Hi all,
This week's new show has been recorded and is in the studio now and will be available asap
I really want to thank you for being so patient.
Tom
Show Notes
This week I begin the
show with a Warning, then the Survival Slingshot Review, then the Blizzard
survival 20% Discount Offer, Survival Mistakes, The Ribzwear 30% Discount
Offer, A Family Plan, The UK Police Service is now the Police Force, The
Wilderness121 10% discount Offer, Florida
Makes Off-Grid Living Illegal, Walking Home – Survival Tips, The Field
Leisure 10% Discount Offer, When the Power Stops, The Buggrub 10% Discount
Offer, Aquaponics, How to Make Char
cloth, The Hunters-Knives 10% Discount Offer, UK Blackout Fears are you
Prepared? Homemade Cheese, Quick Tips and tricks, The 1940's Diet, What Does the
Bible say? How to Make a Survival Heater.
Warning
I need to inform you that a Dirty bomb has been stolen.
There is a Dirty Bomb on the loose in Mexico that could make
its way into the United States. Why is the media remaining silent on such an
issue? Good question!!!
A device containing radioactive substances including cesium-37
and americium-beryllium, was stolen on the 7th of June this year
from a government research facility in Mexico.
Authorities are currently working to track down the group of
men who grabbed the device Sunday night during an assault on a National Construction
Laboratory warehouse in Tultitlan, Mexico state.
So why have we not been told? Who stole it, why, where is it
now? These are valid questions that must be answered, we the people deserve
these answers.
I don’t know about you, but I did not even know that
governments were making Dirty Bombs, let alone storing them.
If it was a military facility? How did the gunmen do it, how
many were killed in the attack? Why was that kept secret.
Why have the internet media as well as cnn and RT covered
this story by bbc, itv, and sky have not?
Survival Slingshot Review
What the website says
In a survival situation, you never know what you will face
or how long before you get home. You must be prepared for anything and have
equipment that you will realistically have on your person should you need it.
The Survival Slingshot is designed to be a vital tool for survival, hunting,
camping, archery and fishing.
Active, not passive survival
When it comes to finding food from game, we believe having a
active approach is a critical compliment to more passive means. For example,
you may well be able to set a snare but end up with nothing to eat. With a high
powered slingshot, if you can see it, you can hit it.
Every Survival Slingshot is capable of shooting standard
arrows which opens up larger game to be targeted. We have seen full sized deer
taken with our standard 25LB bands. Slingshots never run out of ammunition
allowing you to use the included shot ammo or rocks that you can pick up.
Your ultimate back up
The patented Survival Slingshot has a watertight hollow
handle which allows you to store a generous eight cubic inches of survival
items to give you a wide range of capability for survival. It folds down to a
compact size to store and weighs only two pounds. Every model includes a
compass and the integrated rail system allows you to customize your slingshot
any way you may need.
What I say
Firstly let me say that I am totally impressed in every way
with the Survival Slingshot, it is very clear to see that a great deal of
thought went into its design and make up.
For example, you can simply turn your survival slingshot
into one that fires arrows by attaching a whisper biscuit.
You can also mount a tactical LED torch so you can hunt in
low light or even in the dark. As you know, many game animals are nocturnal so
hunting at night can be very productive.
With the light attachment, you can now find your quarry,
feather, fur or fish at dusk, early dawn and late into the night.
Simply a silent food
provider.
I would say that small game and fish are what will keep you
alive when you need to hunt for food. Having set many traps and snares in the
past I can tell you that although it may seem easy to snare and trap game, in
truth it takes an awful lot of practice and is a somewhat hit and miss method
of feeding yourself.
With the Survival Slingshot you have 25 pounds of pull and
the extra ability not only to shoot steel ball bearings but arrows as well
The Survival Slingshot is designed to be robust and to
simply work in any survival situation. It comes with a compass built into the
inside of the screw cap of the handle storage space which by the way is big
enough for a small survival blade, lighter, matches, puri tabs, and other
survival bits and pieces, in fact what you store in the waterproof handle is
your choice.
