Cataclysms

I'm not certain if this post is a particularily necessary suggestion to a solution set, but possibly it may be of some benefit to somebody interested in the historical preservation of records. The past cataclysms that are known to have occurred were not recorded by witnesses who survived the event, but by the recordings of historians and scribes who lived after the event; in some cases it remains a mystery where and from whom they acquired the information. Too bad they didn't have a camera in those days. As all electronic communications will terminate upon the arrival of another pole shift any method to which we're accustomed for the preservation of archieval records will cease to exist, and power will not be recoverable for years. Pen and paper perhaps will be available, and even some artists may survive to offer their skills, but as the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

Record keeping has been discussed here before, but I don't recall the mention of the use of a Polaroid camera which is a fail-safe method to get the big picture. If one is so inclined they could stock up on film and safely store it away from the adverse elements that will be near constant for a while. Following the pole shift and after the dust settles and year 1 begins we'll resume what once was once our normal lives as best we can including the education of children. Pictures, if we recall our own early education, were enhancements to learning. Perhaps there will be the establishment of some form of government where records for historical preservation will be necessary; a picture can weaves a long tale, especially the before and after sequence.

Offered by Mike.

First of all, I don't know how much of the actual pole shift you may capture, as the recommendation is to stay indoors and lie down. Anyhow, for whatever record keeping is necessary, I would think electronic means better. True, we will need energy to run the PCs, and we must stock disks etc, to keep the PCs running for years after the pole shift, but Polaroid films in my experience do not last for a prolonged period of time. I'd rather go for a good digital camera and store some memory cards. As long as we have working printers, toner and paper available, digital images may be printed. I hope we will be able to share images via Packet Radio as well. I plan to keep my PCs running for many years post pole shift, and am currently stocking for that scenario. I think the usage of any records, pictures etc. will be for the benefit of the post pole shift society during the first decades only. Who knows how things will progress and what means will be available to us when our friends start dropping their high technology on post pole shift Service-to-Other sites?

Offered by Jan.

I am having trouble visualizing someone taking historical camera shots while bouncing off the walls and ceiling. No one is going to be standing or holding a Polaroid camera during a magnitude 9 earth quake even while strapped down. Most, me included, will be screaming and holding on for dear life. Remember there will also be 300 to 400 mile/hr winds and a sound like a fright train coming right at you. I think a better approach if you have the resources and want a historical record is to take an existing digital camcorder or digital camera and shock mount it inside a reinforced concrete structure (small dome I am thinking). This could be on top of your dome or structure. Use 1" thick clear Lexan between the outside and the lens. Sand and dirt moving at 300 to 400 miles/hr makes a good sand blaster. You may get some recordable time before the view is fogged. You probably don't want your lens to be sand blasted. This unit would be securely shock mounted with a remote control that you would kick off as the shift starts. Or you could have the shaking automatically switch on the camera for you. It would not be hard to set up weight attached to a sick of wood that is wedged in such a way as to hold a switch open. Once the shaking starts the stick pops out and the digital camcorder start to roll until out of tape. I think a remote control switch back to where you are strapped in would be more reasonable because you could turn it on and off when interesting events happen.

I don't think I would recommend purchasing a digital camera just to do this. Spend your money on seeds, electrical power, water purification, and shelter. If you already have a camera and have all the basics covered and you still wish to record for historical purpose then consider the above.

Offered by Mike.