To Repair Or Replace?

Saturday, December 8, 2012

To Repair Or Replace?

  We seem to live in a throw away world now days.  We have inexpensive,cheaply built products that for the most part are cheaper to throw out and but a new one than to try to fix them.  I for one can remember the days when if the toaster broke you got out the tools and repaired it.  Yes it might have taken a little time and patients and s little swearing thrown in just for good measure but you could keep an item for more than a year and you also learned how to work on things along the way.

  Knowledge like this was passed from father and mother to their children.  This was also a bonding experience between the two.  I still remember the first time my father had me help him sharpen the blade on the lawn mower.  I felt so empowered by this as though my father was imparting the meaning of life to me and I was the only other one on earth to know it.  My Mom showed me how to sew by hand and to fix things that got torn.  This came in real handy when I went into the Army as most of my Platoon had no idea how to even sew on a button.  I became very popular very quickly.


  I guess where I am really going with this is that we need to start fixing things rather than just throwing them out and go down to Wal-Mart and buying another one just to do the same thing in six months.   Learning the skills that will be necessary some day and having the skill and knowledge to make things work.  Passing them on to the next generation is also very important.  We need to do this before the knowledge is gone and no one remembers how to do them.  I have made a personal commitment to fix things until they are no longer fixable and to then strip the item apart and use it for it's parts.  I have started to show my youngest son how we used to do things and I am surprised by his interest in learning this kind of stuff.  He is 17 and about 6 months ago he sold his computer and has been spending most of his time outside working on things and helping me fix the things that need repair around the house.

  As he told me not to long ago that he needed to learn how to do these things so that he is ready for when he will really need the skills.  I am more than willing to pass on what I know and if I don't know then we go about learning how to do it together.  YouTube is a great resource for this kind of research and we use it all the time. .

Source:

http://prepplace.blogspot.com/2012/12/to-repair-or-replace.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FWTIZW+%28The+Retreat%29





 

Human Zombies Unaware Of Real World

How often have you seen this… head down – in their smartphone – texting – while crossing the street – driving their car – at the dinner table – in a meeting – in the bathroom… ? An apparent human Zombie.
Survival preparedness stems from a combination of risk awareness and a desire to be less reliant on external systems while being more self sufficient. It is a way of life. The lifestyle can easily fit within the modern world while we carry out our business. However, there is something that I’ve noticed for quite some time that I believe is a hindrance to real world awareness. Something that has created a human sub species of Zombies. The following excerpt from a recent ZDNET article spells it out clearly…

You’ve seen these poor, lifeless beings everywhere. People… if you can still call them that… with pallid, emotionless faces, staring down at small screens while they walk direction-less down the street, completely unaware of their surroundings.
Yet these poor souls actually believe they are more “connected” to the outside world and more people than ever.
Sometimes they return to real life, and have real interactions with living human beings, but then this horrible urge kicks in which compels them to pull out their iPhone, their iPad or their Android device. Their PRECIOUS.
They’ll pull it out in the middle of a business meeting while someone else is talking, and they’ll fiddle with it in the bathroom stall at work (or, good heavens, take calls on it and seal deals while on the can).
They’ll pull it out in the middle of dinner with family. They’ll mess with it while everyone is cuddling on the couch, watching TV. And even after satisfying the most basic of human requirements, it still won’t go away. “Oh was it good for you, honey? Great, you nap, I’m gonna play Scramble with Friends.”
If they can think of any inappropriate, awkward time to stare at their little screen and tap on their little itty, bitty keys, they will. Because their PRECIOUS compels them.
And the longer they have their favorite toy turned off or not being used, the greater the urge is to pull it out and use it, as if it has some evil spell cast on them. They must Tweet. They must Status Update. They must Check In. They must Text. They must check for emails. They must. MUST!!!!! EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE.
They’ve become the 21st-century equivalent of Smeagol. Once, they were human beings. But now they’re Smartphone and Tablet Zombies. They may think they’re connected to more and more people and information than ever, but for these poor creatures, life is just an illusion.

Shut if off. Take some time to discover the REAL WORLD that you actually live in. When TSHTF, your little electronic device is not going to help you. Just a thought…

Source
http://daily-survival.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-zombies-unaware-of-real-world.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FwjrD+%28Daily+Survival%29
Original Article:
http://modernsurvivalblog.com/communications/human-zombies-unaware-of-the-real-world/




Estwing E24A Sportsman's Hatchet Metal Handle
Kershaw Camp Ax
Coleman Red Canyon 17-Foot by 10-Foot 8-Person Modified Dome Tent

The Declaration of Natural Rights

Great Video

Source:
http://americansurvivalistorg.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-declaration-of-natural-rights.html

