Global Survival Industries Aspiration

I started Global Survival Industries in memory of the numerous victims of circumstance in the wilderness and on highways who have succumbed to the elements of the environment.  Our company takes a common sense approach with components in our survival kits and information we post in our Survival Solutions section of our website.

The products in the Global Survival Industries survival kits have multiple uses. This redundancy of product aids the victim of circumstance to increase their odds of a favorable outcome. Our blog posts share information taken from our website Survival Solutions page in hopes of reaching people who may benefit from this information.  Of course comments, likes and ideas are always welcome!

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Southwest Airlines Short Paper

Giel Boles

Southwest Airlines

May 18, 2012

 

 

Summary

Southwest Airlines was started in 1967 after many challenges it faced from other airlines in Texas.  It started with the name Air Southwest Co.  Its founders were Herb Kelleher and Rollin King.  These two envisioned an internal airline within Texas that would provide service in Texas thereby circumventing federal regulation and competing against existing giants like Continental Airlines, Braniff, Trans-Texas and United Airlines.  In 1971, the name was officially changed to Southwest Airlines Company which was headquartered in Dallas Texas Love Field and offered service to Houston and San Antonio from Dallas. In the 1970’s the selection and hiring of flight attendants caused heads to turn because the flight attendants wore short shorts with go go boot and had the figures to fill out the uniforms.  This made Southwest stand out from their competitors. Southwest airlines saw excellent growth in the 1980’s.  They acquired other air carriers along with more aircraft and increased their routes. The 1990’s saw a continuance of the unique company culture along with using smaller airfields with increased service at excellent prices. In the 2000’s, the Wright agreement was presenting a major problem for Southwest which they worked on getting it repealed due to it Wright agreement limiting operations.  During this time Southwest’s air fleet was aging and media relations were strained due to lack of aircraft inspections along with other legal challenges.  In 2010 the airline acquired AirTran Airways, rescheduled routes and ordered new aircraft.

 

Analysis

Southwest Airlines had the most unique company culture within the airline industry and I dare to say the most unique company culture within the nation.  The airlines industry saw a transformation within its industry due to the leaders at Southwest Airlines thinking outside the box when it came to operations, customer relations and strategy.  Southwest was up against major competitors who did not want to see Southwest succeed.  Yet the company’s determined spirit, overall vision of the company and how it should be run along with an excellent management team showed success with their financial performance.  All this accompanied by the unique company culture saw victory over problems which would have defeated other companies. Southwest proved itself for thinking outside the box by flying into smaller airfields, having beautiful stewardesses wearing mini shorts and go go boots which enticed male travelers and offering point-to-point service, rather than using spoke and hub systems, like Delta and United. This added to that was innovative thinking in reducing the time planes spend at the gates, baggage handling and routing, which transformed into profits for Southwest. When the company moved into higher end airports it took its toll on Southwest financially.  Acquisitions of   companies like AirTran were made to improve profits, market share and overall company range.

 

Conclusion

Southwest proved that thinking outside the box with their corporate culture strategy along with an excellent logistics strategy of flying into secondary airports and keeping costs low created one of the most successful airlines in the world.  Southwest has stuck by many of its original principles’ in keeping things simple and low cost.  Such as not using travel agencies and travel websites and not assigning seats, but rather using first come first serve.  Southwest has kept the luggage price free which other airlines have virtually abused the traveler with.   I think the airline should go back to the stewardesses wearing short shorts and the gogo boots for special occasions.  Of course Southwest has hired stewardesses who don’t necessarily fit this clothing style, so therefore Southwest should pay a small bonus to those who can wear the outfit and look good in it as well.  Some may say that this could open the airline to lawsuit etc.  Possibly so, but a restaurant named Hooters has a similar philosophy of dress code.  With Southwest, it would need to be voluntary of the stewardesses to wear the outfit.  When the airline knows that there is a substantial amount of stewardesses who will go along with the dress, the airline should advertise heavily prior to the outfits being worn on the anniversary of Southwest becoming an airline.  It would be very interesting to see if the number of travelers would increase and if so, by how much.  If a positive turnout occurs then Southwest could use this for an every year event.  I’m very curious as to the amount of business Southwest could ascertain from such an event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snakes

