Wired Magazine: The Smarter Emergency Kit When the next world-crushing disaster strikes — tsunami, quake, dirty bomb, whatever — one thing is certain: You're on your own. As hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed, help may not arrive for 72 hours. Don't fret. Wired has your back with these shopping lists for your DIY emergency kit. Because when everything goes to hell, you'll want gear that gives you an evolutionary advantage over your less-prepared neighbors. The House Kit Store all this gear in a sealed plastic trash can or containers. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. The Go Pack Keep these items in a backpack that's readily accessible — you know, in case you have to bail at a moment's notice. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. * Correction, Thurs May 31 12:00:00 EST 2007 The plastic sheeting is 0.006 inches thick, not 6 mm thick as originally reported.
Handbook for Life: 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity | zen By Leo Babauta This is something I’ve been wanting to write for some time — a Handbook for Life. Now, is there any handbook that can be a guide to every single person? It’ll also become apparent from the links in this handbook that I’ve written about this stuff before. How to use this handbook This handbook is not meant to be a step-by-step guide, nor should you adopt all the tips below. Pick and choose the tips that will be most useful to you. 52 Tips for Happiness and Productivity Try rising early. Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life | zen ha “Simplicity is the peak of civilization.” – Jessie Sampter By Leo Babauta A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. For me, it means eliminating all but the essential, eschewing chaos for peace, and spending your time doing what’s important to you. It means getting rid of many of the things you do so you can spend time with people you love and do the things you love. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which gives you value. However, getting to simplicity isn’t always a simple process. If you’re interested in simplifying your life, this is a great starter’s guide (if you’re not interested, move on). The Short List For the cynics who say that the list below is too long, there are really only two steps to simplifying: Identify what’s most important to you.Eliminate everything else. Of course, that’s not terribly useful unless you can see how to apply that to different areas of your life, so I present to you the Long List.
How to Be Optimistic Bookmark Edit Article Edited by Krystle C., Ben Rubenstein, Brigitta M., Joshua Uebergang and 136 others While being skeptical can be a healthy way to avoid getting taken advantage of, being pessimistic - that is, always assuming the worst - can have major negative consequences on your life. Seeing only the negative aspects of any situation can cause you to miss opportunities, neglect problems that need to be solved, and fail to take action that would otherwise improve your relationships and quality of life. Ad Steps 1Let go of the assumption that the world is against you, or that you were born with a gray cloud over your head. 6Be a balanced optimist. Tips Do not worry about the past or future. Warnings Everyone has their times of weakness.
Cool Tool: Six Great Long-Distance Bike Trails Without Cars Many years ago I took a meandering 5,000 mile bike ride across the US, from San Francisco to New York via Idaho and Texas. I rode back roads all the way and it was a highlight of my life. But this long bike ride would have been 100 times better if I did not have to share the road with careless drivers, overloaded pickups, and logging trucks, not to mention suicidal teens in hot rods. Well, there are! Many of these trails did not exist as bike paths even a few years ago. John Wayne Pioneer Trail — 113 miles While this trail officially transects Washington state, only 113 miles of the final 200 mile trail have been developed (by 2007) and are presently open. Cowboy Trail — 195 miles A nice leisurely 5-day trip passing through the small towns every 15 miles on the Nebraska prairie. Katy Trail — 264 miles This bike trail which mostly parallels the Missouri River is a Missouri state park unto itself. Kettle Valley Rail Trail — 280 miles GAP/C&O — 335 miles