Sunday, January 31, 2010
Got This Song Floating Around In My Head
A 40 of Mickeys is a good beverage.Nice size and the price is hard to beat. In fact I am finishing one up as I write this. Also I just put some Sublime on the Ipod.
Gotta Take One Off The List
I am not going to be able to take an auto repair class this year. One is offered but it is not compatible with my schedule (or any other service members for that matter) or close enough that I could maybe slip out of work a bit early and make it work. Unless they change the class to the evening or weekends (very unlikely) this goal is going to have to be postponed.
So baring any new developments #8 from my list of New Years Resolutions is not going to be met, albeit by no fault of my own. Kind of bummed about it but not much that can be done about it.
So baring any new developments #8 from my list of New Years Resolutions is not going to be met, albeit by no fault of my own. Kind of bummed about it but not much that can be done about it.
I Remembered A Story Today, Maybe It Is A Cautionary Tale
This morning we did not have PT because the roads were really bad. It was nice because I got to go back to bed for a few hours which is a rare luxury for me. Anyway I remembered a story about a guy I know.
He is a long time friend of Pa's and my one time employer. An interesting fellow, one who would probably have been a lot happier as a Mountain Man circa 1840 or so. He really didn't like to work much which was fine because his economic and material ambitions were minimal. Really he liked hunting, particularly with his hounds. His wife made a few bucks training mules and he had a pretty cushy seasonal gig.
They lived on a few acres (5-15 I don't remember) with a little house outside of a tiny town. They had a big garden and hunted a lot. I think they went up to Alaska to hunt with a friend and just hang out for a month or so most years.
He lived near a tiny town but it was near the freeway. Also it was getting a lot less tiny than it was when he bought there. He started feeling crowded and wanted to move to Montana. They started looking at some significant acreage, like hundreds of acres. He found an amazing place in Montana at a great price. However a great price for a few hundred acres of decent land is still a lot of money.
This fellow moved to a very nice isolated place. However by purchasing far more land than he previously had his mortgage doubled or tripled. He was no longer able to just work seasonally and make it. He is a very skilled carpenter and so was able to make darn good money building homes. Pa told me of him talking about building during the winter and needing to stop every 20 minutes or so to shovel all the snow out of the way.
I wonder if this fellow is really happier now? I wonder if he wouldn't have been better off purchasing a smaller plot that was roughly in the price range of his previous residence. Being able to go bear hunting on his own property must be awesome but that point is somewhat mute, since he is out hustling enough money to pay the (relative to his income) huge mortgage instead of chasing bears and cougars behind a pack of dogs.
I don't know what is best for anybody else. However I think it is worth considering the lifestyle you want to live as a limiting factor for the kind of place you want to purchase.
He is a long time friend of Pa's and my one time employer. An interesting fellow, one who would probably have been a lot happier as a Mountain Man circa 1840 or so. He really didn't like to work much which was fine because his economic and material ambitions were minimal. Really he liked hunting, particularly with his hounds. His wife made a few bucks training mules and he had a pretty cushy seasonal gig.
They lived on a few acres (5-15 I don't remember) with a little house outside of a tiny town. They had a big garden and hunted a lot. I think they went up to Alaska to hunt with a friend and just hang out for a month or so most years.
He lived near a tiny town but it was near the freeway. Also it was getting a lot less tiny than it was when he bought there. He started feeling crowded and wanted to move to Montana. They started looking at some significant acreage, like hundreds of acres. He found an amazing place in Montana at a great price. However a great price for a few hundred acres of decent land is still a lot of money.
This fellow moved to a very nice isolated place. However by purchasing far more land than he previously had his mortgage doubled or tripled. He was no longer able to just work seasonally and make it. He is a very skilled carpenter and so was able to make darn good money building homes. Pa told me of him talking about building during the winter and needing to stop every 20 minutes or so to shovel all the snow out of the way.
I wonder if this fellow is really happier now? I wonder if he wouldn't have been better off purchasing a smaller plot that was roughly in the price range of his previous residence. Being able to go bear hunting on his own property must be awesome but that point is somewhat mute, since he is out hustling enough money to pay the (relative to his income) huge mortgage instead of chasing bears and cougars behind a pack of dogs.
I don't know what is best for anybody else. However I think it is worth considering the lifestyle you want to live as a limiting factor for the kind of place you want to purchase.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Claire Wolfe Is Blogging
I can not say that I agree with her on everything. I can say her stuff is interesting and it makes me think. Check it out.
Maybe It Is Premature To Bet On The Euro
Greece is bankrupt. The regional currency they are a part of doesn't leave much room for economic maneuvering. Also their high level of socialist spending doesn't help matters any. To me this brings up a couple of interesting points. First the Euro is fairly new and relatively untested in times of economic turmoil. Secondly being part of a broad regional currency takes a lot of the traditional tools to fix economic problems away from a country.
Right now the dollar is back up to about .68 Euro. As the true problems of the Euro zone (they got into all the same stupid stuff the US did, just later and to a smaller degree) come to light over the next year it would not surprise me if it slips up into the .75-.80 range.
Right now the dollar is back up to about .68 Euro. As the true problems of the Euro zone (they got into all the same stupid stuff the US did, just later and to a smaller degree) come to light over the next year it would not surprise me if it slips up into the .75-.80 range.
The Plan
Awhile back I walked about plans. Have been tracking my New Years Resolutions for awhile now. We have been talking about mid range and long term plans here at the TOR house. Codifying them onto the blog is however problematic. So much stuff depends on how long I stay on Active Duty and where we are stationed. A plan that would be practical if we lived at Ft Rilley, KS would not work in Ft Drum, NY let alone overseas. Aside from generic stuff like: working on our food storage, trying to grow some stuff, saving money, squirreling away precious metals, kit, weapons and ammo it would be difficult to make meaningful plans.
There is a plan that has been forming in our minds. This plan doesn't have a definite start point. It starts when I leave Active Duty. Not even going to get into when, how or why I might do that as there are so many factors involved including: job satisfaction, Op Tempo, family happiness, life conditions, and the economy. In any case this could be called the 'I get out' plan.
Here are a few things which shape this plan.
First a long time ago Wifey and I made an agreement that we will not live more than 45 minutes from a reasonable sized town (our definition for this is pretty modest). This was defined as something big enough to get basic services. Realistically we are going to need to live relatively close to a town of this size anyway.
That brings us to the second point. In order to live the kind of lifestyle we want and pursue our various desires we will need a decent income. Yeah yeah yeah multiple streams of income from small home businesses, etc, etc. I have read the same stuff you have. Not going to say that I don't think that idea works, just that I don't think it will work for us. We have and or will acquire the skills (still not entirely sure what we want to be when we grow up;) necessary to make a decent living in a fairly rural area.
Third it is true that some well paying gigs can be found in very rural areas. Moving out to Timbuktu, WY population 57 for a great job is a nice idea. The concern I have about a lot of them is what happens if that gig ends? You need a place where you could realistically get another comparable job. These days most workers change jobs or even careers a few times in their working life. Also while I am not sure the world is going to radically change because of 'peak oil' I do think that whatever form of energy we are using to power vehicles broadly speaking the price is going to go up, not down. The days of 75 mile one way commutes will likely be over in the not that distant future.
Also I have some serious concerns about the idea that you just telecommute to the 'good job' back in the city and can live in Timbuktu, WY. Simply put if you can do it via phone, fax and the net some guy in China or India could do the same thing for a small fraction of the cost. In general it is somewhat egotistical to think that nobody else could do what you do but in some cases it might be true. For those cases my previously mentioned concern about finding a new job still comes up. Maybe the firm of Anderson and Sullivan is perfectly happy paying you the same wage to work from home because you do good work and the boss likes you. What happens when Anderson & Sullivan closes or the boss who always looked out for you retires? Trying to convince Jenkins & Collins you are super awesome and they should hire you and let you telecommute might be difficult or impossible.
Fourth I am not fundamentally convinced that even if money wasn't an issue I would want to live in a super remote place. I don't need to be able to get pizza delivered or anything but it would be nice to be able to decide to go get pizza/ Chinese/ Mexican at 5 o'clock and eat before 7:30. Being able to go catch a movie on a weekend night when you are bored is enjoyable.
One of the parts I really like about the Inland Pacific Northwest is that while there are some reasonably sized towns there is little to no 'urban sprawl'. If you are say 30 minutes outside of Colville, WA or Lewiston, ID or Bend, OR you are out in the sticks. Admittedly finding a place that is relatively isolated but big enough to offer basic services and a big enough economy to make the 2-3 job changes that are normal is an act of compromise. It is however the best answer I can come up with.
Anyway now that those beliefs and observations are out of the way, here is the plan.
We are going to move to the Inland Pacific Northwest, probably Idaho but won't rule out the some parts of WA or OR. [Time for a tangent. Lots of folks talk about how Idaho or Montana or whatever are the best place to be. While in general I agree these places offer some real benefits there isn't a magical line of freedom and safety that matches up with any state boundaries. A guy two miles west of the Idaho state line doesn't have a fundamentally different reality than one two miles east of it. Ditto for Montana or any other state. End tangent.] We plan to purchase a reasonable fixer upper style home on a few acres. Most likely somewhat near a little town that is not too far from the kind of midsized town I talked about above. It would be off of any major highways and distinctly outside of whatever little town we are near. I would say 3-5 as a minimum, maybe a but more depending on what is available and prices. A wood stove is essential and a basement would be a big plus. We have been doing some looking and enough homes in that region have basements that finding a home which suits our needs and has one is realistic.
I would not say this is a picture perfect retreat plan. Then again a rural home in an area with a generally sparse population on enough land to have a huge garden, some chickens and pigs plus maybe a milk cow is a far better setup than most other options. I would rather have a comfortably sized place that we can easily afford and pay off at an accelerated rate than a bigger piece of land which we have to reach a bit to pay off at the scheduled rate. Maybe in a few years or a decade we would upgrade to a bigger chunk of land (if your income grows) but then again maybe we would just stay put.
Between an office/ guest room and a couple sets of bunk beds in the basement the place will be set up to comfortably house several more people. If they are not already present outbuildings will be constructed to suit our needs. In time we will set up a decent alternate power system and if it isn't already so retrofit the place to have the heat and kitchen stove to propane. This would allow us to function in a fairly normal manner during the couple of power outages a year that are the norm. My dream setup would have a spring but that is probably pushing it and would make our search much more difficult. Having a shallow enough well to run on Solar Power with a big retaining tank is a reasonable alternative that would not break the bank.
Also about the time this plan gets seriously underway the LMI and I will start changing some plans from talk into action. My co author Ryan and I have talked about this and he plans to move to the same area. We don't plan to live together like hippies in a commune but being in the same area would be nice. Chad will likely gravitate toward the same area also. We will likely have some other LMI involved who may or may not make the move. A plan of stocking up on fuel and well varied bug out routes will be figured out, probably as a group project since we tend to have interests in the same areas. Establishing some caches along said routes is likely to mitigate the issues of distance.
I am interested in any feedback or thoughts you folks have. Think part of my plan is unrealistic? Got a part you think can be improved on?
END
There is a plan that has been forming in our minds. This plan doesn't have a definite start point. It starts when I leave Active Duty. Not even going to get into when, how or why I might do that as there are so many factors involved including: job satisfaction, Op Tempo, family happiness, life conditions, and the economy. In any case this could be called the 'I get out' plan.
Here are a few things which shape this plan.
First a long time ago Wifey and I made an agreement that we will not live more than 45 minutes from a reasonable sized town (our definition for this is pretty modest). This was defined as something big enough to get basic services. Realistically we are going to need to live relatively close to a town of this size anyway.
That brings us to the second point. In order to live the kind of lifestyle we want and pursue our various desires we will need a decent income. Yeah yeah yeah multiple streams of income from small home businesses, etc, etc. I have read the same stuff you have. Not going to say that I don't think that idea works, just that I don't think it will work for us. We have and or will acquire the skills (still not entirely sure what we want to be when we grow up;) necessary to make a decent living in a fairly rural area.
Third it is true that some well paying gigs can be found in very rural areas. Moving out to Timbuktu, WY population 57 for a great job is a nice idea. The concern I have about a lot of them is what happens if that gig ends? You need a place where you could realistically get another comparable job. These days most workers change jobs or even careers a few times in their working life. Also while I am not sure the world is going to radically change because of 'peak oil' I do think that whatever form of energy we are using to power vehicles broadly speaking the price is going to go up, not down. The days of 75 mile one way commutes will likely be over in the not that distant future.
Also I have some serious concerns about the idea that you just telecommute to the 'good job' back in the city and can live in Timbuktu, WY. Simply put if you can do it via phone, fax and the net some guy in China or India could do the same thing for a small fraction of the cost. In general it is somewhat egotistical to think that nobody else could do what you do but in some cases it might be true. For those cases my previously mentioned concern about finding a new job still comes up. Maybe the firm of Anderson and Sullivan is perfectly happy paying you the same wage to work from home because you do good work and the boss likes you. What happens when Anderson & Sullivan closes or the boss who always looked out for you retires? Trying to convince Jenkins & Collins you are super awesome and they should hire you and let you telecommute might be difficult or impossible.
Fourth I am not fundamentally convinced that even if money wasn't an issue I would want to live in a super remote place. I don't need to be able to get pizza delivered or anything but it would be nice to be able to decide to go get pizza/ Chinese/ Mexican at 5 o'clock and eat before 7:30. Being able to go catch a movie on a weekend night when you are bored is enjoyable.
One of the parts I really like about the Inland Pacific Northwest is that while there are some reasonably sized towns there is little to no 'urban sprawl'. If you are say 30 minutes outside of Colville, WA or Lewiston, ID or Bend, OR you are out in the sticks. Admittedly finding a place that is relatively isolated but big enough to offer basic services and a big enough economy to make the 2-3 job changes that are normal is an act of compromise. It is however the best answer I can come up with.
Anyway now that those beliefs and observations are out of the way, here is the plan.
We are going to move to the Inland Pacific Northwest, probably Idaho but won't rule out the some parts of WA or OR. [Time for a tangent. Lots of folks talk about how Idaho or Montana or whatever are the best place to be. While in general I agree these places offer some real benefits there isn't a magical line of freedom and safety that matches up with any state boundaries. A guy two miles west of the Idaho state line doesn't have a fundamentally different reality than one two miles east of it. Ditto for Montana or any other state. End tangent.] We plan to purchase a reasonable fixer upper style home on a few acres. Most likely somewhat near a little town that is not too far from the kind of midsized town I talked about above. It would be off of any major highways and distinctly outside of whatever little town we are near. I would say 3-5 as a minimum, maybe a but more depending on what is available and prices. A wood stove is essential and a basement would be a big plus. We have been doing some looking and enough homes in that region have basements that finding a home which suits our needs and has one is realistic.
