A GOOD HOSAGE... IS AN ALIVE HOSTAGE

With bomb-blasts fast becoming out of date and out of fashion and being replaced with Hostage Situations and Urban-Wars and as it were there is a very real clear and present danger of us Mumbaikars being in the wrong place at the wrong time and ending up in a Hostage situation.

Now this post isn’t about the Apathy of the Government or the inaptness of the security forces. Let’s face it, it’s a daunting task keeping us safe and unreasonable to expect anything out of such Bungling idiots. So we have to help ourselves.

It is Every Man For Himself in its most basic and true sense.

So what to do if you find yourself a Hostage of some Fidayeen Jackass ?

Firstly Think like a terrorist - I’d start by thinking about what really inspires fear. One thing that scares people is the thought that they could be a victim of an attack. With that in mind, I’d want to do something that everybody thinks might be directed at them, even if the individual probability of harm is very low. Humans tend to overestimate small probabilities, so the fear generated by an act of terrorism is greatly disproportionate to the actual risk.

Here are some good instructions I have compiled.

I know its a little long and we are not used to reading so much (Thanks to the TV)
but well frankly Boo...Hoo. .. Its long and you will read it too , if you want to live long.

How to Survive and Hostage Situation

For most people (Normal ones at least) , being kidnapped or held hostage is a terrifying experience. And it happens that fast. Sometimes so fast that you can't even attempt to escape your abductor(s). Fortunately, most kidnapping victims are released unharmed, most fairly quickly. Make no mistake, though: any abduction can turn deadly, and whether the victim survives depends largely on decisions he or she makes while in captivity.
Steps

1. Attempt to thwart the abduction. If you can escape the initial abduction attempt, your ordeal ends right there.

2. Survive the initial abduction. The first few minutes of a hostage-taking situation or abduction are the most dangerous, and they become more dangerous if you resist. While in many cases, the potential for immediate escape outweighs the danger of resistance, there are times (if there are multiple armed attackers, for example) where escape is not realistic and therefore not worth the risk. Think rationally and be cooperative in this sort of situation.

3. Regain your composure. (I Know it’s Easy to say) Your adrenaline will be pumping, your heart will be pounding, and you will be terrified. Calm down. The sooner you can regain your composure the better off you will be immediately and in the long run.

4. Be observant. Right from the start, you should try to observe and remember as much as possible in order to help you plan an escape, predict your abductor's next moves, or give information to the police(Hoping they will help soon) to aid in a rescue or to help apprehend and convict the kidnapper. You may not be able to use your eyes--you may be blindfolded--but you can still gather information with your senses of hearing, touch, and smell. Try to use you cell phone to relay information out to someone.

5. Observe your captor(s).

• How many are there?
• Are they armed? If so, with what?
• Are they in good physical condition?
• What do they look and/or sound like? How old are they?
• Do they seem well-prepared?
• What are their emotional states?

6. Observe your surroundings.

• Where are you being taken? Visualize the route the abductors take. Make note of turns, stops, and variations in speed. Try to gauge the amount of time between points.
• Where are you being held? Take in as much detail as possible about your surroundings. Where are the exits? Are there cameras in place, a lock on the door, or other security precautions? Try to figure out where you are, and gather information that may be helpful if you decide to escape.

7. Observe yourself.

• Are you injured or wounded? Try to ask fellow hostages for help, calmly.
• How are you bound or otherwise incapacitated? How much freedom of movement do you have?

8. Try to ascertain why you have been abducted. There are a variety of motivations for abduction, from sexual assault to ransom demands to political leverage to religious fanaticism. How you interact with your captors, and whether you risk an escape, should depend at least partly on your captors' motivation. If they are holding you for ransom or to negotiate the release of prisoners, you are most likely worth far more to them alive than dead. If you've been captured by a serial killer or sexual predator, however, or if you've been abducted in retaliation for some political or military action, your abductor likely intends to kill you. Your decision of whether and when to attempt an escape should be made based on this information.

