Tis the Season for Situations X - Don't be a "Victim"

     Each and every day, around the noon hour, I take my dog for a long walk. This walk is up and down hills, through neighborhood alleys and long residential streets. Along the way we encounter a few people who are walking dogs, mowing lawns or other randoms chores. One thing I always see in abundance while on our walk are cars that are parked curbside. In L.A. and its surrounding cities this is obviously nothing new. What I really find interesting is when I walk past many of these cars, people have left a lot of valuables either on the center console or passenger/rear seats.
     It's not that I am looking for valuables to steal, but if you had known me in my teenage years, those valuables would have been gone in a flash. As I said, I'm not actively looking for valuables, but I can't help but to see inside these cars as my dog casually sniffs the local scents left by other dogs. On today's walk I noticed a truck with the passenger window halfway down. No driver was in sight and there was what looked like a cell phone and an iPod sitting on the center console just waiting for the right minded thief to come along. In another car was a purse on the passenger seat. Whether it any money within is not a question. It's whether the owner of the car wanted to replace the window at a minimum of $100.
     If you must know, if one wanted to snatch the purse, it takes all of three seconds. As for breaking into the truck, depending on the availability of escape, it takes less than five seconds to reach in to the door latch, open the door and snag the iPod/cell phone.
     I bring this up because it's a Situations X. Too many times I see people have left themselves vulnerable for costs they just don't need to incur. Recently, a friend posted on FB that she had been ripped off, a new bicycle had been stolen, as well as, a few other items. It's unfortunate but, often times, we don't secure our property until it's after the fact and the stuff we really cherished is now gone; a Situations X wake-up call that sucks.
     Here is just a small list of things to check to prevent a Situations X

• Does your garage have a padlock on it? Garages rarely have alarms and are easily and silently opened in the middle of the night or even during the day when no one suspects a thief in the alley.
• Do you leave a window slightly opened or the window lock in the released position? An expert thief knows how to slip a window lock in about 3-5 seconds. Put a stick in the window sliding slot. The thief will usually check the other windows for an easier way in.
• Do you leave a laptop computer or any other valuables in your car, trunk included? Never leave anything in your car, day or night, that you do not want to lose. Schlep it in the house rather than being lazy. 
• Do you leave ladders on the side of your house? Most people believe that a thief won't enter from a second floor but they will if one leaves them a way into the house, such as, a ladder.
• Have you replaced the items a thief has stolen? Often times a thief will come back in the next month if they believe you have replaced the big screen TV that they stole. They know that people can't live without a TV.  
  

Who Has Your Back?

Just yesterday evening I was watching Brad Meltzer's TV show, Decoded. In this segment they were doing background on the coming Mayan calendar prophecy of 2012. Now, after really thinking about everything that was "decoded," I got to thinking about this blog which I haven't really paid much attention to lately. So, I'm back.

One of the past blogs I wrote at this site is in regards to a BOB (Bug Out Bag). In my bag, which is a tall, black rucksack, I have a collection of essentials. It is all set to go and though I'm really not paranoid about 2012, I am all about prevention. If I were caught in a catastrophe the likes of Hurricane Katrina, I am already prepared; just slip on my backpack and I'm on the road...bugging out.

If I can't bug out and I have to stay where I am, then I am also covered for that. Every other week, or once a month, I purchase more dry food, canned goods and food bars to store. Just this morning I picked up two cases of water to add to my stack that is occasionally rotated and used. In case of a damaging earthquake scenario, I have water downstairs in my storage unit and I have cases kept in the condo. The same goes for the food, some in storage, some in the home.

So, I know I have food and water for two adults, and one dog that with proper rationing, will last roughly 5-6 months. The next thing to understand about a catastrophic Situations X is that at some point you will grow weary and need to sleep. It was noted in the show that in as little as four days, people who have not made any plans will begin to panic. They realize that they have no electricity, the water doesn't work, the toilets don't empty and food is spoiling in the fridge. When the food runs out, man's best friend becomes an appetizing option, as well as, the dog's best friend starts looking like an option also. If you're going to prepare for the worst case scenario, then include your pet's needs. If you have an aquarium, you might as well eat the fish and filter the water.

So, as the title poses, who has your back? Your spouse and kids may be there for you, but if you haven't planned accordingly, those young minds that truly depend on you for answers, as well as food, will be quickly disenchanted with your ability to handle any and all situations they are being forced to face. There comes a point that staying in the house is no longer safe. There will be certain groups, let's be nice and call them...opportunists,  that will be going from house to house in search of any food and water they can get their hands on. Money won't be able to buy these people off. At this point, water is money.

It is suggested that people have a backup plan and that they should not forgo a Situations X like this alone. You need to prepare and know who is on your team. You should have a team of no less than four adult males that know how to handle a weapon. As a matter of fact, women and children should also know how to handle any and all weapons.

It would be nice to believe that in the event of a catastrophe that everyone would act as the Japanese during their tsunami; civil and proud, but that's not likely the case for the American culture. I'm not talking about a catastrophe the likes of one city or small town, but one that devours the country. A catastrophe that shuts off the power grid, backs up filtration systems, pollutes all open sources of water and stops transportation from delivering any kind of hope.

Damn you Brad Meltzer, and your "Decoded" show! I truly hope that this type of event never occurs, but in the chance that it does, will you be ready for a Situations X?