I told Michael that one of these days I was going to write this article...today is that day! From ISX, HexOrz, Live Oak, W&F, Dorkweed,etc. All of you have sent out a warning to be careful out there when you post to one another. Like any mother, I'm concerned and I love you, so please listen to what I have to say. Living in the forest the animals teach us a lot about observation. A deer can hear that leaf crunch and the twig snap and he bolts. He moves upward so that he has the advantage point of being able to turn his head and access the situation down below. No hesitation....just bolt! Now I'm going to show you how you take the same precaution every day (you even read a person's mind - didn't know you could did you?) and you do this naturally removing yourself from harm's way the same as a deer. You get into your truck, hit the road, freeway (whatever) and you beginning to make critical assessments about the driver in front of you, beside you, etc. You glance over and see him getting irritated on his cell phone and you don't like what you see and change lanes. The driver in front of you is going to fast, you decide to put some distance between him and you. What's going on here...it's your intuition....it's the "gift of fear" that protects. Not once does your intuition harm you. Men refer to it as "a gut feeling" and women put their hand on their heart and say, "I just knew inside." Out on the road you execute the skill of a nascar driver. You're tuned into everything on the road and can read all the warning signs around you. They have saved your life a lot of times and you know it. Take a look at the number of vehicles you pass and the decisions you made in regard to each and every one of them. Your eyes saw and recording everything...and you mind downloaded an accurate decision to these events. Your intuition works for in your behalf. You feel good, right? Ok, now let me tell you how stupid you can get in a few seconds. Lunch time arrives and you know where your going. You even know what your going to order. Drive over, hop out, get fed and return to truck. Something happen here? Sure did. No intuition put into play. You should have check the occupants of the restaurant, made a not to sit by the door or exist, and paid attention to your surroundings. The harm to you and your family is coming at restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls,bars...all places where you drop your defenses to enjoy yourself. You can still enjoy yourself, but be aware, look around, remove yourself from big crowds and adopt a low key personality. Please pay attention to your surroundings...Love Moparmom

.....And NEVER leave home defenseless...:gun:Very well said Mrs. Mopar

I agree whole heartedlyIt's amazing what we hear on the news today. Just happened recently.... a teen age boy with enough unimaginable evil to shoot a little tiny baby in the head. This baby was defenseless, in a stroller. I cannot imagine someone ever doing such a thing.God removed from schools and our hearts.... evil moves right in:smart:

Check the FIRE EXITS & alternatives! Remember the Station Nightclub Fire happened just down the road from me. 100 dead, 230 injured, many horribly burned. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire

(Video of point of ignition) WARNING: Very hard to watch!

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOzfq9Egxeo

In todays day and age its the things you can't see that the governments produce that are more likely to get us than another humans physical attack. The radiation from Fukashima is killing tens of thousands of people to this day but is not talked about. Not to mention the biological killers being produced. Here is such A story just released today along with an Alex Jones video breakdown of the story. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Missing-virus-vial-raises-concerns-at-UTMB-4380346.php

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=td7fW6kQAyE

Very well written post, MOM!Out here in the 'sticks'.. it's easier to 'spot' something out of place... or different. These days, we are faced with a new breed of cat: meth cookers.They seem to like abandoned farm houses, off the beaten trail. I was just informed last week that a 'new' neighbor has squated on a place about 3 miles north of me... and has been in and out of the State Pen over the past 10 years. He has been 'out' now for 1 month.The sheriff has already checked him out, (they need to know where these guys call 'home'.) and do spot checks of the residence to look for the obvious.My little 'hood' (about 5 families) in a 25 square mile area have already agreed to watch each other's back!We pretty much already do this anyway, but now that there is a probable 'threat', we have escalated our awareness! Suffice to say, between my cedar tree project this week, and storing more of my 'valuables' away from plain sight...I don't want to see my crap in the local pawn shop... it's been a hectic week! We are all going through some difficult times in this Country. There are many who insist the gov't should be their watchdog/crutch/pimp daddy... and they are the one's who have fallen out of the 'real world nest'. They insist that life have NO trials or tribulations, NO risks. Nothing but fun, fun, fun.The Bills, and the Laws that they demand to accomplish this Garden of Eden in actuality makes it worse in the long run!Makes me wonder why, oh why do these same people have such disdain for the Bible, (where the 10 commandments pretty much LAY OUT THE PERFECT SYSTEM) they claim that they don't want this 'forced' down their throat??? But, insist on laws and guidelines to be 'forced' down our throats? isn't this just a tad hypocritical? Makes me wonder what they might be 'hiding'? After all, Laws of man only work IF YOU ARE CAUGHT!... Whoa, I got off the path there!So, to agree with you on your 'awareness' observation; My son came home from Afganistan with a new phrase... I am sure many of you know this as well: Stay Frosty.