9. Keep a survival attitude. Be positive. Don’t give up !! You are alive so far no ??
Remember, most kidnapping victims survive--the odds are with you. That said, you should prepare yourself for a long captivity. Some hostages have been held for years, but they kept a positive attitude, played their cards right, and were eventually freed. Take it one day at a time.

10. Put your captor at ease. Be calm. Cooperate (within reason) with your captor. Don't make threats or become violent, and don't attempt to escape unless the time is right (see below).

11. Keep your dignity. It is generally psychologically harder for a person to kill, rape, or otherwise harm a captive if the captive remains "human" in the captor's eyes. Do not grovel, beg, or become hysterical. Try even not to cry. Do not challenge your abductor, but show him that you are worthy of respect

12. Attempt to establish a rapport with your abductor. If you can build some sort of bond with your captor, he will generally be more hesitant to harm you.

13. Avoid insulting your abductor or talking about potentially sensitive subjects. You may think your abductor is a pathetic, disgusting individual. While captives in movies sometimes get away with saying such things, you should keep these thoughts to yourself. In addition, as in most conversations with people you don't know, politics and religion is a good topic to stay away from, especially if you are being held by terrorists or hostage-takers that are politically or religiously manipulated/motivated.

14. Be a good listener. Care about what your captor has to say. Don't patronize him, but be empathetic, and he'll feel more comfortable around you and more benevolent toward you. Being a good listener can also help you gather information that would be useful for an escape or to help police apprehend the abductor after you're freed

15. Appeal to your captor's family feelings. If you have children and your captor also has children, you have a powerful bond already in place. Your captor can probably "put himself in your shoes," realizing the impact his abduction or death would have on his family, In the hope of inducing Lima Syndrome in the abductors, in which affected abductors begin to sympathize with their hostages and might just free them.

16. Try to communicate with other captives. If you are held with other captives, talk to them as much as is safely possible. If you look out for each other and have others to talk to, your captivity will be easier to handle. You may also be able to plan an effective escape together. Depending on the situation, your communication may have to be covert, and if you're held for a long time you may develop codes and signals.

17. Keep track of time, and try to discern patterns. Keeping track of time can help you establish routines that will enable you to maintain your dignity and your sanity. It can also help you plan and execute an escape if you can detect patterns of when your abductor comes and goes and for how long he is gone. If there are no clocks available, you will need to make a conscious effort to keep track of time. If you can see sunlight, it will be fairly easy, but otherwise you can listen for changes in activity outside, make note of differences in your captor's awareness level, try to detect different food odours, or look for other clues.

18. Daydream. Think about what you'll do when you get back home. Hold conversations in your head with friends and loved ones. Do these things consciously, and you won't be going crazy—quite far from it you'll be keeping yourself sane. Recite some prayer, hymn, Hanuman Chalisha helps a lot (form some accounts.)

19. Stay mentally active. Captivity can be boring and mind-numbing. It's important challenge your mind so you can remain sane, but also so you can think rationally about escape. Do math problems, think of puzzles, try to recite poems you know; pray do whatever you can to keep yourself occupied and mentally sharp.

20. Stay physically active. It can be difficult to remain in shape in captivity, especially if you're restrained, but it's important to do so. Being in good physical condition can aid in your escape and keep you in good spirits during your captivity. Exercise, even if it's just doing jumping jacks, pushups, or even pushing your hands together or stretching. Try dancing to a tune in your head.

21. Ask for small favors. If you're settled in for a long captivity, gradually ask for small accommodations. Request a heavier blanket, for example, or a newspaper. Keep requests small, at least initially, and space them far apart. You can make your captivity more comfortable and make yourself more human to your captors.

22. Blend in. (Its the most important thing ) If you are held with other captives, you don't want to stand out, especially not as a troublemaker. Remember the odd man goes out –Dead.

