Welcome to my blog

The power of words

2011-12-22T10:13:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite examples of someone standing up to the machine is when Jim Morrison and the Doors sang on the ed sullivan show. Jim Morrison was asked to not say “higher” when singing “Light my fire” on the ed sullivan show.

Its amazing how people get so offended by a “word”. But then again, words have power. If words can be controlled, then whoever controls the words has the power.

The the people are told we can and can not say certain things (besides foul language), by following those rules we make ourselves sub-servant to whoever said we can not say certain things.

Free people can not allow themselves to be silenced. When free people agree to be silenced, we are no longer free, but instead, we are servants.

As free people it is our duty to stand up and speak, and speak we must for it is our duty.

Freedoms and duties go hand in had together, one can not exist without the other. If free people ignore their duties, they will slowly lose their freedoms.

If free people want to lose the things they hold dear, all they have to do is sit down, be quit, and do nothing. Those that lust for power will slowly erode the rights of those that are quit.

Copyright Kevin Felts 2011

The future of the US

2011-12-22T10:11:00.003-06:00

For those of you that have not been paying attention and voting for the same two parties over and over, I blame you for what you are about to read. The two party system will be the downfall of the US, and I directly blame the voters.

My personal opinion, its just a matter of time before protest become violent.

I think there will be 2 driving factors, maybe 3 factors – Cost of living, Unemployment rates and maybe Inflation.

Cost of living – with free trade the US is having to compete against countries that allow their citizens to be exploited by large international companies. Why have a part built in the US, have to pay a liveable wage, pay taxes, pay benefits such as health insurance, sick days and vacation, when the company can move to communist china and get workers at almost slave labor wages. The higher the unemployment rate, the lower the wages, that is just the way things work.

As wages continue to stagnate, the cost of everything else continues to go up. Some refried beans my wife and I buy to make homemade burritos with went up 8 cents a couple of weeks ago. 8 cents might not seem like a lot, but when the can cost $1, that is an 8% increase. The average rate of inflation is around 3%. That means 8% is almost 3 times the rate of inflation.

The cost of basic items, such as food is going up at a steady rate. Ground meat – ground round is $2.25 a pound, ground lean is around $4 a pound. My wife fixed some homemade tacos a few days ago, and it cost us almost $10.

Unemployment rates – the factories are gone, they are not coming back, get used to it. bill clinton did a flip-flop on NAFTA and GATT, so regardless of which of the 2 major parties you vote for, you vote for a group of liars.

If you want our factories back from china, then vote like it. The only solution is to vote the two major parties out of office, and to do that, people have to vote differently. Elections have been worthless for the last 2 decades because congress keeps passing the same types of laws. Sooner or later the vast majority of people are going to lose all hope.

Inflation – with the federal reserve printing money out of thin air, who knows where inflation is going to go. The US dollar is backed by very little physical property. Unlike the gold standard where the value of our money was backed by gold, the current dollar is not backed by anything.

The cost of basic items, such as food is going up at a steady rate. Ground meat – ground round is $2.25 a pound, ground lean is around $4 a pound. My wife fixed some homemade tacos a few days ago, and it cost us almost $10.

People with no hope – are likely to turn to violence. When the people can not longer afford to buy food, pay their electric bill, buy gas to go back and forth to work, people are going to be pushed to where they think they have no other option but violence.

The people that have no hope are the same people that vote for the same political party year after year and hope for change. If you want real change, stop voting for the democrats and republicans and vote for another party.

The US government knows that civil unrest is on the way, that is why bills such as the Indefinite Detention Bill. What government that respects the will of the people would want to hold its citizens without a trial? The US federal government is out of control, and the voters are to blame. If you want real change, then vote like it and vote for someone besides the big 2 parties.

Copyright Kevin Felts 2011

Stockpiling survival gear in 2012

2011-12-22T10:06:00.004-06:00

As 2012 approaches, some of us might be thinking about news years resolutions. Along with the typical lose weight and stop smoking resolutions, I would like everyone to post suggestions related to how prepared you and your family are. Where do you need to make improvements. On top of your own preps, what do you family members need to do to improve?

For example, my step-daughters have no can rotation system setup. I thought about buying them some wire racks and then help them get some kind of system going to help them keep their can goods rotated.

In 2011 I tried to focus on fishing supplies, getting a can rotation system working, stockpiling #10 cans and storing food in mylar bags.

Stockpiling food:

Right now 3 superpails are taking up an entire bottom shelf of my shelving system.

I have 2 shelf units installed, on the bottom shelf I have:

3 super pails on the bottom shelf of one unit

Up to 108 cans on the bottom shelf of one unit

I would like a better way to store my superpails. But where do things balance out? Do 3 five gallon superpails equal 108 cans? Would I be better off storing the superpails in a closet and storing 216 cans on the bottom on the shelving units?

This video is how my shelves looked in October 2011. In the past few months there have been several changes made.

Fishing Gear:

I would think to throw a special thank you out to the person who sent me a box of fishing gear. The person asked to remain unnamed, you know who you are, and Thank You.

Some of the stuff I have been stockpiling are trotlines, droplines (noodles), hooks, fishing line, weights,,, and so on. During the spring of 2011 I tried to buy a bunch of perch fishing stuff - small hooks and weights. I was hoping to take the grandkids and my kids fishing this past summer, and we went a few times.

In the summer of 2011 I ran a couple of trotlines and went fishing out on the Angelina river a few times. When June, July and August rolled around the weather got too hot to do anything outdoors. This summer was one of the hottest and driest on record here in Southeast Texas, and for Texas as a whole. Due to the extreme heat, I tried to limit my outdoor activities. The day time temps would hit 100 degrees before noon in July and August. With heat like that, being out on the boat fishing felt like being in an oven.

Plans for 2012

Some of the things I want to do in 2012 include reviewing my seed stockpile, buy a pressure cooker, plant a small garden in my backyard. Even if I do not plant a garden, I would like to buy beans or peas from the local farmers co-op. Then use the pressure cooker to store the beans and peas. Local farmers co-op is a great way to meet up with local farmers. Ask them what kind of crops they are growing, what kind of pesticide and fertilizer works best for what types of crops.

One of the things I really hope to do in 2012 is to plant a bunch of snap beans, and use a pressure cooker to store them in jars.

I would also like to make a homemade stew with a pressure cooker.

The ammunition at the camp needs to be stored in ammo boxes instead of just sitting on the shelf.

I would like to order a sardine can of 223 or 308.

One of the main things I wan to work on in 2012 is preserving my own food. Maybe even try to make jerky with my pit, which would be a good weekend project.

All right people, post your ideas, opinions, thoughts in this forum thread about prepping in 2012.

Catfish noodles

2011-12-22T09:34:00.003-06:00

In this article we are going to be looking at making noodles to catch catfish. This type of rig may not be legal in all areas, so check the local laws before you do anything.

