Virale, Gattino, Antivirus

Molto simbolico. E molto micetto.
Il filmato virale di Kaspersky.
:-)

Come eravamo

Sunday Blog Attack

The Basic Urban Pocket Kit

WTF? BUPK.
Click on Images to enlarge them.

Let's be honest. There are not so many real emergency situations you can encounter in an urban setting from which you can escape by means of a pocket "survival" kit.

(If you have an idea about how to escape from a building in flames, only using things you can carry in your pocket - handkerchiefs apart - please let me know...)

Furthermore survival is more about skills and mindset than about tools and kits. Ideally, you should have a McGyver mind.

Letting life-threatening emergencies alone, in an urban setting what can happen (and happens often) is that you have to face inconveniences rather than true emergencies.

Thats the reason that led me to develop my own B.U.P.K. aka Basic Urban Pocket Kit.

My goals were:
1. Have fun
2. More of the aforementioned
3. Assemble a small and light kit that might be useful in coping with things that might happen to me and fiercely attempt to ruin my day.

"Whatever might go wrong, it will."

Things I planned for...
1. Evading darkness (including, yes, dangerous situations as getting stuck in a dark subway train...)
2. Substituting that crucial shirt button seconds before the most important meeting of the year
3. Coping with having your wallet stolen
4. Fix things and restart computers
5. Mitigating your dumbness in wearing new shoes the day public transport is on strike
6. Minor cuts, headache
7. Running out of cigarettes
8. Being in dire need of setting fire to something or someone.

Of course, your needs, priorities and environment might be very different from mine - and consequentely your kit should be different. And should be modified according to the season, your daily plans and so on (more of that later).

BUPK: Kitting out, the container

If this is not the first time you think about survival, you will know that the benchmark for such urban (and not-urban) kits tend to be the one presented in John Wiseman's "The Urban Survival Handbook".

The guy, a former SAS member, has a rather high-tech, high profile approach in its general purpose / wilderness survival kit, including things like a radioactive, tritium based, light source.

I must admit that his Urban kit makes a lot of sense... but I believed I could improve on that.

Container

Just while I was pondering about which container might be suitable, given a primary goal of having a kit the size of a sigarette pack... Lucky Strike came out in Italy with a special edition pack. Made of plastic and metal, light and reasonably resistent. Problem solved.

I've seen good alternatives, such as much tougher tobacco metal boxes (the SAS option), specialized survival plastic containers (costing you an arm and a leg) and so on. Another classic is the "Altoids Mint Tin" (or equivalents). My recommendation is: try to have fun.

Stay alert, you'll soon find some food or equipment container or some box originally developed for some completely different purpose that you can hack into a BUPK container.

It's much more fun to find clever and cheap solutions than to buy specialized equipment when not absolutely necessary; and especially when the price difference is not fully justified by performances or special features.

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - General, money

General Overview - Money

Money, in our society, has a tendency to come in handy. Is without doubt one of the greatest problem-solving tools we have. Therefore it can be very unconvenient to find yourself without.

I included several coins, glued (with a removable sticky paste called Blu Tack) to the upper cover. Coins are not good for phones here - coin operated phones seem to heve disappeared... I mean, any kind of public phone seems to have been removed, due to the enormous success of portable phones. Still coins are good for a coffee when you really need one and left your wallet home, to buy bus tickets or to unscrew some kind of big screws.

It would be wise to add stuff like:

* A spare money card/credit card...
as your BUPK could be stolen, though, you shoud choose (if available in your country) a prepaid credit card or a universal gift credit card - i.e. a card you can electronically charge with a certain amount of money (let's say 50 €) and that is (should be) very difficult for crooks to recharge from your bank account after they have spent the amount left in your stolen card - oh well, if you want more details, just go and contact your local bank.

* Bills (10, 20 or 50 €) would come handy but tend to take space, needing to be folded. I woudn't suggest you to take large amounts of money unless you are runnig away from your local mob, and remember that large denomination notes (such as 500 € bills) are not always accepted when you need just a coffee or just a newspaper...