Made from aerospace grade aluminium alloy and high strength
steel you can see why it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Most survival kits include the basics like wire for snare
wire, fishing line, hooks, split shot, but with the Survival Slingshot you have
a survival kit that not only stores your survival kit but it can produce food
for a meal as well, not that is a survival kit.
However as with all kit you must do what doctors and lawyers
do, practice, practice, and did I say practice.
When you can hit what you are aiming for consistently then
and only then you are able to hunt small game and fish for food. Remember it is
illegal to hunt with a bow and arrow in the UK. So please only take game with
the steel ball bearings and simply only target shoot with the arrows.
This is not a toy, in my opinion it is a silent weapon, and
you should treat it as just that a weapon as it has effective range of 250+ Yards.
The Standard Models ship with one
container that contains, matches, weights for fishing, fishing hooks, pins
and needles, fishing line, thread, swivels and an
ammunition container with roughly 40 rounds of steel shot.
Overall the
Survival Slingshot wins on many fronts, from a survival kit to a silent hunting
system. It is light enough to carry all day and it folds up and can be stored
in a pocket. With a small survival blade stored in the handle I know I could
survive just with the survival slingshot www.survivalslingshot.com
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Survival Mistakes
Wilderness survival techniques are arguably a matter of life
and death. Turning into a self-sufficient survivor does not happen at the snap
of a finger.
It takes knowledge, proper gear, and preparation. By
planning for the worst before it happens you could be saving your life and
other's.
According to some of the top wilderness survival websites,
there are eight common mistakes that can cost you big in the wild. The first is
no shelter, which really turns into a double barrelled mistake. If you do not
have a proper shelter with you or lack the knowledge to build one with what is
around you-you might be in trouble.
It is vital to
create a shelter that keeps you dry and limits exposure to the elements,
especially the wind.
The second biggest wilderness survival mistake is being
caught without a working navigational tool. It is easy to get turned around in
the middle of thick bushes and trees. A map and a compass are failsafe
standards any wilderness adventurer should pack.
Thanks to technology, a GPS is a handy tool as well. GPS
devices are small, compact, and generally able to work for a descent time
period if kept at full charge. Keep navigational tools with you at all
times.
Learning how to
utilize cardinal directions by the sun and stars is also beneficial.
Another common mistake that can cost you is lack of
knowledge and preparation.
There are five key
things you should be knowledgeable of first:
How to build shelter
How to signal for assistance
What is safe to eat and how to find it
How to build and maintain a fire
How to locate water and safely prepare it
Never underestimate the risk factor. The most innocent of
outdoor excursions-fishing, hiking, hunting-can turn into a wilderness survival
situation. Always be prepared.
Don't be caught with the wrong clothing. A rule of thumb is
to always dress in layers, making the outer layer warmer than what you should
need. Research indicates that most hypothermia cases develop in temperatures
over 40 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to lack of proper clothing.
Water is essential
to survive.
The problem is finding drinkable water. Waterborne organisms
can cause severe diarrhoea and vomiting, which increases dehydration. Carry a
supply of pure drinking water along with the ability to filter water by
boiling, chemical tablets, or filters.
Finally, be sure to have a signal plan and know how to
create and maintain a fire. Almost any outdoor/camping supplier has sections
dedicated to signal devices. Whistles, mirrors, high beam torches, and fire
starting devices are all easy to carry signal devices. Couple these with
learning how to create your own emergency signal by using trees, rocks, dirt,
or even snow.
Fire is vital to wilderness survival. It can warm, protect,
and heat food or boil water. You can even use it to signal for help.
Do not underestimate learning how to make and maintain a
fire. Take time to prepare for your outdoor excursions and you will be able to
tackle whatever kinks come your way.
When it comes to survival skills, the smallest of mistakes
could have a huge impact on your ability to stay safe.
However, there are a few things which can help to avoid
making such mistakes, and will ensure that your survival skills are as
effective as possible.
If you find your survival skills being put to the test
unexpectedly, then the natural reaction can be to panic.
However, this is often the worst thing you can do, as you
need to be thinking as clearly as possible in such situations.
