News and Reviews Nov. 21, 2010

Big News!

This coming Tuesday at 8 p.m. Eastern - 5 p.m. Pacific, I am scheduled to be the interview guest with Jeff Gleason on The Berkey Guy Radio Show on the Preparedness Radio Network on Blogtalk Radio.  We will discuss school safety and emergency preparedness for students and their parents.  Jeff does a very informative weekly show, and I'm honored that he is interested in my thoughts on this topic.  For those of you who don't know, I am the security chief and emergency manager for a urban public school division with 31,000+ students.  You can either listen live through streaming audio, or download it later.  You'll also be able to ask questions either through the PRN chat room or by call in.  Be sure to tune in!

Harry Prepper?

I took my wonderful wife to see the new Harry Potter movie yesterday morning.  You're probably wondering how in the world I can relate this to prepping.  Well, in a pivotal scene we learn that Hermione Granger has a Bug Out Bag (BOB)!  Harry, Hermione and Ron have to flee Ron's parents' home to go hunt for Voldemort's soul.  Hermione reaches into her musette bag (she explains that she put some sort of bottomless bag spell on it) and pulls out a change of clothes for each of them.  When they look at her quizzically, she explains that she packed the bag several weeks ago for their emergency needs.  Later, we find that the bag also had a large wall tent, lanterns, and food in it.  I think she is one of us :-)!

Is there such a thing as a Knife Fairy?

In a foreshadowing of the movie, as we were leaving the house to go to it, I slipped on a jacket that I had not worn since last winter.  In the breast pocket was a Gerber Fast Draw Assisted Opening knife.  Now, what makes this so odd is that I don't recall ever owning this knife.  I honestly have no idea where it came from or how it ended up in my pocket.  I've no choice but to assume it left by was a Knife Fairy (perhaps an Elf).  It's a very nice knife for a reasonable price.  There is a safety switch/blade release on the side, two thumb studs, and the spring-assist opening takes just a slight pressure to be ready for action.  It has a half serrated and half plain blade that is 2.99 inches long.  The pocket clip seems very sturdy, and the blade is securely locked open.  I'm going to try it for a while as my daily carry to see if it will earn its keep.

Glenn Beck's Food Storage Show

As promised on Facebook postings, I recorded and watched Glenn Beck's TV show this past Thursday that he was promoting as being about food storage to prepare for coming unrest.  He spent the first half talking about George Soros, but finally got to food storage in the second half.  He interviewed Lisa Bedford, The Survival Mom, and had other moms in the audience to speak about their experiences with food storage.  He didn't offer a lot of how-to information, but he did mention several websites and resources for folks to learn on their own.  A pretty good show to introduce non-preppers to the idea in a "non scary" way.

Backyard Food Production DVD

I recently rewatched the DVD, Food Production Systems For a Backyard or Small Farm, that I got for Christmas last year.  This DVD is done by a family in Texas that is truly living the lifestyle and is sharing what they have learned with those of us who are not yet there.  The production values are of course not to the level of a Discovery Channel show, but are still pretty darn good... much better than a typical You Tube or homemade instructional video.  The lighting, sound and transitions are all of a high quality.  Topics include: Water, Garden, Rabbits, Home Butchering, Poultry, Dogs, Perennials, and Other Essentials.  I have learned a great deal that I can put to use on my small 2 acre homestead, and expect I'll watch it numerous times over the years.  I strongly recommend that you get a copy.  It also makes a great stocking stuffer for the budding homesteader on your list.  I will caution you that the segment on home butchering is graphic, but it is done with sensitivity.  If you are trying to convince a reluctant spouse of the benefits of homesteading, you might want to skip that segment.

How To SURVIVE The End Of The World As We Know It

I'm sure that most of you already know of James Wesley, Rawles, the writer of the daily SurvivalBlog.com and author of the how-to manual disguised as a fictional thriller, Patriots - Surviving the Coming Economic Collapse.  James' newest book is How To SURVIVE The End Of The World As We Know It, a how-to manual that is of use to the experienced prepper/homesteader or the complete novice who doesn't know where to start.  Chapters cover: Survival Mindset, Making Lists, The Retreat, Water, Food Larder, Fuel and Power, Gardens and Livestock, Medical, Communications, Home Security, Firearms, Vehicles, Investing and Income, and an extensive glossary.  He also has an appendix about pandemic protection for your family.

The book is an easy read, not too technical for the lay person, and broken down into short sections so you can read it a little bit here and there when you have a chance.  I've taken lots of notes and used a highlighter throughout my copy.  Throughout the book, he lists websites using the "snipurl.com" method which makes it easier to reach a website rather than typing in a long site name with extensions and sub domains.  This book is very user friendly and belongs not on your book shelf, but somewhere you will actually read it and refer to it time and time again.

My Amazon Store

If you look in the upper left corner of the blog, you'll see a link the If It Hits The Fan Amazon store.  I'm not selling anything, I'm just using this to provide direct links to books, gear and other materials that I own, use, or have first-hand knowledge of, and that I personally recommend to my readers.  This "store" will be growing in the next few weeks and will be a great resource to you for gifts (giving and receiving) and ideas of how you can improve your prep supplies.  If you use these links, I'll get a small commission from Amazon, and it won't cost you any extra.  Even if you don't buy my recommended items, but buy something else from Amazon, I'll get credit if you link through my site.  It's a way you can help support what I am doing here, and I'll be very appreciative.

Please "like" us on Facebook if you have not already done so, and I'll post the direct link to my Berkey Guy Radio Show appearance there.  I'll do a new blog post this Wednesday to tell you about my experiences on the show, and to share some thoughts on Thanksgiving.