You can pick up those chem-light sticks really cheap after halloween. Many stores over-buy them, and put them on sale after the holiday ends. I bought a bunch last year for about .25 each...regularly 1.40

just a thought.

-- Mad Max (me@yourmomshouse.fun), October 06, 1999

Answers

Those ochemical lightsticks are handy to have, esp. in situations where you want zero parts to fail and don't care about reuse. Might not be a bad idea to locate a few post-Haloween sales of them and stock the bug-out bags with them.

Mommy, he scares me... why do people call him --

-- OddOne (mocklamer_1999@yahoo.com), October 06, 1999.

Good idea. But be sure to dispose of them properly after use.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), October 06, 1999.

A very valid reason for having at least a few lightsticks is if you need to work in an area with explosive fumes. Example: your propane line springs a leak and you need to fix it pronto. Or your gas stove springs a leak, and you can quickly turn it off, but need light to do so.

Also, if you don't want to waste the lightstick, you can freeze them, and upon thawing, they still have some life in them (if you didn't let them glow for their full "life").

-- Bill (billclo@msgbox.com), October 06, 1999.

I have been thinking that these would make safe, non-flamible night-lights for the grandbabies. They are afraid to sleep without a night-light and I know they would use up the batteries in a flashlight real fast.

Also pick up some half-priced candy for "comfort-food"

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), October 07, 1999.

Gram,

If you didn't get into the LED's from ODD ONE, try to find a survival Expo in your =area in the next couple months, and see if one of the vendors there has the leds mounted already. (I know of one vendor who was here in cleveland last month.)

If you can't get the leds set up, e-mail me at the below, and I'll see if I don't have a spare bulb replacement made upi by then. If they NEED light, leds are the way to go as the batteries last forever when using them.

chuck

BTW, the kids will NEED to learn to sleep in the dark, as it may become a physical security issue. NOW would be a PERFECT time to teach them, as the penalty is fairly trivial, rather than in the middle of a serious situation, where the penalty could be VERY BAD.

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 07, 1999.

The poor babies can't sleep without a night light? I bet you're also one of those who cave to their kids throwing a screaming fit in K-Mart unless you buy them some waste-of-money trinket at the check-out counter.

-- A (A@AisA.com), October 07, 1999.

Above comment addressed to "Homeschooling Grandma."

-- A (A@AisA.com), October 08, 1999.

Grandma,

Ignore the troll. Listen to Chuck. Start by eliminating the night lights and leave a light on in the hall with the door cracked open. Over the course of time gradually shut the door more until they are used to sleeping in the dark. Thats what I did with my kids and it worked great.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), October 08, 1999.

What sort of stores carry the lightsticks for Halloween? Drugstores? Wal-Mart? Also, I understand those sticks were invented for divers working underwater so they're entirely waterproof too. Is it true they last longer in storage if you keep them in the freezer? (Well, at least for a couple of months in the freezer. . .)

HSG, perhaps solar lights might be an option if you get plenty of sun around there. There are some that run rechargeable batteries, so you could have a couple of sets in reserve for cloudy days. I agree about the LEDs, though, and you might look at RealGoods.com for some relatively inexpensive solutions. There's a search engine at the site, just look for LED.

BTW, thanks for the reminder. We have nightlights along the hall and in the kitchen because one of our black cats likes to sleep in the middle of the hall and will not be deterred by anything short of nuclear explosion. And maybe not even that. We put in the nightlights because I often get up at half-past the middle of the night and used to trip over her. Must get something to substitute--OddOne, how about fixing up an LED nightlight that'll plug in and switch to battery when the power goes out? I have a regular emergency light version already but the light only lasts about 45 minutes on battery. Maybe one that only operates on battery, but plugs in just for a convenient location. Brighter ones would be handy in the kitchen where outlets are counter-height, therefore can be used for food prep. Could one of those inexpensive plug-in nightlights be converted, maybe with the battery pack attached alongside it on the wall via a self-stick velcro thingie?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 08, 1999.

I have yet to figure out A's motivation for riling people up.

-- why does (he@do.that?), October 08, 1999.

why does

i know people who are only happy when they've made someone more miserable than they are.

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), October 08, 1999.

Because "A" is an A**hole.

-- that's why (that'swhy@that'swhyy.xcom), October 08, 1999.

Those cheapie little flashlights that you squeeze to light rather than switch on seem to last for ages. The bulb looks like an LED, does anyone know if it is?

I've picked up a few. Believe it or not - when we had the earthquake that put a halt to the world series, we had neighbors that didn't even have a book of matches -let alone a candle or other light source {takes all kinds?}.

-- flora (***@__._), October 08, 1999.

Because many people are clueless, including maybe you, and need a wakeup call. And not just about Y2K, but religion, politics, and their juvenile delinquents in process, etc.

-- A (A@AisA.com), October 08, 1999.

In particular, the pervasive coddling (indulgence) of kids by their pussy-wuss parents (especially mothers) (and grandparents) turns them into at best, obnoxious brats, and frequently into criminals and drug addicts.

You think I'm "bad" -- look around you at the kids.

-- A (A@AisA.com), October 08, 1999.

I guess "A" still sleeps with the lights on...

-- (none@this.time), October 08, 1999.

No, I screw with the lights on.

-- A (A@AisA.com), October 09, 1999.

Gram,

Pop down to Radio Shack, and pick up 1 or 2 of the following (print this out and take it along if you want):

Bright White LED, 3.6 VDC, 4,000MCD, 20 degree viewing angle, 30 ma.

then go over to X-mart (K-, Wal-, etc)and pick up a light LIKE (or actually) the Coleman NightSight 2-AA small light.

When you get home, remove the bulb from this light and look at the pieces you have. In one hand you should have a small plastic tube and in the other you will have the head of the light.

Take the LED, bend about 3/16ths of an inch of the long lead up to form a right angle at the free end of the lead. Bend the short lead up at a right angle and then down about a quarter inch froom the bulb base. You should have a longer lead with a little "L" shape and the other lead should (with the LED body as your body) look like you sitting in a chair, LED body, upper leg horizontal and lower leg pointing down. Put the long lead into the little plastic tube, so the other lead is outside it, and insert this into the flashlight head where it came out. Insert the head into the body of the flashligfht with bateries and turn on your new, LED flashlight.

No soldering, no muss, no fuss.

You may need to tune this a bit to aim the LED but....

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 09, 1999.