Transport
is an other crucial area.
If you are always able to easily get back home, most of the problems you might meet in town tend to be much easier to solve (girlfriend/boyfriend apart, of course).

Being stranded, penniless in a different city or just at night on the other side of your town could be a real PITA (Pain In The Anathomy).

That's why I included a 1-hour bus/subway ticket in my kit. You just include whatever makes sense in your environment, or tickets valid for the different towns you visit often.

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - Knife, Lighter, Rope

Knife, Lighter, Rope

Now, when you talk about knives - with no exception (wilderness, hunting, cooking, eating) - it pays to go for quality. Forget about cheap chinese imports. I made that mistake.

Buy good stuff, possibly swiss pocket knives such as Wenger or Victorinox. Also remember that even small knives are forbidden aboard planes, so if you do not place you kit in a bag that will be stowed... well, you can kiss your tool goodbye.

For the kit I chose (and bought on eBay for $ 11,22) a "Victorinox Classic SD 53208 glow in the dark" knife. It has small scissors, a small blade, file, small screwdriver, tweezers (handy!!!), toothpick (not very useful, for me), nail file... and glows in the dark (kind of).

A possible good alternative would have been one of those models with a built-in LED flashlight and a tiny ballpoint pen. Alternatively, Victorinox makes a much thinner model, the Classic Alox (som 3-4 mm thick, I think) that would save a lot of space in your kit.

I might get one of those Alox later on but buy spare tweezers, as that model has no room for one (yes, they sell Victorinox tweezers as spare parts).

Rope
Well, not really.... I chose a thin, high quality string. Made by a renowned maker of climbing ropes (so they tell me) is very resistant and soft. I cut a bit more than a meter of that. Useful to tie things, to double as an emergency belt and so on.

You might want to add some dental floss. Not for your teeth (well, also) but because is very light, takes no space but is really, really tough stuff. Many survival experts suggest floss, and I fully agree (although I am no expert...)

I kept the string together with a couple of rubber bands (useful). I am also thinking about braiding the string, so that takes less space, provided I find a way I can unbraid it very quickly when in need.

Lighter
a) I'm unfortunately a smoker and b) I forget things. So a lighter is probably one of the elements of my kit I use more often. Apart form that, a lighter can always come in handy. The smallest Bics are still a bit too big for my kit. Got a cheap (but rechargable) gas lighter that is not really bad, but I still looking for something better and more reliable.

Don't go for Zippos: they are nice but gasoline evaporates, your kit will stink and when you need your lighter (after maybe 6 month...) it won't work.

Strike anywhere matches might be a good alternative, make sure to wrap them in a safe way, so not to accidentaly ignite the kit in your pocket (embarassing). I understand that dipping them in melted wax is a safe way of waterproofing them. You might want to give it a try, I'll stick to gas lighters.

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - Light, Sewing

Light

Another area when you should spend your money wisely.

I've got cheap micro lights working beautifully for years. And some, apparently identical, that failed in a day. If you plan for a light that could save your life or getting you out of trouble, it's wise to buy serious stuff.

I got a Photon X-Light Micro LED Keychain flashlight on eBay for less than 5$ (other reliable brand alternatives exist).

The Photon has several modes, including the possibility of choosing the brightness level, so you can seriously extend the battery life when in need. Apart from that, I do not believe in complicated survival / strobe / SOS light modes.

Photon is a serous company that makes good product and this is the cheapest they make (I believe), so I bought it. If it has fancy modes... fine, but I didn't buy it for them.

In addition to the X micro in my kit, I also have a cheap small similar one attached to my house keys and another one that I got as a promotional item attached to my car keys (we use the car very, very little, btw but have some form of kit in the trunk as well).

Two or three lights might seem to be a lot but when you really, really need light you will certainly find out that batteries love to run out and torches love to break down.

As one of the possible worst-case scenarios I could find myself in, in my real daily life, involves a broken subway train, in a dark gallery, I tend to err on the safe side, when it comes to lights...