Ham Radio For The Apartment Prepper

I received an email from a reader who was wondering whether he could get involved with ham radio while living in an apartment.  Not knowing much about ham radio myself, I did a bit of research on my own, and contacted Mike Fletcher of the Tampa Amateur Radio Club, and was a guest at Family Survival Show not too long ago.  He graciously agreed to answer a few questions.
–What is the quickest way for a beginner to learn the basics and how much does it cost?
There are License classes given by many Ham Radio Clubs, by CERT or Red Cross groups and some local government preparedness programs. These classes are usually done over several short sessions or two or three weekend sessions.  Classes usually run from 10 to 20 hours and are often scheduled to end with an exam session where the students take the actual FCC exams for their Technician Class Amateur Radio License. The Test is $15 (+/-) and includes the FCC processing and license fees. Classes may be offered for free or there may be a small charge. The purchase of a book ($15 to $28) may be required but you keep that as a reference book for the future.
–What equipment  would you recommend for people that don’t have a lot of space and have no room for large antennas and such?  What is the ideal location within the home?
The Technician Class license gives you some operating privileges on most of the ham radio frequency bands and full privileges on the 2 meter (VHF) and 70cm (UHF) bands where most of the emergency communication for a local area will take place. The radios for these bands are mobiles mounted in your vehicle with a small (18 inch or so ) antenna on your vehicle as well as base mounted units for your desk with a small 3 to 6 foot fiberglass antenna outside a window. While these base units may not fit well in an apartment community many city bound hams primarily use a handheld walkie-talkie radio for these local channels. The radios range in cost from $100 to several hundred dollars depending on the list of features and accessories you desire.
How do these small radios cover any distance?
While ham radio can support emergency communications without infrastructure and we pride ourselves on that ability, it does not mean that we do not have infrastructure. Most areas have ham radio “Repeaters” which are installed by individual hams or clubs on building tops or towers in the community. Similar to a cell tower, these repeaters on high places receive the signal from your hand held radio and retransmit them from the high tower to other hams that you may want to talk to and then their signal is relayed back to you when they talk..
Ham radio also has a large presence in the “Short Wave” bands where we can talk to other hams around the world by bouncing a signal off of the upper layers of our atmosphere and back to earth thousands of miles away. The technician License includes a very small allocation for this world wide communication but it is there. If talking to other countries is what excites you then an upgrade to the General Class ham license would be the next step. It involves more radio theory but can usually be mastered in classes similar to those we have described.
How does someone find a school?
The best source for Amateur (Ham) Radio training and information is the local Radio Club. Search for Ham Radio in your city, call your emergency management office for CERT and Red Cross related groups, some Radio stores may have info on Ham Clubs in the area or check with www.arrl.org for an ARRL affiliated club in your town.
Our thanks for Mike Fletcher for answering the questions above.
Before you Buy Equipment
Before even considering equipment, the first step to get started is to join your local ham radio club.   They would have equipment that you can get familiar and practice on, under the supervision of a licensed operator.
If you find that you like to get more involved with ham radio, you will also be more likely to find contacts for used ham radio equipment and help you set up your own.

Source:
http://daily-survival.blogspot.com/2012/12/ham-radio-for-apartment-prepper.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FwjrD+%28Daily+Survival%29



Yaesu FT-2900R 75 Watt 2 Meter VHF Mobile Transceiver Amateur Ham Radio
General Class License Manual (Softcover) (Arrl General Class License Manual for the Radio Amateur)Midland GXT1000VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio (Pair) (Black/Silver)

Consider Raising Meat Chickens

By Stephanie Dayle - Tue Dec 04, 12:10 pm

I would like to take a stab at convincing anyone who can, to  raise meat chickens.  Not so much for the sake of prepping, but for the sake of self-reliance, although, you can never go wrong learning to raise your own food as an emergency preparedness skill.

If you are a meat eater, like me, raising meat chickens reconnects you to your food supply and increases your level of self-reliance.  It makes you fully realize the work, the love, and the effort that goes into your food.  I understand a lot of you live in the city and can only have a limited number of chickens, if any at all, so I respect your decision to keep only laying hens if you can.  But, if you do live where it is allowed and you have the space please consider giving it a try.
All things are connected and you can fully appreciate it, when you see it, do it, and smell it first-hand.  Raising one batch of your own meat chickens will make you think twice about reaching for that hormone enriched wrapped chicken meat on the shelf.  Not because you feel sorry for it, but because for the first time you truly know that your chicken tastes like real chicken, and you may begin to wonder why that chicken on the shelf does not.  You may start to compare the life your chickens lived to those of commercially raised ones.  My meat chickens live a pampered happy life; and are not ‘easy’ to care for.  When asked by my friend, “How can you work so hard for something you are just going to kill in the end?”  My answer is, “I live in service to my animals as they will die in service to me.”
How to Begin:

Start with a small group of meat chickens – don’t worry about ordering anything fancy.  When your local feed store gets some Cornish cross chicks in go get a handful of those, if you want five chickens to put in your freezer get six or seven of them because a chick or two may die despite your best efforts that’s just the way it goes.  If they all live, you can sell extras at market price to your friends or family and recover some of your costs.  Cornish cross chicks are one of the most popular breeds to get for meat chickens, and are widely available and inexpensive.  Try to keep costs under $10 per bird (that includes the chicks, shipping, AND feed).  The cost of the chick matters; think of this not as a hobby, but to provide for yourself on a very limited budget.