Buy some noodles from the local china-mart. The noodles might be seasonal, and should be found in the swimming pool supplies. So far I have only found the noodles in 2 colors – blue and pink.

Cut noodle into 8 inch lengths

Get some 3/4 inch PVC pipe, caps and some PVC glue

Cut PCV pipe into 9 1/2 – 9 3/4 inch long sections. 9 3/4 seems to work better then 9 1/2.

Glue cap on 1 end of pipe

Insert PVC pipe into noodle until cap comes into contact with noodle

Drill a 1/4 – 5/16 inch hole in the end of the pipe sticking out past the end of the PVC pipe

Wrap the outside of the noodle with whatever color duct tape state law requires the noodle to be. Since I live in Texas, the noodle must be white, so I wrapped the noodle in white duct tape.

Texas state law also requires that I write a date, my name and my address on the noodle. Just for something extra, I also write my phone number. Just in case I lose a noodle, I hope the person who finds it calls me and lets me know if there was a fish on the line.

After making up 6 noodles with PVC pipe, I think a good length is to cut the pipe 1.75 inches longer then the noodle. If the noodle measures 8 inches long, cut the pipe 9 3/4 inches long. This gives you 3/4 inch to glue the cap on, and 1 inch to protrude out of the noodle.

I was using just a noodle for my drop lines. While I was at the deer camp a few weeks ago a guy told me about using PVC, so I decided to make a few up and see how they do.

In theory, when the catfish pulls on the line, the noodle is supposed to stand up. Hopefully this will make the noodle easier to grab from the boat.

For the hooks, I plan on using Circle Hooks.

Circle hooks have a bend at the end of the hook. In theory, if the fish swallows the hook, its supposed to come back out out of the stomach and hook the fish in the mouth. As opposed to the typical j-hook getting stuck in the stomach of the fish and injuring the fish.

Instead of tying the string to the hook or noodles, I tie a loop knot on both ends of the string. Insert the loop through the hole in the PVC pipe, thread the other end of the string through the loop, and then pull tight.

Do the same thing to the hook. Thread the loop through the eye of the hook, loop the end of the knot over the hook and pull.

When you are finished, it should be just about impossible for the knots to work their way loose.

One set of circle hooks I am using, the eye of the hook is too small for the large trot line string to go through it. For this noodle, I added a 70 pound safety snap and swivel.

Post your comments in this forum thread about How to make noodles to catch catfish.

Friday and saturday

2011-02-26T09:14:00.005-06:00

Friday evening:

Spent a couple of hours friday charging the battery to the boat, after a few tries the boat finally cranked up.

Got on the treadmill for an hour friday night:
10 minutes treadmill
10 pushups
5 minutes treadmill
10 pushups
5 minutse treadmill
15 pushups
5 minutes treadmill
15 pushups
5 minute treadmill
15 pushups

repeat for 1 hour

Saturday Morning

Got up, got my shower, getting ready to pack the gear up and head out on the boat

Good weekend coming up

2011-02-25T08:29:00.002-06:00

Looks like this is going to be a good weekend - weather is supposed to be nice, gonna get a haircut, and maybe even go to a movie with my wife.

This evening when I get home from work the boat needs to be uncovered, battery charged, and gas cans filled up. Saturday morning my wife and I are supposed to head out to the Angelina River to do some exploring, fishing and take some nature pictures.

Either Saturday evening or Sunday, we are supposed to go see "The Eagle", which is showing at the Jasper Twin Cinema.

First signs of spring are here

2011-02-23T09:54:00.005-06:00

It looks like the first signs of spring are here. The wind is more out of the south then out of the north, the song birds are back, the first blooms are starting to appear, and the days are getting longer. Old man winter is losing his grip.

Before long it will be time to plant the garden, go camping, hiking, and go fishing on the river. Getting back out on the boat is one of the main things I'am looking forward to - taking my kids fishing and camping and my wife and I going fishing.

Last summer my son and I went on 3 camping trips along the river, hopefully we will do at least that many this year, if not more.

Thoughts on gun control

2011-02-22T19:28:00.003-06:00

Gun control is always linked to socialism, communism, monarchy, or some other kind of oppressive government.

How many people were killed in car accidents last year?
How many people were killed by firearms last year?

But we are not going to outlaw cars and car shows?

Lets just all panic because someone shot an elected official in Arizona. But when little Suzy fell into a pool and drowned, I bet the local news barely mentioned it, much less the world news.

Talk of gun control after an event is nothing more then reactionism.

If someone commits a crime with a firearm – punish that person. But do not burden law abiding gun owners with more restrictions. To quote a scene from Red Dawn – “if a fox steals a chicken, you do not punish the pig.”

The world is full of bad things, whether its mercury in the tuna, lead in the drinking water,,,,,,, the world is never going to be a perfect place.

We already have plenty of gun laws on the books, enforce the ones we have first.

With self governor comes self responsibility. Those that can not use their rights without harming others, should have their rights taken away (prison), but do not punish the majority for the actions of the few.

Look at the people that get convicted of assault or even murder. Chances are they have a record a mile long, and chances are the state had a “3 strikes and your out law” somewhere on the books. So why are they on the streets to start with?

With prisons already overloaded, where is society supposed to put repeat offenders? That is, until they commit the most violent of crimes – and then its too late.

A few weeks ago there were some murders in Beaumont Texas. Come to find out the suspect had a record so long, they must have installed a revolving door on the jail just for him. Between early release, and reduced prison terms, this guy was in and out of prison like it was a candy store. The question I have to ask was “why”? Why did it take the guy murdering someone before he was sent to prison for life? Maybe because prison is not a warehouse? Prison is not for people who “might” harm society. We have to wait until the deed is done, and then we do something.

I firmly believe that people have the right to protect themselves, their family and their property.

I also believe the people have the right for armed rebellion – but only as a last resort. If it was good enough for the militia and George Washington in 1776, its good enough for us.

The protest in Egypt, and the calls for the government to step down going on right now. How much different would it be if the people were armed? I think things would be a lot different.

Timinin square 1989, things might have turned out a little different if the citizens had been armed.

What makes Egypt and Timinin square so much different then the American Revolution? The Americans were armed.

2 days at the camp

2011-02-22T18:21:00.003-06:00

My 2 kids and I went to the camp for the weekend and had a great time. We planted a bunch of oak trees, a plum tree and a peach tree.

While we were at the camp I spotted a large pen oak tree that had blown down during a recent storm. This means that the kids and I will have to go to the camp, get the chainsaw and cut up some firewood.

Survival food preps

2011-02-19T08:13:00.003-06:00

5 easy survival food preps that just about anyone can do. Honey, canned goods, peanut butter, nutritional drinks and canned fish only to name a few.

