I live in a Blue State

Until the current presidential reign ends we'll just have to put up with Captain Coocoo Bananas steering the country. Funny how Bush knows that there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but when he refers to his own bodily functions, he may need to use the bathroom.

I can't take credit for this wittyness, Jen is the witty one.

Be prepared for disaster

I was never a boy scout as a kid, but I like their motto: "Be prepared"

After the September 11th attacks I cobbled together a few emergency supplies, but now I'm after seeing the aftermath of Katrina I've decided to put together more than just a few emergency supplies. So I thought I'd share my experience with you.

Supplies for the home, in case of severe weather:

9 gallons of water - 1 gallon of water per person per day is the rule of thumb according to ready.gov, so I intend to prepare 3 days of water for 3 people

Purell hand sanitizer - in case water is scarce and unsanitary conditions arise as they did during Katrina this will allow you to keep your hands clean and minimize germs being spread

Nutri-grain bars - don't require refrigderation and are easy to pack and carry.

magnet powered flashlight - doesn't require batteries to work

normal flashlight - the magnet one is good, but it doesn't work great

crank powered radio - this radio can work off batteries or you can crank it if you run out of batteries.

Batteries

First Aid kit - this is self explanatory but notice that First Aid kits vary by comprehensiveness. Most have latex gloves, burn care, bandages, hydrocortisone, OTC pain relievers, but many don't include a first aid guide, cold compresses, scissors. I recommend the First Aid kit from the Red Cross

Whistle

Emergency blanket for everyone in your household - again the quality of these range from laughable to truely reliable, but the difference between good and bad ones is like $2.

Rain gear

duct tape - throughout my life duct tape has solved the strangest problems

water/wind proof matches

Can opener

Stuff to grab that you might have around your house to put in your emergency kit when running out the door:

Cereal

Peanut butter

Juice boxes

Vitamins

Aspirin/Tylenol/ibuprofen

Anti-diarrhea medication

Rubbing alcohol

Plastic utensils

Paper towels

Garbage bags

Paper/Plastic cups

Presciption medicine (including for pets)

Other Preparations

Important phone numbers of relatives, doctors, lawyers, etc. I like to keep a copy of all my contacts written and also on address.yahoo.com

Important account numbers of banks, etc. Here's a emergency financial first aid kit