There is so much negative information on the internet on this type of chicken that I often see first time meat chicken buyers skip over them.  The truth is, they are probably the easiest to raise.  Most of the problems with this type of chicken (technically it is a hybrid not a real breed) are caused by people waiting too long to butcher them and/or over feeding them.  An easy way to avoid overfeeding them is after they are several weeks old, to give them food during the day and remove it at night.  When to butcher them is purely up to you.  So if you can avoid those two pitfalls you should do really well with them.
Cornish cross birds grow fast,  so they cost less to feed them – most Cornish cross birds are ready for butchering at around 8 weeks, if you have raised them correctly.  This is usually a good couple weeks before other meat breeds are ready, and a month or two earlier (if not more) than most “dual purpose” breed birds.  This is why they eat all the time, and this is also why they are usually more cost-effective to raise.  If you wait longer to butcher you will get a bigger bird, but then you will have to deal with the problems people write about on the internet.  After you’ve raised a batch and decided that you can handle the process – then explore other breeds.
Cost:

There is very little that you will need to purchase for your birds besides plenty of food, a heat light and maybe some bedding.  You can make feeders and waterers from repurposed materials - to see an article on that click here.  You can keep your chicks in old stock tanks, or kiddie pools, and you can make a makeshift chicken pen or chicken tractor fairly cheaply.  However, in my honest opinion, free ranging these birds is over rated – these chickens are bred to grow fast off of store-bought food, not grass and bugs.  It seems to me free ranging Cornish X birds make the owners far more happy than the chickens.  When I turn mine out they never seem that interested in scratching or hunting for bugs like my layer hens and they usually follow me around in hopes I will give them food from the sack,  it’s not going to hurt them or make them “less healthy” to keep them in their pen.   Just make sure their food is of good quality and that they always have lots of clean fresh water.

Many different Uses:

When I butcher the birds I do so quickly to minimize stress.  I use a block, or a cone and I don’t make the others watch.  You can catch the blood in a bucket and add it to your garden.  You can save all the random parts, if not for you (I so love chicken hearts, livers, and gizzards – even the feet are eatable) then for your dog or cat’s food.  Their manure is scraped from the pen and composted, then later added back into the garden which will produce some of the garden scraps I will feed to the chickens next year.

When you cook one of your birds, you turn the carcass into chicken broth that will make lovely homemade soups.  The only thing left of them will be a pile of bones which you can dry in your oven or BBQ and turn into bone meal – that can also go back in the garden.  Hardly anything is wasted with each part of the process supporting something else.

Raising your own food teaches children AND adults many lessons, some that would be invaluable during a long-term emergency.  It teaches you nothing ever works right the first try and it teaches you humility and how to adapt.  It teaches you responsibility and the true value of a meal.  It also teaches you compassion and to be thankful for even little things, and it teaches you that even the most trusted dog can benefit from a good fence.  Meat chickens are time-consuming and just like anything else, nothing is free, and good things come with hard work.  My Hubby and I work full-time jobs last year, and we were still able to raise a small batch of 25 and get them butchered, so maybe you can too.  This winter, start thinking about what you may need to accommodate a small batch of meat chickens in the spring.  Acquire and make things slowly so you get best prices on materials, then, when February comes around and you hear that familiar peeping sound in your local feed and farm supply stores, you’ll be ready.

Source:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2012/12/consider-raising-meat-chickens.html

Weston 65-0201 Pro-2300 Vacuum Sealer,
FoodSaver V3835 Vacuum Food Sealer with SmartSeal Technology
FoodSaver FSFSBF0534 8-Inch by 20-Feet Roll
Ontario Knife Co. 5-Piece Old Hickory Knife Set 705

TEOTWAWKI, The Golden Horde

Consider something for a moment. Think about a significant, life-as-we-know-it altering event, sometimes called TEOTWAWKI.