Pit Vipers
Pit vipers are a group of viper snakes that include the copperhead, cottonmouth and rattlesnake. These are the most common venomous snakes in the U.S.
Pit vipers have a unique, heat-sensitive pit organ between each eye and nostril.  This receptor allows them to more accurately aim strikes at warm-blooded prey.  Their pupils are vertically elliptical and they have a single row of scales on the underside of their tail.

Copperheads are the most common pit viper in the United States and are notoriously aggressive. Fortunately, their venom is mild and rarely fatal to humans.

Be Wary Of Look-Alikes!
Like many creatures in the animal kingdom, pit vipers have several non-venomous look-alikes.  It’s not uncommon to come across snakes that have similar coloring and patterns to their venomous counterparts.

Cottonmouths – range in color from black to green. They have a small white stripe along the side of their heads. They are most often found in or around water, but are equally at home on dry land. Young Cottonmouths have a bright yellow tail. They are usually found on their own, so if you see several snakes that appear to be getting along quite peacefully, they are probably not a cottonmouths

Copperheads – have a similar body shape to cottonmouths but are much brighter, ranging from coppery brown to bright orange, silver-pink and peach. Young Copperheads have yellow tails as well. Look for a distinctive ‘copper’ colored head against a mostly brown of green body – hence the name

Rattlesnakes – Look for the signature ‘rattle’ on the end of the tail. Some clever but harmless snakes imitate this distinctive rattle sound by brushing their tails through dry leaves, but only true rattle snakes have the bulbous-like rattle at the end of their tails. If you can’t see the rattle, they also have a heavy triangular head

See pit viper videos and more about survival solutions

Where and Where Not to Build a Shelter

Shelter is anything that protects someone from the environmental elements and hazards.  The environment dictates the type of shelter to construct with five basic considerations.  The considerations are: TIME, WEATHER, LIFE FORMS, TERRAIN and LOCATION.

1.    TIME; do not let time get away from you.  Waiting to the last minute to construct your shelter could be disastrous depending on the conditions.  Always be thinking about shelter and what you will need for the night ahead.  I always give myself approximately 2-3 hours for shelter construction and camp preparation in good weather.

2.    WEATHER; is the KEY CONSIDERATION in site selection.  The weather also dictates the site selection, choice of shelter type along with the temperature, wind and precipitation.

Critters to Avoid-Insect Repellents

Home Remedies to Keep Bugs Away

Topical Mosquito Repellents
•    Lemon Eucalyptus oil can be used to repel mosquitoes.
•    Rubbing the skin with baby oil or imitation vanilla extract repels biting insects such as mosquitoes and black flies.
•    Rub apple cider vinegar on your skin to repel insects. If you take in enough apple cider vinegar by putting it on foods you eat, you’ll develop a body odor that will repel insects, including black flies.
•    It has been said that garlic works. Swallow slivered garlic to ward off these summer pests. Others take garlic tablets or rub garlic juice directly on their skin. Some people apply onion or radish juice for the same purpose.

 

