I'm sort of curious about whether anyone here has actually been
through a war - not as a soldier, but as someone who experienced
war in their own community. I lived through the siege of my
city (Sarajevo) and experienced most of the crummy things that
can happen in a war - death of parents and friends, hunger and
malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks. It's odd
to see many people concerned about things that aren't going to matter
that much if something awful happens. So I offer my advice, free
of charge:
1) Stockpiling helps, but you never no how long trouble will last,
so locate near renewable food resources.
2) Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3) After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury
in war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is great than gold's.
4) If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the
easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no
need for heat.)
5) Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty
without heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned
gravy - it makes a lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to
eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs enough heat to "warm",
not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in bulk.
6) Bring some books - escapist ones like romances or mysteries become
more valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot
of survival guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own
anyway - trust me, you'll have a lot of time on your hands.
7) The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell
you how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed
meal for just a little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not
much point in fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These
things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8) Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches.
9) More matches.
Later,
Dee.
Tom Atlee * The Co-Intelligence Institute * Oakland, CA
http://www.co-intelligence.org * http://www.co-intelligence.org/Y2K.html
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Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 21:52:19 -0800
To: cii@igc.org (undisclosed recipients)
From: cii@igc.apc.org (Tom Atlee)
Subject: Hardship pointers from someone who's "been there"
-- donna Jones (seraphima@aol.com), March 12, 1999