Magazine Update
Yesterday I mentioned that I had not yet received my copy of Complete Survivalist Magazine. Well, my mailman must have been done reading it finally, because it came today. I have only skimmed it, but it looks GREAT! The first issue is only 32 pages, but they are on tap to expand it as they go along. The only complete article I've read was on the Free State New Hampshire movement, and I learned quite a bit about it. The other articles include such varied topics as homeschooling, nuclear threats, and product and book reviews. I'm glad I subscribed to this, and look forward to the next issue in two months.
Weather Report
Our friends to the south and north are getting hammered by this storm with heavy snow. Around here, we're getting freezing rain. Hope it does not take down the power lines, but the generator is ready if it does.
1/10/11
Magazines, Not Clips Jan. 10, 2011
Nope, I'm not talking the spring loaded boxes that hold ammo in a gun, ready to fire. I'm talking about magazines that you read.
The Good Old Days
The 80's and 90's saw some great survival magazines. Primary is American Survival Guide (originally Survival Guide). Jim Benson was the editor and each issue featured guns, gear and skills to survive TEOTWAWKI, being lost in the wilderness, or terrorism. Many issues featured gun giveaway contests. I never entered, but I wonder how many people actually did. A friend and I wrote an article for the "It Happened To Me" feature about our experiences in Desert Storm. He took writer credits and I became a freelance combat photographer, but we split the pay (I believe it was $150). My copy of the magazine is long lost, but the other night, my mom told me she found her copy - I'll get it next time I see her and scan and post the article. After Y2K, ASG got bought out by a publisher who just did not get it, and it faded away.
SURVIVE was another magazine of the era. It was published by Robert K. Brown and the gang over at Soldier of Fortune. It did not last nearly as long as ASG.
Fast Forward
About a year ago, there were really no survival magazines on the market. I've been reading Backwoods Home and Mother Earth News. Both are more closely related to self-sufficient living, but have relevant survival articles. BWH has a libertarian editorial slant and has a monthly gun column by Massad Ayoob. MEN has a much more liberal editorial slant. Both regularly feature letters from readers saying "Cancel my subscription because of your politics." My politics are much more closely aligned with those of BWH, but I learn a lot from both and think both are well worth the money for a subscription. There are also a few primitive skills mags and small farm/rural lifestyle mags, but I seldom read them. Please leave a comment if you do, and what you think of them.
Jackpot!
The past year has brought forth an avalanche of survival magazines. Ron Hood, one of the senior statesmen in the modern survival movement has introduced Survival Quarterly Magazine. A friend subscribes, and it is a slick, high quality, glossy mag with lots of recognized survival professionals on the masthead. I was very impressed, and plan to get my subscription in as soon as I save up a little more allowance.
Dave Canterbury, the co-host of Duel Survivor on the Discovery Channel, has just release the premier issue of Self Reliance Illustrated. I'm really looking forward to getting it. It looks to be another high quality read with a very experienced writing staff. My friend, professional adventure racer Payge McMahon, has a featured column each issue.
Finally, Complete Survivalist Magazine has just hit the market. They shipped the first issue to subscribers on 12/13, and folks are reporting getting it, but I have yet to receive mine. I'm not familiar with the group putting it out, but they have a blog and Blog Talk Radio show. Judging by the cover art of the premier issue and the list of topics covered, it looks like it might be the heir apparent to ASG. Word on the street is that they are also looking at doing a prepper/survival expo in Dallas this summer. Stand by for more.
I'm really hopeful that all of these magazines will succeed and live up to my expectations. There is room for all in this world of preparedness media. I encourage you to check them out and support one or more of them that best suits your need and interests.
The Good Old Days
The 80's and 90's saw some great survival magazines. Primary is American Survival Guide (originally Survival Guide). Jim Benson was the editor and each issue featured guns, gear and skills to survive TEOTWAWKI, being lost in the wilderness, or terrorism. Many issues featured gun giveaway contests. I never entered, but I wonder how many people actually did. A friend and I wrote an article for the "It Happened To Me" feature about our experiences in Desert Storm. He took writer credits and I became a freelance combat photographer, but we split the pay (I believe it was $150). My copy of the magazine is long lost, but the other night, my mom told me she found her copy - I'll get it next time I see her and scan and post the article. After Y2K, ASG got bought out by a publisher who just did not get it, and it faded away.
SURVIVE was another magazine of the era. It was published by Robert K. Brown and the gang over at Soldier of Fortune. It did not last nearly as long as ASG.
Fast Forward
About a year ago, there were really no survival magazines on the market. I've been reading Backwoods Home and Mother Earth News. Both are more closely related to self-sufficient living, but have relevant survival articles. BWH has a libertarian editorial slant and has a monthly gun column by Massad Ayoob. MEN has a much more liberal editorial slant. Both regularly feature letters from readers saying "Cancel my subscription because of your politics." My politics are much more closely aligned with those of BWH, but I learn a lot from both and think both are well worth the money for a subscription. There are also a few primitive skills mags and small farm/rural lifestyle mags, but I seldom read them. Please leave a comment if you do, and what you think of them.
Jackpot!
The past year has brought forth an avalanche of survival magazines. Ron Hood, one of the senior statesmen in the modern survival movement has introduced Survival Quarterly Magazine. A friend subscribes, and it is a slick, high quality, glossy mag with lots of recognized survival professionals on the masthead. I was very impressed, and plan to get my subscription in as soon as I save up a little more allowance.
Dave Canterbury, the co-host of Duel Survivor on the Discovery Channel, has just release the premier issue of Self Reliance Illustrated. I'm really looking forward to getting it. It looks to be another high quality read with a very experienced writing staff. My friend, professional adventure racer Payge McMahon, has a featured column each issue.
Finally, Complete Survivalist Magazine has just hit the market. They shipped the first issue to subscribers on 12/13, and folks are reporting getting it, but I have yet to receive mine. I'm not familiar with the group putting it out, but they have a blog and Blog Talk Radio show. Judging by the cover art of the premier issue and the list of topics covered, it looks like it might be the heir apparent to ASG. Word on the street is that they are also looking at doing a prepper/survival expo in Dallas this summer. Stand by for more.
I'm really hopeful that all of these magazines will succeed and live up to my expectations. There is room for all in this world of preparedness media. I encourage you to check them out and support one or more of them that best suits your need and interests.
1/9/11
Prepper Ponderings Jan. 9, 2011
No Post Yesterday
I was completely out of media contact yesterday. We were rearranging our main room (it holds the living room, dining room and office area), and both the DirecTV and internet were unplugged. I crawled under the house last night to run new DirecTV coaxial cable to the TV's new location. I need to go today and move the Cat5 phone cable to plug in my computer in its new location. I write this today from my wife's laptop using the wireless router.
From a prepping/self-reliance standpoint, I really enjoy being able to do things like run new wires, change out electrical outlets, and add phone plugs. It saves money from not having to call in service to do it. It also ensures I can work on and fix things during tough times. A few years ago, I did not have these skills. If I can do it, most anyone can.
From being unplugged from the media for a day, I missed the big story out of Arizona.
Arizona Killings
I woke up this morning to news of the horrific attack on the Arizona Congresswoman yesterday. From what I have read, it looks like the killer is severely mentally deranged, and has a leftist anarchist viewpoint. Of course, that has not stopped the finger pointing and blame at the right. He used32 33 round magazines in his Glock. You can bet that this will be the fodder needed to try and push through a new version of the old 1993 "assault weapons" ban. You can bet a new one will be much more in depth and won't have a sunset clause. If you can do it without going into debt, might be a good time to pick up that AR15 or pistol that you've been looking at, or maybe some extra magazines.
All that being said, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I hope that justice is swift and sure for the killer.
Saving Money
How long have you had your current car insurance policy? A couple years ago, we switched companies and saved about $200 a year. Last week, we shopped around again and ended up switching back to our original company and saved another $300 a year. That money will add to our debt reduction snowball.
Have you noticed over the past few months that the width of a roll of toilet paper has shrunk? At least the brands we use have followed that. It's been quite some time since a 1/2 gallon of ice cream became a quart and a half. I noticed recently at Food Lion that a case of Coke products now has 20 cans instead of 24. To the consumer who is not paying attention, prices have not gone up. If you're paying attention, you know that you are paying the old price, but for a smaller quantity. Pay attention to your per unit prices.
Is anyone running Net Flicks through their Wii? I'm thinking of doing that and removing Starz from the DirecTV. I think it will save about $36 a year, and give us more choice in our movie watching.
Post Apocalyptic Fiction
One of my favorite genres. I just a few minutes ago I learned of "The Last Man" written by Mary Shelley (of Frankenstein fame) in 1826. It is written as a first person account from the point of view of a survivor of a worldwide pandemic. "The Last Man" is available for free e-reader download through Google Books. It is also available as a free Kindle edition
from Amazon.Should be interesting.
Shotgun
Still haven't been able to get my shotgun. Just could not connect with the dealer yesterday. Hopefully within the next few days we can make it happen.
Glenn Beck
You may know that Glenn Beck advertises Food Insurance. Food Insurance is one of the many companies vying for your family's preparedness dollars. I have no first hand knowledge of this particular company, but am interested to know if any of you have bought from them and what you think of their products.
On his show Friday, Glenn mentioned that he had given all of his family members a 6-month supply of Food Insurance for Christmas. He said some had called him in tears thanking him, and that others who think he is crazy have not said a peep. He sent the 6-month supply to siblings, in-laws, cousins, everyone. All I have to say is, "Hey Cousin Glenn! You probably don't remember me, but our I'm your great aunt's second cousin's step-brother's first wife's niece's high school boyfriend's brother. My Christmas present must have got lost in the mail, but no hard feelings. Look forward to getting my Food Insurance!"
Think it will work?
I was completely out of media contact yesterday. We were rearranging our main room (it holds the living room, dining room and office area), and both the DirecTV and internet were unplugged. I crawled under the house last night to run new DirecTV coaxial cable to the TV's new location. I need to go today and move the Cat5 phone cable to plug in my computer in its new location. I write this today from my wife's laptop using the wireless router.
From a prepping/self-reliance standpoint, I really enjoy being able to do things like run new wires, change out electrical outlets, and add phone plugs. It saves money from not having to call in service to do it. It also ensures I can work on and fix things during tough times. A few years ago, I did not have these skills. If I can do it, most anyone can.
From being unplugged from the media for a day, I missed the big story out of Arizona.
Arizona Killings
I woke up this morning to news of the horrific attack on the Arizona Congresswoman yesterday. From what I have read, it looks like the killer is severely mentally deranged, and has a leftist anarchist viewpoint. Of course, that has not stopped the finger pointing and blame at the right. He used
All that being said, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I hope that justice is swift and sure for the killer.
Saving Money
How long have you had your current car insurance policy? A couple years ago, we switched companies and saved about $200 a year. Last week, we shopped around again and ended up switching back to our original company and saved another $300 a year. That money will add to our debt reduction snowball.
Have you noticed over the past few months that the width of a roll of toilet paper has shrunk? At least the brands we use have followed that. It's been quite some time since a 1/2 gallon of ice cream became a quart and a half. I noticed recently at Food Lion that a case of Coke products now has 20 cans instead of 24. To the consumer who is not paying attention, prices have not gone up. If you're paying attention, you know that you are paying the old price, but for a smaller quantity. Pay attention to your per unit prices.
Is anyone running Net Flicks through their Wii? I'm thinking of doing that and removing Starz from the DirecTV. I think it will save about $36 a year, and give us more choice in our movie watching.
Post Apocalyptic Fiction
One of my favorite genres. I just a few minutes ago I learned of "The Last Man" written by Mary Shelley (of Frankenstein fame) in 1826. It is written as a first person account from the point of view of a survivor of a worldwide pandemic. "The Last Man" is available for free e-reader download through Google Books. It is also available as a free Kindle edition
from Amazon.Should be interesting.Shotgun
Still haven't been able to get my shotgun. Just could not connect with the dealer yesterday. Hopefully within the next few days we can make it happen.
Glenn Beck
You may know that Glenn Beck advertises Food Insurance. Food Insurance is one of the many companies vying for your family's preparedness dollars. I have no first hand knowledge of this particular company, but am interested to know if any of you have bought from them and what you think of their products.