You might not be able to simply google ‘survival techniques’
whilst checking your facebook page and playing cheeky bingo, but if you have
done your research, then you will already be well prepared.
You simply need to
keep a clear head, and remember all the skills which you have learnt.
Often, people panic the most when it comes to putting up a
shelter, and tend to rush the process. In actual fact, it is worth spending
extra time making sure that your shelter is safe and secure, and unlikely to
collapse without warning, OH! And water and wind proof as well.
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Homemade Cheese
What you will need
4 litres of whole
milk, 1 pinch salt, 1 large lemon, juiced
What to do
1. Pour the milk
into a large pan, and stir in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium
heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of
the pan.
2. When the milk
begins to boil turn the heat off then stir the lemon juice into the milk, the
milk will then curdle. This may take 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Line a sieve
with a cheesecloth, now pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds.
What is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer’s Cheese. The liquid is the whey.
4. Gather the cloth
around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Then I find
it best to suspend the cheese cloth over the sink for example.
5. When it has
stopped dripping, I put it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge.
Why not try using
herbs or other flavourings.
Quick Tips and
Tricks
Survival glue
When you are out in the wilderness, glue can
come in handy for attaching feathers to arrows or setting arrowheads. Simple
but strong glue can be made from pine sap and deer dung. The two ingredients
are heated using a tin or a hot rock. Heat up the pine sap and mix in crushed
deer dung. Stir the mixture until you have a thick paste.
While hot the
mixture is used just like you would normally use glue. Use a stick to apply the
glue as it is very hot and will stain your hands black. Not only that but it
has deer dung in it. That should give you enough of a clue not to use your
fingers to apply it.
Survival Lantern
If you find a drink can you can make a lantern
out of it. Cut a slit about an inch from the top and an inch from the bottom.
Make the cut about half way around the can. Then cut in the centre of the two
cuts to join them. The two pieces can be folded out to reflect light. The
lantern can be hung by the tab at the top of the can. In the can you can use a
small candle or you could have a small fire.
A-Frame Shelter
The A- Frame shelter is a great form of
shelter. Start by supporting a centre beam. Then branches are leaned up against
the beam to form the roof. Once you have a good solid frame, then you can start
to cover it with grass, leaves or spruce branches. Always start with your
roofing material at the bottom, and then work your way up.
This creates a
shingle effect, thus shedding rain and snow. If you are using branches, always
have the thickest part of the branch facing up so the rain will follow the
branched down. In general, the grass roof will stay dryer than the roof made
from branches because it is denser and there are more fibres for the rain to
follow down to the ground.
If you need to heat
your shelter, build a small fire approximately one pace from the front opening.
Behind the fire build a reflector wall. This is a short wall which will reflect
the heat from the fire back into the shelter. If built properly, this shelter
will keep you warm and dry.
Whenever you build a
fire near your shelter, remember that natural materials are flammable. Use
utmost precaution.
A Lean-To Shelter
The lean-to shelter is probably the simplest
and fastest shelter to construct. You need a horizontal branch which can be
tied between two trees or supported by two branches. Then branches are leaned
against the windward side to create an angled roof. The roof can than be
covered with branches grass or a tarp if you happen to have one.
If you need to heat your shelter, build a small fire approximately one pace from the front opening. Behind the fire build a reflector wall. This is a short wall which will reflect the heat from the fire back into the shelter. If built properly, this shelter will keep you warm and dry.
Whenever you build a fire near your shelter, remember that natural materials are flammable. Use utmost precaution.
If you need to heat your shelter, build a small fire approximately one pace from the front opening. Behind the fire build a reflector wall. This is a short wall which will reflect the heat from the fire back into the shelter. If built properly, this shelter will keep you warm and dry.
Whenever you build a fire near your shelter, remember that natural materials are flammable. Use utmost precaution.
Starting a fire
Ever wondered how the first settlers in this
great country started fire. Many of them wore a small leather pouch around
their necks. In the pouch was a rock, a striker, and a small tin. The tin
contained char cloth.