I would not say this is a picture perfect retreat plan. Then again a rural home in an area with a generally sparse population on enough land to have a huge garden, some chickens and pigs plus maybe a milk cow is a far better setup than most other options. I would rather have a comfortably sized place that we can easily afford and pay off at an accelerated rate than a bigger piece of land which we have to reach a bit to pay off at the scheduled rate. Maybe in a few years or a decade we would upgrade to a bigger chunk of land (if your income grows) but then again maybe we would just stay put.
Between an office/ guest room and a couple sets of bunk beds in the basement the place will be set up to comfortably house several more people. If they are not already present outbuildings will be constructed to suit our needs. In time we will set up a decent alternate power system and if it isn't already so retrofit the place to have the heat and kitchen stove to propane. This would allow us to function in a fairly normal manner during the couple of power outages a year that are the norm. My dream setup would have a spring but that is probably pushing it and would make our search much more difficult. Having a shallow enough well to run on Solar Power with a big retaining tank is a reasonable alternative that would not break the bank.
Also about the time this plan gets seriously underway the LMI and I will start changing some plans from talk into action. My co author Ryan and I have talked about this and he plans to move to the same area. We don't plan to live together like hippies in a commune but being in the same area would be nice. Chad will likely gravitate toward the same area also. We will likely have some other LMI involved who may or may not make the move. A plan of stocking up on fuel and well varied bug out routes will be figured out, probably as a group project since we tend to have interests in the same areas. Establishing some caches along said routes is likely to mitigate the issues of distance.
I am interested in any feedback or thoughts you folks have. Think part of my plan is unrealistic? Got a part you think can be improved on?
END
Friday, January 29, 2010
This Amuses Me
This was on the blog a long time ago. It amused me a lot then. I thought about it a week or so ago and decided to watch it again. Hope you enjoy it half as much as I do.
I Can Haz Canner?
Have done some looking and thinking about canners. The All American looks great. American built and reliable appeals to me. However being too heavy to go on a flat top range is an issue seeing as that is what is in the kitchen. At some point I will get one but it will not suit my current needs.
Simply put I want to start canning stuff. In my observation when starting something new it is best to have as few obstacles as possible between you and the goal. Needing to get a turkey fryer with a big propane bottle and can stuff outside would be an obstacle. I think an 16 quart presto might be a good starter.
Thoughts?
Simply put I want to start canning stuff. In my observation when starting something new it is best to have as few obstacles as possible between you and the goal. Needing to get a turkey fryer with a big propane bottle and can stuff outside would be an obstacle. I think an 16 quart presto might be a good starter.
Thoughts?
quote of the day
"For me its about being realistically assessing your risks, and incorporating a survival mindset to your lifestyle."
-FerFAL
-FerFAL
Thursday, January 28, 2010
quote of the day
"I am fine knowing you love Stalin, its the hiding it and lying about it that I have had enough of."
-Pearls
-Pearls
Why I Am An Unabashed Capitalist
We have been real busy at work the past 3 weeks or so. I made special arrangements with my boss to skip out for a couple hours to take care of some stuff. Specifically my read passenger side tire has a slow leak I have been meaning to get fixed. The auto shop on post has a 9-9:30 am walk in time. I got there at 9:02 and said "my tire has a leak". The guy told me "um we are doing an inventory today so you need to go to the skill center". I get that with many businesses the place completely shuts down a few times a year to do a full inventory or what not. This was not the case. The place was open. The fat lazy slob just didn't want to do his darn job.
That would NEVER happen at a normal shop like a Les Schwab or Jimbo's Tires. An employee who blew off a customer like that would get seriously reprimanded if not fired on the spot. Not even Walmart employees would try and pull that garbage.
The thing is this guy doesn't care because there is no incentive for him to. Many mechanics or tire guys or whatnot get paid hourly. The difference is that in a private business they have an owner or a supervisor who is motivated by profit and thus cares about their profit which comes from how many customers get served.
Though I dislike this particular fellow I can't really blame these guys. People are motivated when they have incentives. Take away incentives (profit) and you take away motivation.
That is why I am an unabashed, unapologetic capitalist.
That would NEVER happen at a normal shop like a Les Schwab or Jimbo's Tires. An employee who blew off a customer like that would get seriously reprimanded if not fired on the spot. Not even Walmart employees would try and pull that garbage.
The thing is this guy doesn't care because there is no incentive for him to. Many mechanics or tire guys or whatnot get paid hourly. The difference is that in a private business they have an owner or a supervisor who is motivated by profit and thus cares about their profit which comes from how many customers get served.
Though I dislike this particular fellow I can't really blame these guys. People are motivated when they have incentives. Take away incentives (profit) and you take away motivation.
That is why I am an unabashed, unapologetic capitalist.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Worth Reading
FerFAL wrote a post on realistic vs 'gym' fighting. It touches on a lot of stuff and I found myself alternatively laughing and nodding my head in agreement. He and I have relatively similar backgrounds (MMA/ BJJ) so that isn't a big surprise. You might get something out of this and you might not, who knows.
In any case it should be good for a coffee breaks worth of entertainment.
In any case it should be good for a coffee breaks worth of entertainment.
Quote of the Day and Discussion
"Always Think Forfeture"
-The ATF
I do not have an issue with forfeiture as a broad concept. Money and possessions acquired as the fruit of criminal enterprises by convicted criminals should be put to the general good. I do have a real issue with agencies being able to keep the money they seize. Agencies profiting (or whatever you want to call it) from seizing money and goods creates an inherent self interest that is very definitely a bad thing.
Also I have a real issue with assets being seized when a conviction for a serious crime is not present. Lots of time people who are guilty as sin are not convicted for whatever reason, however in our system that means they are INNOCENT. We hear a story now and then about a guy who just deals in cash having a big wad taken from him and not being able to get it back. Admittedly those stories come from a fairly specific audience with views against this sort of thing. I am sure for every truly innocent guy whose money gets stolen there are a dozen crack dealers but that is not the point.
It seems like the well intentioned idea of asset forfeiture has been corrupted by a combination of bad laws and the self interest of various agencies who can seize funds.
-The ATF
I do not have an issue with forfeiture as a broad concept. Money and possessions acquired as the fruit of criminal enterprises by convicted criminals should be put to the general good. I do have a real issue with agencies being able to keep the money they seize. Agencies profiting (or whatever you want to call it) from seizing money and goods creates an inherent self interest that is very definitely a bad thing.
Also I have a real issue with assets being seized when a conviction for a serious crime is not present. Lots of time people who are guilty as sin are not convicted for whatever reason, however in our system that means they are INNOCENT. We hear a story now and then about a guy who just deals in cash having a big wad taken from him and not being able to get it back. Admittedly those stories come from a fairly specific audience with views against this sort of thing. I am sure for every truly innocent guy whose money gets stolen there are a dozen crack dealers but that is not the point.
It seems like the well intentioned idea of asset forfeiture has been corrupted by a combination of bad laws and the self interest of various agencies who can seize funds.
Winter Does Not Forgive
People talk about harsh environments and I think a cold snowy winter beats pretty much anything out. It at least ties with the desert. One could think long and hard about the pro's and cons of each but I don't feel like doing that. In any case simply put a cold snowy winter leaves little to no margin for error or bad luck.
Last night during land navigation a young man almost died.
We were supposed to be back by 8 o'clock. The young man in question has not back by 9:00 so a search party went out. At 10:00 higher ups started getting alerted. At 11:00 everybody lined up so we could walk the entire course at double arm intervals with white lights. Exactly like you see in the movies and on TV. Some folks found this guy at about 11:30.
What happened was that he got a bit wet. Somehow or another he got into some water that was moving and thus not frozen. At this point he started going into shock. I believe he failed to realize the severity of the situation he was in and went to get his last point before heading back. Personally I would have ran back to the start point. The course is roughly 4000m X 4000M and bordered on all sides by two lane hardball roads. You could not cross one by accident.
He was found about a mile out of the course. They found him face down in a snowy field. He was conscious but not verbally responsive. They got him to a hospital and there will be no effects which last more than a few days.
He was wearing the right gear. People knew he was out and when he should return. We had a pretty good idea of where he should be. He knew how to land nav. Heck a guy who could run decently wasn't 15 minutes from a gas station or a fast food joint.
If nobody knew when he was supposed to be back or in what area he was he would be dead. If there hadn't been a whole bunch of people right there to look for him he would be dead. Tonight it is a lot colder than last night. Had it been low 20's instead of 28-32 he would likely be dead.
The winter does not forgive.
This was a
Last night during land navigation a young man almost died.
We were supposed to be back by 8 o'clock. The young man in question has not back by 9:00 so a search party went out. At 10:00 higher ups started getting alerted. At 11:00 everybody lined up so we could walk the entire course at double arm intervals with white lights. Exactly like you see in the movies and on TV. Some folks found this guy at about 11:30.
What happened was that he got a bit wet. Somehow or another he got into some water that was moving and thus not frozen. At this point he started going into shock. I believe he failed to realize the severity of the situation he was in and went to get his last point before heading back. Personally I would have ran back to the start point. The course is roughly 4000m X 4000M and bordered on all sides by two lane hardball roads. You could not cross one by accident.
He was found about a mile out of the course. They found him face down in a snowy field. He was conscious but not verbally responsive. They got him to a hospital and there will be no effects which last more than a few days.
He was wearing the right gear. People knew he was out and when he should return. We had a pretty good idea of where he should be. He knew how to land nav. Heck a guy who could run decently wasn't 15 minutes from a gas station or a fast food joint.
If nobody knew when he was supposed to be back or in what area he was he would be dead. If there hadn't been a whole bunch of people right there to look for him he would be dead. Tonight it is a lot colder than last night. Had it been low 20's instead of 28-32 he would likely be dead.
The winter does not forgive.
This was a
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
quote of the day
"Partisans are free of supply worries only in the orthodox military sense. They can live without regular rations, blankets, underwear, shoelaces, and toothpaste. But they must eat."
-Leo Heiman, a veteran of the Rossokovsy Brigade of Russian Partisans
-Leo Heiman, a veteran of the Rossokovsy Brigade of Russian Partisans
A Couple Pieces Of Cold Weather Kit I Believe In
I have been spending a lot of time outside recently. There is several inches of snow on the ground and temps have clung in the 20's and occasionally gotten to 30-33ish Fahrenheit. Sometimes we are physically active but others (in typical military fashion) we stand around waiting. These temps are not 'that cold' and for someone going from the house to the car to the office a simple coat will suffice. Being outside for hours that does not work.
Gore Tex and Thinsulate boots have pretty much worked their way through the outdoor/ hunting community and are ever present in the military. These are about the best as you can get without serious Sorel style felt pack type winter boots.
In terms of long underwear I could not possibly give as glowing of a review as Polartec Power Dry (silkweight) deserves. I have used all sorts of long underwear from the generic cotton to miscellaneous synthetic stuff to polypro (both commerical and military) and have a hard time imagining why I would buy anything except this stuff. The only reason I could possibly think of is if I had a manual labor (construction type) job where stuff regularly got ripped up and I knew I would be home in a few hours and if need be I could go to my vehicle and get into spare dry cothes. Then maybe some cheap cotton type stuff would be OK.
However for military, outdoors and dare I say preparedness this stuff is the bees knees. It rolls up so a top or bottom is about the size of a rolled up pair of socks. Also it is darn warm and breathes/ wicks amazingly. Also it doesn't hold a smell like poly pro does. The only downside is that it is not cheap. The commercial stuff seems to be about $30 for a piece or $60 a set. One of the perks of my work is that I have a shelf full of the stuff. Probably enough to last me a lifetime, certainly a decade. Anyway I know that price is not cheap but in my opinion the stuff is totally worth it. I can attest to its durability. The first set of this stuff I got is 6 years old and while it has needed a seem sown here or there it is still going strong. I wear this stuff almost daily during the winter and can not say enough good things about it.
Gore Tex and Thinsulate boots have pretty much worked their way through the outdoor/ hunting community and are ever present in the military. These are about the best as you can get without serious Sorel style felt pack type winter boots.
In terms of long underwear I could not possibly give as glowing of a review as Polartec Power Dry (silkweight) deserves. I have used all sorts of long underwear from the generic cotton to miscellaneous synthetic stuff to polypro (both commerical and military) and have a hard time imagining why I would buy anything except this stuff. The only reason I could possibly think of is if I had a manual labor (construction type) job where stuff regularly got ripped up and I knew I would be home in a few hours and if need be I could go to my vehicle and get into spare dry cothes. Then maybe some cheap cotton type stuff would be OK.
However for military, outdoors and dare I say preparedness this stuff is the bees knees. It rolls up so a top or bottom is about the size of a rolled up pair of socks. Also it is darn warm and breathes/ wicks amazingly. Also it doesn't hold a smell like poly pro does. The only downside is that it is not cheap. The commercial stuff seems to be about $30 for a piece or $60 a set. One of the perks of my work is that I have a shelf full of the stuff. Probably enough to last me a lifetime, certainly a decade. Anyway I know that price is not cheap but in my opinion the stuff is totally worth it. I can attest to its durability. The first set of this stuff I got is 6 years old and while it has needed a seem sown here or there it is still going strong. I wear this stuff almost daily during the winter and can not say enough good things about it.
Monday, January 25, 2010
quote of the day
"Which is harder to believe, Massachusetts elects a Republican or Chevy makes a truck that goes 200,000 miles?"
-David Letterman
-David Letterman
Solar Ambitions
One of the few benefits of my current work situation is that I have a lot of time to think about stuff. Solar power has been on my list for awhile now and since it is #12 on my New Years Resolution list and I am looking at it in late Jan the odds it will get done are very high. Anyway here are my thoughts.
In some ways my current situation is not ideal. Heck, in a few ways it is not ideal. Then again I have a well compensated stable job in the middle of the worst depression in 80 years so it isn't all bad. I sort of try to strike a balance between getting stuff I can use now and getting stuff that is on my longer term lists. Stashing a case of ammo or a gun or some gold is an easy decision because this stuff is long term durable and nice to have around. For some other stuff I lean more towards what I could really use NOW. I think my immediate solar ambitions need to lean more towards NOW then stashing in the warehouse for the future.