What are the requirements for a survival food prep?

Nutrition content
Calorie content
At least 1 year shelf life
No special storage after opening / or, serving size so that the whole thing can be eaten after opening
No special cooking requirements -- open and eat, or heat and eat
Something your family normally eats
Considerations for special diets
Price

Personal Hygiene Kit

2010-07-09T10:21:00.002-05:00

Personal hygiene kits have been a favorite topic of mine since the early 1980s - that is when I got my contacts. When I would go camping or hiking - it became clear real quick that I needed some kind of kit to keep my contact lens case and wetting solution in. So I got a used make-up bag, cleaned it up and made it into a Personal Hygiene Kit.

Over the past almost 30 years, the kit has grown a little bit, and I have gone through several make-up bags.

Contents include:
contact lens case
wetting and cleaning solution
personal sized shampoo
personal sized soap
comb
tooth brush and tooth paste
and maybe a razor for shaving

Berkey light overview

2010-02-09T11:09:00.003-06:00

Water storage - filtration - purification is where a lot of people seem to be lacking in their disaster prepardness plans. This is where something like a Berkey water filter can come into play.

The Berkey water filter in this video was supplied by Red Barn Workshop - who has a wide selection of hiking, camping and disaster preparedness supplies.

Each filter has an estimated life of around 3,000 gallons. With 2 filters, the Berkey Light has an estimated life of around 6,000 gallons. Either way - 3,000 or 6,000 gallons, that is a lot of water.

Cold weather here at last

2009-12-01T15:16:00.003-06:00

The cold weather is here at last. In East Texas it does not get "that" cold, but still cold enough to give you a chill.

When December and January roll around, and the cold weather starts to blow in, I think of my teenage years. The memories are still there of camping along the marsh, with the northern winds blowing overhead. On the edge of the marsh there are few tree to stop the wind, so it blows right through.

How I miss those days with my buddies, all I have now are memories. Real life keeps us apart (my friends and I), we have adult duties, like taking care of our kids, or going to work.

The places where we used to go camping are overgrown with weeds, kinda like our lives. Back then things were simple. But now things are a lot more complex, and it seems that weeds grow up around our lives that stop us from doing the things we want.

Maybe one day I can get back out to the woods and feel the cold night air.

How about onions?

2009-11-16T18:11:00.003-06:00

Onions - they are easy to grow, easy to transplant, easy to store, which makes them perfect for home gardens.

As for soil and fertilizer requirements, try to use some good organic potting soil, manure and nitrogen fertilzier every few weeks. Onions also like plenty of water. If the tops start to bend over, they need more water.

Review of the Maxpedition Vulture-II

2009-11-10T16:11:00.007-06:00

This is a review of the VULTURE-II backpack from Maxpedition.

So what do you look for in a 2 - 3 day pack? Well, some of the things I look for are 1,000 denier construction - which the Vulture II has.

Double stitched seams - check. Having a pack come apart on you while on the trail is no fun. Double stitched seams helps make sure that the pack will stay together even during heavy use.

YKK self repairing zippers - check. In May of 2007 my son, my daughter and I went on a short hiking/camping trip. We were only about a mile from the truck. We hiked along a nice clear stream and setup camp next to a fishing hole. One the way to the camp site, the zippers on my daughters pack failed. The pack came open and some of her gear fell out and onto the ground. The whole situation was a little unnerving. Especially when I realized the zippers were not self repairing. Meaning, the zippers would not close back up.

Main compartment for storing stuff like a one man tent, hammock, and other stuff - check. Asking for a large min compartment might sound silly, but you need a place big enough to put your stuff.

Outer pockets for organizing smaller gear - check. This helps for storing your maps, GPS, compass, first aid kit, bug spray,,, things that you might need while on the trail.

Attachment points on the bottom so sleeping bags and bed rolls can be strapped on - check.

Compartment for a water bladder - check

Adjustable shoulder straps and chest straps - check.

One of the really nice features of this pack is the padded shoulder straps - those can make or break a pack. But you do not have to worry about the shoulder straps digging into your arms or shoulders. There is plenty of padding on this pack.

With a capacity of around 2810 cubic inches, this pack should be able to carry whatever you need for a 2 - 3 day trip.

Patio Gardening Project

2009-11-10T15:54:00.006-06:00

A few weeks ago a little Patio Gardening Project was started. It was more like a test, but "project" might be a good name as well.

The plan was to take a couple of storage tubs, and figure out "what" they can be used for after the stuff was taken out of them. So why not fill them full of dirt, plant some onion, radishes and spinach in them and see how things go.

After the first week the radishes had sprouted first, and the spinach sprouted the next day. The onions came from some green onions my wife and I had in the kitchen.

By the second week the radishes were doing good, but seemed a little stunted. The spinach has not done hardly anything. Some more radishes were also planted.

1 week after planting the second set of radishes they are already up, about 1 inch tall and 3/4 inch wide across the leaves. The spinach still has not done anything. The green onions have grown 6 - 8 inches in 2 weeks.

Be sure to visit the Patio Garden thread of the forums for more updates.

Third Maxpedition Proteus Versipack Review

2009-08-04T14:19:00.006-05:00

This video review of the Maxpedition proteus versipack is the third of a series. The one thing that I can say about this pack, I am really surprised at how well its built. The overall quality is outstanding.

The two outside pockets have attachment points where you can attach ALICE or MOLLE equipment. So I attached 2 - 1 quart US army canteens. This made the pack a little heavy. Regardless of the extra weight, you have to have water with you on those day hikes. I tried attaching a single 2 quart canteen to the rear of the back. But that was too heavy and pulled the pack backwards too much. So the 2 quart was removed and the only other option I saw was the 2 - 1 quart canteens.

The large inner pocket is big enough for a couple of MRE main entrees, a rain poncho and a few other odds and ends.

The smaller pocket all the way to the rear of the pack is large enough for GPS, compass and topo maps.

Its the attention to the little details that says "quality". Such as having 550 cord on the zipper pulls. This is going to be a really nice feature in winter time when your wearing gloves.

The two outside pockets 1 on each end of the pack - their just big enough for a cell phone or a small - medium sized GPS unit.

I give the Maxpedition Proteus Versipack an A+ rating. The only thing that I personally would change on the pack, is the belt buckles might need to be a little bigger. When compared to the buckles on an ALICE pack, these seem a little small. But then again, the Proteus Versipack is not as big as an ALICE pack either.

Post your comments in this thread of the survival gear forum.

Someone has to pay the bill

2009-08-04T14:09:00.003-05:00

When tax dollars are used to benefit a few select people, or a few select companies, the republic ceases to function.