On his show Friday, Glenn mentioned that he had given all of his family members a 6-month supply of Food Insurance for Christmas. He said some had called him in tears thanking him, and that others who think he is crazy have not said a peep. He sent the 6-month supply to siblings, in-laws, cousins, everyone. All I have to say is, "Hey Cousin Glenn! You probably don't remember me, but our I'm your great aunt's second cousin's step-brother's first wife's niece's high school boyfriend's brother. My Christmas present must have got lost in the mail, but no hard feelings. Look forward to getting my Food Insurance!"
Think it will work?
1/7/11
Moles? Voles? Who Knows? Dec. 7, 2011
Tunnels Are Taking Over
I don't know which we have, although I just learned a neat trick to remember which are which. Moles - start with M - Meat - Moles eat worms and grubs. Voles - start with V - Vegetarian - Voles eat roots and plants. Both tear up the yard and can ruin a garden.
The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service recommends spring loaded traps like THIS
. I've heard everything from Juicy Fruit gum stuck down in the holes to car exhaust run through a hose into their tunnels. Here is a video clip from the Nashville Fox News station about a man there who is making a living ridding yards of moles and voles, and he does it with a dose of good old fashioned home made explosives. Looks like a cool job for someone with an entrepreneurial streak or an option to add to a lawn service.
Using a raised bed box, seems to have kept the buggers from getting into my garden last year, but my yard is maze of tunnels and soft ground. We'll see how they do with a more active garden. I'd rather not have to kill them, but I will go Elmer Fudd on them if they get into my veggies.
I don't know which we have, although I just learned a neat trick to remember which are which. Moles - start with M - Meat - Moles eat worms and grubs. Voles - start with V - Vegetarian - Voles eat roots and plants. Both tear up the yard and can ruin a garden.
The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service recommends spring loaded traps like THIS
. I've heard everything from Juicy Fruit gum stuck down in the holes to car exhaust run through a hose into their tunnels. Here is a video clip from the Nashville Fox News station about a man there who is making a living ridding yards of moles and voles, and he does it with a dose of good old fashioned home made explosives. Looks like a cool job for someone with an entrepreneurial streak or an option to add to a lawn service.Using a raised bed box, seems to have kept the buggers from getting into my garden last year, but my yard is maze of tunnels and soft ground. We'll see how they do with a more active garden. I'd rather not have to kill them, but I will go Elmer Fudd on them if they get into my veggies.
1/6/11
Gun Update Dec. 6, 2011
My Shotgun Is In!
I got the call today, my Remington 870 Express Tactical is in. I'll pick it up Saturday. I'll run a few rounds through it Saturday afternoon just to make sure it works, then I'll take it out to the range in a week or two to give it a full workout. I'll get the pattern with buck and bird shot at 10 and 25 yards, then slug accuracy at 25 and 50. A full report will follow. I'll need to get a sling for it, but I'm not sure what type. Any suggestions? I will also get a SideSaddle
and a Blackhawk Knoxx Recoil Reducing Stock, but those can come later. The sling is the first priority.
You've Got To Fight For Your Right
Here in Virginia, we are not cursed with too many onerous gun laws. Gun rights actually made progress last year with allowing concealed carry permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol (as long as they don't drink) and allowing people without permits to carry concealed in the car. We really have to give most of the credit to the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Every year, legions of law abiding gun owners descend upon our Jefferson-designed state capitol building to meet thier legislators (at least the ones who do not run and hide) and press for a return of the right to keep and bear arms, all while carrying weapons and wearing orange "Guns Save Lives" stickers. After a couple hours of that, everyone gathers on the Capitol lawn for a rally with advocates, politicians, and the occasional celebrity. I've been twice, and it is really an amazing event. This year's Lobby Day is Monday, January 17th. If you are in Virginia, I encourage you to come. I'll be there for the rally. Details can be found HERE. If you don't live in Virginia, I encourage you to become involved with whatever advocacy group is active in your state. If you don't support gun rights, well, I promise not to infringe upon your right to not have a firearm if you promise not to infringe upon my right to have one.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow is another garden-related post, but not just restricted to what I am doing.
I got the call today, my Remington 870 Express Tactical is in. I'll pick it up Saturday. I'll run a few rounds through it Saturday afternoon just to make sure it works, then I'll take it out to the range in a week or two to give it a full workout. I'll get the pattern with buck and bird shot at 10 and 25 yards, then slug accuracy at 25 and 50. A full report will follow. I'll need to get a sling for it, but I'm not sure what type. Any suggestions? I will also get a SideSaddle
and a Blackhawk Knoxx Recoil Reducing Stock, but those can come later. The sling is the first priority.You've Got To Fight For Your Right
Here in Virginia, we are not cursed with too many onerous gun laws. Gun rights actually made progress last year with allowing concealed carry permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol (as long as they don't drink) and allowing people without permits to carry concealed in the car. We really have to give most of the credit to the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Every year, legions of law abiding gun owners descend upon our Jefferson-designed state capitol building to meet thier legislators (at least the ones who do not run and hide) and press for a return of the right to keep and bear arms, all while carrying weapons and wearing orange "Guns Save Lives" stickers. After a couple hours of that, everyone gathers on the Capitol lawn for a rally with advocates, politicians, and the occasional celebrity. I've been twice, and it is really an amazing event. This year's Lobby Day is Monday, January 17th. If you are in Virginia, I encourage you to come. I'll be there for the rally. Details can be found HERE. If you don't live in Virginia, I encourage you to become involved with whatever advocacy group is active in your state. If you don't support gun rights, well, I promise not to infringe upon your right to not have a firearm if you promise not to infringe upon my right to have one.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow is another garden-related post, but not just restricted to what I am doing.
1/5/11
Garden and Gun Jan. 5, 2011
No, I'm not plugging the hoity toity "lifestyle" magazine that refuses to take ads for the NRA Foundation. It's just the two topics I'm covering today.
Garden
So, what am I planting this spring?
Scarlet Nantes carrots; Straight Eights slicing cucumbers; World Beater sweet peppers; Jalapenos; Easter Egg radishes; Illini Star tomatoes; Amy's Sugar Gem cherry tomatoes; and Cilantro. I have organic lettuces that did great last year and I'm going to plant again this season.
I'll order some fall crops a little later in the year. I have a great spot in the front yard for a pumpkin patch.
Gun
I have finally gotten around to putting together my package to get my concealed weapon permit. I've never had one before. Before I was a cop, I carried openly (usually ;-), then for 15 years as a cop, I did not need a permit. I have retired credentials, but that federal law that gives retired LEO the ability to carry nation wide is designed specifically to make the process as much of a pain and inconvenience as possible. I've also always thought it was wrong for police to be given privileges that other law abiding citizens had to jump through hoops for. So, I've gone ahead and done it. I got the notarizing done today and will drop it in the mail tomorrow. As much as I hate the idea that I need to pay for government permission to exercise my rights, at least here in Virginia it is a pretty simple process.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal responsibility. No one else can protect you and your family, you have to do it yourself. As they say, "When seconds count, the police are minutes away."
What's Up With The Birds And Fish?
The reports keep expanding the affected areas. Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Sweden, Canada, United Kingdom, Texas... it keeps growing. I can't even begin to speculate on what might be causing these things, but it's pretty darn weird, and somewhat disconcerting. Definitely something we should all be keeping an eye on.
Garden
So, what am I planting this spring?
Scarlet Nantes carrots; Straight Eights slicing cucumbers; World Beater sweet peppers; Jalapenos; Easter Egg radishes; Illini Star tomatoes; Amy's Sugar Gem cherry tomatoes; and Cilantro. I have organic lettuces that did great last year and I'm going to plant again this season.
I'll order some fall crops a little later in the year. I have a great spot in the front yard for a pumpkin patch.
Gun
I have finally gotten around to putting together my package to get my concealed weapon permit. I've never had one before. Before I was a cop, I carried openly (usually ;-), then for 15 years as a cop, I did not need a permit. I have retired credentials, but that federal law that gives retired LEO the ability to carry nation wide is designed specifically to make the process as much of a pain and inconvenience as possible. I've also always thought it was wrong for police to be given privileges that other law abiding citizens had to jump through hoops for. So, I've gone ahead and done it. I got the notarizing done today and will drop it in the mail tomorrow. As much as I hate the idea that I need to pay for government permission to exercise my rights, at least here in Virginia it is a pretty simple process.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal responsibility. No one else can protect you and your family, you have to do it yourself. As they say, "When seconds count, the police are minutes away."
What's Up With The Birds And Fish?
The reports keep expanding the affected areas. Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Sweden, Canada, United Kingdom, Texas... it keeps growing. I can't even begin to speculate on what might be causing these things, but it's pretty darn weird, and somewhat disconcerting. Definitely something we should all be keeping an eye on.
1/4/11
Garden Planning Jan. 4, 2011
It's Garden Time
Last year was my first garden. I have a 16 x 4 box, 24 inches high. Last year's effort was a learning experience, and I will expand a bit this year.
I've got three seed catalogs, each with their unique aspects:
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a sort of a commune in Louisa, Virginia, less than a couple hours from me. One of these days, I'll take a field trip up there and write about seeing it first hand. Their catalog is the smallest of the three. For each category (cucumbers, tomatoes, etc...) they have some general background and planting/harvesting instructions. For each variety, they have some pretty good information about where the plant originates, how long it has been around, and variety-specific information. I've made most of my selections from this catalog. Although I've got to pay Virginia sales tax (boo, hiss), the money will stay in Virginia, and the plants are adapted to the climate here.
Territorial Seed Company is the thickest catalog, with a huge variety of plants. It also has the largest selection of tools and accessories, as well as books. They are out of Cottage Grove, Oregon. For each variety, they list some specific details. They also offer a wide variety of seed order sizes ranging from a tiny sampler pack to 25 pounds for some varieties.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a beautiful catalog, about a foot square, printed on glossy paper. It is run by a young couple out of the Ozarks in Mansfield, Missouri. They are very proud that all of their seeds are non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented. The catalog features tons of large, full color photos of the produce, but their descriptions are not as thorough as the others.
Each of these companies will send you a free catalog. I think each is worth supporting with part of my order.
So, what seeds am I getting? Check back tomorrow to find out!
Last year was my first garden. I have a 16 x 4 box, 24 inches high. Last year's effort was a learning experience, and I will expand a bit this year.
I've got three seed catalogs, each with their unique aspects:
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange is a sort of a commune in Louisa, Virginia, less than a couple hours from me. One of these days, I'll take a field trip up there and write about seeing it first hand. Their catalog is the smallest of the three. For each category (cucumbers, tomatoes, etc...) they have some general background and planting/harvesting instructions. For each variety, they have some pretty good information about where the plant originates, how long it has been around, and variety-specific information. I've made most of my selections from this catalog. Although I've got to pay Virginia sales tax (boo, hiss), the money will stay in Virginia, and the plants are adapted to the climate here.
Territorial Seed Company is the thickest catalog, with a huge variety of plants. It also has the largest selection of tools and accessories, as well as books. They are out of Cottage Grove, Oregon. For each variety, they list some specific details. They also offer a wide variety of seed order sizes ranging from a tiny sampler pack to 25 pounds for some varieties.
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a beautiful catalog, about a foot square, printed on glossy paper. It is run by a young couple out of the Ozarks in Mansfield, Missouri. They are very proud that all of their seeds are non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented. The catalog features tons of large, full color photos of the produce, but their descriptions are not as thorough as the others.
Each of these companies will send you a free catalog. I think each is worth supporting with part of my order.
So, what seeds am I getting? Check back tomorrow to find out!
1/3/11
My Personal Survival Test Jan. 3, 2011
20 Years Ago Today
(some mild adult language follows)
On Thanksgiving Day of 1990, I got home late in the morning from my job feeding and shoveling the poo of elephants, rhinos and giraffes (on holidays, we started early and finished early) to find my roommate telling me to call my unit. I was a corporal in a Marine Corps Reserve artillery unit. I called, and got the word to report the following week with all my gear... we were going to war. That bit of news made for an interesting Thanksgiving that evening with my family, and also to a whirlwind of activity for the next week.
After a month of training at Camp Lejeune, on January 3, 1991, the Marines of Hotel Battery 3/14 arrived in Saudi Arabia to attach to the 1st Marine Division and eventually end up on the spearhead of the liberation of Kuwait.