The right setup for me right now might just be a solar battery charger and a bunch of rechargeable batteries. My goals for a small solar setup are rather modest. I would like to be able to have some lights and run the Grundig radio. If I could charge AA and D (ideally AAA also) batteries that would meet my goal.
Part of this was thinking about what I could really use now. I do not have the ability to mount stuff on the roof nor do I have a private yard at this time. If I recall correctly Conservative Scalawag mentioned having a similar dilemma. We have a big South facing window so I am sure I could set a small charger (or one per battery size as may be necessary) in a place where it would be able to do its job. Also the eccentricities of shipping my stuff back to the US mean I would likely need to either ship the marine style deep cell batteries which are the core of most small solar systems USPS or leave them behind. I learned an expensive lesson about shipping big heavy stuff last move and do not want to do that again. However a shoe box or two worth of AAA, AA and D batteries would go a long way towards meeting my immediate self sufficient power goals and would be easy to ship back home.
I have been meaning to make the move to rechargeable batteries anyway. Picking up a normal battery charger also would be easy to do.
In a few years when our housing situation is more compatible with solar and we are back in the US a couple of solar panels with an inverter and a couple big batteries will be purchased. I will pick up some LED lights that will be situated around the house and run off of the big batteries. Eventually when we are permanently (or at least relatively so) settled getting a half dozen big panels and a corresponding amount of batteries to run a whole slew of low power stuff. At that point I will stash the small and medium size setups for a rainy day, probably in a Faraday cage just in case of a One Second After scenario.
Do you have experience with any products that would fill my current need? Thoughts on the plan in general?
In some ways my current situation is not ideal. Heck, in a few ways it is not ideal. Then again I have a well compensated stable job in the middle of the worst depression in 80 years so it isn't all bad. I sort of try to strike a balance between getting stuff I can use now and getting stuff that is on my longer term lists. Stashing a case of ammo or a gun or some gold is an easy decision because this stuff is long term durable and nice to have around. For some other stuff I lean more towards what I could really use NOW. I think my immediate solar ambitions need to lean more towards NOW then stashing in the warehouse for the future.
The right setup for me right now might just be a solar battery charger and a bunch of rechargeable batteries. My goals for a small solar setup are rather modest. I would like to be able to have some lights and run the Grundig radio. If I could charge AA and D (ideally AAA also) batteries that would meet my goal.
Part of this was thinking about what I could really use now. I do not have the ability to mount stuff on the roof nor do I have a private yard at this time. If I recall correctly Conservative Scalawag mentioned having a similar dilemma. We have a big South facing window so I am sure I could set a small charger (or one per battery size as may be necessary) in a place where it would be able to do its job. Also the eccentricities of shipping my stuff back to the US mean I would likely need to either ship the marine style deep cell batteries which are the core of most small solar systems USPS or leave them behind. I learned an expensive lesson about shipping big heavy stuff last move and do not want to do that again. However a shoe box or two worth of AAA, AA and D batteries would go a long way towards meeting my immediate self sufficient power goals and would be easy to ship back home.
I have been meaning to make the move to rechargeable batteries anyway. Picking up a normal battery charger also would be easy to do.
In a few years when our housing situation is more compatible with solar and we are back in the US a couple of solar panels with an inverter and a couple big batteries will be purchased. I will pick up some LED lights that will be situated around the house and run off of the big batteries. Eventually when we are permanently (or at least relatively so) settled getting a half dozen big panels and a corresponding amount of batteries to run a whole slew of low power stuff. At that point I will stash the small and medium size setups for a rainy day, probably in a Faraday cage just in case of a One Second After scenario.
Do you have experience with any products that would fill my current need? Thoughts on the plan in general?
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Guerrilla Logistics -- "Organized Looting: The Basis of Partisan Warfare."
I found this gem at Sipsey Street Irregulars. It is 8 pages but very worth reading.
quote of the day
"I preach doom and despair, living below your income to prepare, getting ready for the Apocalypse
."
-James Dakin
."-James Dakin
Got Berkey?
Directive 21 just put up a special for the Travel Berkey, the new price is 205 dollars for a limited time.
What Did You Do To Prepare This Week?
A couple good things happened this week. First I got refreshed on some relatively advanced medical skills like needle chest decompression and NPA tubes plus generic evaluate a casualty, trauma and treatment of shock and use of tourniquets. That was good and reminded me I need to check on our medical kits and pick up some more medical gear. Maybe this will happen the next full weekend we have off.
Also I got a package this week. It had a half dozen books an awesome reader sent me. I am really excited to read them then discuss the content here. Free books are amazing. Thanks again Buddy!
I am still reading Patriots (the newer updated one) and enjoying it. Don't have much time these days but I am trying to read a few pages every night before going to bed. Wanted to pick up Atlas Shrugged but the book store didn't have it. Will order on my next Amazon buy in a week.
Got another one of those sweet Energizer LED lanterns also. Now we have a his and hers set. In other words next time the lights go out I will be able to use a decent lantern also. Last time Wifey quickly claimed the good one. We can still use a backup or two but they are cheap enough to toss into an order or package.
Edited to include: We also got another case of toilet paper and some Neosporin.
In terms of life I have been working a lot more hours recently. Usually we work 5X 11 or so but there a long lunch where I generally blog and flexibility during the day to run a quick errand or whatnot so it isn't too bad. Not we are working 6X 12.5-13 with no time to do anything during the day. It is really running me down but oh well. In a couple weeks it will be back to normal.
I have lost a three of the seven or so pounds I gained over the holiday season.Not too worried about a few vanity pounds but getting back to my normal walking around weight isn't a bad thing. Haven't been doing much PT but have walked around a lot. Also just standing outside shivering seems to help.
All and all for a busy week I got a few things accomplished which is about all that can be expected.
Also I got a package this week. It had a half dozen books an awesome reader sent me. I am really excited to read them then discuss the content here. Free books are amazing. Thanks again Buddy!
I am still reading Patriots (the newer updated one) and enjoying it. Don't have much time these days but I am trying to read a few pages every night before going to bed. Wanted to pick up Atlas Shrugged but the book store didn't have it. Will order on my next Amazon buy in a week.
Got another one of those sweet Energizer LED lanterns also. Now we have a his and hers set. In other words next time the lights go out I will be able to use a decent lantern also. Last time Wifey quickly claimed the good one. We can still use a backup or two but they are cheap enough to toss into an order or package.
Edited to include: We also got another case of toilet paper and some Neosporin.
In terms of life I have been working a lot more hours recently. Usually we work 5X 11 or so but there a long lunch where I generally blog and flexibility during the day to run a quick errand or whatnot so it isn't too bad. Not we are working 6X 12.5-13 with no time to do anything during the day. It is really running me down but oh well. In a couple weeks it will be back to normal.
I have lost a three of the seven or so pounds I gained over the holiday season.Not too worried about a few vanity pounds but getting back to my normal walking around weight isn't a bad thing. Haven't been doing much PT but have walked around a lot. Also just standing outside shivering seems to help.
All and all for a busy week I got a few things accomplished which is about all that can be expected.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Just Feels Like A Good Year Is Coming
My predictions for this year are already on the record. However recently on an individual scale it feels like it is going to be a great year for Wifey and I. Lots of stuff is going well, things are clicking and falling into place all around. Maybe part of it is that we are getting better at setting realistic plans and sticking to them. I do not know exactly. Admittedly this is pretty much just a feeling we have but things seem to just be coming together.
Friday, January 22, 2010
This Amuses Me
Warning: This video has lots of curse words so if that offends you do not watch it. However it is totally hilarious and sums up the whole Bushmaster ACR debacle almost perfectly so many of you will enjoy it. Personally I will stick with the AR platform though if my finances are decent over a long enough time line I will get a Steyre- Aug also for no more reason than that I really want one.
quote of the day
"They say the banks are too big to fail, I say lets make them smaller"
-Jim Wallace
-Jim Wallace
Thursday, January 21, 2010
In Honor Of My Favorite Looter
I was reminded of this great pic a couple days ago and have been thinking about Heineken since. Today on the way home I decided to pick up a 22 ounce bottle to enjoy this evening after dinner. While Heineken Man got a whole tub of the stuff for free the bottle I got cost $1.95. One of the bright sides of not drinking that much (been trending generally downward for several months or so and recently cut back some more) is that I can drink basically whatever I want.
Anyway as I enjoy the last of my beer I just want to say, here's to you Heineken Man!
Got Emergency Fund
OUR 3 MONTH EMERGENCY SAVINGS ACCOUNT IS FULLY FUNDED!
While it isn't a lot more than we had last week we have reached our happy number which is a good thing. I feel secure knowing we can now weather most of life's various financial emergencies. I also feel very proud that we got this done in a bit less than 13 months. Also now that it is funded we can put the money which has been going there every paycheck to other purposes. We can now begin saving in earnest for a reliable second car.
It is great when a lot of hard work comes together into completing a significant goal.
While it isn't a lot more than we had last week we have reached our happy number which is a good thing. I feel secure knowing we can now weather most of life's various financial emergencies. I also feel very proud that we got this done in a bit less than 13 months. Also now that it is funded we can put the money which has been going there every paycheck to other purposes. We can now begin saving in earnest for a reliable second car.
It is great when a lot of hard work comes together into completing a significant goal.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Got Canner?
Wifey and I are in the market for a pressure canner. We want one that is big enough to hold a few jars and is a good reliable piece of equipment. Not too worried about price as long as it isn't insanely expensive. Do you have any suggestions?
quote of the day
"If you don't kill the criminals, they will all come back,"
a Haitian police officer
a Haitian police officer
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
This Could Help Make Things Interesting
In a stunning loss for Democrats and a dramatic victory for the GOP, Republican Scott Brown wins the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts.
What will it mean? Probably not a whole lot but at this point any news is good news. Also this is probably an indicator of things to come.
What will it mean? Probably not a whole lot but at this point any news is good news. Also this is probably an indicator of things to come.
quote of the day
"I like a drink as much as the next man, unless the next man is Mel Gibson."
-Ricky Gervais
-Ricky Gervais
What Did You Do To Prepare This Week?
This week my efforts were all over the place but still good. We knocked off two New Years Resolutions (#3A and #11) ordering a Berkey filter and a 37" Toshiba TV. It will be really nice to have a TV that is 10 inches bigger than our current one, without a scratched screen and including a functional remote control (we tried a universal remote, I think the sensor is busted). Also got a good start on another resolution ( #6) today. I decided to just stick with my dollar cost averaging (ish) plan after all.
Practiced on some first aid and heavy weapons (M2 and MK19) skills this week at work.
Also got more food and stashed it in the alternate pantry. Wifey helped me do that and pointed out some gaps in our stores. We can use more canned fruits and vegetables as well as granola bars or other quick snack stuff.
Did maintenance on the car today. Boring stuff but it keeps the thing running.
Fiddled with the radio some yesterday and today. Got to improve my equipment and skills in this area as weeks go by.
Practiced on some first aid and heavy weapons (M2 and MK19) skills this week at work.
Also got more food and stashed it in the alternate pantry. Wifey helped me do that and pointed out some gaps in our stores. We can use more canned fruits and vegetables as well as granola bars or other quick snack stuff.
Did maintenance on the car today. Boring stuff but it keeps the thing running.
Fiddled with the radio some yesterday and today. Got to improve my equipment and skills in this area as weeks go by.
Monday, January 18, 2010
An Interesting Discussion Going On At Surviving In Argentina
This and this are worth reading. Also my comment about dealing with the ammo shortage of last winter is on the main page. Man that was a dumb thing to do. Space was at a real premium in our cars for the drive but a shoe box full of .38 would have given me peace of mind. The real kicker is that I had the ammo and just didn't bring it. Oh well it was a busy time and we had lots of stuff on our minds.
In any case having a couple hundred rounds per gun is probably reasonable advice for someone who is just getting started or is cautious but not full bore paranoid. Probably enough ammo for anything other than a Mad Max scenario.
In any case having a couple hundred rounds per gun is probably reasonable advice for someone who is just getting started or is cautious but not full bore paranoid. Probably enough ammo for anything other than a Mad Max scenario.
quote of the day
"We have socialized risk and privatized gain."
-Eliot Spitzer last night on GPS with Fareed Zakari. I do not generally watch anything on CNN or like GPS. However they had Eliot Spitzer and the guy from Freakanomics on so it was interesting.
The guy is a first rate jerk by pretty much every account. His use of the obscure Martin Act as NY Attorney General was described as "the most egregious and unacceptable form of intimidation we've seen in this country in modern times." Basically my understanding is that he would just mess with people until he found something to convict them on or they were just ruined in legal fees or had their reputations permanently tarnished. Also as a special bit of irony he went after people for the (essentially victimless) crime of high end prostitution. One might find it amusing that he spent about a hundred thousand dollars on prostitutes, most notably Ashley Dupre. Any group of people who are foolish to elect him back into office truly deserve what they get.
In any case none of that matters because the quote is dead on.
-Eliot Spitzer last night on GPS with Fareed Zakari. I do not generally watch anything on CNN or like GPS. However they had Eliot Spitzer and the guy from Freakanomics on so it was interesting.
The guy is a first rate jerk by pretty much every account. His use of the obscure Martin Act as NY Attorney General was described as "the most egregious and unacceptable form of intimidation we've seen in this country in modern times." Basically my understanding is that he would just mess with people until he found something to convict them on or they were just ruined in legal fees or had their reputations permanently tarnished. Also as a special bit of irony he went after people for the (essentially victimless) crime of high end prostitution. One might find it amusing that he spent about a hundred thousand dollars on prostitutes, most notably Ashley Dupre. Any group of people who are foolish to elect him back into office truly deserve what they get.
In any case none of that matters because the quote is dead on.
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Check out their site and blog. Even if you really aren't in the market for anything there is lots of interesting stuff at no cost and the free downloads section has some gem's. I am really enjoying the Survival, Evasion,and Recovery (SERE) Military Manual 21-76-1.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Radio Log 1
Doing some fiddling with the SW radio. Picked up some Chinese station on 49 meter (5960 to be precise). It is loud but not very clear. Fun times.
Also another station at 7367. It is something about China. I am somewhat unsure. It is quieter than the other one but clearer.
Also another station at 7367. It is something about China. I am somewhat unsure. It is quieter than the other one but clearer.