A republic by its very nature, is supposed to work for the good of all of its citizens, not just a certain few. With the bail out of wall street, the bail out of the auto makers, and every company in between, every day citizens have been turned into servants. We are now enslaved to the federal reserve system - which is a privately owned company. So we are now in effect, enslaved to a company with no face.

We are not employee who can just quit and walk away. We are slaves, who must work and pay our taxes the the internal revenue service. The taxes are payment for being an involuntary servant. If you do not work and make your payments, your thrown in prison.

So the question is, how and why have we allowed this to happen? Its quit simple, really. This is what happens when you have an uneducated voting populace. We have voted ourselves into slavery.

There is one solution - abolish the federal reserve and remove the two major parties from office. Both of these have to be done in order to restore law and order that protects the people, and not just a few select few.

New articles section

2009-08-04T13:58:00.002-05:00

The people over at the survival gear forum have opened a new articles section. Some of the topics include general disaster prepardness, wilderness survival, hiking and camping and several other topics. The layout is pretty straight forward with a 2 column layout.

The articles section was opened in response to members asking for a place for important forum post to be stored. Instead of each section of the forum collecting stickies. The outstanding threads will be copied and posted into the articles section. The article will then have a link going back to the forum thread.

Its kinda like going through a book collection, picking out the best ones and putting them into a library. All of the magazines and general print stuff will be stored in the boxes.

That way, if a member is looking for an article on a certain topic, they can go into the articles section, browse through the categories or use the search feature to find stuff that interest them.

Besides articles, there is going to be a videos section. Where members of the forum can post their videos. Hopefully this will make a well rounded addition to the forums.

Are the officials at Safford Middle School pedophiles?

2009-06-29T22:09:00.005-05:00

This article discusses the Safford Middle School and when the teachers and school administrators strip searched a teenage girl. This blog post is my opinion and is not to be considered as fact.

The supreme court has ruled that a Strip search of Ariz. teenager illegal, court says.

And one statement really stood out - While children's advocates and civil liberties groups cheered the decision, others suggested the high court may have created further problems for school systems by failing to make clear exactly when school administrators can strip search students and when they can't.

There is something wrong with adults that ask when they can strip search kids. Most of the time those types of people are considered pedophiles.

Then there is another question that must be asked. Did those school officials go to school and take a government class? Perhaps the teachers and school administrators have never heard of the Fourth Amendment right that is supposed to prevent unreasonable searches. How did someone that does not have a basic understanding of US government and basic rights get a job as a teacher? Mush less as an administrator at the school?

It seems that the school officials that want to strip search kids need some kind of counseling, medication or some kind of mental help. Maybe they went to work at a school to facilitate underlying pedophile tendencies?

The supreme court also said that the school can not be held financially liable. That is fine, maybe the district attorney will do the right thing, step up and file some kind of sexual assault charges on the school officials that are responsible for strip searching the teenager. What else do you do when an adult that orders a child to remove their clothes? You arrest them, and throw them in jail for a long, long time.

After the school officials are released from prison, lets not forget about making them register as a sex offender.

There is one word that describes adults that want to strip search kids, and that is "sick". The teachers and administrators at Safford Middle School that are responsible with the strip search must be charged with indecency with a child, convicted, and forced to register as a sex offender. If nothing is done to protect the children, what does that say about our culture?

I am not saying that anyone that works at the Safford Middle School is a pedophile. But is sure does seem strange that people are eager to strip search kids. Am I the only person in the world that seems something wrong here?

Someone has to stand up and say that they are wrong. And the Safford Middle School - I point my finger at all of you. From the school board to the principle and especially the voters. Lets take a little responsibility for your actions. Who ever it was that strip searched that girl - you deserve to go to jail - for a long, long time. You violated her rights and you violated her dignity.

Just "Who" do you think you are to treat people like that? I'll tell you who you are, your a poor example of what a teacher should be.

Dealing with the summer heat

2009-06-29T20:14:00.004-05:00

Its official - summer is here. Now we just have to deal with the heat. Here are some suggestions.

Put space blankets over patio doors and windows. They reflect up to 90% of body heat and do a pretty good job of reflecting sun light. My wife and I have them over the utility room window that is on the west side of the house and over the patio doors - nobody uses the patio doors anyway.

Keep hydrated - when working outside, drink lots of water.

Keep your head and neck covered. Areas where blood vessels are close to the skin can collect heat. Cover these areas and keep them out of sunlight.

Sun sun block - to keep from getting sun burned.

Stay inside between 12 noon and 3pm - this is the hottest part of the day.

Wear clothing that wicks moisture away from the skin an encourages evaporation.

Need an eye out for the first signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Take action at the first signs and get the core body temperature down to normal levels.

Considerations for urban survival

2009-06-22T06:39:00.002-05:00

Surviving in the urban jungle is not so different then in the wilderness, you still need food, water and shelter. But instead of gathering berries or roots like in the wilderness, in the city you have to grow your own food. Instead of drinking out of a stream like in the wilderness, you have to have some kind of water supply in the city. And shelter should be a given with the house or apartment your living in.

One of the biggest problems is finding water. Some cities do not want people having their own water wells. So when the city water stops flowing, people have nothing to drink.

Options include living next to creeks, streams or rivers, or digging your own water well.

Fresh meat can be gathered with bird traps or small animal traps. Use something like a have a heart live trap so the animal is not harmed and can be released safely.

Visit the urban survival forum.

Maxpedition Versipack Review

2009-05-30T11:31:00.002-05:00

I must say one thing, Maxpedition gear is some of the best I have ever seen.

To discuss these videos, be sure to visit the Maxpedition Proteus Versipack review thread in the forum.

North Korea and the next world war

2009-05-30T11:24:00.002-05:00

Its simply amazing that this tiny little rogue nation is allowed to cause so much havoc. In the past couple of weeks north korea has tested 2 short range missiles and started up a nuclear reactor.

Are the major world powers going to wait until Kim Jong II nukes south korea or japan? It would be nice if it did not have to come to that, but it just might.

Are you ready for a Flu Pandemic

2009-05-22T11:00:00.004-05:00

The chief of the world health organization said that people need to be ready for more severe form of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus. Here is a link to the article at yahoo news - WHO chief says world should prepare for severe flu.

Some important considerations for dealing with a pandemic is food production, and preventing the disease from spreading.

Food production starts with having a home garden. The less people have to go out into the public, the better. Going to the grocery store is one of the main reasons why people leave their house. So if you can grow a certain amount of food for your family, that help eliminate "having" to go buy food.

Then there is the supply chain to the grocery store. If tens of thousands of people were to get sick, there is a good chance that supply chains will become disrupted. In the middle ages when the plague would strike an area - it was common for people to starve to death. That is because the farmers and merchants died. Those people were the ones that grew and transported the food to the cities. Nothing has changed in the past 600+ years. People still grow the food, people still transport the food and people still buy the food. Any disruption in the supply chain can cause shortages. Long term shortages causes starvation.