It also lead to my first long-term test as a survivalist. Over the next 3 and a half months, I spent nearly all of my time in the field, living out of my rucksack. I kept my M-16 and gas mask with me at all times. I survived incoming mortar rounds, learned to drive a 5-ton truck while taking incoming fire, and sent an awful lot of 155mm downrange on "troops in the open." I saw a good friend moments after he got a large piece of shrapnel through his chin that missed taking off his head by about 5 inches. I ate a ton of MRE's and learned the value of "comfort foods" from home. I went for over a month bathing out of a bucket and crapping in a hole while balancing one butt cheek on my e-tool shovel. I mourned one of our Marines who never made it home. I lost about 40 pounds. I mounted my bayonet to take prisoners, and had my 1st Sgt. (the late L.T. Parker - truly one of the greatest men I have ever known) yell, "Damn it, Green! We're here to take 'em prisoner, not poke 'em in the ass!" I learned (by watching, not doing) that you should not pop the primer on a Soviet 12.5mm round by hitting it with a nail in a board.
I witnessed incredible bravery, teamwork, and enthusiasm.
I was physically and mentally challenged, and I passed. Twenty years later, I know I am not up to the physical aspect the same as I was when I was 22 and in some of the best shape of my life, but mental will be a huge part of the game if we enter a TEOTWAWKI situation, and I'm pretty sure I could make that part of it OK.
I was going to write some on other topics, but I think I'll stop here. To the men I served with, the Marines of Hotel Battery, Semper Fidelis.
(some mild adult language follows)
On Thanksgiving Day of 1990, I got home late in the morning from my job feeding and shoveling the poo of elephants, rhinos and giraffes (on holidays, we started early and finished early) to find my roommate telling me to call my unit. I was a corporal in a Marine Corps Reserve artillery unit. I called, and got the word to report the following week with all my gear... we were going to war. That bit of news made for an interesting Thanksgiving that evening with my family, and also to a whirlwind of activity for the next week.
After a month of training at Camp Lejeune, on January 3, 1991, the Marines of Hotel Battery 3/14 arrived in Saudi Arabia to attach to the 1st Marine Division and eventually end up on the spearhead of the liberation of Kuwait.
It also lead to my first long-term test as a survivalist. Over the next 3 and a half months, I spent nearly all of my time in the field, living out of my rucksack. I kept my M-16 and gas mask with me at all times. I survived incoming mortar rounds, learned to drive a 5-ton truck while taking incoming fire, and sent an awful lot of 155mm downrange on "troops in the open." I saw a good friend moments after he got a large piece of shrapnel through his chin that missed taking off his head by about 5 inches. I ate a ton of MRE's and learned the value of "comfort foods" from home. I went for over a month bathing out of a bucket and crapping in a hole while balancing one butt cheek on my e-tool shovel. I mourned one of our Marines who never made it home. I lost about 40 pounds. I mounted my bayonet to take prisoners, and had my 1st Sgt. (the late L.T. Parker - truly one of the greatest men I have ever known) yell, "Damn it, Green! We're here to take 'em prisoner, not poke 'em in the ass!" I learned (by watching, not doing) that you should not pop the primer on a Soviet 12.5mm round by hitting it with a nail in a board.
I witnessed incredible bravery, teamwork, and enthusiasm.
I was physically and mentally challenged, and I passed. Twenty years later, I know I am not up to the physical aspect the same as I was when I was 22 and in some of the best shape of my life, but mental will be a huge part of the game if we enter a TEOTWAWKI situation, and I'm pretty sure I could make that part of it OK.
I was going to write some on other topics, but I think I'll stop here. To the men I served with, the Marines of Hotel Battery, Semper Fidelis.
1/2/11
A Guaranteed ROI? Jan. 2, 2011
20% Profit?
Now I am not an investment counselor or a financial expert. This is just a few comments on what I believe may ensure considerable, and fairly short term, return on an investment. Are you ready for it........?
Socks and underwear. Maybe jeans and t-shirts, too. It seems that cotton has skyrocketed in cost over the second half of 2009, but the manufacturers have not passed on the rise to customers. Until now. Cotton has gone up due to increased demand in China and India, and poor production levels from Asia and Australia from bad growing weather.
What does it mean for us? If you have a little extra cash or can alter your budget a bit, go out and pick up a few extra packs of socks
, underwear
, and t-shirts
. Grab a few extra pair of jeans
. If you have small children, pick up some in larger sizes that they will grow into. If the price goes up 20% or more as expected over the next year, you'll get a return on investment more than one would typically expect even from the stock market.
Dress tomorrow on today's money.
Now I am not an investment counselor or a financial expert. This is just a few comments on what I believe may ensure considerable, and fairly short term, return on an investment. Are you ready for it........?
Socks and underwear. Maybe jeans and t-shirts, too. It seems that cotton has skyrocketed in cost over the second half of 2009, but the manufacturers have not passed on the rise to customers. Until now. Cotton has gone up due to increased demand in China and India, and poor production levels from Asia and Australia from bad growing weather.
What does it mean for us? If you have a little extra cash or can alter your budget a bit, go out and pick up a few extra packs of socks
, underwear, and t-shirts. Grab a few extra pair of jeans. If you have small children, pick up some in larger sizes that they will grow into. If the price goes up 20% or more as expected over the next year, you'll get a return on investment more than one would typically expect even from the stock market. Dress tomorrow on today's money.
1/1/11
1st Of The Month Jan. 1, 2011
It's the first of the month, have you...
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
Changed your HVAC filters?
Gun update
My shotgun won't get shipped until Monday. There was a miscommunication with the distributor. But on a bright note, I got my cap & ball revolver back in working order. I had put it out of action at a Cowboy Action Shooting match some time ago. Remember, its powder, bullet, THEN Crisco, not powder, Crisco, bullet. The latter makes for soggy powder that does not go bang and gets the bullet stuck. I used a bullet puller chucked into my drill to pop them out, then cleaned all the nasty gunky powder goo out of each chamber. I'll put a few rounds through it today to celebrate the new year and get that black powder smell in the air.
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
Changed your HVAC filters?
Gun update
My shotgun won't get shipped until Monday. There was a miscommunication with the distributor. But on a bright note, I got my cap & ball revolver back in working order. I had put it out of action at a Cowboy Action Shooting match some time ago. Remember, its powder, bullet, THEN Crisco, not powder, Crisco, bullet. The latter makes for soggy powder that does not go bang and gets the bullet stuck. I used a bullet puller chucked into my drill to pop them out, then cleaned all the nasty gunky powder goo out of each chamber. I'll put a few rounds through it today to celebrate the new year and get that black powder smell in the air.
12/31/10
So Long To 2010 12/31/2010
Garden Progress
This morning I went to my Dad's and got a load of horse manure then spread it on top of my 12x4 garden box. It is not really composted yet, but we are still quite a way off from planting season. This weekend I'll staple black trash bags across the top of the box. This will speed the composting of the manure and warm the soil until it is time to plant, probably around the 1st of April or so. Sunday will be my day to make my seed decisions from my catalogs.
Guns for Defense
For Christmas, I gave my older brother my home defense shotgun. It is a Remington 870 that he found in a trashcan about 20 years ago and gave to me. It had a cracked stock, a 28" barrel and was missing the end cap that held in the mag spring and attached the barrel to the gun. Back then, I put this Choate Machine and Tool stock
on it with a matching fore end, an 18.5" barrel made by Mossberg for the 870 similar to this one but without the "stand off" feature, and a fiber optic shotgun sight from HiViz. That gun served me well throughout my police career. At Thanksgiving he had asked my advice on buying a shotgun for home defense, something he had never been interested in before. I thought it fitting that he get it back. He really appreciated it, and it was good to be able to do something nice for him after all that he has done for me over the years. The problem is that it left me without a home defense shotgun. Today I'm going to pick up a new Remington 870 Express Tactical that I ordered.
I'll get a review of it up soon.
Guns I Wish I Still Had
There are tons of blogs out there about guns, so I generally have stayed away from discussing them here, but I thought it might be cool to reminisce now and then about guns I've owned and traded or sold, that I wish I still had. Anyone who has done some "horse trading" in the past probably has a similar list.
The first gun I ever bought with my own money, I was about 13 or so, and I got a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 at a gun show. I don't remember what it cost, but I'd guess it was in the $100 neighborhood. That old .30-30 accompanied me on hikes through some family land in Ohio, took down many a pine cone and beer can, and basically got my love of the old West and guns in general started. When I was about 19 or 20, and flat broke, I pawned it for $40. I meant to go back and get it out of hock, but could never come up with the money soon enough. A lot of guns over the years got sold when I was broke, but thankfully never at such a loss! What guns are in your history that you've loved and lost? Leave a comment to share your story.
Happy New Year!
This morning I went to my Dad's and got a load of horse manure then spread it on top of my 12x4 garden box. It is not really composted yet, but we are still quite a way off from planting season. This weekend I'll staple black trash bags across the top of the box. This will speed the composting of the manure and warm the soil until it is time to plant, probably around the 1st of April or so. Sunday will be my day to make my seed decisions from my catalogs.
Guns for Defense
For Christmas, I gave my older brother my home defense shotgun. It is a Remington 870 that he found in a trashcan about 20 years ago and gave to me. It had a cracked stock, a 28" barrel and was missing the end cap that held in the mag spring and attached the barrel to the gun. Back then, I put this Choate Machine and Tool stock
on it with a matching fore end, an 18.5" barrel made by Mossberg for the 870 similar to this one but without the "stand off" feature, and a fiber optic shotgun sight from HiViz. That gun served me well throughout my police career. At Thanksgiving he had asked my advice on buying a shotgun for home defense, something he had never been interested in before. I thought it fitting that he get it back. He really appreciated it, and it was good to be able to do something nice for him after all that he has done for me over the years. The problem is that it left me without a home defense shotgun. Today I'm going to pick up a new Remington 870 Express Tactical that I ordered. I'll get a review of it up soon.Guns I Wish I Still Had
There are tons of blogs out there about guns, so I generally have stayed away from discussing them here, but I thought it might be cool to reminisce now and then about guns I've owned and traded or sold, that I wish I still had. Anyone who has done some "horse trading" in the past probably has a similar list.
The first gun I ever bought with my own money, I was about 13 or so, and I got a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 at a gun show. I don't remember what it cost, but I'd guess it was in the $100 neighborhood. That old .30-30 accompanied me on hikes through some family land in Ohio, took down many a pine cone and beer can, and basically got my love of the old West and guns in general started. When I was about 19 or 20, and flat broke, I pawned it for $40. I meant to go back and get it out of hock, but could never come up with the money soon enough. A lot of guns over the years got sold when I was broke, but thankfully never at such a loss! What guns are in your history that you've loved and lost? Leave a comment to share your story.
Happy New Year!
12/29/10
If It Hits The Fan for 2011 Dec. 29, 2010
First, I truly want to thank each of you that takes the time to read this blog! I am really enjoying doing it, and I hope you are enjoying reading it. I look forward to building this community.
I hope you all had a great Christmas. I got lots of cool gear and books related to prepping, and will be reviewing them all over the next few weeks. I also gave a few pieces of gear and will review those as well.
Patriots
I sent my cousin in Northern Idaho a copy of Patriots -Surviving the Coming Collapse
for Christmas. We spoke last night and he is really liking it. He works with a guy who is from Troy, so he's getting a kick out of the local flavor, too. My cousin is a car guy, and that leads to a piece of criticism for the book. He questions the wisdom of the group buying the old Broncos and Mustangs. He says that there is not a lot of parts commonality among the Ford engines and he would suggest Chevy small blocks. They all have quite a bit of parts in common, no matter the displacement. Not being a car guy myself, I'll take his word on it. He's never lead me wrong with auto information in the past. At the risk of opening up a huge can of worms, what do you think? Ford, GM, Dodge, or some snappy little foreign jobby?
My Garden
The seed catalogs are in, and I'm getting my order together. Last year was my first ever vegetable garden, and I had good luck with lettuces and cukes, not so much with tomatoes, radishes and carrots, no luck at all with peppers. I learned some things about Square Foot Gardening
, and will try another garden about the same size this year. I'm going Friday to pick up a load of horse manure to spread in the box, then staple black trash bags over top of it to warm the soil and finish the composting. Mid-January will be time to start my seeds inside. It will be here before we know it. I am going to add a pumpkin patch to a bordered section of the front yard this year. We'll see how that goes too.