Hilarious
We are just starting Lost Season 4. Our season 3 DVD for the last episode (from the library) didn't work. We are watching the Lost in 8:15 recap. It literally catches you up on everything that happens in 3 whole seasons of Lost in 8 minutes and 15 seconds. It is a woman narrating the entire story in a very fast and matter of fact manner. Pretty awesome and totally hilarious.
This Is Why I Believe In High Capacity Semi Automatic Rifles
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Specifically I favor high capacity semi automatic rifles. They are not the cheapest answer but for multiple goblins I believe they are the best answer.
I like shotguns for very close range (you could debate the actual distance but 30 yards or so is realistic) and specifically home defense. Pistols are just about useless except for concealable defensive purposes. For serious bad situation defense (LA Riots, Katrina, pretty much every other day in Haiti) I would want a rifle.
Surplus bolt guns are pretty useful in the right hands as noted in this article. However I can not help but question the wisdom of working very hard to make a tool serve a purpose it is not ideally suited for. Practicing reloading and cycling a bolt gun for a very long time will not get the speed of target engagement of a Mini 14/ AR/AK/HK91/FN-FAL/ M1A with half the practice, let alone the same amount of it. These more modern firearms are just capable of engaging multiple targets far faster. They also reload a lot faster and hold at least twice as many rounds as the old bolt guns.
There are reasons one might go with a bolt gun. They are by far the most economical rifles out there so for people on long term low budgets they have a real appeal. While it might fail the common caliber test (close but not quite IMO) 7.62x54R ammo is currently quite reasonably priced which helps one equip those rifles on a lower budget. Ones in good condition can be quite reliable and rugged. Also these rifles have a certain mystique which appeals to folks of certain viewpoints. Having a budget rifle that you can hunt big game with is practical.
A big bayonet and knowing how to use it effectively (prior military training or get a book and practice with a buddy) is a good start. Having a bayonet and a pistol is probably a better approach. In the past I made some sacrifices to acquire a semi automatic rifle well suited to the role of two legged varmint because I believe it is the best tool for that role. You may or may not choose to do the same but if you don't get a bayonet and a pistol. Practice using the bayonet and also shifting from the rifle to the pistol.
Worst case if you can't afford a pistol get a machete as a last ditch backup.
I think this post might win the award for most labels and pics in a normal post to date.
Thoughts?
Saturday, January 16, 2010
quote of the day
"I would appreciate it if from now on you proofread any and all hate mail. "
-Shauna Glenn
-Shauna Glenn
My Brain Is Fried
It has been one of those weeks. A combination of being cold and bored and doing very specific tasks for a long time have just fried my brain. I've just got nothing today. There is always stuff in my head but nothing is forming into meaningful phrases let alone turning into a post, let alone a decent one. I do however realize that me barely watching the US news is having positive effects on my overall stress and irritation levels with political stuff. Occasionally I watch a bit of Fox News and I usually get a bit of BBC every day.
The BBC isn't perfect and they have a somewhat leftist perspective. I sort of listen to them from a Joe Friday "Just the facts Ma'am" perspective. They give a better snapshot of world events than any other news channel I have ever seen.
I get enough of the news to know what is actually happening but not the constant worrying about everything some vaguely prominent liberal Democratic talking head says. In retrospect listening to conservative and Republican talking heads theorize and discuss the stuff the liberal talking heads are trying to do doesn't help either. I do not know what the right level of news/ information is but being able to stay more or less abreast of current events without getting yourself all stressed out is a nice idea.
I have two day off which is nice. No huge plans here. Going to pick up some extra food at the store tomorrow to help in building up the alternate pantry. Plan to fiddle with the shortwave radio some. Also going to fiddle around on the net to find some stations to listen to. Got some various stuff to organize. Also need to give my winter boots the water proofing treatment. They are Gore Tex so my feet don't get wet unless I submerge them fully or stand in water for a long time. However the leather is soaking up water which means my toes freeze.
Got to organize some stuff and try and crank out a few more posts to schedule for the FTX. Also I need to sweep the whole house and do some other mundane but essential tasks.
Got a couple of thoughts about how I am going to fill the weekends posts. Think I am going to bed pretty soon.
The BBC isn't perfect and they have a somewhat leftist perspective. I sort of listen to them from a Joe Friday "Just the facts Ma'am" perspective. They give a better snapshot of world events than any other news channel I have ever seen.
I get enough of the news to know what is actually happening but not the constant worrying about everything some vaguely prominent liberal Democratic talking head says. In retrospect listening to conservative and Republican talking heads theorize and discuss the stuff the liberal talking heads are trying to do doesn't help either. I do not know what the right level of news/ information is but being able to stay more or less abreast of current events without getting yourself all stressed out is a nice idea.
I have two day off which is nice. No huge plans here. Going to pick up some extra food at the store tomorrow to help in building up the alternate pantry. Plan to fiddle with the shortwave radio some. Also going to fiddle around on the net to find some stations to listen to. Got some various stuff to organize. Also need to give my winter boots the water proofing treatment. They are Gore Tex so my feet don't get wet unless I submerge them fully or stand in water for a long time. However the leather is soaking up water which means my toes freeze.
Got to organize some stuff and try and crank out a few more posts to schedule for the FTX. Also I need to sweep the whole house and do some other mundane but essential tasks.
Got a couple of thoughts about how I am going to fill the weekends posts. Think I am going to bed pretty soon.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Question of the Day
It is getting close to the usual precious metals buying time for our household. Do you think it is a good time to buy or to wait another month or two?
I ask this sort of thing because I do not really have a disciplined market based method for buying PM's. I just sort of save money and then buy some. Anyway I am also always curious to see how other people interpret the same sort of information I am getting.
I ask this sort of thing because I do not really have a disciplined market based method for buying PM's. I just sort of save money and then buy some. Anyway I am also always curious to see how other people interpret the same sort of information I am getting.
Do Something
Some of you probably read this review of Patriots. Jim Rawles's reply to the review was interesting also. I am however not so concerned about either. I sort of got stick on a single sentence of that review and can't get it out of my head.
"Even a single can of food tucked away or a single useful book read and understood is better than despair."
- Tom Baugh
Some jobs are only available in urban areas or even big cities. Some folks have family or cultural ties in an area. Some (as bad of a situation in so many ways as it is) stay in an area or a home because it is what is necessary to stay married. For others the idea of a nice little farm house on some decent acreage is just not realistic and the idea of a travel trailer on an acre of desert land is not appealing.
I have some thoughts on what you should do to prepare. Not going to bother to rehash them, just read the blog. For looking up a specific topic the search bar then clicking on the applicable 'tag' is a good method. One could probably spend a morning drinking coffee or an evening drinking whatever beverage they prefer and get a decent idea on my thoughts about a topic. If that doesn't work just send me an email and I will probably write about it.
In any case the fundamental point is TO DO SOMETHING TO PREPARE! Store some food, learn to shoot a gun, pick up a couple boxes of band aids or shotgun shells or packs of batteries. Learn about home defense and security and primitive sanitation. We could talk about what you could or should do all day long.
The fundamental point is to just DO SOMETHING.
"Even a single can of food tucked away or a single useful book read and understood is better than despair."
- Tom Baugh
Some jobs are only available in urban areas or even big cities. Some folks have family or cultural ties in an area. Some (as bad of a situation in so many ways as it is) stay in an area or a home because it is what is necessary to stay married. For others the idea of a nice little farm house on some decent acreage is just not realistic and the idea of a travel trailer on an acre of desert land is not appealing.
I have some thoughts on what you should do to prepare. Not going to bother to rehash them, just read the blog. For looking up a specific topic the search bar then clicking on the applicable 'tag' is a good method. One could probably spend a morning drinking coffee or an evening drinking whatever beverage they prefer and get a decent idea on my thoughts about a topic. If that doesn't work just send me an email and I will probably write about it.
In any case the fundamental point is TO DO SOMETHING TO PREPARE! Store some food, learn to shoot a gun, pick up a couple boxes of band aids or shotgun shells or packs of batteries. Learn about home defense and security and primitive sanitation. We could talk about what you could or should do all day long.
The fundamental point is to just DO SOMETHING.
quote of the day
“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
-Winston Churchill
-Winston Churchill
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Priorities, Random Thoughts.
I have been thinking a lot about prioritization lately. It is fine to say "pick up a dozen of these" or "you need that" but that is only half the picture. We have limited resources. Without even discussing what % of total household income to put towards preps we all have an amount that is going there. Some of us make more or are able/ willing to put more towards it but that is irrelevant. The issue is that we all have finite resources and lots of desires. Invariably we find ourselves choosing to purchase/ acquire/ learn/ do one thing over another.
Just because something is neat or would be useful does not mean it is the best way to spend your dollars.
I have spoken about this before. I think proportionality is important. Having years worth of food and 100 rounds of ammo for your gun doesn't make sense. Having a ginormous safe full of guns but no money set aside for a rainy day doesn't make sense. Common sense stuff.
I also think when weighing apples and oranges (or food and shotgun shells or gold vs savings or whatever) it is important to consider what is more likely to affect your ability to survive a multitude of situations. Sometimes an apple is more important or a better value than the orange.
The thing that has helped me most in this area (still not perfect but I am getting better) is to plan in advance and be as dispassionate as possible. Planning far in advance (I planned prep purchases over $100 for the year) helps to take a big picture look at things. It is easier to be conceptual when you are not at the gun shop (this has been my over spent area and is for a lot of folks) or the radio shop or on amazon with a few bucks burning a whole in your pocket.
Just because something is neat or would be useful does not mean it is the best way to spend your dollars.
I have spoken about this before. I think proportionality is important. Having years worth of food and 100 rounds of ammo for your gun doesn't make sense. Having a ginormous safe full of guns but no money set aside for a rainy day doesn't make sense. Common sense stuff.
I also think when weighing apples and oranges (or food and shotgun shells or gold vs savings or whatever) it is important to consider what is more likely to affect your ability to survive a multitude of situations. Sometimes an apple is more important or a better value than the orange.
The thing that has helped me most in this area (still not perfect but I am getting better) is to plan in advance and be as dispassionate as possible. Planning far in advance (I planned prep purchases over $100 for the year) helps to take a big picture look at things. It is easier to be conceptual when you are not at the gun shop (this has been my over spent area and is for a lot of folks) or the radio shop or on amazon with a few bucks burning a whole in your pocket.
quote of the day
"I've learned a valuable lesson with this cold snap. First, I've learned that Al Gore is a complete $*#@ing moron, and second, I've learned that I should triple the amount of firewood I think I might need."
-Mayberry
-Mayberry
Emergency Preparedness for Those With Type-1 Diabetes By Rourke
Emergency Preparedness for Those With Type-1 Diabetes
People with Type-1 Diabetes are very vulnerable to any type of disaster event. These diabetics are entirely dependant on insulin to live. They are also dependant on battery powered glucose meters/test strips to monitor blood sugar, and battery powered insulin pumps or a supply of syringes to self-medicate. Additionally - insulin supplies must be kept refrigerated or their life expectancy will decrease.
Those with type-1 diabetes are especially challenged when planning their preparations:
Supplies - you need to have stocked up enough testing equipment, insulin, and methods of administrating the insulin for however long you anticipate the "event" to take place.
Storage of supplies must be correct - all supplies must be kept dry, sanitary and insulin must be refrigerated/cooled.
Stress from a disaster situation can cause blood sugars to be erratic - meaning that blood sugars must be monitored closer and more often than during normal times.
First - preparing a "diabetes survival kit" involves having a cooler available to fill with ice/ice packs once the power goes out to store all insulin. Additionally - a 12V refrigerator must be available as a back up to the cooler just in case the power is out past the life of the ice. Modern insulin shelf life is drastically shortened if left at room temperature. 12V refrigerators can be purchased for around $80 and plug into a 12V plug in an automobile. This is critical.
Second - a small backpack or fanny pack filled with the rest of your supplies must be organized. This fanny pack contains syringes, insulin pump sites, insulin cartridges, batteries, alcohol pads, lancets, spare pump, at least 2 glucose meters, test strips, and at least 2 "stickers" for obtaining blood droplet. The total amount of supplies really depends on what you are preparing for.
Third - it is very important that a Glucagon Emergency Kit is available as well as candy or glucose tablets in case blood sugar drops dangerously low. All members of your group need to know what to do incase blood sugar drops to extreme low numbers.
Anyone that has read the fantastic book “One Second After” clearly understands the importance of stockpiling and maintaining supplies for those type-1 diabetics in your group or family. It is rather simple – without insulin – they will die. Supplies must be stockpiling and backup systems for caring for those supplies must be put in place.
One problem that is confronted by most all "survivalist" diabetics involves getting extra supplies. Due to needing a prescription for insulin - you cannot simply buy extra. Talk to your doctor and ask them to write the prescriptions for a little higher than anticipated use so as to build a back up supply. Extra glucose meters can often be obtained for free from doctors - or purchased for very little money at Wal-Mart, pharmacies, and the internet. Test strips are very expensive. Again - ask your doctor to overwrite your prescription by 50 test strips per month to build your supply. Tell your doctor that you have to supply school as well at home possibly. Often test strips can be found on eBay at a great discount. Also “store brand" testers and test strips can be purchased on sale and on clearance.
Below is an example checklist for a typical person with Type-1 Diabetes considering a 3 month supply level:
2 Glucose Meters w/3 extra batteries
3 months Test Strips (blood tests per day x 90 days = test strip qty)
30 Insulin Insertion Sights
2 Sight Serters
1 Alcohol Pads/box
2 months of insulin used daily
3 month Syringes (shots per day x 90 days = syringe strip qty)
2 Insulin Pumps – if used
3 months Insulin Cartridges – if used
Some diabetics take more than 1 type of insulin. No matter your regimen, it is important that you have extra supplies as well as a method to safely store them until things return to normal.
On a final note – it is important that diabetics take care of themselves before a disaster strikes as well as after. During a disaster is not the time to begin to experience complications with diabetes that was preventable with the correct behavior before the disaster struck. You also would not want to experience a low blood sugar in the midst of a fire fight either. Checking your blood sugar regularly, eating right, and effective insulin dosing is critical to short term and well as long term health.
Take care all -
Rourke
www.WorldInfoCD.com & http://prepare4disaster.
People with Type-1 Diabetes are very vulnerable to any type of disaster event. These diabetics are entirely dependant on insulin to live. They are also dependant on battery powered glucose meters/test strips to monitor blood sugar, and battery powered insulin pumps or a supply of syringes to self-medicate. Additionally - insulin supplies must be kept refrigerated or their life expectancy will decrease.