I have seen a lot of survivalist talking about long term food storage, but that is not the answer. One day, sooner or later those food stocks are going to run out. Real survivalist need gardening skills. You must know how to raise and process your own food.

To help prevent the spread of the disease, people should limit contact with others, have some N95 mask in stock, use lots of hand soap and stay away from people that are sick. Isolation is one way to stop the spread of a disease. If you do not come into contact with anyone that is sick, usually you can not catch the disease. Lack of food is one of the main things that will drive people from their homes.

Trip to Crystal Beach and Galveston

2009-05-13T07:13:00.005-05:00

My wife and I made a trip to the Crystal Beach and Galveston, Texas area last weekend. Galveston does not look too bad, but Roll Over Pass and Crystal Beach look really bad.

As we were driving along the beach road, there was nothing but empty lots where houses used to be. Pillars were sticking up out of the ground all along the beach front, evidence of where houses used to be. Its eerie, to say the least, to see entire communities whipped out overnight.

Watch the video over at youtube Complacency with disaster preparedness

Over at my survival boards blog - an article was posted about Galveston, Bridge City, Hurricane Ike and becoming complacent with disaster preparedness.

One of the impressions I got from my trip to the beach, its amazing how quick things can happen, and how wide spread the damage was. Not only were hundreds of homes destroyed along the beach, but thousands of homes were flooded up to 20 miles inland from the storm surge. The damage goes from Galveston, all the way to Southwest Louisiana. Its going to take years for the area to recover. Maybe even a decade or more for the emotional damage to heal.

Now comes the big question, how well are we prepared for a wide spread disaster? How would the world, or the USA react if a replay of 1348 happened? I'am going to be making a video and making a big blog post on recovering after a disaster.

12 million criminals want the laws changed

2009-05-04T08:18:00.002-05:00

Lets do a little comparison, a thief breaks into a house, refuses to leave, and then holds a protest so that he/she can legally stay in the persons house they broke into.

Another comparison, someone walks onto your yard, sets up a tent, makes their self at home and refuses to leave. The police are called, but they dont do too much. The police haul the trespasser off, but he/she just comes back. The trespasser gets tired of being hauled off, so what do they do, they hold a protest that they should have the right to stay on your property.

And then, on top of all of that, the trespasser wants the property owner to pay for their health care, and all the social services programs they can sign up for.

The property owner is then stuck supporting the parasites that invaded their house or moved into their.

Society would not tolerate a child rapist (pedophile) or a murderer protesting to get the laws changed, so what makes illegal immigrants so different? What gives them the right to protest anything? Nothing, thats what.

The path to citizenship starts be obeying the laws of the land. And trespassing makes illegal immigrants criminals. If illegals are not willing to obey the laws of a nation, they do not deserve anything. Not even a free ride back home.

Illegal immigrants should be put into some kind of work camp. Where they are used a laborers for a few months - and with no pay. Their labor would be used to pay the US Government back for the tax dollars spent on food, water, shelter and transportation back to their home country.

Or better yet, implant an ID chip in each illegal immigrants hand. That way, if they are caught 2 or 3 times, a record can be kept using the chip.

The US government would not stand for an army invading the USA, but its ok for millions of illegal immigrants to invade this great nation? I think not.

Every illegal immigrant should be treated as a criminal. Because that is what they are.

US schools close due to swine flu

2009-05-02T08:09:00.002-05:00

Even though the number of reported cases of swine flu seem to have leveled out in Mexico, numbers are going up in the USA. Because of this, the US Government is asking schools to close that have had confirmed cases.

New guidance for schools were issued, asking schools to close for at least 14 days. This is because people that are sick can be contagious for seven to 10 days from when they get sick.

As of today, an estimated 350 schools across the USA have closed because of the swine flu outbreak.

WHO changes name of Swine Flu

2009-05-01T07:33:00.002-05:00

Due to people thinking that they can catch the swine flu from eating pork, or from pigs, the World Health Organization wants the public to stop using the name "Swine Flu". And start using the real name of the virus - H1N1.

There were several things that promoted the changed. But most noticeably was when the government of Egypt ordered that all pigs - hogs - swine - inside Egypt should be killed. This totaled around 300,000 pigs that were killed - without a single reported case of swine flu in Egypt, and no evidence that pigs can transmit the disease.

World Health Organization goes to phase 5 on swine flu

2009-04-30T08:00:00.003-05:00

The World Health Organization raised its pandemic alert to Phase 5 for the swine flu. This means that there have been cases reported all across the to world. And the outbreak can not be contained.

What really surprises me is that with todays modern transportation, why would someone think that an outbreak can be contained? People can get on an air plane, and in just a few hours be half way around the world. With this type of mobility its going to be impossible to contain the outbreak of a new disease.

This is one of the reasons why modern survivalist must be prepared on a moments notice. If areas are quarantined within just a day or two, any supplies that you are lacking will not be able to be obtained.

So far, Mexico has shutdown all of its schools, Britain has closed one of its schools and a school district in Texas was closed.

The government of Mexico is talking about shutting down the entire nation. This could have impact manufactured goods all over the world. Some estimates put the financial toll at 50 million US dollars lost every day because of what is going on in Mexico and businesses closing. The one topic that needs to be watched is food production. Until thousands of workers go from Mexico to the USA where they help harvest crops. Its not yet known how this Swine Flu situation is going to impact food production.

There are two major situations here that we need to watch. 1 - the development of the swine flu outbreak. 2 - how this outbreak is affecting production of needed goods, such as food and medicines.

Swine Flu reported in California, Mexico andTexas

2009-04-24T13:12:00.007-05:00

On April 23rd, the Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 2 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Texas.

Here is a link to the Texas DSHS swine flu press release.

Even though this virus has been called "swine flu", its a mixture of flu viruses found in pigs, birds and humans.

Besides Texas, there have been confirmed cases of the Swine Flu H1N1 virus in California and Mexico.

For more information, visit the Swine Flu thread of the survivalist forum.

Even though the people at the Center of Disease say there is no need to panic (and I agree with them), its my opinion that this situation should be watched. So lets just keep and eye on things and see what happens.

Last of the cold fronts

2009-04-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

Well, hopefully the last of the cold fronts have blown through. The ground seems still a little cool to plant too much. And these late spring cold fronts sure aint helping.

Its past time to get the potatoes in the ground, but I have been neglecting to do so.

Its still too early to plant the okra. That needs to be planted around Mat, or when the ground temperature gets around 70 degrees or higher. Okra is originally from Africa, so its a hot weather crop.

I guess its time to go ahead and plant the peas and snap beans.

Free Seeds

2009-04-10T12:08:00.002-05:00

Well, not really "free" because you pay for the product, the seeds are just an extra bonus.