Coming in 2011
I really want to build If It Hits The Fan in 2011. I got Crush It, by Gary Vaynerchuk
for Christmas and have read it once already. It is a fantastic book for anyone who has the least bit of entrepreneurial spirit in them. If you want to build your personal brand, I highly recommend it. I'm not lending mine out; it will be a turn-to reference for quite a while. Using the ideas and methods that Gary discusses, expect to see me and If It Hits The Fan popping up in forums, blogs and Facebook pages whenever I have something relevent to contribute to the topic. I'm also working on a small product to sell, and maybe some t-shirts with the triangle and shield logo.
I'm hoping to expand my affiliate programs and offer advertising as well in the coming months. Rest assured, any affiliates or advertisers will be based on my personal support of those companies or products, and not just anyone with a few bucks to pay. I'm also developing a family-oriented preparedness 101 training program to offer to churches, civic groups, and the public starting this spring. I'll also expand my training offerings of the FEMA Incident Command courses to private schools.
Perhaps the most exciting thing, I'm unable to give any details of yet. I can tell you that a preparedness equipment company has approached me about designing a particular product for them. I think the angle we are taking is pretty unique in the industry and will serve an unfilled need. I'm hoping we can have things finalized soon and can let you know about it.
Finally, my wonderful wife has given me registration to one of Dave Canterbury's Basic Pathfinder classes later this year. Although I spent nearly four months without being inside of a building once, and I've been camping a number of times, my wilderness survival skills are not where they ought to be. I'll bring back a full report for you!
Thanks for welcoming me into your computer for these past months. Please spread the word to your friends about us, become a fan on Facebook, buy Amazon items through my affiliate store link, patronize Survival Gear Bags and my future sponsors and affiliates, and if you buy something I talk about here, tell them you heard about them at If It Hits The Fan. Stay engaged, and Keep On Prepping!
I hope you all had a great Christmas. I got lots of cool gear and books related to prepping, and will be reviewing them all over the next few weeks. I also gave a few pieces of gear and will review those as well.
Patriots
I sent my cousin in Northern Idaho a copy of Patriots -Surviving the Coming Collapse
for Christmas. We spoke last night and he is really liking it. He works with a guy who is from Troy, so he's getting a kick out of the local flavor, too. My cousin is a car guy, and that leads to a piece of criticism for the book. He questions the wisdom of the group buying the old Broncos and Mustangs. He says that there is not a lot of parts commonality among the Ford engines and he would suggest Chevy small blocks. They all have quite a bit of parts in common, no matter the displacement. Not being a car guy myself, I'll take his word on it. He's never lead me wrong with auto information in the past. At the risk of opening up a huge can of worms, what do you think? Ford, GM, Dodge, or some snappy little foreign jobby?My Garden
The seed catalogs are in, and I'm getting my order together. Last year was my first ever vegetable garden, and I had good luck with lettuces and cukes, not so much with tomatoes, radishes and carrots, no luck at all with peppers. I learned some things about Square Foot Gardening
, and will try another garden about the same size this year. I'm going Friday to pick up a load of horse manure to spread in the box, then staple black trash bags over top of it to warm the soil and finish the composting. Mid-January will be time to start my seeds inside. It will be here before we know it. I am going to add a pumpkin patch to a bordered section of the front yard this year. We'll see how that goes too.Coming in 2011
I really want to build If It Hits The Fan in 2011. I got Crush It, by Gary Vaynerchuk
for Christmas and have read it once already. It is a fantastic book for anyone who has the least bit of entrepreneurial spirit in them. If you want to build your personal brand, I highly recommend it. I'm not lending mine out; it will be a turn-to reference for quite a while. Using the ideas and methods that Gary discusses, expect to see me and If It Hits The Fan popping up in forums, blogs and Facebook pages whenever I have something relevent to contribute to the topic. I'm also working on a small product to sell, and maybe some t-shirts with the triangle and shield logo.I'm hoping to expand my affiliate programs and offer advertising as well in the coming months. Rest assured, any affiliates or advertisers will be based on my personal support of those companies or products, and not just anyone with a few bucks to pay. I'm also developing a family-oriented preparedness 101 training program to offer to churches, civic groups, and the public starting this spring. I'll also expand my training offerings of the FEMA Incident Command courses to private schools.
Perhaps the most exciting thing, I'm unable to give any details of yet. I can tell you that a preparedness equipment company has approached me about designing a particular product for them. I think the angle we are taking is pretty unique in the industry and will serve an unfilled need. I'm hoping we can have things finalized soon and can let you know about it.
Finally, my wonderful wife has given me registration to one of Dave Canterbury's Basic Pathfinder classes later this year. Although I spent nearly four months without being inside of a building once, and I've been camping a number of times, my wilderness survival skills are not where they ought to be. I'll bring back a full report for you!
Thanks for welcoming me into your computer for these past months. Please spread the word to your friends about us, become a fan on Facebook, buy Amazon items through my affiliate store link, patronize Survival Gear Bags and my future sponsors and affiliates, and if you buy something I talk about here, tell them you heard about them at If It Hits The Fan. Stay engaged, and Keep On Prepping!
12/23/10
Prepper Ponderings Dec. 23, 2010
A stack of short entries today...
Product Review: Auto Buddy from Emergency Essentials
I won this in a random drawing that Emergency Essentials had on their blog site last week. The delivery was amazingly quick. When I got it this past Monday, I looked it over. It has four tools, a 9 LED amber light flashing beacon, a single white LED flashlight, a seat belt cutter, and a car window hammer. It also has a magnet base to attach it to your car while the beacon is going. I put in two AAs and began my evaluation. I ran the flashlight for about an hour. I went in the backyard and the shed after dark. It was adequate. better than some lights, not as good as others, but adequate. I then started the amber beacon flashing. I carried it outside and considered leaving stuck to my truck's bed, but figured it might draw unwanted attention. I ended up sticking it inside my bed tool box, and leaving it there all night in sub-freezing temperatures. When I came out to go to work the next morning, it was still going strong, and had been for about 10 hours. I was concerned about the magnet strength. It held OK to the side of my truck bed, but I've been on the side of the interstate getting buffeted by 18 wheelers going by. Would it hold under those conditions? It was still dark as I headed to work with it stuck to my front fender (I did not have the beacon going). I planned to see if it held until I got to the interstate, about 10 minutes away. About a mile from the house, going 40-50 mph on a bumpy country road, it fell off. I drove the short stretch a couple times, but it was dark and the light was obviously in the ditch. This was Tuesday morning. Tuesday night, it was already dark by the time I got home, and again I could not see it as I drove that stretch of road. Wednesday, I got off work at noon, so when I got near place it fell off, I parked and got out and walked. There it was, in the ditch, a little scuffed, but fully intact and everything working fine! This thing is durable! I have not checked the seat belt cutter or window breaker, but in looking at them, they look like they will easily work as designed. So, would I recommend the Auto Buddy? I sure would. It is currently $11.95, but if you buy 10 or more, they are only $8. A little late for stocking stuffers, but these would be great for new drivers, co-workers, and other family members. Mine will ride in the door pocket of my truck, and I'll be getting one for my wife soon.
al-Qaida Threat to Poison Buffets
I mentioned this on Facebook. From what I gather, there is pretty good intel to suggest this is a viable threat, and before it got reported to the public, "they" had already briefed corporate security types from restaurants and hotels. Is it reason to completely avoid salad bars and buffets? I don't think so. I'd say just pay attention to others who are using them. Maybe take 15 minutes to drink your tea before eating and use that time to observe. Frankly, I'm surprised more people don't get sick from buffets just from communicable diseases and poor hygiene. The sneeze shield and "please use a clean plate for each trip" are not really that encouraging. Any time you eat something that a stranger prepared and served, you put yourself at risk. Barring further information developing, I think we'll still have our year-end feast at Texas de Brazil.
White Christmas of Doom?
The weather reports as recently as last night showed us getting 12-18 inches of snow here in Central Virginia. As of today, it is questionable. If the front moves in slow, we could be closer to that 18 inches, if it moves in fast, we could be in the 6 inch range. I got the new carb put on the generator, along with plenty of treated gas, so we are ready should we lose power. I have alternative heat sources, and we have winter kits in the cars (but if it is that bad, we won't go out). Historically, folks around here wipe the shelves at the grocery store if there is a hint of the slightest snow in the forecast. I can't imagine what the stores are like today. Thankfully, I don't care! We've got plenty of supplies to see us through.
Music Review
Music review? In a blog about preparedness? OK, it's a little off the norm for me. An old friend, Ryan Hood (we used to be cops together back in the day) has just released his first album, Coming Home. Ryan left Virginia several years ago to move back to the small town of Athol, Mass., where he was raised. I've always known Ryan to be a talented musician, but he also is a great song writer. The songs on Coming Home are inspired by his love of the outdoors, small town living, and the rural lifestyle... the same things that many of us love and strive for. I got my copy of Coming Home yesterday and am very impressed. I'm going to ask a favor of you all. Please visit RyanWHood.com and listen to some samples of his music. If it speaks to you like it does to me, please consider buying a copy of his CD. It is professionally produced, recorded and packaged, and I think it is well worth the $15.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope that each of you has a very merry Christmas and a bountiful New Year. Celebrate as you and your family wish, and stay safe. Leave a comment telling us about any good prepping gear you get or give this year. I'll be back after Christmas to share my list, and what I will accomplish with my preps for next year.
Product Review: Auto Buddy from Emergency Essentials
I won this in a random drawing that Emergency Essentials had on their blog site last week. The delivery was amazingly quick. When I got it this past Monday, I looked it over. It has four tools, a 9 LED amber light flashing beacon, a single white LED flashlight, a seat belt cutter, and a car window hammer. It also has a magnet base to attach it to your car while the beacon is going. I put in two AAs and began my evaluation. I ran the flashlight for about an hour. I went in the backyard and the shed after dark. It was adequate. better than some lights, not as good as others, but adequate. I then started the amber beacon flashing. I carried it outside and considered leaving stuck to my truck's bed, but figured it might draw unwanted attention. I ended up sticking it inside my bed tool box, and leaving it there all night in sub-freezing temperatures. When I came out to go to work the next morning, it was still going strong, and had been for about 10 hours. I was concerned about the magnet strength. It held OK to the side of my truck bed, but I've been on the side of the interstate getting buffeted by 18 wheelers going by. Would it hold under those conditions? It was still dark as I headed to work with it stuck to my front fender (I did not have the beacon going). I planned to see if it held until I got to the interstate, about 10 minutes away. About a mile from the house, going 40-50 mph on a bumpy country road, it fell off. I drove the short stretch a couple times, but it was dark and the light was obviously in the ditch. This was Tuesday morning. Tuesday night, it was already dark by the time I got home, and again I could not see it as I drove that stretch of road. Wednesday, I got off work at noon, so when I got near place it fell off, I parked and got out and walked. There it was, in the ditch, a little scuffed, but fully intact and everything working fine! This thing is durable! I have not checked the seat belt cutter or window breaker, but in looking at them, they look like they will easily work as designed. So, would I recommend the Auto Buddy? I sure would. It is currently $11.95, but if you buy 10 or more, they are only $8. A little late for stocking stuffers, but these would be great for new drivers, co-workers, and other family members. Mine will ride in the door pocket of my truck, and I'll be getting one for my wife soon.
al-Qaida Threat to Poison Buffets
I mentioned this on Facebook. From what I gather, there is pretty good intel to suggest this is a viable threat, and before it got reported to the public, "they" had already briefed corporate security types from restaurants and hotels. Is it reason to completely avoid salad bars and buffets? I don't think so. I'd say just pay attention to others who are using them. Maybe take 15 minutes to drink your tea before eating and use that time to observe. Frankly, I'm surprised more people don't get sick from buffets just from communicable diseases and poor hygiene. The sneeze shield and "please use a clean plate for each trip" are not really that encouraging. Any time you eat something that a stranger prepared and served, you put yourself at risk. Barring further information developing, I think we'll still have our year-end feast at Texas de Brazil.
White Christmas of Doom?
The weather reports as recently as last night showed us getting 12-18 inches of snow here in Central Virginia. As of today, it is questionable. If the front moves in slow, we could be closer to that 18 inches, if it moves in fast, we could be in the 6 inch range. I got the new carb put on the generator, along with plenty of treated gas, so we are ready should we lose power. I have alternative heat sources, and we have winter kits in the cars (but if it is that bad, we won't go out). Historically, folks around here wipe the shelves at the grocery store if there is a hint of the slightest snow in the forecast. I can't imagine what the stores are like today. Thankfully, I don't care! We've got plenty of supplies to see us through.