Those with type-1 diabetes are especially challenged when planning their preparations:
Supplies - you need to have stocked up enough testing equipment, insulin, and methods of administrating the insulin for however long you anticipate the "event" to take place.
Storage of supplies must be correct - all supplies must be kept dry, sanitary and insulin must be refrigerated/cooled.
Stress from a disaster situation can cause blood sugars to be erratic - meaning that blood sugars must be monitored closer and more often than during normal times.
First - preparing a "diabetes survival kit" involves having a cooler available to fill with ice/ice packs once the power goes out to store all insulin. Additionally - a 12V refrigerator must be available as a back up to the cooler just in case the power is out past the life of the ice. Modern insulin shelf life is drastically shortened if left at room temperature. 12V refrigerators can be purchased for around $80 and plug into a 12V plug in an automobile. This is critical.
Second - a small backpack or fanny pack filled with the rest of your supplies must be organized. This fanny pack contains syringes, insulin pump sites, insulin cartridges, batteries, alcohol pads, lancets, spare pump, at least 2 glucose meters, test strips, and at least 2 "stickers" for obtaining blood droplet. The total amount of supplies really depends on what you are preparing for.
Third - it is very important that a Glucagon Emergency Kit is available as well as candy or glucose tablets in case blood sugar drops dangerously low. All members of your group need to know what to do incase blood sugar drops to extreme low numbers.
Anyone that has read the fantastic book “One Second After” clearly understands the importance of stockpiling and maintaining supplies for those type-1 diabetics in your group or family. It is rather simple – without insulin – they will die. Supplies must be stockpiling and backup systems for caring for those supplies must be put in place.
One problem that is confronted by most all "survivalist" diabetics involves getting extra supplies. Due to needing a prescription for insulin - you cannot simply buy extra. Talk to your doctor and ask them to write the prescriptions for a little higher than anticipated use so as to build a back up supply. Extra glucose meters can often be obtained for free from doctors - or purchased for very little money at Wal-Mart, pharmacies, and the internet. Test strips are very expensive. Again - ask your doctor to overwrite your prescription by 50 test strips per month to build your supply. Tell your doctor that you have to supply school as well at home possibly. Often test strips can be found on eBay at a great discount. Also “store brand" testers and test strips can be purchased on sale and on clearance.
Below is an example checklist for a typical person with Type-1 Diabetes considering a 3 month supply level:
2 Glucose Meters w/3 extra batteries
3 months Test Strips (blood tests per day x 90 days = test strip qty)
30 Insulin Insertion Sights
2 Sight Serters
1 Alcohol Pads/box
2 months of insulin used daily
3 month Syringes (shots per day x 90 days = syringe strip qty)
2 Insulin Pumps – if used
3 months Insulin Cartridges – if used
Some diabetics take more than 1 type of insulin. No matter your regimen, it is important that you have extra supplies as well as a method to safely store them until things return to normal.
On a final note – it is important that diabetics take care of themselves before a disaster strikes as well as after. During a disaster is not the time to begin to experience complications with diabetes that was preventable with the correct behavior before the disaster struck. You also would not want to experience a low blood sugar in the midst of a fire fight either. Checking your blood sugar regularly, eating right, and effective insulin dosing is critical to short term and well as long term health.
Take care all -
Rourke
www.WorldInfoCD.com & http://prepare4disaster.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
quote of the day
"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."
Winston Churchill
quote of the day
"What really happened? They didn't like us and they threw us out."
Simon Cowell giving a concise but accurate history of the American Revolution.
Simon Cowell giving a concise but accurate history of the American Revolution.
Got My Radio
Yesterday my Grundig 350dl came in the mail. I was initially impressed that it seems well designed and sturdy in construction. That it can run on batteries OR get plugged in is nice. That it will run on EITHER D or AA batteries is just neat. Once I got to fiddling with it a bit it seems to have some nice features. I do not have enough experience with this product to really review it but my initial impression is that it is darn nice. Also it came highly recommended. I did a very unmanly thing and actually read the instruction book. Got some basic info on how it worked and then started fiddling. I fiddled around for awhile. Lots of people broadcasting in German, Spanish and Russian. Some of what I am almost positive was Arabic too. Finally picked up one English station somewhere in the 41 meter band.
Thinking that I need an external antenna and a book on like who typically broadcasts where and that sort of stuff in order to really get some mileage out of this great new tool. Had a done a bit more research I would have just ordered these both initially. For people looking to go short wave I would suggest that course of action.
Any suggestions?
Thinking that I need an external antenna and a book on like who typically broadcasts where and that sort of stuff in order to really get some mileage out of this great new tool. Had a done a bit more research I would have just ordered these both initially. For people looking to go short wave I would suggest that course of action.
Any suggestions?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Discipline
I got an email from a fellow about a week back. He asked about being disciplined, particularly in the areas of food storage and physical fitness/ exercise. I was flattered that he thought me to be capable of talking on this topic. Suppose in some respects I am relatively self disciplined as with anyone else I have areas where I am not so great.
Lets start with a definition of self discipline from our friends at Wikipedia. "Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of 'self control'."
Some of it is admittedly personality. I remember when I was 18. I really wanted a rifle, not just any rifle but an AR. I had a typical (during school) situation where I had a couple part time jobs which payed car insurance and gas plus left a few bucks leftover for typical entertainment and pocket money. I figured out that at that time it would cost me about $1,200 to get an AR, about a dozen mags and a (to me at that time) decent amount of ammo. So I got to saving. By slashing non essential purchases I was able to put $5 or $10 away most every week. That winter break I worked full time almost every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas. Working full time while your friends sleep in and hang out sucks. I kept saving and squirreling away money. Had a drug dealer style wad of fives and tens and twenties in my sock drawer. While I was saving I pretty much didn't do anything with my friends that cost much money. Let me tell you at that age not going to the movie you really want to see with all your friends when you have a wad of cash was hard. In any case by spring time I had an AR-15, a dozen mags and a few hundred rounds of ammo. Turned out that I even had some cash left over.
The point is that I made a choice. To me getting a nice rifle was more important than a couple weeks of sleeping in, seeing a dozen movies and a bunch of random trips to Jack In The Box or whatever else we used to do.
Self discipline is an interesting topic. As I mentioned before part of it is just natural. However I also believe that you just have to make a choice that the goal is worth whatever you are going to sacrifice to attain it. Setting realistic goals which will require realistic compromises and sacrifices is essential.
Self discipline is not a cure all. Most people can't just get off the couch and put their mind to it then run a marathon that afternoon. In fact doing so is dangerous and foolish. However self discipline might be a good way to get your marathon time down for the next one.
I find it is best to apply self discipline to attainable goals which can be broken down to some sort of measurable progress.
As part of this post I decided to apply self discipline to three areas of my life that have been lacking it.
1. Drink less coffee. I like coffee and plan to drink it most mornings for the rest of my life. However as of late my coffee consumption had climbed to a full pot a day, sometimes a pot and a quarter. This just can't be good. Also I think it was messing with fitness and sleep. I decided that I could drink two small cups (like what an actual 'cup' of coffee is not a gianty mug) a day, three on weekends.
2. Get back into the gym. I like lifting weights. I feel, look and perform better when involved in regular strength training. I set my goal at 3 times a week.
3. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. My sleep pattern has been jacked for as long as I can remember. It got pretty bad (some of which was uncontrollable) when I was training but now that my schedule is more regular it is time to get it right. My bed time during the week is 10PM. As I wake up at 5:25-45 this hasn't been a big issue.
However weekends have been the problem. If left entirely to my own devices I would probably wake up at about noon or one and go to bed around two or three. On weekends I have been slipping into this schedule. It means I can't sleep more than a couple hours on Sunday night. That means I am in bad shape on Monday and then sleep like 10 hours that night and still feel bad on Tues. My weekend bed time is now 12:30 and far more importantly my weekend wake up time is 9:30.
I have stuck to these goals for a week. Honestly I feel a lot better. The coffee thing was easy enough. Instead of big cups I drink little ones. I got my three lift days in last week though one was Sunday which isn't ideal. Getting and sticking on a more balanced sleep schedule has helped me a lot also.
I am going to stick with this for at least another 3 weeks before I consider adjusting my goals.
Fundamentally self discipline is just deciding that you want something bad enough to make it happen.
Lets start with a definition of self discipline from our friends at Wikipedia. "Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of 'self control'."
Some of it is admittedly personality. I remember when I was 18. I really wanted a rifle, not just any rifle but an AR. I had a typical (during school) situation where I had a couple part time jobs which payed car insurance and gas plus left a few bucks leftover for typical entertainment and pocket money. I figured out that at that time it would cost me about $1,200 to get an AR, about a dozen mags and a (to me at that time) decent amount of ammo. So I got to saving. By slashing non essential purchases I was able to put $5 or $10 away most every week. That winter break I worked full time almost every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas. Working full time while your friends sleep in and hang out sucks. I kept saving and squirreling away money. Had a drug dealer style wad of fives and tens and twenties in my sock drawer. While I was saving I pretty much didn't do anything with my friends that cost much money. Let me tell you at that age not going to the movie you really want to see with all your friends when you have a wad of cash was hard. In any case by spring time I had an AR-15, a dozen mags and a few hundred rounds of ammo. Turned out that I even had some cash left over.
The point is that I made a choice. To me getting a nice rifle was more important than a couple weeks of sleeping in, seeing a dozen movies and a bunch of random trips to Jack In The Box or whatever else we used to do.
Self discipline is an interesting topic. As I mentioned before part of it is just natural. However I also believe that you just have to make a choice that the goal is worth whatever you are going to sacrifice to attain it. Setting realistic goals which will require realistic compromises and sacrifices is essential.
Self discipline is not a cure all. Most people can't just get off the couch and put their mind to it then run a marathon that afternoon. In fact doing so is dangerous and foolish. However self discipline might be a good way to get your marathon time down for the next one.
I find it is best to apply self discipline to attainable goals which can be broken down to some sort of measurable progress.
As part of this post I decided to apply self discipline to three areas of my life that have been lacking it.
1. Drink less coffee. I like coffee and plan to drink it most mornings for the rest of my life. However as of late my coffee consumption had climbed to a full pot a day, sometimes a pot and a quarter. This just can't be good. Also I think it was messing with fitness and sleep. I decided that I could drink two small cups (like what an actual 'cup' of coffee is not a gianty mug) a day, three on weekends.
2. Get back into the gym. I like lifting weights. I feel, look and perform better when involved in regular strength training. I set my goal at 3 times a week.
3. Go to bed at a reasonable hour. My sleep pattern has been jacked for as long as I can remember. It got pretty bad (some of which was uncontrollable) when I was training but now that my schedule is more regular it is time to get it right. My bed time during the week is 10PM. As I wake up at 5:25-45 this hasn't been a big issue.
However weekends have been the problem. If left entirely to my own devices I would probably wake up at about noon or one and go to bed around two or three. On weekends I have been slipping into this schedule. It means I can't sleep more than a couple hours on Sunday night. That means I am in bad shape on Monday and then sleep like 10 hours that night and still feel bad on Tues. My weekend bed time is now 12:30 and far more importantly my weekend wake up time is 9:30.
I have stuck to these goals for a week. Honestly I feel a lot better. The coffee thing was easy enough. Instead of big cups I drink little ones. I got my three lift days in last week though one was Sunday which isn't ideal. Getting and sticking on a more balanced sleep schedule has helped me a lot also.
I am going to stick with this for at least another 3 weeks before I consider adjusting my goals.
Fundamentally self discipline is just deciding that you want something bad enough to make it happen.
quote of the day
"If you don't live in a gun friendly region, then move."
-Jim Rawles
Having lived in somewhat gun ambivalent (mixed opinions) region and decisively pro gun regions; I will not choose to live in anything but a decisively pro gun region.
-Jim Rawles
Having lived in somewhat gun ambivalent (mixed opinions) region and decisively pro gun regions; I will not choose to live in anything but a decisively pro gun region.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Dying And Death In a Prolonged Scenario
I read One Second After awhile back. Never really did a review but that doesn't matter. You will probably see one in a few months. Anyway the one thing I think was most realistic about One Second After was that it wasn't about a group of perfectly healthy young adults. Also it was just plain brutally honest.
A lot of people died in Katrina. Old and fragile people died because of a combination of a stressful environment and being old and fragile. I believe a few folks in nursing homes kicked the bucket. And Katrina was mostly handled in a couple weeks and was regional at best.
People who require complicated and intensive care would likely go very quickly if a really bad Mad Max scenario hit. They probably would not be killed by Lord Humongous will have their conditions worsen by lack of care, dialysis, oxygen and breathing machines. That brings us to the topic of medication. Unfortunately some modern medicines are fragile and require refrigeration. As for the rest of them they do at some point go bad (at least ineffective if not dangerous) so stocking an entire life's worth is not realistic.
This isn't a big deal if a pill helps your kids face not break out or improves your libido or some other non essential thing. However a lot of people are currently among the living because they take a pill or shot every day. Modern medicine has let a lot of young people who would have just died live normal lives. Also modern medicine in all its forms has drastically prolonged the life of senior citizens without adding many, if any more 'good years'.
Some stuff just can't be helped. Building up a 90-120 day supply of essential medicines is probably prudent. If the stuff is stable and you can afford it by all means get more. However fundamentally unless you can produce the stuff in a long enough scenario running out is unavoidable. There isn't an answer to this one.
If you are fat and have high cholesterol and a bad heart you will probably die. If a scenario runs long enough those who need intensive technological care and medication will die. A lot of old people will die though it will mostly be for the two previous reasons. A hearty 70 year old on a farm somewhere might do just fine but for every one of them there are probably 9 old folks who could not handle any level of physical labor and/ or rely on modern medicine to keep them going.
I am sorry if this offends anyone or seems too harsh. That however does not mean it isn't reality. By looking at our weaknesses and limitations we can try to figure a way around them or at least come to terms with them.
A lot of people died in Katrina. Old and fragile people died because of a combination of a stressful environment and being old and fragile. I believe a few folks in nursing homes kicked the bucket. And Katrina was mostly handled in a couple weeks and was regional at best.
This isn't a big deal if a pill helps your kids face not break out or improves your libido or some other non essential thing. However a lot of people are currently among the living because they take a pill or shot every day. Modern medicine has let a lot of young people who would have just died live normal lives. Also modern medicine in all its forms has drastically prolonged the life of senior citizens without adding many, if any more 'good years'.