Char cloth is a natural fibre that has been chemically altered by heating in the absence of oxygen. A piece of cotton, jute or cattail fluff is placed in a tin with a small hole in the top. It is then thrown in a fire. Smoke will escape from the hole in the tin. When the material stops smoking it is finished.
Remove from the fire but do not open until it has cooled or it will start to burn when it gets access to oxygen. After the char cloth is cooled it will start to glow immediately when a spark lands on it. It is very hard to extinguish once it has been ignited. The glowing piece of char cloth is then placed in a nest of dry grass or other tinder. Blow on the tinder until it bursts into flame.
The striker is a piece of hardened high carbon steel usually bent in a oval shape so it is easy to hold. When a rock is struck against it a small piece of molten metal is shaved off the striker causing what appears to be a spark. If you can get the spark to land on the char cloth you have a glowing ember, and the beginning of fire.
Char cloth is a natural fibre that has been chemically altered by heating in the absence of oxygen. A piece of cotton, jute or cattail fluff is placed in a tin with a small hole in the top. It is then thrown in a fire. Smoke will escape from the hole in the tin. When the material stops smoking it is finished.
Remove from the fire but do not open until it has cooled or it will start to burn when it gets access to oxygen. After the char cloth is cooled it will start to glow immediately when a spark lands on it. It is very hard to extinguish once it has been ignited. The glowing piece of char cloth is then placed in a nest of dry grass or other tinder. Blow on the tinder until it bursts into flame.
The striker is a piece of hardened high carbon steel usually bent in a oval shape so it is easy to hold. When a rock is struck against it a small piece of molten metal is shaved off the striker causing what appears to be a spark. If you can get the spark to land on the char cloth you have a glowing ember, and the beginning of fire.
Bacon & Egg in a Paper Bag
3 thick slices of bacon
1 egg
1 paper lunch bag
1 stick
Place bacon in the bottom of the bag, covering the bottom. Crack egg and put in bag on top of the bacon. Fold top of bag down securely. Poke a hole through the top of the bag for the stick.
3 thick slices of bacon
1 egg
1 paper lunch bag
1 stick
Place bacon in the bottom of the bag, covering the bottom. Crack egg and put in bag on top of the bacon. Fold top of bag down securely. Poke a hole through the top of the bag for the stick.
A Family Plan
What you do, or do not do, is down to have you got a plan or
not.
You are driving home and the fuel lights come on, what do
you do now? Fill up now or in the morning on the way to work?
But what if?
So you did fill up and drove home you wife was still out
working you put the meal into the oven and jumped into the bath.
Then complete darkness, a power cut, what is your plan now?
Where is your wife? Is she OK, is she trapped underground on
a tube train? Is she in a massive traffic jam as the traffic light are not
working? Oh! And the mobile phone network is down too.
I am sure something similar has happened to many people
across the world, and the problem with these disasters both natural and manmade
is that they are unpredictable.
We know that they have happened so therefore we expect they
will happen again, however we do not know when or how bad they will be or in
fact where they will be.
In the U.S. September is National Preparedness Month, We could do with one in the UK to be honest as
it would as it would remind people that they should be planning for power cuts
and disasters themselves and not be relying on the Government for their
existence when these events occur.
Unlike the U.S. the UK has yet to totally embrace the preppers and
survivalist mind set, although I have to say things are changing and more and
more people are waking up to the fact that if they do not plan to survive such
events then they will not survive it is that simple.
Reconnect with
Family after a Disaster
Plan for Specific
Needs before a Disaster
Build an Emergency
Kit
How to… Practice
for an Emergency
Planning to survive is not as easy as it sounds
unfortunately, I bet that the majority of people in the UK have not even
discussed let alone developed an emergency plan for family members detailing
what to do and how to reunite in the event of a disaster.
Think back to the earlier scenario…how would your reach your
wife? Do the two of you have a designated meeting place or perhaps a point of
contact outside of your immediate community who can assist with connecting the
two of you and confirming both parties are safe?
Connecting, having and practicing an emergency plan and
being within arms’ reach of emergency supplies are all small, simple steps we
can take today. And, frankly, they could mean the difference between life
and death once a disaster strikes.