When buying produce from a local grocery store, do not buy "Seedless" products. Most of those are hybrid and will not reproduce.

Instead of "seedless" buy the regular produce with the seeds. Examples include all types of melons - water melons and cantaloupe. When cutting the melon open, harvest the seeds, dry them for a few days and then store in the freezer.

Keep a couple of seeds out of the freezer, place them between 2 wet towels. In a few days the seeds should sprout. If the seeds have not sprouted within 5 or 7 days, throw them away along with any other seeds that were harvested from that same melon.

Sometimes this same thing can be done with peppers. Buy the pepper, let it dry for a couple of weeks and then harvest the seeds. Keep the peppers in a dry place where mold is less likely to grow.

The concept of reality

2009-04-01T10:23:00.005-06:00

An interesting story over on the BBC caught my eye. The article is titled Guantanamo 'fun' - Miss Universe. It seems that Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza made a trip to Guantanamo Bay and described it as "fun" on her blog.

Articles like this make me ask, do some people not have a concept of reality? How can something be on the news for years. And then Dayana Mendoza describes it as "fun"? How can someone turn such a blind eye to crimes against humanity? People have been held at Guantanamo Bay without a trial, tortured, and somehow this place is fun?

Or maybe the government workers did such a good job of pulling the wool over her eyes, that she did not see the "real" Guantanamo Bay?

Maybe that is why agencies like the FBI and the CIA can not catch the terrorist? Because Guantanamo Bay is so much fun, nobody wants to leave. For something to be that much fun, it better be like disney world. Maybe even with an unlimited buffet bar?

The news media might have this whole Guantanamo Bay stuff wrong. But somehow I doubt it.

Dealing with a spring frost

2009-03-28T08:23:00.004-06:00

Just when you get your garden in the ground, a late spring frost comes through and kills all your plants. Its pretty disheartening to see fresh sprouts killed off. Its on of those "oh man" moments.

Save a few 2 liter bottles and 1 gallon milk jugs with the bottom cut out. Keep the jugs stored in a box of some kind out in the shed. When a frost comes through, take the jugs and put them over the plant the night before.

A year ago I remember hearing someone talk about leaving the caps on or taking them off the jugs. But I can not remember which one was best. Taking the caps off will let the plant breath. But could also let cold air into the jug.

Besides the jugs, have a few light duty plastic tarps or old sheets on hand. But, try not to let the plastic of cloth of the sheet touch the plant.

If the plants get a frost on them, wash them off with a water hose. I heard that it was better to wash the frost off, then to let it thaw. That when the frost thaws on its own, that is when the frost bite occurs on the plant.

Spring is almost here

2009-03-27T06:22:00.003-06:00

Well, for the southern states it is. It looks like some of the northern states are still in winter. Some areas are still receiving snow along with freezing temps. This means the people that live in the south can start planting their gardens. While some areas of the north is going to have to wait.

As the warm weather arrives, its time to take the family to a park or lake. Go fishing, swimming and spend some quality time together.

Solar powered sidewalk lights

2009-03-25T06:49:00.003-06:00

Take the time to invest into some solar powered sidewalk lights. And do not get the cheapest ones either. Those solar powered sidewalk lights use a solar cell to recharge 2 AA batteries. The lights them selves and the batteries can be used for a wide range of services.

After a disaster, and the power is off, bring the sidewalk lights into the house and set them up in the bathrooms - in front of the mirror. This will light the bathrooms up at night. Plus, the lights are safer then candles or kerosene lanterns. The next morning, place the lights in full sunlight where they can recharge. When the sun starts to go down, bring the lights back inside.

The AA batteries can be used in flashlights and radios. So have a couple of lights just for recharging the batteries during the day. In the evening, take the batteries out of the lights so they do not discharge.

If you have a cell phone, look for a portable charger that uses AA batteries. The solar cells charge the AA batteries, then they can be used to charge a cell phone.

Be sure to get the lights that have a high rating. Meaning, read the side of the box and see which ones will recharge the batteries the best.

The sidewalk lights are a dual purpose item - they provide light and recharge batteries. The batteries in turn can then be used for other purposes.

Planted some peppers

2009-03-23T19:37:00.006-06:00

The peppers went in the ground this evening. The grand total was:

4 Bell peppers
4 Jalapeno peppers (mild)

Last year, there were tomatoes and cucumbers planted in this raised bed. So I am hoping that the peppers do well.

The plants were planted a little close together, but oh well. It will have to do.

I will post an update in the next couple of weeks. Over the next few days I am hoping to get the peas, beans, tomatoes and cucumbers planted.

Fema Camps

2009-03-22T10:08:00.011-06:00

It seems that there is a lot of misinformation going around about what FEMA really does.

After Bridge City Texas was flooded by Hurricane Ike, fema brought in hundreds of temporary homes, and set them up in front of peoples houses. Open fields were turned into these so called "FEMA camps". PEople in Bridge City had nowhere to go. Our of several thousand homes, only about 12 had not been flooded.

Some of the houses had gotten 4, 5 and even 9 feed of saltwater mixed with marsh mud in them.

Here are some pictures of FEMA trailers in Bridge City, Texas. Just a couple of months before those pictures were taken, the roads were under 4 - 6 feet of water.

FEMA was setup to help people, not throw them in some type of FEMA camp prison.

To discuss this post, visit the FEMA camp discussion thread of the Survivalist Forum.

Food prices for 2009

2009-03-18T13:34:00.002-06:00

While looking at the prices of fertilizer, I noticed something. Even though the price of fuel may have gone down, the price of fertilizer is still high. I wonder if that is because the fertilizer that is being sold this spring was made last year? That means that the fertilizer was made when the price of fuel was still sky high.

Regardless of what fuel cost "right now", merchants have to recover the cost of making a product. And in this case, its fertilizer. Because the fertilizer is still expensive, that means that the high price of the fertilizer will be passed down to the consumer. In an already strapped economy, this is not going to help.

While looking over the Lowes website, a 40 pound bag of nitrogen fertilzier was 11.97 - more then twice what it was 2 - 3 years ago. The current prices that I am seeing on 13-13-13 is $12 and $13 for a 40 pound bag. That is twice what it cost 2 - 3 years ago.

We may not see a break in food prices until fall of 2009 or spring of 2010. And by that time the price of fuel will have gone back up. Meaning that expensive food is here to stay.

There is one group of people that high food prices hits the hardest, and that is the poor. The poor have less money to put into expensive food. Unlike the rich that have extra cash, and the flux in food prices will barley be noticed.

On a personal note - I recommend that everyone plant some kind of home garden.

Jalapeno peppers

2009-03-18T06:50:00.003-06:00

Jalapeno peppers are one of the easiest peppers and spices to grow. Just work up the soil, add a little 13-13-13 commercial fertilizer, or some organic fertilizer, such as mulch or manure and plant.