23. Watch out for warning signs. If your captors decide to kill you, you need to know as soon as possible so that you can plan an escape. If they suddenly stop feeding you, if they treat you more harshly (dehumanizing you), if they suddenly seem desperate or frightened, or if other hostages are being released but your captors don't appear to intend release you, look out

24. Try to escape only if the time is right. When is the right time to escape? Sometimes it's safest to just wait to be freed or rescued. However, if the perfect situation presents itself--if you have a solid plan and are almost certain that you can successfully escape--you should take advantage of the opportunity. You should also attempt to escape, even if your chances are not good, if you are reasonably certain that your captors are going to kill you. Dont get jumpy unnecessarily.

25. Stay out of the way if a rescue attempt is made. Hooray--the cavalry is here! Before you get too excited, keep in mind that aside from the first few minutes of an abduction, the rescue attempt is the most dangerous time in a hostage situation. Your captors may become desperate and attempt to use you as a shield, or they may simply decide to kill any hostages. Even if your captors are taken by surprise, you could be killed by the actions of police or soldiers, who may use explosives and heavy firepower to enter a building. When a rescue attempt occurs, try to hide from your captors, if possible. Stay low, and protect your head with your hands, or try to get behind some kind of protective barrier (under a desk or table, for example, or in a bathtub). Don't make sudden movements when armed rescuers burst in.

26. Follow the rescuers' instructions carefully.(Don't be an ass) Your rescuers will be on edge, and they will most likely shoot first and ask questions later. Obey all commands they give. If they tell everybody to lie down on the floor or put their hands on their heads, for example, do it. Remain calm and put rescuers at ease.


** TIPS **

• If you have pictures of your family with you, consider showing one or more of your captors if the topic comes up. It can help to evoke their family feelings.

• Don't try to be a hero: for example if they ask for everyone to hand in mobile phones, don’t keep yours, give it in, otherwise if they catch you with it your are putting yourself at a huge risk.

• If you're forced into a vehicle, open the door and get out if you can. If you can't get out of the vehicle, try to jam something into the ignition cylinder before the abductor inserts the key into the ignition, or pull the key out of the ignition and jam something in. A button off your clothes, a piece of metal, a stick, or the bubble gum in your mouth can all effectively prevent the abductor from inserting the key and starting the vehicle.

• If you're placed in a trunk, try to escape. If you can't get out, rip out or kick through the panel leading to the brake lights, and kick the lights out. You can then stick your arm out and alert motorists that you are inside. If you can't push the lights out, at least disconnect the wires so police are more likely to pull the car over. In addition, yell for help and pound on the trunk lid whenever the vehicle stops or is travelling slowly.

• Avoid struggling if you are restrained. It's a good idea to discreetly test your bonds, but don't struggle too much or you could injure yourself.

• If you are drugged, don't resist. Usually drugs are administered to sedate you and make you more manageable. This may make your captivity easier to bear, and it may also help you to be calm and think rationally.

• Remember to cooperate and empathize with your captors, but only within reason. In long periods of captivity, captives may develop what is known as Stockholm syndrome, in which they begin to identify with their captors, sometimes to the point of helping their captors commit crimes or escape justice.

• If you're a foreign national in a hostile country, or if you're captured during wartime, consider the implications of an escape. For one thing, if people won't help you or, worse yet, if they're likely to assist your abductors, you're probably better off not attempting to escape. There is also the possibility, especially during an active conflict, that you're safer where you are than you would be if you escaped. Weigh your decision carefully, because getting away from your captors may just be the beginning of your ordeal.

• Keep Cell phone silent, not even on vibrator (Makes a little sound) and wrapped in clothes or a handkerchief to block out the cell phone light from giving it away. In case the battery is low switch it off for use when you can actually talk.
If asked to give up cellphones discretely dial a emergency no and keep the phone on, at least it can give some clues out, to aid the rescue.