But no reminder, activity or promotion will be as meaningful
and as impactful as the one you take for your own life and for that of your
family. This also means thinking beyond what’s immediately obvious and planning
for those who may not be able to prepare or readily plan for themselves – like
those who are disabled, the elderly and don’t forget your pets.
The UK Police Service is now the Police Force
The recent political crisis in Ferguson, MO put a national
spotlight on police militarization. For years, the American Department of
Defence has been sending military hardware, leftover from conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan, to local police through its 1033 program.
Police departments have been accepting the military-grade
hardware, despite its uselessness for purposes of civilian police work, under
“what if” justifications.
However, after obtaining the items, officials in charge
of local police forces have often expanded the scenarios in which military
tools are being put to use, resulting in militarized approaches to drug raids
and peaceful protests.
It is now a fact that the cache of weapons donated to local
cops included 11,959 bayonets. A bayonet is a spear-like weapon affixed to
the end of a rifle that soldiers use as a last resort to gut enemies in close
range.
While this type of weapon could prove useful on a
battlefield, it seems highly unlikely that a police officer could find a
justified civilian law enforcement purpose for such a brutal offensive weapon.
The report also noted that 79,288 assault rifles, 205
grenade launchers, 3,972 combat knives, 50 airplanes, and 422
helicopters had been issued to police by April of this year.
It is also worth noting that large shipments of weapons have
been issued after April of 2014. Here is a fact that should get you asking
questions, believe this or not grenade launchers have been given to campus
police departments, yes you heard me school police have been given grenade
launchers.
Some local police have even requested knives which officers
intend to use to cut down marijuana plants during drug busts, and if you
believe that you will also believe that man landed on the moon.
It is unclear to which areas the nearly 12,000 bayonets were
shipped.
Here in the UK our police are changing too, not only do we
not see proper coppers on our streets any more but if or should I say when we
see them they are dressed in military style clothing and act in an aggressive
way.
The British government has now authorized the use of water
cannons and plastic and rubber bullets for quelling riots (the latter of which
has have never been officially used by police on the British mainland), but the
permission came several days after riots and looting turned parts of London
into a burning wreck.
The British police public order tactics manual is a secret
document establishing a paramilitary third force in the UK, under the control
of a private company ACPO with permission from the home office and this
happened in 2009 by the way. But of course you have not been told.
"It is sometimes necessary to think in terminology
which has more of a military connotation." ACPO Public Order Manual.
This why we must hold weapons legally of course but we must
exercise our right to do so otherwise they will remove that right.
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Walking Home – Survival Tips
Here are three survival (security) tips that are free, and
won’t cost you anything.
There is a caveat though, that is you may need to force a
slight change in your behaviour and habits.
In today’s world of increasing economic woes, more
individuals are turning towards criminal behaviour as they become angrier,
looking for someone to blame, and may be downright desperate.
You, as a ‘normal’
person, may be walking among them from time to time and you don’t even know it
or recognize it.
To a large extent, the key to avoid being victimized is to
simply be aware. Awareness consciously (and subconsciously) changes your own
behaviour such that you will be more likely to avoid dangerous situations that
could escalate into violence.
Let me define
‘awareness’ in the context of your self-security:
Well firstly you should know what is happening or has
happened in your field of travel, you should also look around you (and behind
you) while moving (walking, driving, etc) and even outside your home, make eye
contact while scanning in crowded public places.
Whether by paying attention to the news or ‘hearsay’,
understand the history of the area you are about to travel in.
Most people over time will come to understand where the
‘bad’ areas are in their local region – areas especially vulnerable to crime.
If you are new to the area, or if traveling outside your own
area, make an effort to discover where these ‘bad’ areas are.
A great tool to look for crime reports is on
CrimeReports.com, which shows maps dotted with crime reports in Canada, the
U.S., and the U
This simple behaviour is more effective than you may
imagine. The reason being, is that so many people do not do this, they are
ignorant to their surroundings, and are the first to become victims.
Predators look for the weaker prey. Someone who is looking
down, or who appears to be in their own little world, they are prime targets
for criminals.
