I apologize if this has been stated before.I went to wal-mart today same old thing going on there. I got some more lamp oil and more candles. Then I discovered battery operated lamps! I know this is no big deal to most of you, but I was over joyed. I have never even been camping before so I didn't even know they had these. Even better they were on sale for only 5.00!! I quickly bought up all that I could find. Some of them that did not come with the bulb were only 2.50! I felt like a giant weight was lifted all because of a stupid little lamp. All this time I have been buying candles and oil lamps thinking to myself how un-safe they were and how I didn't want my little girls near them for fear of an accidental fire. And flashlight don't seem to add much light at all. So these were just the thing. I brought them home and just one lit up my living room. Now I know you guys knew about these already but maybe there are some moms out there who never even thought of these and maybe some children who won't be so afraid if there is a light left on for them.

-- shellie (shellie01@hotmail.com), February 27, 1999

Answers

Dearest Shellie, Your little ones will suprise you. You need to show them and tell them the fire in a candle is hot and will hurt. They will understand. Kids are like that. Once they know the threat they will cover your butt. Just give them a chance. Your babies aren't stupid. Mine never were.

-- nine (nine_fingers@hotmail.com), February 28, 1999.

shellie,

Hang in there! Great find!

I know what you mean. I have young children too! I felt the same way when I found a wall mountable oil lamp. Also, the lanterns with handles can be hung from those mountable plant hangers (the ones that stick out like an arm) I admit these lanterns/lamps make me nervous.

The glow sticks (like the ones kids use on Halloween--you bend till they pop & then they glow) would make a comforting night light for little ones --- so safe babies can teethe on them. They're a couple dollars a piece though, so I'm hoping (fingers crossed) things hold out till Halloween ---much better prices, Halloween wrappers.

-- Deborah (info@wars.com), February 28, 1999.

Don't know what kind of lamp you bought, but I can tell you if it use's d cells you better buy lot's of batteries. Also anything with an open flame is bad. Kerosene lanterns are good if you buy good ones you can also use kero in your oil lamps, Much cheaper than qts of lamp oil.

-- Scotty (BLehman202@aol.com), February 28, 1999.

Which do you assume is going to be more available? -- fuel or batteries? Batteries are high tech. Oil can be pressed from grains and legumes (e.g. soybeans provide both soybean oil and soybean meal) And which more efficient? Batteries used for lighting have a very short life; you will go through cases of them. (Unless you have LED light sources and/or rechargables and solar rechargers.) On the other hand, light sources using fuel are dangerous with idiot kids and stupid pets around. With kids and lamps, candles, etc., you will soon find out if your genetic strain is evolutionarily viable. And if you cannot bear to keep Muffy (the cat) out of the house when you need your oil lamps or candles, you will have proved your survial unsuitability.

-- a (A@AisA.com), February 28, 1999.

Shellie, Think long term (months). Battery operated devices will require Ni-cad batterys and a way to recharge them (solar) and you will need extra bulbs. Consider a wall mounted oil lamp instead (see Lehman's).

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), February 28, 1999.

Scotty,

Kerosene lanterns are good, if you buy good ones you can also use kero in your oil lamps, Much cheaper than qts of lamp oil.

Say you had this good lamp. Is kero cheaper than lamp oil because the lamp actually uses it more efficiently (i.e. uses less of it)? or just because the kero costs less? (or both? or does it depend on the lamp?) Enough questions? thank you for clarifying.

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), February 28, 1999.

idiot kids

How heartwarming. Shelly, this person suggested on another thread there are already too many kids in the world.

Our children encounter dangers every day. Traffic, household poisons, open flames on the stove, people like A. Give me a break. Children can be taught. We have managed to keep them from burning down the house thus far. Why is it assumed children have never been around candles?

A,

Bite Me.

Apparently certain genetic strains leave certain people less disposed to have children thereby boosting the evolutionary process, thank you for you cooperation! The Mister says life is not worth living without our offspring, too bad your parents didn't feel the same.

-- oneHotmomma (ugeta@vasectomy.needone), March 01, 1999.

Rechargeable batteries and a couple of solar rechargers are a good addition to your lighting supplies. I have a number of AA batteries (brands are Radio Shack and Millennium [!]) I've been using for about 5 years. That's heavy use. I also have Evereadies I've been using for about 3-4 years. With one of my police scanners, 6 x AA batteries will go for nine hours. I'm slowly stocking up on other sizes of rechargeables. I haven't yet bought any solar battery rechargers but I intend to buy two--which will be a further back-up to the solar panels, Baygen LED, lamp oil, Coleman fuel and candles. As with anything else, it's not a great idea to rely on just once source of something if there are others available and affordable.

I saw a mouse in the carport laundry room this morning so I think I'll take our most rambunctious cat, Rambo, to go walkabout in there. Yep, our cats are indoor types; they live longer and have far fewer vet bills that way. No vermin or insects in this house. The neighbors' cats generally keep away the outside pests--when they're not taunting ours through the windows.

Our solar supplier is Roy at: www.infoblvd.net/4windpwr

and C. Crane Co. has good prices on house-brand rechargeables--also a Baygen modified with an LED light. I think they're at ccrane.com.

-- Powered Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 02, 1999.