The End of the World as We Know It

It could be a massive power outage caused by a natural or manmade electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that affects at least 1/2 of the nation. Maybe it’s a major seismic event along the New Madrid fault that severs the U.S. in two, disrupting cross-country transportation for years. Or perhaps it’s a financial event where the economic house of cards comes tumbling down in a matter of days.
Whatever the event that you choose to imagine, it’s safe to assume that the government at all levels will be overwhelmed. Emergency personnel will try their best but they’ll be unable to provide timely assistance to those who need it. Communications will be sporadic. People will search for the promised help that doesn’t arrive.
Since most people are ill-prepared for such an event, many will scramble to figure out what to do. Many will panic. Others will begin looting to scrounge what they can to survive. Still others will turn on unsuspecting people, preying on their vulnerability, simply taking what they want.
After a short while, people will flee the cities, realizing that the life that they’ve come to love – the nightlife, the daily trips to restaurants or markets, the gourmet shoppes – cannot be supported without massive external inputs. Food cannot be brought in, sewage cannot be pumped out, water cannot be purified. Life is simply unsustainable for millions of people densely crammed into a relatively small area.
So they flee, looking for food, for shelter, for help. Or for someone to take these things from.
Some may be what we’d call bad people. Those that enjoy harming others. When the rule of law is nowhere to be found, they’ll have their fun. Others will be good people at the end of their ropes. They’ll have hungry kids to feed and no way to do it. Desperate, they justify things that they never thought themselves capable.

The Golden Horde

That’s the “Golden Horde” you’ve heard about. A mass exodus of millions of people fleeing the city, turning to the country where, they believe, food abounds. And once they arrive, they’ll stop at nothing to feed and take care of themselves.
Originally the Golden Horde referred to the Mongol Armies of the 13th century that conquered territories from Northeast Asia to Eastern Europe to Siberia to the Black Sea. They eventually controlled over 2.3 million square miles. They were known for vicious raids and sometimes complete massacres of civilian populations.
I first came across the modern use of the term on a SurvivalBlog post some years ago. Since then, I’ve seen the concept played out in many apocalyptic works of fiction. It’s a dire situation now matter how it was portrayed.

What To Do?

So, why do I mention this? Of what value is this to the prepper or homesteader?
Laura and I prepare for many different types of events. We prepare for emergencies that will only affect our family such as the loss of a job. We prepare for community, local, regional, national, and even global events.
The Golden Horde is a very real possibility for some disaster scenarios. So, it’s wise to not only be aware of it but to also make plans for it.
If you’re in the city, make plans to get out. Make backup plans for when your primary plan falls through. And don’t stop there. Have multiple backup plans. Know where you’ll go, how you’ll get there, etc. What will you do if you cannot get to where you’re going?
If you already live in a rural area. Expect a mass exodus of hungry, scared, and desperate people. They may knock on your door. Or they may just begin taking what you have. Plan your response ahead of time. Will you share your supplies? Will you take them in? Will you send the away. What will you do if you cannot stay where you are? Where will you go?
It pays to be prepared.

Source:
http://daily-survival.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-is-golden-horde.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FwjrD+%28Daily+Survival%29


Ready America 70385 Grab `N Go Deluxe 4 Person Backpack
Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets
Gerber 31-000700 Bear Grylls Survival Series Basic Kit
Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10)
Mayday 4 Person Deluxe Emergency Honey Bucket Kit
United Cutlery Bush Master Survival KnifeGerber 31-000699 Bear Grylls Survival Series Fire StarterAdventure Medical Kits Heatsheets Survival Blanket, Two Person

Vatican Calls for World Government and a New World Order

New World Order?

The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, has called for the establishment of World Government and a New World Order.

In a speech made at the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace on Monday December 3 2012, the Pope called for the “construction of a world community, with a corresponding authority,” to serve the “common good of the human family”.

As a means of defending global peace and justice, the pope’s vision for the establishment of World Government and a New World Order is supposedly not to create a new superpower, but a new governing body that offers to those (politicians) who are responsible for making decisions, criteria for judgment and practical guidelines.
The Pope was quoted as saying:

"The proposed body (World Government) would not be a superpower, concentrated in the hands of a few, which would dominate all peoples, exploiting the weakest."

The Pope also described his vision as a “moral force” or moral authority that has the “power to influence in accordance with reason, that is, a participatory authority, limited by law in its jurisdiction.”

These latest remarks made by the Pope and the Catholic Church come as no surprise considering that in 2010 the Catholic Church sought the establishment of a new Central World Bank that would be responsible for regulating the global financial industry and the international money supply.
It was reported that the Vatican sought “a supranational authority” which would have worldwide scope and “universal jurisdiction” to guide and control global economic policies and decisions.
China’s new push for closer ties with Russia, the growing intrusions from the United Nations with regards to control of the Internet and the latest remarks made by the Catholic Church all point to a new world order that will set in stone a path the world may not be able to recover from.

PVC Projects

FREE PVC PROJECT PLANS, IDEAS & SOLUTIONS

Source
http://homesteadsurvival.blogspot.com/2012/12/free-pvc-project-plans-ideas-solutions.html