Instead, you should scan around you from time to time, with
your head up straight, as you walk with purpose – shoulders back, and
confident. Not only might you avoid an unruly-looking gang of troublemakers,
but they might avoid targeting YOU.
Make eye contact while scanning in crowded public places
Making purposeful, but quick eye contact is another very
effective deterrent to a criminal.
Here’s the reason… Most people purposely avoid eye contact
in public places.
They want to remain in their own little world and by looking
down or avoiding eye contact, they are convinced that they will remain in that
cocoon. The reality is that they are entirely wrong.
Sure, that type of behaviour may avoid unwanted conversation
that otherwise might initiate from a stranger, but that’s about it… By
occasionally scanning and making quick eye contact with others, tells any
potential criminal that you are not afraid.
‘Quick’ eye contact simply means don’t stare. Staring will
provoke a stranger.
Is this type of behaviour simply a bunch of paranoia? Do you
have to walk around being paranoid to avoid being in the wrong place at the
wrong time? No, of course not.
Granted, for some people, learning to do these simple things
will feel uncomfortable at first – and they may feel as though they are being
paranoid. However, after a while, this will become part of you, just like being
able to carry on a conversation with someone while driving a car. It’s no big
deal…
Bolster some confidence while you’re out and about. It may
unknowingly ward off a pick-pocket, purse-snatcher, or worse criminal, without
you even knowing it happened!
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Florida Makes
Off-Grid Living Illegal
It’s no secret that
an opposition to sustainable living exists. Earlier this year, Texas State
brought several SWAT teams to a sustainable community and threatened to shut it
down.
Each one of the
community members were initially handcuffed at gunpoint. It was called “The
Garden of Eden Community,” and was totally self-sustainable.
This time, it’s a
lady called Robin Speronis that’s come under fire. She lives off the grid in
Florida, completely independent of the city’s water and electric system.
A few weeks ago,
officials ruled her off-grid home illegal. Officials cited
the International Property Maintenance Code, which mandates that homes be
connected to an electricity grid and a running water source.
So it appears that
our dependency on corporations isn’t even a choice.
In the end, she was
found not guilty of not having a proper sewer or electrical system; but was
guilty of not being hooked up to an approved water supply.
So what exactly is
off grid living?
It means living independently, mainly living
independently of the utility companies. Providing your own power.
It does not mean living in the Stone Age, it’s not about
bush craft. It’s about generating your own power, your own water, dealing with
your own waste.
It’s about being more self-reliant and being less
dependent on the system. Perhaps realizing that the system isn’t
really protecting us anymore and we have to look after ourselves.
The real problem
with off the grid living is that corporations lose their ability to control
those who go off grid.
With a completely
self-sustaining life style, nobody would ever have to work. What would happen
then?
Think about that for a moment.
We would be free to
expand and create, to discover our full potential as a race and move forward
into the world of exploration and discovery, all the while living in harmony
with nature, not against it.
We’ve accepted the
monetary system, and deem it necessary for the proper function of society.
Money doesn’t ever have to come in the way of necessity, we’ve just been made
to believe that it does.
The human race does
not need to be dependent on these corporations.
While we continue to
feed this dependency, the planet continues to suffer. In order to move forward,
we must start cooperating with each other, and realize just how much potential
we have to create something magical and amazing.
Bottom line, anybody
who has the desire to live off-grid should not be hassled for it, it should be
a free choice.
It gets worse.
You may not be aware
of this, but many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have
long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties
because, according to officials, that
rain belongs to someone else.
The American
government is working hard to make it illegal for you to grow veggies in your
own yard.
And in New Zealand
They have passed a
law that makes it illegal to distribute “food” without authorisation, and it
defines “food” in such a way that it includes nutrients, seeds, natural
medicines, essential minerals and drinks (including water).
By controlling seeds, the bill takes the power to grow food away from the public and puts it in the hands of seed companies. That power may be abused.
The bill will push up mainstream food prices by subjecting producers to red tape and registration costs. Food prices are already rising due to increased energy costs and commodity speculation, while effective disposable incomes are falling.
