Batteries not included -- not necessary, either
We were in Virginia, headed home from our vacation in Tennessee last Thursday when we heard via NPR News that several northeastern cities were reporting electrical outages. You know the rest of that story. We were lucky: our building has some sort of backup power, so aside from worrying all the way home and having to reset our clocks when we got here, we were miraculously unaffected by what may continue to be known as Blackout 2003, that is unless there are subsequent blackouts, which they say is likely.
If you've got a minute, please feel free to use the comments field for this post to share your own blackout story, which is probably more interesting than mine.
Meanwhile, this handy hint is presented as a public service:
One of the best accessories for a third-world power grid is a third-world radio, and if it's got a flashlight feature, so much the better. That's why I use the Grundig FR200 AM/FM Shortwave radio, which requires no electricity and no batteries. You just wind it up. Considering that these things now cost as little as $40, you might as well get one for yourself.
There are several other brands of wind-up radios and flashlights; you can learn more about them here. They're out of stock at many outlets, understandably so, but if you shop around you might still be able to find one. If not, order one anyway and wait.
There's also a wind-up cellphone charger and flashlight adapter from Motorola, but it only works with some phones.
Tomorrow: the answer to one of the world's most frequently asked questions.
posted by Janet Dagley Dagley @4:01 PM
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