The peppers can be grown from either seeds or bought as sprouts from a local store. As long as the peppers are picked from the plant, it will continue to produce. If the plant slows down production, make sure its getting plenty of water and add a little more fertilizer.

Jalapeno peppers require a steady supply of water. If the plant is allowed to wilt, its growth might be stunted. So never let the plant wilt from lack of water. The plants seem to be pretty disease and pest resistant. Except for the tomato worm - it will crawl up onto the plant and eat the leaves. If you find a horned tomato worm, there are probably more then one. So inspect your plants very good.

After several handfuls of peppers have been picked, they can be saved by putting them into a water and vinegar solution.

To save the seeds for planting next year, allow some of the peppers to turn red and dry up while still on the vine. I usually let the last few peppers of the season stay on the plant, and then harvest the seeds from those peppers after they have dried. Those seeds can then be replanted the following spring.

Neoprene gloves

2009-03-17T17:39:00.002-06:00

Neoprene gloves are my preferred type of glove. The draw back, these gloves are only good down to about 30 degress. Below 30 degrees I have an insulated insert.

Survivalist seed stocks

2009-03-17T08:39:00.005-06:00

Its time to stock on your seeds. Spring is here and a lot of the big retail chain stores are getting their seeds in. If the big outlet stores are not your thing, then check with the local mom and pop feed and fertilizer stores.

Personally, I like buying my seeds by the pound, instead of the 1 or 2 ounce packages. The price seems better when buying in bulk, instead of the little single packages. But I still buy some of the little packages, especially when I see them on sale for a reduced price.

survivalist seed stocks

Some of the seeds that survivalist should stock on are snap beans, radishes, cucumbers, turnips, squash and zucchini.

Radishes are an excellent choice for a survival garden. Radishes usually mature 30 days after planting (with good rain fall) - this makes them a quick crop. The seeds can be planted close together, and thinned out. The radish sprouts that are pulled up to thin out the row, can be added to a salad.

All survivalist should have a ready supply of radish seed on hand. In the event of a disaster, plant your radishes and within 30 days your family should have fresh greens. If you plant radishes every 2 weeks, your family could have a steady supply of greens for a long time.

The entire radish plant is edible, so nothing goes to waste.

The birds are back

2009-03-16T06:39:00.003-06:00

One of the main signs of spring that I look for, is the birds. This morning when I walked outside, the trees were full of singing birds. This means is just about time to plant the home garden.

I usually start my garden on the weekend of the Ides of March, and plant from that weekend all the way into April. But a strong cold front that brought lots of rain with it stopped me from planting on my regular weekend.

The ground is also very cold, maybe too cold for the seeds to sprout. So the garden might have to wait another week.

But either way, its almost time to get those gardens planted.

Dont steal from the rich

2009-03-12T07:10:00.003-06:00

Society has 2 sets of standards - one for the rich and another for everyday people.

The rich can work their employees and only have to pay slave wages. Slave wages is defined as a substance lifestyle. Where the wage is barely enough to pay basic bills and buy food. While the rich reap the rewards of having modern day slaves. There is no punishment for this - and its socially accepted.

The middle class and poor are expected to work for what the master gives them. They are also expected to keep their mouth shut and be happy with the bread crumbs they receive.

A prime example is Bernard Madoff - who had to wear a bullet proof vest to court. The bullet proof vest is a good example of how much some rich people lust for money. If you steal from them, you are likely to disappear, or go to jail.

But, a doctor in Beaumont Texas can have improper relations with a child (several children) and he only gets probation. And, the doctor does not even have to register as a sex offender.

Jeffery Klem

Here are two criminals that have harmed innocent people. One stole money and is going to jail for a long time. The other person harmed several children - all that person got was probation.

There is no justice in this.

The blame game

2009-03-11T07:46:00.003-06:00

An email that the Republican National Committee sent out has an interesting statement in it.

No matter what flowery rhetoric Barack Obama uses to defend his massive tax-and-spend policies, one thing is clear: Everybody in America will pay their share of the enormous price. (Jonah Goldberg, "Waiting Game," NationalReview.com, 3/6/2009)

The president can not raise or lower taxes. All tax laws HAVE to be introduced in the House of Representatives. The founding fathers made it this way so that the people can not be taxed without representation, also know as - no taxation without representation.

Since the president is not elected by the people, he can not change the tax laws.

But, for some reason the Republican National Committee wants the people to believe that president can raise and lower taxes with the stroke of a pen.

The people that are responsible for raising and lowering our taxes are our representatives and senators. Those people are the ones that introduce and vote on the bills before they ever land on the presidents desk.

This all goes back to an uneducated voting populace. If the people want real change, the two major parties HAVE to be removed from power. The only way to do that is to vote third party.

IMF predicts worldwide recession

2009-03-10T08:11:00.004-06:00

What was their first clue? Maybe soaring unemployment, high fuel prices, and now several states such as Texas are in a drought.

IMF predicts a global recession

Human greed has driven this problem. By driving up the price of housing, high cost of fuel, well, lets just go ahead and say the high cost of everything.

Does Exxon really need to make record profits every quarter? No, they do not. This shows that the company is only concerned with one thing, and that is money. There is nothing wrong with making money, except when that desire is driven by greed.

Greed, the lust for money and banks will destroy the worlds economy. As long as banks keep people in debt, everything is fine. Fine for the money changers that is.

Obamas' promise on nationwide health care coverage

2009-03-09T08:14:00.003-06:00

When Barack Hussein Obama II was running for the office of the president of the United States, he made several promises about health care coverage. Its doubtful these changes will ever come about.

A massive industry has been built on matters of life or death. If a person does not have health insurance, a lot of times they will not receive proper treatment. Without this treatment, that person can die. This is especially true with cancer and HIV.

The insurance giants will not allow laws to be passed that will cut into their profits. Hillary Clinton found this out when the tried to introduce a nation wide health insurance bill a few years ago. Rumors have it that the insurance companies donated so much money to certain elected officials campaign funds that the bill was dropped.

The health care system in the US has been broken for years. As long as people are making money off of a broken system, things will not change.

Its the small things that matter

2009-03-08T11:58:00.004-06:00

When spending time with your children, sometimes its the little things that maters. Such as watching a movie in the living room.

Nobody said that parents have to take their kids to an expensive movie theater - when a DVD can be rented from the red box for a $1.

Nobody said that parents have to take their kids to an expensive restaurant, when a home cooked meal is better and provides quality family time.

Nobody said that parents have to take their kids to the grocery store, when they can plant a garden.

Take time with your family, and spend some quality time together.

Are you worried about food?

2009-03-06T08:15:00.003-06:00

These days people are not only worried about this house note, or their electric bill, they are also worried about something much more basic - food.