Straight From Consumer Reports

     The Most Effective Insect Repellents
To find the most effective mosquito repellents, we tested products containing a variety of ingredients, including deet, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, chemicals called IR3535 and 2-undecanone, as well as a variety of plant oils, such as cedar, citronella, geraniol, lemongrass, and rosemary.
The most effective products against Aedes mosquitoes were Sawyer Picaridin and Natrapel 8 Hour, which each contain 20 percent picaridin, and Off! Deepwoods VIII, which contains 25 percent deet. They kept the mosquitoes from biting for about 8 hours. (The Sawyer product was our top insect repellent overall. It was the only one that also kept Culex mosquitoes, which can spread West Nile disease, and deer ticks, which can spread Lyme disease, away for at least 8 hours.)
Ben’s 30% DEET Tick & Insect Wilderness Formula kept Aedes mosquitoes away for 7.5 hours and Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, containing 30 percent lemon eucalyptus, stopped them for 7 hours.
The IR3535 products didn’t make our list of recommended sprays. Neither did repellents with 2-Undecananone or those that contained 7 percent deet or less than 20 percent picaridin.
We advise skipping most products made with natural plant oils, such as California Baby Natural Bug Blend (a blend of citronella, lemongrass oil, cedar oil, and other ingredients) and EcoSmart Organic, (which includes geraniol, rosemary oil, cinnamon oil, and lemongrass oil). They did not last for more than 1 hour against Aedes mosquitoes, and some failed almost immediately.
In addition, those products are not registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates skin-applied repellents and evaluates them for safety and effectiveness. Most plant-oil products are exempt from scrutiny by the EPA because the agency considers them to be a minimum risk to human health.
Instead, the CDC recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents. To see if a mosquito repellent is registered by the EPA, look for its registration number (“EPA Reg.”) on the back of the label.

     The Best Way to Use Mosquito Repellent

Insect repellents that use deet come in varying concentrations, ranging from 4 percent to 100 percent. Our previous tests show that concentrations of 30 percent provide the same protection against mosquitoes as higher percentages for up to 8 hours. But higher concentrations of deet have been linked to rashes, disorientation, and seizures. That’s why Consumer Reports says you should avoid mosquito repellents with more than 30 percent deet and not use it at all on infants younger than 2 months.
Women who are pregnant or breast feeding can safely use deet, picaridin, lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535, according to the EPA, if they are applied properly. Here are tips from the EPA on how to use insect repellent:
•    Apply repellents only to exposed skin or clothing—never put it on under clothing. Use just enough to cover and only for as long as needed; heavy doses don’t work better.
•    Don’t apply mosquito repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin or immediately after shaving.
•    When applying to your face, spray first on your hands, then rub in, avoiding your eyes and mouth, and using sparingly around ears.
•    Don’t let young children apply. Instead, put it on your own hands, then rub it on. Limit use on children’s hands, because they often put their hands in their eyes and mouths.
•    Don’t use near food, and wash hands after application and before eating or drinking.
•    At the end of the day, wash treated skin with soap and water, and wash treated clothing in a separate wash before wearing again.
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Critters to Avoid-Mosquitoes

There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes that we know about.  However, only three mosquito breeds are mostly responsible for carrying diseases affecting humans.  These three mosquito breeds are public enemy number one.  They are responsible for millions of deaths globally every year whose victims are mostly children and the elderly in developing countries.

The following are the mosquito and the disease they carry:

Anopheles mosquitoes – Malaria, Filariasis (also called elephantiasis) and encephalitis.
Culex mosquitoes – Encephalitis, Filariasis and West Nile virus.
Aedes mosquitoes – Yellow fever, Dengue, and Encephalitis.

How they suck
The only mosquito that is able to feed on animals (including humans) is the female.  The male mosquito does not have the equipment for this task.  When the female mosquito bites their victim with what is called their proboscis (sucking straws) they stab the two straws into the skin.  One of the straws injects an enzyme that stops the blood from clotting.  The other straw sucks the blood from the animal.  The blood is a source of protein which feeds their eggs.  For both male and female mosquito, plant sugars and nectar are eaten for their nourishment.

How they locate their victims
The carbon dioxide exhaled by animals
The look of high-contrast objects
Warmth of bitable bodies
Olfaction (smell system such as identifying animal body odors)

These triggers are combined in groups which help the mosquito zero in on their victim.  In other words, the mosquito senses the carbon dioxide then has a strong attraction to visual features.  Olfaction, vision and heat trigger another independent seeking module.  The integration of all these underlying features helps the mosquito home in on their victim.