Music Review
Music review? In a blog about preparedness? OK, it's a little off the norm for me. An old friend, Ryan Hood (we used to be cops together back in the day) has just released his first album, Coming Home. Ryan left Virginia several years ago to move back to the small town of Athol, Mass., where he was raised. I've always known Ryan to be a talented musician, but he also is a great song writer. The songs on Coming Home are inspired by his love of the outdoors, small town living, and the rural lifestyle... the same things that many of us love and strive for. I got my copy of Coming Home yesterday and am very impressed. I'm going to ask a favor of you all. Please visit RyanWHood.com and listen to some samples of his music. If it speaks to you like it does to me, please consider buying a copy of his CD. It is professionally produced, recorded and packaged, and I think it is well worth the $15.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope that each of you has a very merry Christmas and a bountiful New Year. Celebrate as you and your family wish, and stay safe. Leave a comment telling us about any good prepping gear you get or give this year. I'll be back after Christmas to share my list, and what I will accomplish with my preps for next year.
12/19/10
al-Qaida Warnings for Christmas Dec. 19, 2010
Terrorism?
Last Monday, an airport shuttle van driver at Dulles International, outside of D.C., drove his van at 90-95 m.p.h. and purposefully struck several passenger cars and a cab. When arrested at the airport, the driver, Muhammad Teshale, freely admitted to it. It is thought that he may have undertaken a vehicular jihad in response to an article in Inspire Magazine entitled: "The Ultimate Mowing Machine."
Inspire is an online, English language magazine that is produced by al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula. It features articles written by such American terrorists as Anwar al-Awlaki and Adam Gadahn. In "The Ultimate Mowing Machine," the author encourages readers to get a large pick-up and weld steel blades to the bumper, then plow through pedestrians. In 2006, an Iranian student at the University of North Carolina drove his SUV into a crowd of students leaving a class.
Recent news reports revealed that terrorists captured overseas have claimed that strikes are planned for the U.S. and Europe over Christmas. Could last Monday's rampage have been planned as an opening salvo? Even if he acted alone in response to the magazine article, imagine the disruption to our daily lives if across the country just a few "lone wolves" drove their cars into crowds of shoppers, kids waiting for a school bus, small town Christmas parades, college football fans outside of a bowl game, or any other "all American" location. Imagine if these small scale attacks continued every few days, in towns large and small. Perhaps adding in the occasional suicide bomber on a city bus or in the grocery store checkout. It happens in Israel, why do we think it can't happen here?
What can we do?
Primarily, be alert and aware of your surroundings. Carry a weapon if it is legal and you are skilled in its use. Report suspicious people, behaviors and vehicles to your local law enforcement agency (better yet, cut out the middle man and go straight to your state's Fusion Center with the information).
Sorry to head into a wonderful and blessed time of the year with such a gloom and doom posting, but I think it is important for us to be aware of. One would think that the information on Teshale and Inspire magazine would have been widespread, but I only found out from a regional threat assessment update that I get.
Generator Update
The saga continues. As we were expecting several inches of snow with some possible ice at the end, I was fearful of losing our electricity on Thursday. Wednesday, I bit the bullet and ordered a complete replacement carburetor from a supplier in North Carolina with the estimate from UPS that I'd receive it by Thursday afternoon. Well, here it is Sunday, I haven't got the carb. I haven't got the jet screw that might fit. My generator is still down, but at least we haven't lost power. Maybe Santa is planning to bring them to me. At any rate, I'm hopeful that I'll get both tomorrow, the jet will fit, and I'll have a working generator with a complete spare carburetor on standby.
Last Minute Shopping
I've added some more books and some gear to my Amazon list (upper left corner of the blog) if you need any last minute gift suggestions for the preppers in your life. Everything I list is something I either own, have owned, or have some first hand positive experience with.
Last Monday, an airport shuttle van driver at Dulles International, outside of D.C., drove his van at 90-95 m.p.h. and purposefully struck several passenger cars and a cab. When arrested at the airport, the driver, Muhammad Teshale, freely admitted to it. It is thought that he may have undertaken a vehicular jihad in response to an article in Inspire Magazine entitled: "The Ultimate Mowing Machine."
Inspire is an online, English language magazine that is produced by al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula. It features articles written by such American terrorists as Anwar al-Awlaki and Adam Gadahn. In "The Ultimate Mowing Machine," the author encourages readers to get a large pick-up and weld steel blades to the bumper, then plow through pedestrians. In 2006, an Iranian student at the University of North Carolina drove his SUV into a crowd of students leaving a class.
Recent news reports revealed that terrorists captured overseas have claimed that strikes are planned for the U.S. and Europe over Christmas. Could last Monday's rampage have been planned as an opening salvo? Even if he acted alone in response to the magazine article, imagine the disruption to our daily lives if across the country just a few "lone wolves" drove their cars into crowds of shoppers, kids waiting for a school bus, small town Christmas parades, college football fans outside of a bowl game, or any other "all American" location. Imagine if these small scale attacks continued every few days, in towns large and small. Perhaps adding in the occasional suicide bomber on a city bus or in the grocery store checkout. It happens in Israel, why do we think it can't happen here?
What can we do?
Primarily, be alert and aware of your surroundings. Carry a weapon if it is legal and you are skilled in its use. Report suspicious people, behaviors and vehicles to your local law enforcement agency (better yet, cut out the middle man and go straight to your state's Fusion Center with the information).
Sorry to head into a wonderful and blessed time of the year with such a gloom and doom posting, but I think it is important for us to be aware of. One would think that the information on Teshale and Inspire magazine would have been widespread, but I only found out from a regional threat assessment update that I get.
Generator Update
The saga continues. As we were expecting several inches of snow with some possible ice at the end, I was fearful of losing our electricity on Thursday. Wednesday, I bit the bullet and ordered a complete replacement carburetor from a supplier in North Carolina with the estimate from UPS that I'd receive it by Thursday afternoon. Well, here it is Sunday, I haven't got the carb. I haven't got the jet screw that might fit. My generator is still down, but at least we haven't lost power. Maybe Santa is planning to bring them to me. At any rate, I'm hopeful that I'll get both tomorrow, the jet will fit, and I'll have a working generator with a complete spare carburetor on standby.
Last Minute Shopping
I've added some more books and some gear to my Amazon list (upper left corner of the blog) if you need any last minute gift suggestions for the preppers in your life. Everything I list is something I either own, have owned, or have some first hand positive experience with.
12/12/10
Prepper Ponderings Dec. 12, 2010
Just a few brief items today...
Book Review: The War After Armageddon by Ralph Peters
I picked this up last weekend at Wal-Mart while waiting for my "instacheck" (2.25 daggone hours) to buy the Rossi Youth Model. I've always been a fan of post-Apocalyptic fiction. Going by the title of this one, and the mushroom cloud on the cover, I was expecting a good one. The book opens in the first person. An old man is talking to his grandson about the war. Seems the powers that be are now radical Christians and the Constitution is no longer in effect. The book then goes back to the war, I think about 2025. Radical Islamists have declared war on the West and conducted nuclear attacks throughout Europe, then Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The nukes on US soil have brought about the rise of an evangelist who ends up being Vice President, and commander of a new force of Christian soldiers who get all the best weapons and equipment. The war is in the Holy Land, and traditional US forces are fighting with the Christian forces against the Muslims. So far, a pretty good read. But then it bogs down. For my tastes, it goes too far into the minutia of battle. The battles reach a turning point, then the story jumps back to the old man where we learn who he is and how he knows so much of the history. It was an OK book. If you are looking for something along the lines of Patriots or Alas, Babylon
, you'll be disappointed. If you like the W.E.B. Griffith
type of military fiction, you'll probably really like it.
TV Show Review: Get Out Alive - Hijack on Flight 73 (Discovery Channel)
This was the first episode of a 6-part series. This dealt with the story of Mike Thaxton, who was a passenger on Pan Am Flight 73 when it was hijacked in Pakistan in 1986.The show was a good combination of reenactments and interviews with Mr. Thaxton and the Pakistani head of Pan Am on the ground. What I really got out of it was the thought process that this "regular Joe" had to go through to face death and survive. Since this happened, he has become a speaker and trainer on surviving kidnappings and hijackings. Many of us possess the gear and tactical skills to deal with a situation like this. But do we have the psychological tools to do it? This show was a good look at the mental edge needed. I'd watch it again, and suggest you put it on your list. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other episodes cover.
Product Review: Midland GXT 1000VP4
I picked up two pair of these radios the other day. I'm very satisfied. They are about the top of the line for the "bubble pack" mass market FRS/GMRS radios. The power lasted about 24 hours, mostly on standby, but with a fair amount of talking. From inside our brick house to the neighbor's, about 150 yards, my wife and I could communicate with no problems with them set on low power. When I went to the dump later, we could speak on high power at about 3/4 mile with no problem. This area is pretty heavily wooded with quite a rolling terrain. In an open prairie area, the range would be significantly farther. They have a lot of features which will take time to learn, but for regular communications around the homestead, they are fantastic so far. I'll be keeping one pair charged up in a Faraday cage (perhaps another blog post later about that) and the other pair in use, swapping them out every couple months. Take a look at these if you need some basic communications.
Blizzards and Riots
Our friends in the Midwest are taking it on the chin right now from a heavy winter storm. Heavy snow is causing power outages and the collapse of the roof of the Minnesota Vikings stadium. Good motivation for those of us not affected to double check our winter supplies and plans.
The college riots continue in Great Britain. The "students" are rioting to protest rising costs being placed on them instead of on the taxpayers. US college costs have risen dramatically, and I can easily see riots starting here at some of our colleges and universities. If you live or work near a large one, keep your eyes and ears open.
Generator Update
I'm still waiting for my carburetor jet screw that MIGHT fit my generator to be delivered. Keep your fingers crossed for me. If you are in the market for a portable generator, keep in mind that Generac does not sell replacement parts because they don't want buyers to work on them. They sell complete replacement cabueruators for about $70. They won't be getting my business again. When I get the jet, I'll let you know if it works, and if it does, the source.
Book Review: The War After Armageddon by Ralph Peters
I picked this up last weekend at Wal-Mart while waiting for my "instacheck" (2.25 daggone hours) to buy the Rossi Youth Model. I've always been a fan of post-Apocalyptic fiction. Going by the title of this one, and the mushroom cloud on the cover, I was expecting a good one. The book opens in the first person. An old man is talking to his grandson about the war. Seems the powers that be are now radical Christians and the Constitution is no longer in effect. The book then goes back to the war, I think about 2025. Radical Islamists have declared war on the West and conducted nuclear attacks throughout Europe, then Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The nukes on US soil have brought about the rise of an evangelist who ends up being Vice President, and commander of a new force of Christian soldiers who get all the best weapons and equipment. The war is in the Holy Land, and traditional US forces are fighting with the Christian forces against the Muslims. So far, a pretty good read. But then it bogs down. For my tastes, it goes too far into the minutia of battle. The battles reach a turning point, then the story jumps back to the old man where we learn who he is and how he knows so much of the history. It was an OK book. If you are looking for something along the lines of Patriots
or Alas, Babylon, you'll be disappointed. If you like the W.E.B. Griffith type of military fiction, you'll probably really like it.TV Show Review: Get Out Alive - Hijack on Flight 73 (Discovery Channel)
This was the first episode of a 6-part series. This dealt with the story of Mike Thaxton, who was a passenger on Pan Am Flight 73 when it was hijacked in Pakistan in 1986.The show was a good combination of reenactments and interviews with Mr. Thaxton and the Pakistani head of Pan Am on the ground. What I really got out of it was the thought process that this "regular Joe" had to go through to face death and survive. Since this happened, he has become a speaker and trainer on surviving kidnappings and hijackings. Many of us possess the gear and tactical skills to deal with a situation like this. But do we have the psychological tools to do it? This show was a good look at the mental edge needed. I'd watch it again, and suggest you put it on your list. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other episodes cover.
Product Review: Midland GXT 1000VP4
I picked up two pair of these radios the other day. I'm very satisfied. They are about the top of the line for the "bubble pack" mass market FRS/GMRS radios. The power lasted about 24 hours, mostly on standby, but with a fair amount of talking. From inside our brick house to the neighbor's, about 150 yards, my wife and I could communicate with no problems with them set on low power. When I went to the dump later, we could speak on high power at about 3/4 mile with no problem. This area is pretty heavily wooded with quite a rolling terrain. In an open prairie area, the range would be significantly farther. They have a lot of features which will take time to learn, but for regular communications around the homestead, they are fantastic so far. I'll be keeping one pair charged up in a Faraday cage (perhaps another blog post later about that) and the other pair in use, swapping them out every couple months. Take a look at these if you need some basic communications.