An economic report from last month said that between 700,000 - 800,000 people lost their jobs in one month. Less people have jobs, so less bills get paid. But the one thing that must be bought is food. But what if someone told you that you do not have to buy food? That you can grow your own.

Its true. Regardless of what people have been told for the past 30, 40 or 50 years, food does not come from a grocery store - it comes from the ground. At first I did not believe it. I honestly thought that the grocery stores used some kind of magic to make the food appear out of thin air.

Could you imagine the money that a family could save if they planted some onions, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, bell peppers, or anything else. Instead of having to "buy" the food, people could just go into their back yards and pick what they wanted. Why didn't someone think of this before? Familes could have been saving untold amounts of money all this time.

People, its time to step up and take care of your family. If these economic times are hitting you hard, its time to plant a garden - just like what our grand parents used to do.

Left 4 Dead Review

2009-03-05T14:04:00.004-06:00

If ID Software ever remakes Doom II - Hell on Earth, they should take a lesson or two from Valve Software. Left 4 Dead is the way that games should be made. The maps are simple, and the game play is real simple - run, shoot zombies, reload, run, shoot zombies, reload, repeat.

Unlike a lot of maps in the games made by ID Software, there is no backtracking. Its a simple play through design that was started with Half-Life 1.

There are 4 human classes, and 4 zombie classes - but one of those zombies is the tank and he does not appear in every level. So most of the time its just 3 classes of human controlled zombies fighting against the humans. Besides the human controlled zombies, there are thousands of computer controlled basic zombie.

The survivors have 6 weapons - uzi pistol, pump shotgun, auto shotgun, hunting rifle, M4 carbine and pistols. It would have been nice if the developers at Valve would have brought over the AK-47 from Counter-Strike, but for some reason that did not happen.

Besides the weapons, humans have two types of bombs they can find and pick up. One is a fire bomb and the other is a pipe bomb. The pipe bomb has something on it that makes the zombies run towards the bomb - and then KaBoom, all the zombies are dead.

Overall, left 4 dead is an outstanding game that is truly fun to play.

Almost time to plant your garden

2009-03-05T13:55:00.002-06:00

As the warmer weather gets here, its time to plant the garden. My potatoes are a couple of weeks behind, but its no big deal. Around march 14th or 21st (probably on the 21st) I'am going to try and plant part of the spring garden. I'am looking at squash, cucumbers, snap beans and peppers.

I like planting the pickling cucumbers better then I do the straight 8s. There seems to be less waste and the seeds can be easily saved.

This year I'am thinking of planting at least 4, maybe even 8 jalapeno pepper plants, 4 bell pepper and 4 sweet pepper plants. This year I'am going to put up a lot more peppers then I did last year. My wife and I had to buy peppers from the store. Hopefully we will not have to do that this coming winter.

Rough times for our nation

2009-03-05T13:44:00.000-06:00

What did it take for this nation to get out of the great depression? It took a world war.

It was not so much of the war, as it was getting our factories fired back up. But in our case, we have no factories - everything has been shipped to China.

I see the middle class being stomped into the ground.

These flexible mortgage rates are partially to blame, and a bloated housing market. The rich got richer, and the middle class just got a lot poorer. This is probably one of the largest property scams off all time.

Like the news said last night, they were interviewing a family that bought a house for around 400,000. Its now worth around 225,000. Well, that house was never worth 400,000 - the family bought into a bloated market. The house was worth more like 150,000 - then - and now.

The American people have been scammed - in part by their own greed and in part by the greed of the banks and real estate people.

You can not take a house, throw some paint on it and mark it up $20,000. The next person buys it, puts new cabinets in it and marks it up $20,000. Within a year the price of the house has doubled. This makes owning a house impossible for an average family because of all the "get rich quick" scams.

Its like a pyramid - the people at the bottom got rich, the people at the top lost everything. But instead of a chain letter, this was with housing and nation wide.

How to clean your portable water filter

2008-02-03T13:06:00.000-06:00

US Survival Forum Home Page

When you get back from your hiking or camping trip, it is important to clean your water filter - if you have used it that is.

Items needed - a measuring cup, bleach, some tap water and of course your water filter.

Measure 32 ounces of water to 2 table spoons of bleach. Unscented bleach should be used. But all I had was this rain scent so it had to do.

Put the pre-filter into the bleach water solution and pump all 32 ounces through your filter.

After you get to the bottom of the bleach solution, you will have to take the pre-filter off to get the rest of the solution out.

After you have pumped all the bleach - water solution through the filter, use just a touch of tap water and pump it through the filter. You might be able to skip this step, but because my bleach was scented, I wanted to flush my filter.

Take the filter apart, remove the pre-filter from its housing and let air dry for at least 24 hours. I had sand in my filter, from when I did not use the pre-filter, so I had to remove the sand as well.

Once the filter has dried, put it back together, wrap the hoses around it and put it in storage.

The discussion thread on this article can be found at this link.

Information on Cucumbers

2008-02-01T11:16:00.000-06:00

The "Pickling cucumber" will be about 3 inches long and about an inch in diameter when it is ready to be harvested. If the cucumber is allowed to ripen too long on the vine, the seeds will harden, making the cucumber hard to eat.
The Pickling cucumber is smaller and faster growing then some of the other cucumbers on the market. Being smaller has the advantage as there is less waste. Most families will not eat a full size cucumber at every meal. Because cucumbers are high production plants, it is very easy to grow more then a person or family can eat.

Cucumber on a vine.

For the most part, cucumbers are disease and pest resistant. This makes them an excellent choice for low maintenance gardens. The two big draw backs to cucumbers - they require a lot of nitrogen in the soil and they require a lot of water. The roots of cucumber plants run just under the top of the soil. So any lack of rain fall can affect the plant.

Cucumber plants produce a long vine, so they will need plenty of room to grow.

Freshly picked cucumbers straight from the garden.

It would be very easy to get this many cucumbers every few days from the garden.

Cucumbers do not have a high amount of nutrients in them. When the skin is removed, just about all of the nutrients are removed.
When saving the seeds from a cucumber, it is important to leave the cucumber on the vine for as long as possible. This means just that "as long as possible" - until the vine dies, or until the cucumber burst open.

This cucumber is the same type that is in the sink. It has been left on the vine to over ripen so the seeds can be harvested.

Advantages of cucumbers - high production plants, easy to grow and require little maintenance. Very easy to grow more then a family can eat.

Disadvantages of cucumbers - high nitrogen requirements, require a lot of water, do not produce a lot of nutrients in the cucumber, require a lot of room for the vines to run.

When buying cucumber seeds, avoid "hybrid" plants, as they may produce an non-fertile fruit. Pickling cucumbers are usually a heirloom plant, making them a good choice if saving the seeds is desired.

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