Life without the Network or Power

This first post will be an intro to this thread. It based on a Pandemic which exceeds a 4% Case Fatality Rate and is likely to occur. It is intended to bring up some consideration, the most crucial of which are holes in current Pandemic plans and approaches.

The first is when you go to log on to the net and there is no more net. The net even while not under attack as our computers by hosts of viruses, worms, and spyware, and adware, is unstable. As an illustration in physics class we used to use an an extinct device known as a slide rule when taking our exams. There were no calculator except for cash registers and pull the crank ten key adding machines. There were no cell phones or even cordless phones.

Today's public live in a world much like a friend who play Nintendo and when his unit broke he almost had a major psychotic break. Just like electric lights, we flip on the computer, zoom to google or whatever, and we have access to more than a billion pages of information.

This site, which has a really good database, as well as other sites by the hundreds of thousands, can give us a quick fix on how to spell a word to any thing we need. The internet has bascially replaced the library except for esthetic purposes. If you have an argument with your wife on some fact or who did what, you don't have to look it up in a book, or go to the library. In 15 seconds you can find it.

So, with all these wonder pages of information, and hundreds of thousands of posts, there is a click and except what battery you have on your laptop, maybe a few hours, unlesss you have a generator or solar power, poof. Except for stored binders or hard copy files, its all gone.

It reminds one of the repair guy I call when the net is not working on my computer who tell me to surf to this page and it will tell me what to do.

I have spoken to psychologists and doctors, and one night we sat down and kind of hashed out that many people would just kind of walk around and stare in complete denial.

So none of the databases on the net would be, unless saved of any value. Of course the Power Grid is run by not only computers, which require power themselves, and we only have a three day buffer in many states of backup power period, that is why the concept of putting together a Survival Manual was born.  If there were books in the library, they will be stolen, and except for a friend of mine who has a library simliar to mine, which occupies three to four rooms, most people don't have quite that vast a store of basic medical and science books.

We have become as addicted to the net for information in every walk of life and in almost every business. So much so,  that the death of the net would shut down our economy. a lot of our entertainment, news, and most crucially a vital connect to the world.

So, probably a nature subject, or thread would be what to do with no power, no net, and candles. But the greatest shock would be that. Shock.

As in PNSG - what three books would you keep, or what what books are you stockpiling now. So there is your computer with all the files and stuff and x hours of power left. Let's say you have a generator.  And its chugging away somewhere. Isn't someone going to hear it and won't they think - someone has gas. Won't that be like lighting up a cigarette in the bush in Vietnam at night.

The thought that keeps me up at night is this idea that someone is going to keep the power on, when as little as 4% dying would really cause a problem. You can extrapolate that to 56% or more, probably more people not going to work including government, and was noted in Katrina, even critical people. Someone has to take care of the sick in the family.

So many things run on batteries, and batteries in a house with three to five kids with toys that all use them would be in short supply and within a period of time - no supply. Even if the wireless phone system was up, how long would the cell phone unable to recharge be good for?

So, in conclusion, in the old days we had books. And there still some. How many in the general population are into survival books and medical books?

Of the billion pages on the net, in the blink of an eye we could be plunged into almost total data deprivation.

How will this effect people psychologically? I know a lot of people, either at work or at home who literally live on their computers. One will go from being able to post so thousands can read it, to a black screen.

And socially - maybe the redeeming grace of a Pandemic. Except we won't be able to get together because people will be infected. No groups. SIP. Hunker down.

One of the first topics to hit will be communication without power, normal power. Is there a way to devise a system of communication that does not rely on cable or satellite. Yes, there is.

Medclinician