Blizzards and Riots
Our friends in the Midwest are taking it on the chin right now from a heavy winter storm. Heavy snow is causing power outages and the collapse of the roof of the Minnesota Vikings stadium. Good motivation for those of us not affected to double check our winter supplies and plans.
The college riots continue in Great Britain. The "students" are rioting to protest rising costs being placed on them instead of on the taxpayers. US college costs have risen dramatically, and I can easily see riots starting here at some of our colleges and universities. If you live or work near a large one, keep your eyes and ears open.
Generator Update
I'm still waiting for my carburetor jet screw that MIGHT fit my generator to be delivered. Keep your fingers crossed for me. If you are in the market for a portable generator, keep in mind that Generac does not sell replacement parts because they don't want buyers to work on them. They sell complete replacement cabueruators for about $70. They won't be getting my business again. When I get the jet, I'll let you know if it works, and if it does, the source.
12/5/10
Guns and Generators Dec. 5, 2010
Rossi Youth Model
Our nephew is about 5 and a half, a tall kid, and very smart for his age. His parents have no real interest in guns or anything like that and want me to guide him. Yesterday, I picked up a Rossi Youth Matched Pair in .22 and .410. Its a single receiver and youth-sized stock, with two interchangeable barrels. I try to do as much of my gun buying as possible at locally owned stores, but Wal Mart had this gun for $117, about $40-80 less than I could find it anywhere else. Rossi currently has a $20 rebate offer on this gun that makes it all the more of a good deal. I have not shot it yet, but it looks well made, the metal to stock fit is good, the trigger pull is fine. I believe this is going to prove to be a great deal, and a great way to introduce my nephew to the enjoyment of the the shooting sports, and to safe gun handling. Of course, I also picked him up a pair of youth sized safety glasses
.
Generator Update
My generator is still out of action. Seems that carburetor parts for a Generac are not as easy to get as I though. The shop I went first does not carry Generac parts. They sent me to a competitor. The competitor did not have any parts at that location and had me call their other location in a nearby town. Talking to them, I found I did not have the right model number information. So, long story short, I'll call them tomorrow with the correct information and either pick up or order three more of the brass jets so I can fix it and have two spares on standby. After that is done, I'll talk to them about what kind of spare parts I'd be wise to have on hand, and stock up there. If this had happened during a storm or lengthy outage, I'd be up the creek. I don't want to be in that position.
Our nephew is about 5 and a half, a tall kid, and very smart for his age. His parents have no real interest in guns or anything like that and want me to guide him. Yesterday, I picked up a Rossi Youth Matched Pair in .22 and .410. Its a single receiver and youth-sized stock, with two interchangeable barrels. I try to do as much of my gun buying as possible at locally owned stores, but Wal Mart had this gun for $117, about $40-80 less than I could find it anywhere else. Rossi currently has a $20 rebate offer on this gun that makes it all the more of a good deal. I have not shot it yet, but it looks well made, the metal to stock fit is good, the trigger pull is fine. I believe this is going to prove to be a great deal, and a great way to introduce my nephew to the enjoyment of the the shooting sports, and to safe gun handling. Of course, I also picked him up a pair of youth sized safety glasses
.Generator Update
My generator is still out of action. Seems that carburetor parts for a Generac are not as easy to get as I though. The shop I went first does not carry Generac parts. They sent me to a competitor. The competitor did not have any parts at that location and had me call their other location in a nearby town. Talking to them, I found I did not have the right model number information. So, long story short, I'll call them tomorrow with the correct information and either pick up or order three more of the brass jets so I can fix it and have two spares on standby. After that is done, I'll talk to them about what kind of spare parts I'd be wise to have on hand, and stock up there. If this had happened during a storm or lengthy outage, I'd be up the creek. I don't want to be in that position.
12/1/10
A Series of Small Hittings of the Fan Dec. 1, 2010
First of the Month
Have you...
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
Changed your HVAC filters? (I forgot to include this last month)
Small Things Hitting the Fan Add Up
Eyes
A couple days ago, I noticed my left eye had some swelling and itching around it. By Tuesday, I was wearing my glasses instead of contacts. Wednesday I made a visit to the doctor. My wife was thinking pink eye; I was thinking poison ivy. The doctor couldn't decide between a minor infection or a touch of poison ivy, so he treated me for both with some prednisolone pills for the poison ivy and an antibiotic eye drop. This all got me thinking about eyes and injuries or illnesses in TEOTWAWKI. I wear contacts 99% of the time, and glasses when I go to bed to read. If I was without them, I am blind as a bat, and can literally not read the computer screen while typing. My wristwatch has to be within about 8 inches for me to tell time. With them, I am 20/10. I try to be very strict about wearing safety glasses when shooting, working with any tools, doing yard work, or even just out in the woods. Today I ordered 6 extra months of contacts and I also ordered an extra pair of glasses from Zinni Optical for less than $16, including the shipping. I've read of them on various survivalist boards and blogs and figured I'd give them a shot. If the glasses fit right, I'll probably order a few extras to keep in the truck and BOB. If you want to give them a try, you'll need your prescription, plus several measurements.
But what about eye medical problems? Unless you have an optometrist/optician/opthamologist (opthamologists are the actual MDs) in your survival group, what can you do? One suggestion is to get the book, Where There Is No Doctor. It is published by the Hesperian Foundation and intended for use in remote and third world locations. The great thing is, they offer it as a free .pdf download at their site. I have this on my computer desktop, but at 500+ pages, it is unreasonable to print it out. You can also get a hard copy from Amazon
. It has a great deal of basic information ranging from public health issues to childbirth, skin problems, geriatrics, and everything in between. They also offer Where There Is No Dentist as a free download or in hard copy form
, as well as many other books on midwifery, cholera, disabilities and other topics.
I think it would also be good to know some basic information about herbal remedies for various ailments. But that is a topic for a later date.
Generator Problems
This past weekend I tried to get a jump on my first of the month chores and test ran my generator. I put in my Star-Tron treated gas and fired it up first press of the button. But it wasn't right. It was spewing think smoke, and running very slowly and roughly. My first thought was that the Star-Tron wasn't all it was cracked up to be, so today I got some brand new gas and put in it. Same thing. Only today it was an emergency. We got hit overnight by severe thunderstorms and a tornado watch. Today we were under a wind advisor. Yep, we lost power while I was at the doctor this morning. I started trying to see what I could do with taking things apart and spraying carb cleaner. I noticed that if I let it run after shutting off the fuel line that for the last few seconds it would run perfectly. I then figured that it was running too rich and getting too much fuel. I took the carburetor off and found that the brass screw thing that goes in the bottom of the carb to let in air had broken off. I got the rest of it out, but the nearest NAPA store did not have it in stock. I'll go to a small engine shop near my work tomorrow and hopefully they'll have one (or several) in stock so I can get it back together this weekend. Now the thing that makes this noteworthy to me is that I have next to no mechanical aptitude. Ten years ago, I would have gotten rid of the genny and bought a new one. Five years ago, I would have taken it to a service shop and paid for the repair. Now, I am slowly but surely learning how to be more self-reliant with my power implements and things such as electricity and phone lines in the house. It's a great feeling of accomplishment. Ever since I've had the genny, the tires have been flat and needing to be refilled any time I moved it. Because of that, I've kept it beside the house under a tarp. I finnally got around to buying and putting on some flat-free tires from Marathon Industries
. These things are made with a solid polyurethane, have a weight capacity of over 400 lbs, and took less than a minute each to swap out. They made a huge difference in making it easy to move, so it will now live in the shed and be better protected from the elements. I wish I had done this a long time ago! They tires cost close to $30 each, but they are well worth it! I highly recommend you get a set for your generator, garden cart, or anything else that might need them.
The Deer Hunter
Finally, some quick notes on my hunting trip the day after Thanksgiving with my step-brother and nephew. I am a complete novice at hunting. Thankfully, they are very experienced. I learned a lot about deer behavior and what different signs from different game look like. I didn't get a shot, but my nephew got a nice buck. From there, I learned how to track wounded game. I seem to have a knack for it. I found the initial scrape in the leaves and blood spill, then was able to find many of the track continuations, even at places with no blood, I could really see where he had been through the leaves. We tracked the buck for about 250 - 300 yards through sometimes heavy brush before the blood finally dwindled away to nothing. Near as my brother could figure, it hadn't been a killing shot, and the bleeding stopped. He said the tracks seldom last more than 80 - 100 yards. My nephew felt pretty bad about wounding the deer, but we tracked for over an hour and a half, and there just wasn't anything else to follow. I really learned a lot on this trip, and although I don't anticipate becoming a frequent hunter, I'd like to go a few times a year get the hang of it enough that I would improve my chances of taking game in bad times. Its crazy how different the game laws are from the last time I had a license. Many more rifle counties (in much of Virginia you need to use a shotgun to hunt deer), no 2 round plug, and six deer on the basic license.
Have you...
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
Changed your HVAC filters? (I forgot to include this last month)
Small Things Hitting the Fan Add Up
Eyes
A couple days ago, I noticed my left eye had some swelling and itching around it. By Tuesday, I was wearing my glasses instead of contacts. Wednesday I made a visit to the doctor. My wife was thinking pink eye; I was thinking poison ivy. The doctor couldn't decide between a minor infection or a touch of poison ivy, so he treated me for both with some prednisolone pills for the poison ivy and an antibiotic eye drop. This all got me thinking about eyes and injuries or illnesses in TEOTWAWKI. I wear contacts 99% of the time, and glasses when I go to bed to read. If I was without them, I am blind as a bat, and can literally not read the computer screen while typing. My wristwatch has to be within about 8 inches for me to tell time. With them, I am 20/10. I try to be very strict about wearing safety glasses when shooting, working with any tools, doing yard work, or even just out in the woods. Today I ordered 6 extra months of contacts and I also ordered an extra pair of glasses from Zinni Optical for less than $16, including the shipping. I've read of them on various survivalist boards and blogs and figured I'd give them a shot. If the glasses fit right, I'll probably order a few extras to keep in the truck and BOB. If you want to give them a try, you'll need your prescription, plus several measurements.
But what about eye medical problems? Unless you have an optometrist/optician/opthamologist (opthamologists are the actual MDs) in your survival group, what can you do? One suggestion is to get the book, Where There Is No Doctor. It is published by the Hesperian Foundation and intended for use in remote and third world locations. The great thing is, they offer it as a free .pdf download at their site. I have this on my computer desktop, but at 500+ pages, it is unreasonable to print it out. You can also get a hard copy from Amazon
. It has a great deal of basic information ranging from public health issues to childbirth, skin problems, geriatrics, and everything in between. They also offer Where There Is No Dentist as a free download or in hard copy form, as well as many other books on midwifery, cholera, disabilities and other topics.I think it would also be good to know some basic information about herbal remedies for various ailments. But that is a topic for a later date.
