the house 120v until I needed it. Nice to keep the CPAP running all night.
Also handy when some idiot hit a power pole and brought down power for about a day to a large area.
Comes in all sizes for various needs.
https://www.jackery.com/
Now that you say that, I remember going through #vanlife videos. Jakery is a popular brand. Very dependable.
I can fondly remember one tried and true heat generator for a cold winter’s night.
Malamutes?
I am going back through my Glibs Cruise records to find which levels of travel protection I bought for what (cruise, flights, hotels).
Not long to go now! Hoping Ff Lauderdale is functioning when we need it to.