Sewing Kit
Spend a night in an half-decent hotel and they'll supply you with one of the most useful BUPK components. Learn to sew, at least to replace a shirt button (the smart way is to do it with two needles). Be prepared, train for emergencies. Learn to do it in the dark, with one hand tied behind your back. You never know what might happen on your way to that critical business interview.... (I also glued an extra, large, button alongside to coins.)

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - medical

Medical Supplies (?!)

Oh, come on, gimme a break.

If we talk *survival*, get a backpack filled with first aid stuff.

If we talk minor inconveniences - that can be faced with a pocket kit - the worst that can reasonably happen is getting an headache when pharmacies are mostly closed and you need 30 minutes of relief to get to the next open one.

So all my supplies are limited to a couple of painkillers (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen... choose you favourite poison) that can usually keep me for swearing for at least a few hours.

Please, do yourself a favor and make sure you are not allergic to those painkillers. Ask your doctor. That stuff has instruction leaflets that say stuff like "...the product only occasionally causes adverse reactions, in very rare cases with fatal results...".

I've heard horror stories about people and over the counter medicines, so I don't make experiments on myself and ask for professional advice. Oh, and ask a few questions before giving your emergency painkillers to friend or strangers. Have them sign a paper where they promise not to sue you if they turn into a pink lizard or die.

Apart from painkillers, I carry:

1. a small vial of Mercurochrome . If you don't know it... well, it's a red liquid, a topical antiseptic. Nasty stuff, to be honest, due to its mercury content - probably poisonous as hell. If I remember my First Aid classes well, it's not the best stuff to put on cuts, as well. And it stains skin and induments.

Still, should you suffer from an open, dirty wound and you risk getting some nasty creepers under your skin, I suspect mercurochrome is much better than nothing. I chose it because was the only single dose / small size antiseptic I could find. Small antiseptic towelettes might be handy but probably not the best stuff to use for an open, bleeding wound (I plan to add one of them, later on, as well).

Anyhow, if the wound is just a minor scratch I would probably not use mercurochrome on it, but I'd absolutely try to wash it with soap and water.

I take no responsabilities if you do use mercurochrome and get yourself in trouble. Ask for medical advice (I did). Don't blame me if you are allergic to it or assume it is safe. Look for an emergency aid book or ask your pharmacy if they have anything better for your own personal kit (should I add any more disclaimer to be sure you won't sue me ?)


2. Plasters

3. one Compeed blister plaster. At times my shoes and I have rather different opinion of what comfort should look like. This is one of the minor emergencies that, although not really serious, can really make you day miserable.

Compeed plasters are good to reduce the "new shoes syndrome" and more generally treat blister. Additional, as all good survival equipment items, they can double* as something else. I'm still trying to figure out what.

(* the classical example: "condoms, in a wilderness situation, can double as water containers." Gosh.)

It would be sensible to add the prescription medications you use or that you know might come handy...

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - more stuff

More tools, more stuff

There' still some space left (even more if I can braid the string), so I added:

* a couple of paper clips - critical tools for restarting many kinds of computers or phones - and also a true multitool device

* A keyring (was laying on my table and was recruited on the spot. No idea what for, one day might turn out to be useful).

* Micro (tiny, tiny) flat + Phillips screwdriver (part of a small tool that I got as a Xmas present). Complements well the tools in the Victorinox. Perfect for fixing your glasses (if you didn't lose that screw..).

* Small clear plastic bag. Useful to collect biological evidence if you feeel like playing CSI or to contain some of the stuff above and prevent it from rattling.

Paper and stuff

Writing could be a priority in minor emergencies, so I included 2 business cards (handy also from taking notes on the back side).

If you consider getting seriously drunk as a possibility, make sure the business cards have your address on and put additional ones in each pocket you have - to make sure that rescuers will be able to take you home and thiefs will know where to get their next fine dinner from.

1 Bus / subway ticket, as mentioned.

Phone numbers. Your mobile might run out of battery or get stolen.

Prepare a list with the most useful phone numers (you decide). Remember to add emergency number to call if your wallet and phone get stolen and you need to freeze credit cards etc.