Some stuff just can't be helped. Building up a 90-120 day supply of essential medicines is probably prudent. If the stuff is stable and you can afford it by all means get more. However fundamentally unless you can produce the stuff in a long enough scenario running out is unavoidable. There isn't an answer to this one.
If you are fat and have high cholesterol and a bad heart you will probably die. If a scenario runs long enough those who need intensive technological care and medication will die. A lot of old people will die though it will mostly be for the two previous reasons. A hearty 70 year old on a farm somewhere might do just fine but for every one of them there are probably 9 old folks who could not handle any level of physical labor and/ or rely on modern medicine to keep them going.
I am sorry if this offends anyone or seems too harsh. That however does not mean it isn't reality. By looking at our weaknesses and limitations we can try to figure a way around them or at least come to terms with them.
Road Projects Don't Help Unemployment
I am all for fixing roads, as we like drive on them and stuff but it doesn't seem to be helping any with unemployment figures.
Another Perspective on China.
China faces an economic crash? I do not know much about this stuff but when everybody is just repeating the same thing, it is usually good to consider another perspective. If nothing else it is interesting.
quote of the day
"2010 is an election year. We should have ONE GOAL, and one goal only, to expel as many of the leftists out of office as possible. Strategic politics is what we need gents, not some wishful thinking about mythical third parties. Strategic voting that will remove the left's entire power base and lead to Conservatives regaining power in 2012. If we do not do this and bicker about the opposing side not being conservative enough we will be stuck with what we have for another four."
-Gabe Suarez
-Gabe Suarez
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Be Advised
In a few months I am going to be off playing in the woods for about a month and a half. Do not worry, I intent to have regular posts planned in advance so there will be no disruption in posting. To do this I will need to schedule 3 posts or so a week. Your regularly scheduled broadcasts will not be interrupted but the days I post more than once will likely decrease.
Also if anybody feels like writing a guest post that would be greatly appreciated;)
Thanks
Also if anybody feels like writing a guest post that would be greatly appreciated;)
Thanks
What Did You Do To Prepare This Week?
This week got some decent stuff accomplished. Picked up a couple 5 gallon gas cans, filled them up and stashed them away. This is pretty remedial but as moving for work has wiped our preps to zero twice in a year it must be done. My plans and logistical options are rather limited by my living situation but having enough gas to double the range of the car or cook with my hiking stove for about ever is a good thing.
Also I picked up a decent amount of food. Stuff we eat regularly but that is also shelf stable. Flour, rice, dry beans, pasta, miscellaneous canned stuff, condiments and flavorings. The alternate pantry is filling up nicely.
Got back into the gym in a more consistent way this week. I have been in there once or twice a week for the last month or so. Not consistent enough to get any progress, barely enough to stay even. I set the goal of getting there three times a week. I have been twice this week and am going to go for the third time in about an hour.
Also I finished a book. Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton. I got some stuff out of it and will talk about that later.Yesterday I started re reading Patriots. This time it is the newer version which is interesting.
I started making my coffee with a percolator instead of the ubiquitous electrical machine. Also made up some powdered milk when I ran out of the normal stuff. It isn't bad and is far cheaper than the UHT stuff. Will have to pick up another can next week.
Also today I re organized my tracking system for the stuff in the alternate pantry. Divided it up into like categories instead of having one big jumbled list. It should make things easier when it comes to keeping track of what we have. This is a good thing as the old system was not working well.
Next week I have a couple things to do. Plan to keep hitting the gym and maybe throw an extra run in somewhere. My big push is going to be to reorganize the alternate pantry. As the quantity and variety of food we have in there increases the current setup is shown to be wanting. Also I need to put some work into the basement in general.
I find it is difficult to get too much done in any given week. Setting a couple goals and meeting them is probably the most realistic way to get things done. I dunno about slow and steady winning the race; however if I can only realistically accomplish X in a week and I do stuff every other week I will accomplish 2X a month or about 26X a year. If I do stuff every week I will get more like 4X a month and say 48X a year (there are always a few bad weeks). That means I will get more done in the end.
Sure from time to time you end up making a big move or purchase or whatever. The thing is for that for the one week you pick up a gun or make a bulk purchase or whatever there were probably a dozen weeks where you stashed a few bucks away. The purchase of that 'hunting cabin' is likely based on years of saving.
Anyway I have to send off a couple emails and get to the gym.
Also I picked up a decent amount of food. Stuff we eat regularly but that is also shelf stable. Flour, rice, dry beans, pasta, miscellaneous canned stuff, condiments and flavorings. The alternate pantry is filling up nicely.
Got back into the gym in a more consistent way this week. I have been in there once or twice a week for the last month or so. Not consistent enough to get any progress, barely enough to stay even. I set the goal of getting there three times a week. I have been twice this week and am going to go for the third time in about an hour.
Also I finished a book. Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton. I got some stuff out of it and will talk about that later.Yesterday I started re reading Patriots. This time it is the newer version which is interesting.
I started making my coffee with a percolator instead of the ubiquitous electrical machine. Also made up some powdered milk when I ran out of the normal stuff. It isn't bad and is far cheaper than the UHT stuff. Will have to pick up another can next week.
Also today I re organized my tracking system for the stuff in the alternate pantry. Divided it up into like categories instead of having one big jumbled list. It should make things easier when it comes to keeping track of what we have. This is a good thing as the old system was not working well.
Next week I have a couple things to do. Plan to keep hitting the gym and maybe throw an extra run in somewhere. My big push is going to be to reorganize the alternate pantry. As the quantity and variety of food we have in there increases the current setup is shown to be wanting. Also I need to put some work into the basement in general.
I find it is difficult to get too much done in any given week. Setting a couple goals and meeting them is probably the most realistic way to get things done. I dunno about slow and steady winning the race; however if I can only realistically accomplish X in a week and I do stuff every other week I will accomplish 2X a month or about 26X a year. If I do stuff every week I will get more like 4X a month and say 48X a year (there are always a few bad weeks). That means I will get more done in the end.
Sure from time to time you end up making a big move or purchase or whatever. The thing is for that for the one week you pick up a gun or make a bulk purchase or whatever there were probably a dozen weeks where you stashed a few bucks away. The purchase of that 'hunting cabin' is likely based on years of saving.
Anyway I have to send off a couple emails and get to the gym.
I Think This Is Funny, Plus Also I Just Like Polar Bears
Been reading Rural Revolution and this post was really cool.
quote of the day
"Maybe the Democrats and the Republicans need to cowboy up, admit that it's the utterly bankrupt policies of both parties that have utterly bankrupted the country, and see if they can't start figuring a way out of this that doesn't include a return to living conditions approximating those of 17th century Europe."
- The Freeholder
- The Freeholder
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Quiet Saturday
It has been a pretty quiet day. Woke up at 9:30 which I have decided is a reasonable time for the weekends. Had some coffee then took Wifey to the store to get some chicken noodle soup mix because she is sick. Being me we got enough for probably 2 months. My motto is that if it is important enough to run to the store for (assuming it is shelf stable) it is important enough to get in quantity so you don't need to run back to the store.
Split the day between taking care of her, fiddling around on the net and watching season one of the Sopranos on DVD. She napped for most of the afternoon. I also started reading Patriots, well re reading it. This time I have the new bigger, longer and uncut version.
The roads have cleared up so we are planning to go down town for dinner. The 45 minute trip we had planned got pushed back but that doesn't mean we can't have a nice dinner.
After that I think we will watch a couple of DVD's we got from the library, they have to go back pretty soon and there isn't much on TV anyway. I will probably read a bit more. It is always interesting what you catch in a book the second time around. Between that and the new stuff slipped in I imagine reading Patriots again will be entertaining and probably useful. Could be a post on that later.
Tomorrow I had planned to change the oil in the car but getting under the car with the ramps sitting on snow drifts doesn't seem like a good move. I can still reorganize and stock the pantry which will be good. Boring but essential. Will hit the gym because I didn't get there today and then it is a new work week.
Have a good weekend.
Split the day between taking care of her, fiddling around on the net and watching season one of the Sopranos on DVD. She napped for most of the afternoon. I also started reading Patriots, well re reading it. This time I have the new bigger, longer and uncut version.
The roads have cleared up so we are planning to go down town for dinner. The 45 minute trip we had planned got pushed back but that doesn't mean we can't have a nice dinner.
After that I think we will watch a couple of DVD's we got from the library, they have to go back pretty soon and there isn't much on TV anyway. I will probably read a bit more. It is always interesting what you catch in a book the second time around. Between that and the new stuff slipped in I imagine reading Patriots again will be entertaining and probably useful. Could be a post on that later.
Tomorrow I had planned to change the oil in the car but getting under the car with the ramps sitting on snow drifts doesn't seem like a good move. I can still reorganize and stock the pantry which will be good. Boring but essential. Will hit the gym because I didn't get there today and then it is a new work week.
Have a good weekend.
Winter Weather
Lots of folks have been writing about the cold weather. It is freezing in the South and Europe, in particular Central Europe have been a mess for awhile now. Rio calls it the Al Gore winter which I find amusing. Suppose this is my obligatory cold weather post.
Folks have already talked about putting extra clothes, food, water and sleeping gear in the car. Other folks have talked about winter driving. I see no need to rehash that stuff. I do however have a few other observations.
Cold weather is hard on skin and lips in particular. Keeping a decent stash of whatever your preferred lip chap stuff is prudent. Yeah chapped lips won't kill you but if a tiny bit of planning and a few bucks will let you be comfortable it is foolish not to go that route.
My other thought is that in the winter you need to be more flexible about travel, running errands and the like. More than once we have had a plan to go here or there and adjusted it based on looking outside at the roads or the weather report. Even when we are talking about relatively short 30-45 minute trips it is just smart to use common sense. For example, earlier this week we had planned to go do a bit of window shopping and have dinner at a restaurant we have been wanting to check out. The weather turned nasty yesterday (and my wife is a bit sick) so we are pushing that plan to the right. We will either cook something here, order in or go someplace down town. This might seem overly cautious but I would rather err on that side than get in an avoidable wreck or get stuck somewhere.
On that note I think it is prudent to be willing to change your plans if the conditions merit, even if you are out. This might mean sleeping on the couch or floor at somebodies house or even staying in a hotel/ motel for the night. Having a sleeping bag per person in your vehicle is good but if a clean, safe room at the Holiday Inn is available to me it is an easy decision. For a hundred bucks or so to get a room for the night and some dinner you could avoid a serious wreck or even worse. My deductible is $500 so doing that 4 times to potentially avoid a wreck makes economic sense even if you do not factor in the huge hassle of an accident or getting stuck.
I recall once when winter weather socked a whole bunch of travelers in the sleepy NW town I was living in. Some of those folks got stuck for 3-4 days. This is where that savings account portion of the emergency fund comes into play. Last Christmas we got stuck in Philadelphia for a few days. Traveling long distances on a shoestring budget is never particularly advisable but in winter it is a downright bad idea. It is fine to plan to travel cheaply but having the resources to sustain yourself if something happens is the smart thing to do.
In short be prepared to be inconvenienced in terms of time, travel plans and a bit of money.
Aside from that I find the winter weather best experienced by looking out the window from my warm living room with a glass of something warm to drink.
Folks have already talked about putting extra clothes, food, water and sleeping gear in the car. Other folks have talked about winter driving. I see no need to rehash that stuff. I do however have a few other observations.
Cold weather is hard on skin and lips in particular. Keeping a decent stash of whatever your preferred lip chap stuff is prudent. Yeah chapped lips won't kill you but if a tiny bit of planning and a few bucks will let you be comfortable it is foolish not to go that route.
My other thought is that in the winter you need to be more flexible about travel, running errands and the like. More than once we have had a plan to go here or there and adjusted it based on looking outside at the roads or the weather report. Even when we are talking about relatively short 30-45 minute trips it is just smart to use common sense. For example, earlier this week we had planned to go do a bit of window shopping and have dinner at a restaurant we have been wanting to check out. The weather turned nasty yesterday (and my wife is a bit sick) so we are pushing that plan to the right. We will either cook something here, order in or go someplace down town. This might seem overly cautious but I would rather err on that side than get in an avoidable wreck or get stuck somewhere.
On that note I think it is prudent to be willing to change your plans if the conditions merit, even if you are out. This might mean sleeping on the couch or floor at somebodies house or even staying in a hotel/ motel for the night. Having a sleeping bag per person in your vehicle is good but if a clean, safe room at the Holiday Inn is available to me it is an easy decision. For a hundred bucks or so to get a room for the night and some dinner you could avoid a serious wreck or even worse. My deductible is $500 so doing that 4 times to potentially avoid a wreck makes economic sense even if you do not factor in the huge hassle of an accident or getting stuck.
I recall once when winter weather socked a whole bunch of travelers in the sleepy NW town I was living in. Some of those folks got stuck for 3-4 days. This is where that savings account portion of the emergency fund comes into play. Last Christmas we got stuck in Philadelphia for a few days. Traveling long distances on a shoestring budget is never particularly advisable but in winter it is a downright bad idea. It is fine to plan to travel cheaply but having the resources to sustain yourself if something happens is the smart thing to do.
In short be prepared to be inconvenienced in terms of time, travel plans and a bit of money.
Aside from that I find the winter weather best experienced by looking out the window from my warm living room with a glass of something warm to drink.
Enfields, Still Killing People
I am having a pretty quiet morning of a bit of coffee and some news. Just saw a piece about some problems in Sudan. On a tangent is there anybody left alive in Darfor? Or did that humanitarian disaster get resolved by everyone dying. I try to keep up with the news and such but Africa is always in such a state of turmoil that it is difficult to do so with any accuracy. Anyway while they were giving the spiel about this group not being happy with the peace and getting ready to fight that group or whatever they showed some footage of some sort of military or paramilitary group. They were at least semi organized because they had uniforms, some level of drill and ceremonies and an obvious leader. Also they were all armed with the same weapon. The good old Enfield bolt action rifle.I can't say which side is which and they are both probably bad but it is interesting that Enfields are still killing people.
Just thought it was interesting. I would like to own an Enfield some day. Who knows what will happen though. Some of my most favorite guns are ones I would never have though of purchasing and I still don't have a few I would conceptually like.