People are too busy with their electronic devices or whatever it is that they don't pay attention to their surroundings. I am small town and when I go to a big city I can't wait to leave. Awareness level increases, especially when it gets dark. The way people look at you or an expression. I couldn't live there, it would drive me crazy.Then I go to the same restaurant on the same day of week and see the same people along with some new faces. I notice the new faces but think nothing more of it. The waitress sees me walking in and she has a Coke waiting at my seat. She knows my order by heart and my bill will be $9.98. We talk about the usual and end it with see you next week. When I am alone I tend to listen more and be more attentive of what is going on around me. It can be quite interesting sometimes. If I have company along I tune into the conversation and tune out what is going on around me. After reading this I just never realized it. Your awareness level or guard fluctuantes and it isn't given a second thought because I am use to my surroundings. :thankyou:for the post.

Like myself I've been locking down the homestead more and doing simple things to protect my property. barring the windows, locking both houses up at night, shutting the gate and keeping it shut, then locking it when we leave. The gate. That's been a nice thing. So far what it does is give me time to notice someone coming. The dog goes nuts barking at whom ever is out there. At that point I can open the door and let the dog go. If you don't belong you might not want to face the dog. If you do belong the dog will great you at the gate. Then as for the truck I'm going to be securing the truck down with hidden kill switches and hose clamping the tail gates. Typically when we travel the dog is with us so I seriously doubt anyone want to mess with a smiling Dobbie in the front seat of the truck.I've gotten in the habit now of packing my 9mm pistol as well. I rarely leave the property without it now. Even quick things like run to town for fuel I still pack it. Also with local travel in the Idaho County I carry my fire radio with me. Like some of you mention about bad element. I've dealt with in a different way. There is a old saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer". Let's say I've got a good communication with the local seedy elements around here and they know who I am and what I do. They also know don't mess with my family, property, or me. Since they know I've got ties with the county sheriff and the local fire dept they know its a losing battle to try something here.Now like travelling to big cities to pick up supplies. Well that is another story in its own. I'm typically in another mode completely. MoprMom knows it. I tend to act like that deer than just heard that twig snap. Then in stores or even parking lots I tend to be scoping out the place looking around me and paying attention to people. Some people you get good vib's from and say, "Hello" as you pass and other that give off that red flag tend to make you dip the brim of your hat a bit to cover your eyes as you watch this person off the edge of the brim.What is so great is coming back how to absolutely nothing but the woods. I'm completely happy be out in the woods. I can handle just about anything out there but throw me in the bigger cities I'm just a wee bit on guard these days...

I told Michael that one of these days I was going to write this article...today is that day! From ISX, HexOrz, Live Oak, W&F, Dorkweed,etc. All of you have sent out a warning to be careful out there when you post to one another. Like any mother, I'm concerned and I love you, so please listen to what I have to say. Living in the forest the animals teach us a lot about observation. A deer can hear that leaf crunch and the twig snap and he bolts. He moves upward so that he has the advantage point of being able to turn his head and access the situation down below. No hesitation....just bolt! Now I'm going to show you how you take the same precaution every day (you even read a person's mind - didn't know you could did you?) and you do this naturally removing yourself from harm's way the same as a deer. You get into your truck, hit the road, freeway (whatever) and you beginning to make critical assessments about the driver in front of you, beside you, etc. You glance over and see him getting irritated on his cell phone and you don't like what you see and change lanes. The driver in front of you is going to fast, you decide to put some distance between him and you. What's going on here...it's your intuition....it's the "gift of fear" that protects. Not once does your intuition harm you. Men refer to it as "a gut feeling" and women put their hand on their heart and say, "I just knew inside." Out on the road you execute the skill of a nascar driver. You're tuned into everything on the road and can read all the warning signs around you. They have saved your life a lot of times and you know it. Take a look at the number of vehicles you pass and the decisions you made in regard to each and every one of them. Your eyes saw and recording everything...and you mind downloaded an accurate decision to these events. Your intuition works for in your behalf. You feel good, right? Ok, now let me tell you how stupid you can get in a few seconds. Lunch time arrives and you know where your going. You even know what your going to order. Drive over, hop out, get fed and return to truck. Something happen here? Sure did. No intuition put into play. You should have check the occupants of the restaurant, made a not to sit by the door or exist, and paid attention to your surroundings. The harm to you and your family is coming at restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls,bars...all places where you drop your defenses to enjoy yourself. You can still enjoy yourself, but be aware, look around, remove yourself from big crowds and adopt a low key personality. Please pay attention to your surroundings...Love Moparmom