Taking a note of the numbers printed on your driver's license / ID / Passport might be a smart thing, somebody told me.

All of the above can be really useful to start a fire, if you know how to do it. But first, make sure you know how to *put out* a fire, as I still haven't figured out out to include a fire extinguisher in my BUSK. Be careful. Don't play with matches.

Basic Urban Pocket Kit - a few extra things

Complaints department
Yes I am a smoker and I know this is bound to attract a lot of nasty comments.

As far as I am not smoking near you, let me be (we're probably some thousands mile away, so...).

Having found a small, clear, tough plastic tube in a drawer, I included it in the kit as cigarette holder. You know... the last smoke, should you unexpectedly find yourself in front of a fire squad... or in front of a closed tobacconist...

Alongside the lonely emergency cigarette you will notice:

- a micro ballpoint pen (salvaged from who knows what)
- a larger needle for sewing or stiching larger wounds (;-)
- some metal wire, useful to keep stuff together or to improvise something I cannot imagine at the moment.

Please note that Ikea pencils are a convenient (and free) replacement for the ballpoint pen.

Self-defense
The best thing you can include in a cigarette-pack sized kit, for self-devence purpose - is the absence of any weapon.

If you know of any self defence item small enough to fit in my kit but still effective, let me know. On the other hand, either you have had a specific training using weapons - regular or improvised - AND keep training regularly... or you are probably exposing yourself to danger if you try to use one.

Run away if you can. Better still, keep your eyes peeled and try to anticipate and avoid finding yourself in a tight spot.

And/or learn martial arts - that might help you but don't think you can do the things they do on TV. Just forget about it. Bad guys tend to be a lot tougher than the average amateur martial art practitioner...

Other stuff I take along: Leatherman Squirt

Apart from my BUPK, which I keep always in my pocket or in my backpack, I tend to carry other things that can help me overcome *minor* emergencies in my daily life.

One of the latest additions is a Leatherman Squirt P4.
The Squirt is a miniature multi-tool and, believe me, it's small.

No, I stand corrected, it's not a multi tool, is a "keyring tool". A big difference in smallness.

Is it any good? Well, depends what you want to use it for.

Construction is very good. It has a good mechanical feeling when you open and close. It gives the impression of being tough enough for reasonable use.

The pliers are pretty good - you can apply quite a lot of force, although I would have preferred to have the needle-nose pliers to be more needle-nosed for precision work. You can bend and unscrew and hold... within reason. Won't help you unbolt large bolts, to be honest.

The wire cutter is somehow disappointing - used it to shorten some electrical wire, the cut wasn't as good as I expected.

The blade is sharp, but its size makes it useful for opening letter, some minor work and nothing else (won't be useful to slice salami or fillet fish...;-).

File: ok, don't work on your nails with that, go for a small Victorinox. Good to remove that fraction of a fraction of an inch that prevents something to fit into something else, forget about doing much more.

Scredrivers: adequate for small screws, forget about applying a lot of force, the handle is too small.

So, is it a toy? Almost, but it's a good toy ;-) It's so small it's easy to always keep it to youfor occasional or very minor use and applications. And the first rule of usefulness in survival situation is: "It's good only if you have it with you. Now."

When I feel that some more honest work is required or that it would be wise to have someting stronger with me (as when I go saling or trekking) I take my old trustworthy Leatherman Wave (very good for preparing sandwiches with locally bought farmer ham or cheese, by the way).

Considering that I spent (on eBay) less than 10 $ for it and that is a good conversation piece.. I love it (but might consider buying a Juice later on. The good thing about the Juice is that you can use it to open wine bottles ...)

Mini micro USB Key

It happened to me a couple of times. 

Visiting a client, or a friend. 

Needing to save a large file which could not confortably sent by email, being too large. 

Not having a USB key with me. Damn.

When at the office, I always go around carring a USB key. 

 

I recently decided that always having a small USB key along was a

 smart idea and after a while, I found a very small one. 

Cheap too: 2 Gb for about 6 Euro.

Very small, fits beautifully in my BUPK (above the light). Just remove the outer cover and it will fit.