Just thought it was interesting. I would like to own an Enfield some day. Who knows what will happen though. Some of my most favorite guns are ones I would never have though of purchasing and I still don't have a few I would conceptually like.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Isn't It Ironic, Don't You Think
Today at work Wifey had to go to a meeting. It was about terrorist and spies. The instructor made a big point that they should not trust foreigners. The instructor spoke with a very strong accent and was obviously not American.
Isn't it ironic, don't you think.
Taking Care Of Your Chompers
I went to the dentist today. It had been a bit longer than ideal since my last cleaning. Things were fine because I brush and floss regularly. Seriously I do not think taking care of your chompers can be over rated. It is fine and good to have a pair of pliers and a copy of Where There Is No Dentist (available here on PDF). However taking a bit of time each day to brush and floss, keeping consumption of sugary stuff to a sane amount and visiting the dentist will go a long way towards not needing to have your buddy pull out teeth.
Interestingly enough dental issues are one of the biggest non combat related reasons deployed service members are forced to evacuate in order to receive care. You can be the toughest guy or gal in the best shape and serous issues with your chompers will make you con combat effective. There just isn't an excuse for not taking basic care of your teeth.
I know things are tight for most everyone right now. Lots of jobs do not offer decent dental care at a reasonable price, or even dental care at all. Of course if you need to choose between paying the rent/ mortgage or eating and going to the dentist it is a non decision. However I would urge you to make the choices necessary to get into the dentist for a checkup and cleaning on a somewhat regular basis.
To me long term avoidance of dental care in order to save money is false economics. Think of a person telling you they save money by never changing the oil in their car. In my observation most people who have not been to the dentist for many years and decide to go usually end up needing to get all sorts of stuff done. Since we can't see where problems in our mouths develop too many people will live with a ticking time bomb in their mouth. Nothing will be done until either they get a checkup and the problems are found or they start to have horrible pain in their mouth. You do not want to be dead lined with crippling mouth pain when your family and friends need you.
Short of finances I can not think of a less flashy part of preparedness. Though as Western Rifle Shooters noted in this great post awhile back the common sense non flashy stuff is probably more important than the flashy stuff. A car with a DVD player for the kiddies to watch is nice but it still needs good tires and an engine that runs. I can't say I agree about their premise (to do this preparation for a coming fight between armed Americans and some vague socialist totalitarian group) but the concrete advice is great for whatever comes down the pipe.
Anyway I have to go pick up some gas cans and hit they gym.
Have a good weekend!
Interestingly enough dental issues are one of the biggest non combat related reasons deployed service members are forced to evacuate in order to receive care. You can be the toughest guy or gal in the best shape and serous issues with your chompers will make you con combat effective. There just isn't an excuse for not taking basic care of your teeth.
I know things are tight for most everyone right now. Lots of jobs do not offer decent dental care at a reasonable price, or even dental care at all. Of course if you need to choose between paying the rent/ mortgage or eating and going to the dentist it is a non decision. However I would urge you to make the choices necessary to get into the dentist for a checkup and cleaning on a somewhat regular basis.
To me long term avoidance of dental care in order to save money is false economics. Think of a person telling you they save money by never changing the oil in their car. In my observation most people who have not been to the dentist for many years and decide to go usually end up needing to get all sorts of stuff done. Since we can't see where problems in our mouths develop too many people will live with a ticking time bomb in their mouth. Nothing will be done until either they get a checkup and the problems are found or they start to have horrible pain in their mouth. You do not want to be dead lined with crippling mouth pain when your family and friends need you.
Short of finances I can not think of a less flashy part of preparedness. Though as Western Rifle Shooters noted in this great post awhile back the common sense non flashy stuff is probably more important than the flashy stuff. A car with a DVD player for the kiddies to watch is nice but it still needs good tires and an engine that runs. I can't say I agree about their premise (to do this preparation for a coming fight between armed Americans and some vague socialist totalitarian group) but the concrete advice is great for whatever comes down the pipe.
Anyway I have to go pick up some gas cans and hit they gym.
Have a good weekend!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Gabe Suarez On The Shotgun
In 1990 (more or less) Jeff Cooper began teaching shotgun at his place in AZ. To his credit, he researched the available material quite thoroughly to arrive at his conclusions, but I suspect he had an idea of where to take it before starting. Jeff was a rifleman, first, and saw all small arms from that perspective.
In a VHS tape of the era he explains why the shotgun needs a tight pattern and sights and the issue of slugs as desired loading. While his class discussed the use of the buckshot pattern, it made most guys think of keeping the pattern "as tight as a fist" out as far as possible and then shooting slugs out as far as possible. To that end a cottage industry grew around meeting Jeff's ideal of the fighting shotgun. Ghost ring sights were added, barrells were choked, shooting slings made up, and you name it. In essence, turning the weapon into a big bore rifle. But also losing the best attributes of the shotgun concept.
If that is what we must do to make our shotguns useful - in essence turning them into big bore rifles, why would anyone choose a shotgun over a rifle? I will tell you right now that my main GO TO long gun is not a shotgun. And I have actually used shotguns many times to shoot bad guys so if anyone knows what a shotgun can do against men it is me. My main long gun is a Kalashnikov Rifle.
The rifle is more precise, can reach farther, penetrate deeper, and can carry more ammo. That makes it truly a versatile platform. But it is not perfect either. The rifle cannot be point-shot at CQB ranges as well as the shotgun mainly due to its single projectile rather than the multiple projectiles in a buckshot round.
The shotgun is not as precise, but will allow you hit under situations where you might well miss with a rifle. A shotgun allows for easier hits in low light, against multiple adversaries at close range, and in circumstances where you don't have the time to use traditional marksmanship principles. The reason it allows you to do this is because of its multiple projectile capability.
Even with sights and slugs, while the shotgun can be pushed outside of its special niche, it will never do as well at rifle jobs as a true rifle.
Usually we hear, "but if you only had a shotgun...." Yes, I know...I've heard that before. How many of you ONLY HAVE A SHOTGUN? And then most importantly, WHY? Usually these guys will spend hundreds of dollars trying to achieve the rifle-like performance out of a glorified duck hunting gun. But you know what...they could dedicate all those gun-bucks to buying a WASR 10 that would out perform their uber-tactical shotgun every single day. If you truly can only have a shotgun due to restrictive and oppressive laws, then by all means do what you can with the shotgun, but don't take that road when you have other tactical options.
Perspective guys. Identify mission then seek a tool to accomplish the mission.
Mission - Mostly Proactive; Hit from 5 yards to 350 yards. High accuracy requirements and volume of fire, as well as penetration. Tool - Rifle
Mission - Mostly Reactive; Carry concealed 24-7-365 to hit out to 50 yards. Tool - Pistol
Mission - Close, fast, low light, multiple bad guys possible inside 25 yards. No distance, volume or penetration concerns. Tool - Shotgun
As I said, the shotgun is a special tool for special events...just like the sniper rifle. I choose the Saiga 12 because I know I will spend MORE time with my rifle and I want a shotgun that runs just like my rifle. But I will not select it for event where a rifle will be more useful. I use it for events calling for its strengths and not one where its disadvantages will make me wish I had my AK rifle.
In a VHS tape of the era he explains why the shotgun needs a tight pattern and sights and the issue of slugs as desired loading. While his class discussed the use of the buckshot pattern, it made most guys think of keeping the pattern "as tight as a fist" out as far as possible and then shooting slugs out as far as possible. To that end a cottage industry grew around meeting Jeff's ideal of the fighting shotgun. Ghost ring sights were added, barrells were choked, shooting slings made up, and you name it. In essence, turning the weapon into a big bore rifle. But also losing the best attributes of the shotgun concept.
If that is what we must do to make our shotguns useful - in essence turning them into big bore rifles, why would anyone choose a shotgun over a rifle? I will tell you right now that my main GO TO long gun is not a shotgun. And I have actually used shotguns many times to shoot bad guys so if anyone knows what a shotgun can do against men it is me. My main long gun is a Kalashnikov Rifle.
The rifle is more precise, can reach farther, penetrate deeper, and can carry more ammo. That makes it truly a versatile platform. But it is not perfect either. The rifle cannot be point-shot at CQB ranges as well as the shotgun mainly due to its single projectile rather than the multiple projectiles in a buckshot round.
The shotgun is not as precise, but will allow you hit under situations where you might well miss with a rifle. A shotgun allows for easier hits in low light, against multiple adversaries at close range, and in circumstances where you don't have the time to use traditional marksmanship principles. The reason it allows you to do this is because of its multiple projectile capability.
Even with sights and slugs, while the shotgun can be pushed outside of its special niche, it will never do as well at rifle jobs as a true rifle.
Usually we hear, "but if you only had a shotgun...." Yes, I know...I've heard that before. How many of you ONLY HAVE A SHOTGUN? And then most importantly, WHY? Usually these guys will spend hundreds of dollars trying to achieve the rifle-like performance out of a glorified duck hunting gun. But you know what...they could dedicate all those gun-bucks to buying a WASR 10 that would out perform their uber-tactical shotgun every single day. If you truly can only have a shotgun due to restrictive and oppressive laws, then by all means do what you can with the shotgun, but don't take that road when you have other tactical options.
Perspective guys. Identify mission then seek a tool to accomplish the mission.
Mission - Mostly Proactive; Hit from 5 yards to 350 yards. High accuracy requirements and volume of fire, as well as penetration. Tool - Rifle
Mission - Mostly Reactive; Carry concealed 24-7-365 to hit out to 50 yards. Tool - Pistol
Mission - Close, fast, low light, multiple bad guys possible inside 25 yards. No distance, volume or penetration concerns. Tool - Shotgun
As I said, the shotgun is a special tool for special events...just like the sniper rifle. I choose the Saiga 12 because I know I will spend MORE time with my rifle and I want a shotgun that runs just like my rifle. But I will not select it for event where a rifle will be more useful. I use it for events calling for its strengths and not one where its disadvantages will make me wish I had my AK rifle.
quote of the day
"Questions and a dollar ninety three will get you a cup of Starbucks coffee."
-Brit Hume
-Brit Hume
Writing Contest Winner: How To Wash Laundry After TSHTF
Laundry is an evil necessity of life. Your clothes are going to have
to be washed even after TEOTWAWKI. Prepare now!
Back in July, my husband and I bought a single wide trailer that
included all of the appliances. After a week of living in the trailer
the washer broke. I refused to get another one because I was sick of
buying modern appliances that broke 6 months later. I decided to wash
clothes by hand. My family thought I had lost my mind.
Here are the steps to wash clothes by hand. There are several
methods, this is just one:
1.) Buy three 6 gallon plastic buckets from Emergency Essentials (or
some other company like them.) My preference is to do 3 buckets at a
time. Other folks may want to only do one bucket.
2.) Buy Free and Clear Ultra Laundry Detergent (or some other
detergent like it). I buy mine at Costco's. It's cheap, it's perfume
free (no scent to give away your location!), it's relatively compact
so you can buy a bunch and not take up too much room, and it lasts
forever because it's HE (high efficiency) which means a little bit
goes a long ways,
3.) Buy a Lehman's rapid washer. (More on this topic later).
4.) Place all 3 plastic buckets into the tub, next to the lake, or
some other sources of water.
5.) Fill each bucket about 1/3 - 1/2 full with dirty laundry.
IMPORTANT: Pre-treat stains with something like Spray and Wash of
possible.
6.) Pour laundry detergent over laundry. Remember! A little bit goes
a long ways of it's HE! If you put too much detergent in then you'll
be rinsing forever. I suggest starting with about 3 - 4 tablespoons
per bucket of wash. Adjust if necessary.
7.) Fill each bucket with water to about 3 - 4 inches over the top of
clothes. If possible, wash light colored clothes in hot water and
dark colored clothes in cold water. If heating up water is not a
possibility then oh well.....move on. There are obviously bigger
issues to cope with.
8.) Take out plunger. Plunge each load of wash in each bucket 20
times vigorously.
9.) Pour out dirty water from each bucket. Wring out clothes loosely
to get out dirty water.
10.) Put clothes back into bucket.
11.) Refill each bucket with clean water. Plunge 20 times vigorously.
12.) Pour out dirty water. Wring clothes out loosely. Put clothes
back in bucket.
13.) Refill each bucket will clean water. Plunge 20 times vigorously.
Repeat this cycle until clothes are clean and free of suds. I have
found that one "wash" cycle and two "rinse" cycles do the trick.
14.) Dry off Lehman's metal plunger thoroughly and immediately.
(Again, more on this topic later.)
15.) Wring clothes by hand with everything ya' got. If it's the
summer time then dry clothes on a drying rack outside. If it's winter
time you can either dry clothes on the rack while the rack is standing
in the tub (major hassle) or throw them in the dryer (if electricity
is still available.)
16.) Dry out inside of buckets to cut down on possible mold and mildew.
So more on the Lehman's plunger issue........I found that the Lehman's
plunger rusted extremely quickly (approximately after one month) even
though I dried it off religiously. There are so many nooks and
crannies in the Lehman's plunger and they are virtually impossible to
get to. Overall, I love Lehman's as a company but I suspect that this
washer/plunger was meant for emergencies only - not daily use. I even
coated the Lehman's plunger with three hefty coats of clear Rustoleum.
It didn't help. My husband recently purchased a similar looking
plastic plunger from Emergency Essentials company (www.beprepared.com)
but I have not tried them yet.
Happy washing by hand!
Sincerely, Samantha in the Trailer Park
to be washed even after TEOTWAWKI. Prepare now!
Back in July, my husband and I bought a single wide trailer that
included all of the appliances. After a week of living in the trailer
the washer broke. I refused to get another one because I was sick of
buying modern appliances that broke 6 months later. I decided to wash
clothes by hand. My family thought I had lost my mind.
Here are the steps to wash clothes by hand. There are several
methods, this is just one:
1.) Buy three 6 gallon plastic buckets from Emergency Essentials (or
some other company like them.) My preference is to do 3 buckets at a
time. Other folks may want to only do one bucket.
2.) Buy Free and Clear Ultra Laundry Detergent (or some other
detergent like it). I buy mine at Costco's. It's cheap, it's perfume
free (no scent to give away your location!), it's relatively compact
so you can buy a bunch and not take up too much room, and it lasts
forever because it's HE (high efficiency) which means a little bit
goes a long ways,
3.) Buy a Lehman's rapid washer. (More on this topic later).
4.) Place all 3 plastic buckets into the tub, next to the lake, or
some other sources of water.
5.) Fill each bucket about 1/3 - 1/2 full with dirty laundry.