Generator Problems
This past weekend I tried to get a jump on my first of the month chores and test ran my generator. I put in my Star-Tron treated gas and fired it up first press of the button. But it wasn't right. It was spewing think smoke, and running very slowly and roughly. My first thought was that the Star-Tron wasn't all it was cracked up to be, so today I got some brand new gas and put in it. Same thing. Only today it was an emergency. We got hit overnight by severe thunderstorms and a tornado watch. Today we were under a wind advisor. Yep, we lost power while I was at the doctor this morning. I started trying to see what I could do with taking things apart and spraying carb cleaner. I noticed that if I let it run after shutting off the fuel line that for the last few seconds it would run perfectly. I then figured that it was running too rich and getting too much fuel. I took the carburetor off and found that the brass screw thing that goes in the bottom of the carb to let in air had broken off. I got the rest of it out, but the nearest NAPA store did not have it in stock. I'll go to a small engine shop near my work tomorrow and hopefully they'll have one (or several) in stock so I can get it back together this weekend. Now the thing that makes this noteworthy to me is that I have next to no mechanical aptitude. Ten years ago, I would have gotten rid of the genny and bought a new one. Five years ago, I would have taken it to a service shop and paid for the repair. Now, I am slowly but surely learning how to be more self-reliant with my power implements and things such as electricity and phone lines in the house. It's a great feeling of accomplishment. Ever since I've had the genny, the tires have been flat and needing to be refilled any time I moved it. Because of that, I've kept it beside the house under a tarp. I finnally got around to buying and putting on some flat-free tires from Marathon Industries
. These things are made with a solid polyurethane, have a weight capacity of over 400 lbs, and took less than a minute each to swap out. They made a huge difference in making it easy to move, so it will now live in the shed and be better protected from the elements. I wish I had done this a long time ago! They tires cost close to $30 each, but they are well worth it! I highly recommend you get a set for your generator, garden cart, or anything else that might need them.The Deer Hunter
Finally, some quick notes on my hunting trip the day after Thanksgiving with my step-brother and nephew. I am a complete novice at hunting. Thankfully, they are very experienced. I learned a lot about deer behavior and what different signs from different game look like. I didn't get a shot, but my nephew got a nice buck. From there, I learned how to track wounded game. I seem to have a knack for it. I found the initial scrape in the leaves and blood spill, then was able to find many of the track continuations, even at places with no blood, I could really see where he had been through the leaves. We tracked the buck for about 250 - 300 yards through sometimes heavy brush before the blood finally dwindled away to nothing. Near as my brother could figure, it hadn't been a killing shot, and the bleeding stopped. He said the tracks seldom last more than 80 - 100 yards. My nephew felt pretty bad about wounding the deer, but we tracked for over an hour and a half, and there just wasn't anything else to follow. I really learned a lot on this trip, and although I don't anticipate becoming a frequent hunter, I'd like to go a few times a year get the hang of it enough that I would improve my chances of taking game in bad times. Its crazy how different the game laws are from the last time I had a license. Many more rifle counties (in much of Virginia you need to use a shotgun to hunt deer), no 2 round plug, and six deer on the basic license.
11/30/10
Quick Update
BulkAmmo.com
In case you haven't heard of them, BulkAmmo.com is a St. Louis based company that sells, well, bulk ammo. They seem to have great prices and they only offer what they actually have in stock at the time. I'm mentioning them partly to enter a contest to win some 9mm, but also because they are a good resource if you are in the market.
I'm expecting to do regular posting tomorrow. We'll talk about my hunting experience after Thanksgiving and medical concerns after TEOTWAWKI.
In case you haven't heard of them, BulkAmmo.com is a St. Louis based company that sells, well, bulk ammo. They seem to have great prices and they only offer what they actually have in stock at the time. I'm mentioning them partly to enter a contest to win some 9mm, but also because they are a good resource if you are in the market.
I'm expecting to do regular posting tomorrow. We'll talk about my hunting experience after Thanksgiving and medical concerns after TEOTWAWKI.
11/25/10
Happy Thanksgiving! Nov. 25, 2010
I'm very thankful for...
I have a wonderful wife who supports me in so many ways. I have great family and friends. I love my job and work with a lot of great people. I'm thankful for you guys reading this - for taking time from your days to read about what I think about preparedness and survivalism. I'm very fortunate on so many levels!
My ancestors were among the settlers at Jamestown in 1607. They started Shirley Plantation on the James River several years later. Shirley is just up the river from Berkley Plantation, site of the first Thanksgiving celebration in the New World. It came a year earlier than those pretenders up at Plymouth Rock! I don't know for certain, but I would assume that my ancestors took part in that first Thanksgiving. Now, you want to talk about preppers and self-sufficient living, those early European settlers were the picture of it. Maybe that is still in my DNA a bit, and that is why these ideas are so important to me.
Apocalypse, PA
I watched the first two episodes of this show this week on the History Channel, and I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they were showing some very cool skills and techniques that would be of use if it hits the fan. In the first episode, they built a wood and manure burning pickup and discovered the trials and tribulations of goat owning. In the second episode, they cast bullets, made black powder, and built a still to make corn liquor. Nick over at Save Our Skills would be a good one to work with them. My mixed feelings come from the way the family is presented by the producers. Yep, the stereotypical "crazy survivalist." Mom is constantly rolling her eyes at Dad's crazy antics. The son is aligned with Dad and the daughter goes with Mom, but they all go down in the basement that is paneled in chalkboards (leftover props from Glenn Beck's show?) for the family meeting that starts each show. Dad stands in front of the chalkboard and tells the family that if the world is going to end, then they need to .... whatever that show's topic is. The chalkboard is covered with detailed drawings which I doubt dad put up. Also, behind the mom and kids, is a counter. On that counter are two strategically placed cases of MREs that are obviously there to show the audience how "crazy" the family is. The cases did not move between the two episodes, and there is no other food stored on the counter. I'd say that if you get the chance, spend a half hour watching this show. You'll learn some cool information and skills. When the show comes up in the break room at work, be ready for the naysayers who look at the "crazy" side, and maybe they will understand that the basement chalkboards and MREs are just there for entertainment shock value.
The Berkey Guy Radio Show
Tuesday evening I had my interview on The Berkey Guy Radio Show. I think it went very well. We talked about my background in prepping, then moved on to school disaster preparedness. We discussed some of the threats that children face at school, some strategies parents can use to become involved in their schools' disaster planning, and some possible things to do with kids to help them be more prepared in school. We had a lot of interaction with listeners on the chat room, too. If you missed the show, you can download it here. It has also lead to a possible future interview on another BlogTalk Radio show to talk about terrorism and mass violence in schools. I'll let you know when that gets confirmed.
Thanks to Jeff Gleason, The Berkey Guy at Directive 21 for having me on his show. I really enjoyed it.
I hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
I have a wonderful wife who supports me in so many ways. I have great family and friends. I love my job and work with a lot of great people. I'm thankful for you guys reading this - for taking time from your days to read about what I think about preparedness and survivalism. I'm very fortunate on so many levels!
My ancestors were among the settlers at Jamestown in 1607. They started Shirley Plantation on the James River several years later. Shirley is just up the river from Berkley Plantation, site of the first Thanksgiving celebration in the New World. It came a year earlier than those pretenders up at Plymouth Rock! I don't know for certain, but I would assume that my ancestors took part in that first Thanksgiving. Now, you want to talk about preppers and self-sufficient living, those early European settlers were the picture of it. Maybe that is still in my DNA a bit, and that is why these ideas are so important to me.
Apocalypse, PA
I watched the first two episodes of this show this week on the History Channel, and I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they were showing some very cool skills and techniques that would be of use if it hits the fan. In the first episode, they built a wood and manure burning pickup and discovered the trials and tribulations of goat owning. In the second episode, they cast bullets, made black powder, and built a still to make corn liquor. Nick over at Save Our Skills would be a good one to work with them. My mixed feelings come from the way the family is presented by the producers. Yep, the stereotypical "crazy survivalist." Mom is constantly rolling her eyes at Dad's crazy antics. The son is aligned with Dad and the daughter goes with Mom, but they all go down in the basement that is paneled in chalkboards (leftover props from Glenn Beck's show?) for the family meeting that starts each show. Dad stands in front of the chalkboard and tells the family that if the world is going to end, then they need to .... whatever that show's topic is. The chalkboard is covered with detailed drawings which I doubt dad put up. Also, behind the mom and kids, is a counter. On that counter are two strategically placed cases of MREs that are obviously there to show the audience how "crazy" the family is. The cases did not move between the two episodes, and there is no other food stored on the counter. I'd say that if you get the chance, spend a half hour watching this show. You'll learn some cool information and skills. When the show comes up in the break room at work, be ready for the naysayers who look at the "crazy" side, and maybe they will understand that the basement chalkboards and MREs are just there for entertainment shock value.
The Berkey Guy Radio Show
Tuesday evening I had my interview on The Berkey Guy Radio Show. I think it went very well. We talked about my background in prepping, then moved on to school disaster preparedness. We discussed some of the threats that children face at school, some strategies parents can use to become involved in their schools' disaster planning, and some possible things to do with kids to help them be more prepared in school. We had a lot of interaction with listeners on the chat room, too. If you missed the show, you can download it here. It has also lead to a possible future interview on another BlogTalk Radio show to talk about terrorism and mass violence in schools. I'll let you know when that gets confirmed.
Thanks to Jeff Gleason, The Berkey Guy at Directive 21 for having me on his show. I really enjoyed it.
I hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
11/21/10
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.
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.
11/12/10
Reviews - and The Winner Is... Nov. 12, 2010
I've got a couple of reviews to do today, then some announcements
Ozark Trail Machete
This is the Wal-Mart brand of camping gear. The machete cost me $6.88. It comes with a two piece plastic grip and an 18" blade. The sheath is a cheap feeling canvas, that has four rivets to help keep the blade from cutting through the fabric seam. As dull as this thing is, I doubt it would cut through the seam if the sheath were made of tissue paper. Yep, it sucks that bad. The blade was very dull. The grip was too short for my slightly-over-medium sized paw. With nearly every swing, it torqued around in my hand necessitating frequent grip repositions. I hacked away at a sapling with about a 2.5" diameter. It took over 100 strikes, and gave me a hand cramp before it fell. The machete was slightly better at taking small twig branches off of tree trunks. But only if hit right at where it joined the trunk. An inch out and it just bent the twig, scraping the bark a little. Don't waste your money on this one. My USMC Ka-Bar
is much more effective at what I was trying to do, and serves multiple roles. I think for a machete, the Gerber Gator
is a great deal at $18.87, for a much, much better quality tool than the Wal-Mart one. Jack Spirko has a good You Tube evaluation of the Gerber Gator Junior
, and a close friend has and likes the full sized one.
So, what to do with my junk machete. I think I'll hit the edge for a bit on my Lansky sharpening kit
to see if I can make this even marginally useful. If I can, it will go in the pickup tool box. For yard work, camping, etc... I think I'll save my pennies for the Gerber. Dull knives are useless and dangerous, the Lansky is a fantastic system that works on straight or serrated blades. Maybe a review of that is a good idea for a future post.
Glenn Beck's Financial TEOTWAWKI Show
On Friday, Nov. 5th, Glenn Beck promoted his TV show for that night as looking at what a financial meltdown of the world's economy might look like and how it could lead to TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It). I finally was able to watch it yesterday evening. Not quite what I expected. He spent the first part of the show going over a scenario presented by Damon Vickers in his book "The Day After the Dollar Crashes." Essentially, if the Chinese stop buying US bonds, then a bunch of specific "what ifs" happen, on day 15, the world economy is restructured under a new world order. On day 16, Americans are in full blown panic mode. OK, an interesting intellectual exercise, but not much good to me as a non-financial lay-person. Beck also had the author Brad Thor as a guest. Thor is a great writer of political thrillers (Foreign Influence
was fantastic!) and has done war gaming with Homeland Security. The end result of the show was than Vickers predicted some sort of cumbaya world coming together to rebuild. Thor predicted American resilience rebuilding from individuals to families to communities first, then expanding from there. Beck kind of agreed with both of them, which I found a bit odd. This show would have been more informative for our purposes if there was more detail and ideas for life after the 15th day, and less theory and conjecture.
And the winner is...
Congratulations to Terri from Florida for winning the drawing for the black Excursion Organizer Bag from Survival Gear Bags! Thanks to all who entered! Terri, I'll get it in the mail to you tomorrow. As mentioned in my review of this great bag, I'll use the OD one to build a midsized EDC kit and write about that process.