Sometimes you come off too cryptic to me! I believe I got the jist of it though. I believe what you are talking about is situational awareness. Over the years I have started teaching myself this phrase and try and practice often. Let me tell you though, you can get used to being this way and sometimes you are so "aware" people actually think your up to no good. I have yet to be approached by someone saying that though. It also is a big mental drain after a while. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever give myself PTSD from doing it!

Now, let me tell ya, to and fro'ing back to Spokane for my job, being here during the week was a nightmare at first. It had been over 3 years since I moved from Spokane. So to come back and stay longer than an occassional weekend, put me on edge. I've posted up before some of the insanity that has taken place being here again. Working close to the downtown area, I have already experienced some loonies while at work.

Next stop is Yakima, I'm DREADING that place! :banghead: I will be packing 24/7 there!

A good read

Check the FIRE EXITS & alternatives! Remember the Station Nightclub Fire happened just down the road from me. 100 dead, 230 injured, many horribly burned. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire

(Video of point of ignition) WARNING: Very hard to watch!

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOzfq9Egxeo

Now, as far as this goes! There was one pretty similar in Russia:

Alot went wrong in these videos that culminate such large casualty.

I'm not exactly sure if the russian fire is also caused by pyrotechnics, but it looks as though it was. In any case, for pyrotechnics to be used INSIDE a building is willful ignorance. Who in their right mind would ever think it to be a good idea?

Couple the fact that you have a area concentrated with people who are drunk and the likes. The premise that most people could not even act rationally in the event of a fire in such a place and then add alcohol? :banghead:

If you notice, poor building construction, lack of emergency exits and potential high fire load really compounded things. That fire built up so quickly that I'm not surprised it went as well as it did! Some may think that is a pretty rash statement, but its not. I would have put money on only people who were not drinking and were near exits and had a basic understanding of egressing a building from a fire properly would be the ones that would have escaped without any problems. Mass panic in a human stampede= death!

The fortunate thing to the unfortunate thing is that the people who died in these fires would have been overcome by the smoke before they even had a chance to experience being burned alive. Now, as for the firefighters having to pull out the bodies, that will be something I think they will probably need alot of counseling for....

Totally agree MoparMom. You can NEVER be too careful or observant.

Just months ago, heartbreakingly another Nightclub Fire Brazil in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_nightclub_fire 241 killed... 168 injured... 2004Buenos Aires, Argentina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rep%C3%BAblica_Croma%C3%B1%C3%B3n_nightclub_fire Lame Horse Fire Russia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lame_Horse_fire In fact there are many more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nightclub_fires There are many other hazzards, often the gut feeling is all the warning we get. Sometimes we don't even get that! A lot of B&Es link back to someone who has legitimate reason to be there... who either return to Burgarlize themselves or they talk to someone else who does so. Don't let strangers use the bathroom where your meds are. A MS friend had a prescription go missing & had to destroy a long friendship with the SO of the thief... thief returned them after confrontation & took off... BF went after her!! This was a trusted 'friend'. If you let a stranger use your bathroom, check your doors & windows to be sure they are still locked. Be careful who you give access to your property. I used to give tours of my gun safe to new friends... I don't do so any more. I remember in my 20s I had a young new friend to my room. I never saw him take an item but there were 3 collectable diver's weights from the earliest days of skin diving... 2 after he left. And my Mom lost something as well. He was the only person I ever had upstairs in the house.