Warnings

• Keep in mind that if you are recaptured after an initial escape attempt, you will very likely not get another chance to escape. Make your escape count.

• Your attacker will likely be very mad when you fight back, especially if you cause him injury. Only become violent if you think you have a good chance of escape, and then do not hold back when attempting to injure your attacker--be as vicious and forceful as possible. It is imperative that you escape once you stun or incapacitate the abductor, because if you are recaptured he will take his anger out on you.

• Don't attempt to remove a blindfold, and don't try to take off a mask, either off yourself or off a captor. If the captor doesn't want you to see him, it could be a good sign: he may intend to release you and doesn't want you to be able to identify him. If, however, you then see him, he may decide to kill you because you can identify him.

• Be careful talking to other captives, especially about escaping or about classified information you may have. A fellow captive may rat you out to court the favor of the kidnappers, or one of the "captives" may in fact be a spy for your captors.

• Don't get your hopes toooo up. A positive attitude is important, but if you get excited and then get let down, it will be hard to stay positive. If you captors begin to talk about your release, take it with a grain of salt. Don't set yourself up to be let down.

• Be careful about what you tell abductors. If they're holding your for ransom or for political collateral, it's usually best if they think you're wealthy or important, even if you're not. If they abducted you to kill you in retaliation for some political action, however, you want to seem very unimportant and uninvolved, even if you're not. It's very important to determine your captors' motivations so you can determine what to tell them, and what not to.

Remember -- For the terrorist you are more valuable alive then dead, a dead hostage is useless. So you have a good chance.

Print out a copy and read and re-read it, and if unfortunately in the end if you are killed at least it wont be because of your foolishness, just fate.

..................................................KEEP SAFE

Salaries and GDP

· Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s salary of $2.46 million (Rs 123,079,932) is five times higher than that of the US president George W. Bush. His salary will be slashed to $1.99 million (Rs 99,505,769). Singapore’s GDP: $222.7 billion.

· Barack Obama, the next President of the world's largest economy, the United States of America, will get an annual salary of $400,000 (Rs 20,001,646). Obama has a daunting task of reviving the US economy, which is in the doldrums. United States’ GDP: $13.81 trillion.

· Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gets a salary of $330,300 (Rs 16,516,332). In the wake of the recession, Kevin Rudd has plans to cut down high salaries in the corporate sector. Australia’s GDP: $908.99 billion.

· The French president Nicolas Sarkozy's salary has nearly doubled in 2008. Nicolas Sarkozy's annual salary is now Euro 240,000 (Rs 15,429,191). France’s GDP: $2.59 trillion.

· The Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel receives 220,000 Euro (Rs 14,138,899) per annum and a 22,000 Euro (Rs 1,413,577) as bonus. Germany's GDP: $3.32 trillion.

· The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, gets an annual salary of $280,000 (Rs 14,001,129). Media reports say that Stephen Harper's addition of more cabinet members could cost an additional $3.9 million in salaries. Canada's GDP: $1.43 trillion.

· British Prime Minister Gordon Brown gets salary as the First Lord of the Treasury and as a Member of Parliament. Gordon Brown receives Euro 127,334 (Rs 8,182,944) per annum, in addition to the salary of Euro 60,277 (Rs 3,875,418) as a Member of Parliament. The total salary is about Rs 12,05,8362. UK's GDP: $2.8 trillion.

· Compared to other heads of state, Russian prime minister's Vladimir Putin's salary is on the lower side. He gets an annual salary of $81,190 (Rs 4,060,214). Russia's GDP: $1.29 trillion.

· The Indian President Pratibha Patil gets a salary of Rs 150,000 per month (Rs 18,00,000 annually). The vice president's salary is Rs 125,000 per month, while the governors get a pay of Rs 110,000 a month. India's GDP: $1.1 trillion.

Note – Perks (free housing, free electricity, free travel, free telephones, free security, etc.) not included!

Hummm..........I feel I have really wasted time in medicine, Politics is better paying over and under the table.