Ozark Trail Machete
This is the Wal-Mart brand of camping gear. The machete cost me $6.88. It comes with a two piece plastic grip and an 18" blade. The sheath is a cheap feeling canvas, that has four rivets to help keep the blade from cutting through the fabric seam. As dull as this thing is, I doubt it would cut through the seam if the sheath were made of tissue paper. Yep, it sucks that bad. The blade was very dull. The grip was too short for my slightly-over-medium sized paw. With nearly every swing, it torqued around in my hand necessitating frequent grip repositions. I hacked away at a sapling with about a 2.5" diameter. It took over 100 strikes, and gave me a hand cramp before it fell. The machete was slightly better at taking small twig branches off of tree trunks. But only if hit right at where it joined the trunk. An inch out and it just bent the twig, scraping the bark a little. Don't waste your money on this one. My USMC Ka-Bar
is much more effective at what I was trying to do, and serves multiple roles. I think for a machete, the Gerber Gator is a great deal at $18.87, for a much, much better quality tool than the Wal-Mart one. Jack Spirko has a good You Tube evaluation of the Gerber Gator Junior, and a close friend has and likes the full sized one.So, what to do with my junk machete. I think I'll hit the edge for a bit on my Lansky sharpening kit
to see if I can make this even marginally useful. If I can, it will go in the pickup tool box. For yard work, camping, etc... I think I'll save my pennies for the Gerber. Dull knives are useless and dangerous, the Lansky is a fantastic system that works on straight or serrated blades. Maybe a review of that is a good idea for a future post.Glenn Beck's Financial TEOTWAWKI Show
On Friday, Nov. 5th, Glenn Beck promoted his TV show for that night as looking at what a financial meltdown of the world's economy might look like and how it could lead to TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It). I finally was able to watch it yesterday evening. Not quite what I expected. He spent the first part of the show going over a scenario presented by Damon Vickers in his book "The Day After the Dollar Crashes." Essentially, if the Chinese stop buying US bonds, then a bunch of specific "what ifs" happen, on day 15, the world economy is restructured under a new world order. On day 16, Americans are in full blown panic mode. OK, an interesting intellectual exercise, but not much good to me as a non-financial lay-person. Beck also had the author Brad Thor as a guest. Thor is a great writer of political thrillers (Foreign Influence
was fantastic!) and has done war gaming with Homeland Security. The end result of the show was than Vickers predicted some sort of cumbaya world coming together to rebuild. Thor predicted American resilience rebuilding from individuals to families to communities first, then expanding from there. Beck kind of agreed with both of them, which I found a bit odd. This show would have been more informative for our purposes if there was more detail and ideas for life after the 15th day, and less theory and conjecture.And the winner is...
Congratulations to Terri from Florida for winning the drawing for the black Excursion Organizer Bag from Survival Gear Bags! Thanks to all who entered! Terri, I'll get it in the mail to you tomorrow. As mentioned in my review of this great bag, I'll use the OD one to build a midsized EDC kit and write about that process.
11/8/10
Product Review & Prize Giveaway Nov. 8, 2010
Product Review
First, full disclosure, I am an affiliate of Survival Gear Bags and Kelly there sent me two of these free of charge. I will give my honest opinion with no influence. If you buy anything from their site, please go through my link and I'll get a small commission.
Now, the product review...
The Excursion Organizer Bag from Rothco. Some time ago, I built a very compact EDC kit from a cell phone case. It's discreet, and does not look out of place in my usual attire of khakis, a shirt, and tie. But it does not hold a whole heck of a lot. I saw these organizer bags at Survival Gear Bags and thought that one would make a great EDC kit to go with me in my company car or have at my desk while I'm working. The logic being that I have my small one on my belt to help me until I get to my car or desk where this new one will be, then that one will help me get to my truck where I have my GHB (Get Home Bag - I guess I probably ought to do a glossary one of these days). It would also be good for wearing on my person on the weekend when I am at the hardware store, gun show, or anywhere else in jeans and boots.
Kelly very graciously sent me two bags to check out. One is OD Green and the other is Black (more on why two later...)
The bag is made by Rothco. The bag is a pretty heavy canvas, feels sturdy, but not overly stiff. All of the sewing and seams feel very secure. I've tugged on it this way and that, and nothing is giving. Overall size is about 7x6.5". On the front is a 3x5" pouch with a Velcroed flap. It's good for a larger cell phone, a notepad, and maybe a Leatherman tool or something. Also on front is a pen pouch, then a zippered 6x6" compartment with a 4" opening. I'm not sure what I would put in there at this point. Next is a top opening zippered compartment with another interior zippered compartment hidden inside. That hidden one would be good for extra money to be stashed. This is the main pocket of the bag, and is about an inch and a half deep. Behind that is another top zippered compartment that is about 3/4" deep. I think it would be good for a small handgun, perhaps as large as a Commander-sized .45, but definitely a .38 snub or .380 auto. I'd rig up something either inside the pouch or around the gun to make sure it is stable in the pouch and the grip is always where I expect it to be. The four zippers have large tabs, and slide easily without binding or catching. They are not YKK, but still of good quality. There are two large vertical canvas belt loops on the back that are wide enough for a military web belt. The loops are stitched on nice and secure. Finally, there is a D ring on each side with an adjustable strap using snap hooks to hold it to the D rings. The strap will work for over the shoulder, or run it through your jeans belt loops for additional security. About the only change I would suggest would be to add two horizontal belt loops to the back so that a person could use ALICE clips to attach it to load bearing equipment or a pack. Survival Gear Bags currently has this on sale, marked down from $10 to $9! It's a great bag, great value and at that price, a great bargain! If you are looking for a small EDC bag that is more than a cell phone case in size, this is the bag for you. Sometime soon, I will build this out into a full fledged EDC and write it up for you. But, I need to know if I should use the OD or the Black. That depends on the winner of the Reader Appreciation Contest!
Reader Appreciation Contest
I am very grateful to all of you who are reading If It Hits The Fan and helping me build it into a success. I've got 113 fans on the Facebook page and have had over 1,200 page views on the blog. Its time to thank you for your support! I'm going to give one lucky reader your choice of the OD or the Black Excursion Organizer Bag. Simply send an email here with "Bag Giveaway" as the subject. Be sure to tell me your mailing address and which color you want. Unfortunately, I can only make this available to US addresses. I just can't afford international postage at this time. Limit one entry per person, and entries must be received by noon EST on Thursday Nov. 11th. I'll draw a random email for the winner. That's all there is to it! Whichever bag is not chosen will become my EDC. Again, a big thanks to Kelly at Survival Gear Bags for providing the bags for evaluation and the contest. Please consider them for your next gear purchase.
Next up...
Friday I'll announce the winner (first name and state, only) and do a review of the Wal-Mart $6.88 machete. Is it junk, or a decent value? We'll find out together! Until then, Happy Birthday and Semper Fi to my fellow Marines on Wednesday and THANK YOU to all veterans on Thursday.
First, full disclosure, I am an affiliate of Survival Gear Bags and Kelly there sent me two of these free of charge. I will give my honest opinion with no influence. If you buy anything from their site, please go through my link and I'll get a small commission.
Now, the product review...
The Excursion Organizer Bag from Rothco. Some time ago, I built a very compact EDC kit from a cell phone case. It's discreet, and does not look out of place in my usual attire of khakis, a shirt, and tie. But it does not hold a whole heck of a lot. I saw these organizer bags at Survival Gear Bags and thought that one would make a great EDC kit to go with me in my company car or have at my desk while I'm working. The logic being that I have my small one on my belt to help me until I get to my car or desk where this new one will be, then that one will help me get to my truck where I have my GHB (Get Home Bag - I guess I probably ought to do a glossary one of these days). It would also be good for wearing on my person on the weekend when I am at the hardware store, gun show, or anywhere else in jeans and boots.
Kelly very graciously sent me two bags to check out. One is OD Green and the other is Black (more on why two later...)
The bag is made by Rothco. The bag is a pretty heavy canvas, feels sturdy, but not overly stiff. All of the sewing and seams feel very secure. I've tugged on it this way and that, and nothing is giving. Overall size is about 7x6.5". On the front is a 3x5" pouch with a Velcroed flap. It's good for a larger cell phone, a notepad, and maybe a Leatherman tool or something. Also on front is a pen pouch, then a zippered 6x6" compartment with a 4" opening. I'm not sure what I would put in there at this point. Next is a top opening zippered compartment with another interior zippered compartment hidden inside. That hidden one would be good for extra money to be stashed. This is the main pocket of the bag, and is about an inch and a half deep. Behind that is another top zippered compartment that is about 3/4" deep. I think it would be good for a small handgun, perhaps as large as a Commander-sized .45, but definitely a .38 snub or .380 auto. I'd rig up something either inside the pouch or around the gun to make sure it is stable in the pouch and the grip is always where I expect it to be. The four zippers have large tabs, and slide easily without binding or catching. They are not YKK, but still of good quality. There are two large vertical canvas belt loops on the back that are wide enough for a military web belt. The loops are stitched on nice and secure. Finally, there is a D ring on each side with an adjustable strap using snap hooks to hold it to the D rings. The strap will work for over the shoulder, or run it through your jeans belt loops for additional security. About the only change I would suggest would be to add two horizontal belt loops to the back so that a person could use ALICE clips to attach it to load bearing equipment or a pack. Survival Gear Bags currently has this on sale, marked down from $10 to $9! It's a great bag, great value and at that price, a great bargain! If you are looking for a small EDC bag that is more than a cell phone case in size, this is the bag for you. Sometime soon, I will build this out into a full fledged EDC and write it up for you. But, I need to know if I should use the OD or the Black. That depends on the winner of the Reader Appreciation Contest!
Reader Appreciation Contest
I am very grateful to all of you who are reading If It Hits The Fan and helping me build it into a success. I've got 113 fans on the Facebook page and have had over 1,200 page views on the blog. Its time to thank you for your support! I'm going to give one lucky reader your choice of the OD or the Black Excursion Organizer Bag. Simply send an email here with "Bag Giveaway" as the subject. Be sure to tell me your mailing address and which color you want. Unfortunately, I can only make this available to US addresses. I just can't afford international postage at this time. Limit one entry per person, and entries must be received by noon EST on Thursday Nov. 11th. I'll draw a random email for the winner. That's all there is to it! Whichever bag is not chosen will become my EDC. Again, a big thanks to Kelly at Survival Gear Bags for providing the bags for evaluation and the contest. Please consider them for your next gear purchase.
Next up...
Friday I'll announce the winner (first name and state, only) and do a review of the Wal-Mart $6.88 machete. Is it junk, or a decent value? We'll find out together! Until then, Happy Birthday and Semper Fi to my fellow Marines on Wednesday and THANK YOU to all veterans on Thursday.
11/1/10
Monthly Tasks and Hurricane Tomas Nov. 1, 2010
OK, gang, it's the first of the month. Have you...
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
What other monthly duties are there related to preparedness or prevention?
Hurricane Tomas
Tomas is fluctuating between Tropical Storm and Hurricane, but looks to maintain Hurricane status and make a beeline for Haiti late Friday. Haiti suffered a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake in January and has been withstanding an outbreak of cholera recently. If Tomas hits them hard, the death toll and losses could be staggering. The son of one of our readers just arrived in the Dominican Republic on a medical mission. The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. I'm not sure if he will be there through the hurricane's arrival on the island, but hope that he is prepared to be self sufficient with water, food and shelter for a while. If his dad had anything to do with his trip planning, I'm sure he will be.
The Recipe Corner
Lots of folks store white rice in their pantry. As you know, I am a proponent of Store What You Eat-Eat What You Store. White rice gets boring very quickly. We had dinner tonight at a local, family owned Mexican restaurant. One of the owners shared a recipe with us that would be nice for the prepper. White rice, with a dash of cumin (it's always wise to store a wide variety of spices and seasonings) and cilantro (either buy it at the store and dehydrate it for storage, or grow it in your herb garden). A squirt of lime juice (grow your own if you are tropical enough, or store bottles of the juice) to finish it off, and you have a delicious side dish and a great way to SWYE-EWYS.
Test run your generator?
Rotated you gasoline stores?
Tested your smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors?
Checked your household and vehicle fire extinguishers?
Given your dog his heart worm pill and flea/tick treatment?
What other monthly duties are there related to preparedness or prevention?
Hurricane Tomas
Tomas is fluctuating between Tropical Storm and Hurricane, but looks to maintain Hurricane status and make a beeline for Haiti late Friday. Haiti suffered a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake in January and has been withstanding an outbreak of cholera recently. If Tomas hits them hard, the death toll and losses could be staggering. The son of one of our readers just arrived in the Dominican Republic on a medical mission. The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. I'm not sure if he will be there through the hurricane's arrival on the island, but hope that he is prepared to be self sufficient with water, food and shelter for a while. If his dad had anything to do with his trip planning, I'm sure he will be.
The Recipe Corner
Lots of folks store white rice in their pantry. As you know, I am a proponent of Store What You Eat-Eat What You Store. White rice gets boring very quickly. We had dinner tonight at a local, family owned Mexican restaurant. One of the owners shared a recipe with us that would be nice for the prepper. White rice, with a dash of cumin (it's always wise to store a wide variety of spices and seasonings) and cilantro (either buy it at the store and dehydrate it for storage, or grow it in your herb garden). A squirt of lime juice (grow your own if you are tropical enough, or store bottles of the juice) to finish it off, and you have a delicious side dish and a great way to SWYE-EWYS.
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