Transmission of Disease

Malaria – The mosquito’s gut transmits parasites which have attached themselves to the gut of the female mosquito and enters the host as she feeds on the animal.

Yellow fever and dengue – A virus enters the mosquito as it feeds on an infected human and is transmitted via the mosquito’s saliva to a subsequent victim.

Why we have mosquitoes
They are an abundant source of food for birds, dragonflies, bats, frogs and thousands of other animals.  Normally mosquitoes zero in on horses, cattle and birds more than humans.

Breeding and population control
Mosquitoes need water to breed.  Population-control and eradication usually involve removal or treatment of standing water sources. Insecticide spraying to kill adult mosquitoes is also widespread. The attempt on a global scale, to stop the spread of mosquitoes has had little effect and many scientists think global warming will likely increase their number and range due to larger standing bodies of water which are not freezing or freezing for long enough periods of time which is conducive to the success of the mosquitoes breeding along with a prolonged breeding season.

More survival information at shopgsi.com

Critters to Avoid-Fire Ants

Fire Ants
There are several species of fire ant.  However, the two species which invade new areas are the Imported Fire Ants (IFA). The IFA were introduced into the United States from South America at the port of Mobile, Alabama. The black imported fire ant, Solenopsis richteri Forel, arrived around 1918 and the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren is considered the worst and believed to be introduced into the U.S. in the late 1930’s. Both species probably came to the port in soil used as ballast in cargo ships.

Today, IFA infest more than 367,000,000 acres in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Puerto Rico. They are discovered sporadically in Maryland.

Fire ants cannot eat solid food, so they carry it back to the nest and feed it to the oldest larvae, which are able to externally digest solids and turn them into nutritious liquids. The worker ants then share this now-edible byproduct with the queen and the rest of the colony.

Fire Ant Mounds
Fire ant mounds do not have an opening at the center like other ant mounds.  Imported fire ants use underground tunnels which radiate from the mound.  Another characteristic of the mound is the soil appears to be fluffy and worked, especially a few days after a heavy rain.  When the soil is compact the tunnels become visible on the surface.  Mounds in clay soil are usually larger than in sandy soils.  Mature colonies may contain up to 500,000 ants.
If there is a lack of surface water, the ants tunnel down to the water table for the cooler environment and water. Of course this gives the appearance that the mounds have disappeared. After a heavy rain the ants will move upward for the dryer and warmer environment.   In grass the mounds may reach just a few inches tall but undisturbed mounds can reach up to 24+” in height.  I have personally seen fire ant mounds in Texas which were approximately 24” tall and 2+ feet wide.  Other areas fire ants build their mounds are around objects such as stumps, rotting logs, fence rows, trees and under structures.

Fire Ant and Other Survival Information

Critters to Avoid – The Hornet

Hornets are wasps which are closely related to yellowjackets. There are approximately 20 hornet species ranging from tropical Asia (which most live) to Europe, Africa, and North America. The North American Hornet is actually the European hornet which was introduced by humans.Hornet Information

The hornet is a social insect which their hive(s) consist of a paper like construction made from the pulp they make by chewing wood and they live the entire time from egg to adult inside the community hive.
The majority of hornets in a hive are female.  They perform duties in the hive such as construction of the hive, feeding the young, protection of the colony and gathering food.  The queens are the dominate species in the hive and the only ones to reproduce.  The males sole job is to reproduce with the queen and soon die after their job is done.

Hornets abandon their hives in colder climates in the winter and the new young queens along with their eggs protect themselves by finding protection in human structures or under tree bark.
During the spring the queen will start a new hive by her young taking over the tasks of the new hive which in turn leaves the queen for reproduction.  Prior to the queen dying she will produce a generation of new males, which are called drones, and new queens.

Hornets dine on flies, bees and other insects along with the occasional snack on tree sap.
Usually hornets will not sting humans unless they are provoked.  In Germany the hornets are granted protection by the government to ensure their role in the ecosystem is protected.