Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with preparedness

Looking for a bulletproof web host with built-in colocation and failover.

benzenedream — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:33:55 -0800

Looking at setting up a simple web site (no CGI) but needs to be up 24/7 and reasonably disaster proof (earthquake, hurricane, regional fires, etc.). Hosting company needs to be multisite with automagic failover assuming one site goes down. Updates from primary to failover site can be as slow as hourly, they do not need to be in realtime. Minimal traffic (less than 2Gb/month). Don't care if it's straight hosting or a whole VPS, proc and memory usage should be minimal. Dedicated colo hardware would be overkill.

I realize there are various hand-rolled ways to achieve the same thing (rsync, cron, various DNS tricks spring to mind) but would prefer that the vendor worry about it. Most of the vendors I've found have a single bulletproof site but have no site failover.

What would MacGyver pack in his survial kit?

jytsai — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:17:46 -0800

Aside from the everyday Emergency Kit contents, what are some useful items to have during a long term emergency? What would MacGyver pack in his long term emergency survival kit? Extra points for creativity, cheapness (in cost, not quality), and simplicity. In particular, I'm thinking multi-purpose utility stuff, like high strength fishing lines, parachute cords, superglue (which can be used to seal wounds in a pinch), or high value tools like Leathermans and magnesium firestarters.

How do we break up as smoothly as possible?

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:09:41 -0800

I'd like to know what to expect when my girlfriend and I break up. We've been together for nearly 10 years and we have a four-year-old daughter. I've been through breakups before, but never with so much time, energy, or property involved, not to mention a child. It's looking pretty inevitable at this point.

I know that other members have been in similar situations, so I'm appealing to the collective experience of the HiveMind. I know that I'm going to have to get an apartment, figure out a schedule for time with my daughter, get the utilities squared away and all that, but I'm sure that there's no end of things I'm not thinking of, and I'd like to be prepared.

Common property includes a car, two computers, and ten year's worth of stuff. No house though.

So, what can I expect? What fussy details blind-sided you when you went through this? All input is welcome.

just in case reading list

luriete — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 09:33:37 -0800

What are the best survivalist's reference books? That is, if the power went out tomorrow for an indefinite period of town, what are the books on first aid, shelter, hunting, farming, nature, tool use & making etc. that you'd want to have and be familiar with?

Hopefully This Stays In The Realm Of Theory

absalom — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 19:03:47 -0800

If someone walks into my classroom (filled with students) wielding a gun, what should I do? I have recieved no training or input in this area, and while I cannot imagine it ever happening at my school, if it ever does happen, I'd like to make sure myself and my children see the event through safely.

Quick, Easy and Free Emergency Shelters

dropkick — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 05:47:18 -0800

I need ideas on emergency shelters, for the homeless in urban environments, as well as for out in the boondocks. Must be inexpensive or free and easy to set up. Please blow my mind.

Thunder Dome Goodie Bag

Scoo — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:08:45 -0800

What's your 72 disaster preparedness kit like? What with the apocalypse looming and all, what kind of disaster preparedness gear are you stocking up on? This kit looks good, albeit pricey. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, I suppose, and I like one stop shop, ready-to-go-in-an-instant aspect of it. Recommendations of better stores for this kind of purchase? What else would be good to have? Partially inspired by this previous thread on Ask MeFi.

What the world is in that bag?

Capn — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:13:58 -0800

So I broke down and got a murse. What small essential things do I need to be carrying around with me at all times? So far I have:
Swiss Army knife (missing toothpick)
The Collins gem edition of the SAS Survival Guide
A small toolkit
Duct tape
Notebook and pens
Green garbage bag
Maps
Band-Aids
Needle and thread

UK emergency/instant shelters at London response site?

loquacious — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 16:54:22 -0800

Does anyone know the make, brand, or availability of the semi-geodesic three-walled pop-up emergency shelters being used in the London tube bombing response? The shelters being shown have four walls and a top. They are mostly white, though some seem to have a band of color at the bottom. They have what appears to be folding struts for the roof and walls, but they look like they're not the usual scissor-strut kind used for "EZ UP" type shelters. (Those "EZ UP" type instant canopies suck, IMO. They're a pain to set up, they're not wind-resistant, and putting up walls on them in anything but perfect calm is iffy at best. Plus, they're not very durable or well made.)

I've been searching for a while, and can't seem to find anything that looks even remotely like them. The web is drowning in cheap "emergency" and "disaster" products, especially post-9/11.

They look like they would be a very sturdy shelter for everything from emergency preparedness, to camping, to parties, to flea market stalls, and perhaps even Burning Man if they're wind-proof enough and can be easily tied/rebar'ed down.

Most useful books to have around for rebuilding after the Apocalypse?

geekhorde — Mon, 27 Sep 2004 23:41:34 -0800

Bookfilter: It's the day after the end of the world. What book and or books would you want to be able to rebuild? You know, if you want to be able to hunt, plant crops, make clothes, make tools, etc. How does the well educated gentleman prepare for the Apocalypse, practically? Other than the Foxfire books, what should I buy? I guess what I'm looking for is a Primer on the Basic Arts of Civilization. With a good Appendix.