IMPORTANT: Pre-treat stains with something like Spray and Wash of
possible.
6.) Pour laundry detergent over laundry. Remember! A little bit goes
a long ways of it's HE! If you put too much detergent in then you'll
be rinsing forever. I suggest starting with about 3 - 4 tablespoons
per bucket of wash. Adjust if necessary.
7.) Fill each bucket with water to about 3 - 4 inches over the top of
clothes. If possible, wash light colored clothes in hot water and
dark colored clothes in cold water. If heating up water is not a
possibility then oh well.....move on. There are obviously bigger
issues to cope with.
8.) Take out plunger. Plunge each load of wash in each bucket 20
times vigorously.
9.) Pour out dirty water from each bucket. Wring out clothes loosely
to get out dirty water.
10.) Put clothes back into bucket.
11.) Refill each bucket with clean water. Plunge 20 times vigorously.
12.) Pour out dirty water. Wring clothes out loosely. Put clothes
back in bucket.
13.) Refill each bucket will clean water. Plunge 20 times vigorously.
Repeat this cycle until clothes are clean and free of suds. I have
found that one "wash" cycle and two "rinse" cycles do the trick.
14.) Dry off Lehman's metal plunger thoroughly and immediately.
(Again, more on this topic later.)
15.) Wring clothes by hand with everything ya' got. If it's the
summer time then dry clothes on a drying rack outside. If it's winter
time you can either dry clothes on the rack while the rack is standing
in the tub (major hassle) or throw them in the dryer (if electricity
is still available.)
16.) Dry out inside of buckets to cut down on possible mold and mildew.
So more on the Lehman's plunger issue........I found that the Lehman's
plunger rusted extremely quickly (approximately after one month) even
though I dried it off religiously. There are so many nooks and
crannies in the Lehman's plunger and they are virtually impossible to
get to. Overall, I love Lehman's as a company but I suspect that this
washer/plunger was meant for emergencies only - not daily use. I even
coated the Lehman's plunger with three hefty coats of clear Rustoleum.
It didn't help. My husband recently purchased a similar looking
plastic plunger from Emergency Essentials company (www.beprepared.com)
but I have not tried them yet.
Happy washing by hand!
Sincerely, Samantha in the Trailer Park
TOR here: First I want to thank everyone who contributed. It was really a hard decision! In the coming days I will put out the second and third place articles. Samantha, please send me your address so we can get a Go Berkey Kit sent to you.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
China Got This One Right
Remember that whole Peanut Butter with Salmonella disaster about a year ago? A whole bunch of people got sick and a few died. I did a bit of quick research and it looks like Peanut Corporation of America filed for bankruptcy and the whole thing is still in litigation. In short this company knowingly poisoned and killed American citizens and they might have to pay some money.
Remember when China had that whole tainted milk disaster? A bunch of children got sick and some of them died. It was a sad situation by any account, especially considering the totalitarian one child policy. The scope of China's event was larger but well, it also happened in China. Lets look at how China responded.
China tried and convicted 21 people to various sentences. Three people got life in prison and two were executed. Yes, they shot them. In China the government kills people who knowingly poison their food supply. In America the FDA does an investigation and the victims sue which might or might not get them much as the corporation files bankruptcy.
I do not know all the particulars of the whole Peanut Corporation of America mess. From everything I remember and have read at least a few people definitely knew what was going on, ie that they were shipping unsafe food to customers. Those people should have been shot.
Maybe it is just that China is down with executing pretty much everybody who irritates them or causes trouble. Those who just annoy them go to their forced labor camps. In any case China definitely got this one right.
Remember when China had that whole tainted milk disaster? A bunch of children got sick and some of them died. It was a sad situation by any account, especially considering the totalitarian one child policy. The scope of China's event was larger but well, it also happened in China. Lets look at how China responded.
China tried and convicted 21 people to various sentences. Three people got life in prison and two were executed. Yes, they shot them. In China the government kills people who knowingly poison their food supply. In America the FDA does an investigation and the victims sue which might or might not get them much as the corporation files bankruptcy.
I do not know all the particulars of the whole Peanut Corporation of America mess. From everything I remember and have read at least a few people definitely knew what was going on, ie that they were shipping unsafe food to customers. Those people should have been shot.
Maybe it is just that China is down with executing pretty much everybody who irritates them or causes trouble. Those who just annoy them go to their forced labor camps. In any case China definitely got this one right.
quote of the day
"It's not a crack pipe."
-A guy on this cop reality tv show. This was his brilliant response to the cops question of "why do you have a crack pipe?" I do not have professional training or amateur experience in these matters but it sure looks like a crack pipe to me.
-A guy on this cop reality tv show. This was his brilliant response to the cops question of "why do you have a crack pipe?" I do not have professional training or amateur experience in these matters but it sure looks like a crack pipe to me.
Cash, You Need Some. And I Do Mean ALL Of You
Every time the topic of cash comes up somebody writes a comment. They say something like "I don't keep cash, I buy beans and bullets" or "I stock barter items" or "I believe in tangibles". All of these people are wrong. They are not wrong because they choose to purchase beans and bullets or stock some barter items or are down with the whole tangible thing because all of that stuff is good to have. They are wrong because simply put, none of that stuff replaces cash.
This is where someone else will say "After the dollar/ world collapses my beans and bullets/ barter items/ tangibles will be worth a super duper whole bunch and dollars will just be good for tinder and TP."
Both of these ideas are seriously wrong and here is why:
First unless our economy/ the dollar collapses entirely it is what people are going to accept as a means of exchange. If you look at what happens during significant local or regional disasters, people trade CASH for stuff. Sure there is some bartering I imagine but matter of fact if you go to the grocery store during a power outage they are not going to take silver dimes at 14X face value or want to dicker over the value of .22 shells. The credit card machines will not be working and it will be cash on the barrel head. Some stores will take checks but I would not want to plan on that. This is where someone says they have all the stuff they need for a power outage so they don't need any cash.
What if your house is damaged and you need to make emergency repairs? The local hardware store will be open even though the power is out or off and on. I would bet they are not going to accept silver dimes or .22 shells or one pint bottles of booze either. If they have the couple sheets of plywood you need (likely in a power outage where an errant tree limb went through a window but unlikely for a hurricane) you are going to need money to pay for them.
Maybe there is a disaster in your area and you need to relocate for a little while. You toss the BOB's in the family war wagon and the other essential stuff from your list and get driving. You have got some fuel stored (a good idea in general and essential in hurricane country) but a couple hours down the road you see a gas station with their lights on thanks to a generator and no line. Thinking it would be a good idea to stop and top off the tank you pull over. Your kids are excited because it is 105 degrees outside and the place might have ice cream. They won't be taking credit/ debit cards and a check from some guy from a long way away is not going to get a nice look. A sign that says Cash Only will probably be present. I doubt this guy is going to want silver one ounce rounds or 9mm ammo or pints of booze. You will need cash to leave with a full tank and an ice cream for everyone.
If you are in the South you will likely see a BBQ place about every 5 miles. In the long run these folks will have issues keeping meat cold or getting resupply but for a couple days a lot of them will be smoking hogs and selling those pulled pork sandwiches we all love. It would sure be nice to stop for a few minutes and have big old BBQ sandwiches instead of MRE's for lunch. You might be able to barter with these folks but they will definitely take cash. Also when you get to whatever your destination (that is unaffected by the disaster) it would sure be nice to get a place to sleep. Again it is entirely possible that the fragile complicated credit card system might not work because of problems with its networks and such. This sort of thing happens in normal times. Last I checked the Holiday Inn does not accept fractional gold coins or rifle ammo.
So I have made the case as clearly as possible that you need to have some cash. This brings us back to the "After the dollar/ world collapses my beans and bullets/ barter items/ tangibles will be worth a super duper whole bunch and dollars will just be good for tinder and TP" argument. This argument is terminally flawed for one reason. Look at all the possible emergency situations you could face. Depending on how specific you get there might be several or the sky is the limit. In how many of them will people be trading dollars for stuff? The answer is almost all of them. Except a currency collapse or a genuine full on Mad Max scenario your dollars will buy stuff. Also if you rank order the possible emergencies you will find that all the likely ones will find dollars very useful. Think about it, power outages, ice/ snow storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, riots/ civil unrest and hurricanes really cover all the likely scenarios. Preparing for likely scenarios before preparing for unlikely ones just makes good sense. In fact in the scenarios the people you need to deal with (gas station, grocery store, hotel/ motel, hardware store, etc) will not barter. The kid working the register at 711 doesn't have the authority to barter and neither does anyone you will interact with at Safeway or Home Depot. Also people who have the option to barter (small business owners, contractors, etc) might or might not be willing.
Of course dollars do not replace food, water, fuel, etc but you need them also. Personally I would start on cash on hand about when I said in this recent post which is pretty darn early in your preparedness efforts. As for how much cash to keep on hand I think $300 in mixed bills split about evenly between ones, fives, maybe some tens and twenties is a decent start. It could buy a few tanks of gas, a few meals and a place to sleep for a night or two if need be. By then you can probably figure out how to get to your bank account or sell some precious metals or get to a friends to crash or whatnot. If you are a hardcore Australian (edited to include I meant Austrian, suppose the Australian school would be giant cans of Fosters beer and boomerangs or something) School of Economics tangibles type or just have a pretty low income it might be an OK place to stop. Personally I like a months worth of cash expenses on hand in mixed bills. To me this is a good balance between having enough cash to get through a pretty decent emergency and the risk of keeping cash at home. Some folks like more cash on hand and in some cases even have their whole 3-12 month emergency fund on hand in cash. The amount of cash you should have at home could vary based on numerous factors including your family size, income, needs, location, other resources and the like. What is right for the Smith family might not be right for the Anderson family a street over. While the amount of cash you should have on hand could be debated I do not think there are decent arguments against having some cash on hand.
Thoughts?
This is where someone else will say "After the dollar/ world collapses my beans and bullets/ barter items/ tangibles will be worth a super duper whole bunch and dollars will just be good for tinder and TP."
Both of these ideas are seriously wrong and here is why:
First unless our economy/ the dollar collapses entirely it is what people are going to accept as a means of exchange. If you look at what happens during significant local or regional disasters, people trade CASH for stuff. Sure there is some bartering I imagine but matter of fact if you go to the grocery store during a power outage they are not going to take silver dimes at 14X face value or want to dicker over the value of .22 shells. The credit card machines will not be working and it will be cash on the barrel head. Some stores will take checks but I would not want to plan on that. This is where someone says they have all the stuff they need for a power outage so they don't need any cash.
What if your house is damaged and you need to make emergency repairs? The local hardware store will be open even though the power is out or off and on. I would bet they are not going to accept silver dimes or .22 shells or one pint bottles of booze either. If they have the couple sheets of plywood you need (likely in a power outage where an errant tree limb went through a window but unlikely for a hurricane) you are going to need money to pay for them.
Maybe there is a disaster in your area and you need to relocate for a little while. You toss the BOB's in the family war wagon and the other essential stuff from your list and get driving. You have got some fuel stored (a good idea in general and essential in hurricane country) but a couple hours down the road you see a gas station with their lights on thanks to a generator and no line. Thinking it would be a good idea to stop and top off the tank you pull over. Your kids are excited because it is 105 degrees outside and the place might have ice cream. They won't be taking credit/ debit cards and a check from some guy from a long way away is not going to get a nice look. A sign that says Cash Only will probably be present. I doubt this guy is going to want silver one ounce rounds or 9mm ammo or pints of booze. You will need cash to leave with a full tank and an ice cream for everyone.
If you are in the South you will likely see a BBQ place about every 5 miles. In the long run these folks will have issues keeping meat cold or getting resupply but for a couple days a lot of them will be smoking hogs and selling those pulled pork sandwiches we all love. It would sure be nice to stop for a few minutes and have big old BBQ sandwiches instead of MRE's for lunch. You might be able to barter with these folks but they will definitely take cash. Also when you get to whatever your destination (that is unaffected by the disaster) it would sure be nice to get a place to sleep. Again it is entirely possible that the fragile complicated credit card system might not work because of problems with its networks and such. This sort of thing happens in normal times. Last I checked the Holiday Inn does not accept fractional gold coins or rifle ammo.
So I have made the case as clearly as possible that you need to have some cash. This brings us back to the "After the dollar/ world collapses my beans and bullets/ barter items/ tangibles will be worth a super duper whole bunch and dollars will just be good for tinder and TP" argument. This argument is terminally flawed for one reason. Look at all the possible emergency situations you could face. Depending on how specific you get there might be several or the sky is the limit. In how many of them will people be trading dollars for stuff? The answer is almost all of them. Except a currency collapse or a genuine full on Mad Max scenario your dollars will buy stuff. Also if you rank order the possible emergencies you will find that all the likely ones will find dollars very useful. Think about it, power outages, ice/ snow storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, riots/ civil unrest and hurricanes really cover all the likely scenarios. Preparing for likely scenarios before preparing for unlikely ones just makes good sense. In fact in the scenarios the people you need to deal with (gas station, grocery store, hotel/ motel, hardware store, etc) will not barter. The kid working the register at 711 doesn't have the authority to barter and neither does anyone you will interact with at Safeway or Home Depot. Also people who have the option to barter (small business owners, contractors, etc) might or might not be willing.
Of course dollars do not replace food, water, fuel, etc but you need them also. Personally I would start on cash on hand about when I said in this recent post which is pretty darn early in your preparedness efforts. As for how much cash to keep on hand I think $300 in mixed bills split about evenly between ones, fives, maybe some tens and twenties is a decent start. It could buy a few tanks of gas, a few meals and a place to sleep for a night or two if need be. By then you can probably figure out how to get to your bank account or sell some precious metals or get to a friends to crash or whatnot. If you are a hardcore Australian (edited to include I meant Austrian, suppose the Australian school would be giant cans of Fosters beer and boomerangs or something) School of Economics tangibles type or just have a pretty low income it might be an OK place to stop. Personally I like a months worth of cash expenses on hand in mixed bills. To me this is a good balance between having enough cash to get through a pretty decent emergency and the risk of keeping cash at home. Some folks like more cash on hand and in some cases even have their whole 3-12 month emergency fund on hand in cash. The amount of cash you should have at home could vary based on numerous factors including your family size, income, needs, location, other resources and the like. What is right for the Smith family might not be right for the Anderson family a street over. While the amount of cash you should have on hand could be debated I do not think there are decent arguments against having some cash on hand.
Thoughts?
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