Growing food for distribution must be authorised, even for “cottage industries”, and such authorisation can be denied.
Under the Food Bill, Police acting as Food Safety Officers can raid premises without a warrant, using all equipment they deem necessary – including guns (Clause 265 – 1).
Members of the private sector can also be Food Safety Officers, as at Clause 243. So Monsanto employees can raid premises – including marae – backed up by armed police.
The Bill gives Food Safety Officers immunity from criminal and civil prosection.
The Government has created this bill to keep in line with its World Trade Organisation obligations under an international scheme called Codex Alimentarius (“Food Book”). So it has to pass this bill in one form or another.
By controlling seeds, the bill takes the power to grow food away from the public and puts it in the hands of seed companies. That power may be abused.
The bill will push up mainstream food prices by subjecting producers to red tape and registration costs. Food prices are already rising due to increased energy costs and commodity speculation, while effective disposable incomes are falling.
Growing food for distribution must be authorised, even for “cottage industries”, and such authorisation can be denied.
Under the Food Bill, Police acting as Food Safety Officers can raid premises without a warrant, using all equipment they deem necessary – including guns (Clause 265 – 1).
Members of the private sector can also be Food Safety Officers, as at Clause 243. So Monsanto employees can raid premises – including marae – backed up by armed police.
The Bill gives Food Safety Officers immunity from criminal and civil prosection.
The Government has created this bill to keep in line with its World Trade Organisation obligations under an international scheme called Codex Alimentarius (“Food Book”). So it has to pass this bill in one form or another.
These facts are in
my opinion even more reason to prepare and plan to survive, as you know we are
doing it right when they try to ban it.
When the Power Stops
It is a fact that our country is more reliant on electrical
power today than at any time in its history.
Our way of life – from everyday conveniences and the
security of local emergency services to commerce and communications – is
contingent upon an always on, always available flow of electricity.
But an aging infrastructure coupled with a rise in natural
and man-made disasters threatens our entire modern day digital infrastructure.
According to many experts from the private and public sector, we’re just one
major catastrophic event away from a complete meltdown of life in the United
Kingdom as we know it today.
So, what happens if and when the grid goes down for an
extended period of time? Aside from the aggravation of not being able to
determine what is happening through traditional media channels, for the Average
person, his problems have only just begun.
Our dependency to the power grid doesn’t just stop at the
lack of electricity in our homes to power our appliances or an inability to
charge our mobile phones; it Is much broader and affects every aspect of our
lives.
We are regularly inundated with news reports covering power
cuts that last several days or weeks resulting from bad weather or snow storms.
During those times, when entire metropolitan areas or regions experience power
cuts, we get a glimpse into what a truly widespread emergency might look like.
It is often the case that the first thing residents of
affected areas do is rush to the supermarket and DIY stores hoping to acquire
critical supplies like food, water, batteries, flashlights and generators.
And while these supplies acquired at the onset of crisis may
provide short term sustenance, any long-term power cut situation that lasts for
many weeks or months will prove dangerous, and perhaps fatal, to the
unprepared.
Consider, for a moment, how drastically your life would
change without the continuous flow of energy the grid delivers. While
manageable during a short-term disaster, losing access to the following
critical elements of our just-in-time society would wreak havoc on the system.
Challenges or shut downs of business commerce
Breakdown of our basic infrastructure: communications, mass
transportation, supply chains
Inability to access money via atm machines
Payroll service interruptions
Interruptions in public facilities – schools, workplaces may
close, and public gatherings.
Inability to have access to clean drinking water
The last widespread outage in the Northeast with over 80,000
homes without electricity, showed how intimately interconnected and alarmingly
fragile our power grid is.
If our society is more reliant on power than at any time in
history – without it, we’ve got no commerce, no communications, no clean water
– and if power becomes less reliable in the future, the big question is: Will
we be able to hack it?
THE TROUBLE with the future of power isn’t that there is one
big problem that could knack us. It’s that there are a host of them, any one of
which could knack us.
These things that
could knack us I would class as Extreme Natural Disasters
This includes earthquakes, hurricanes, snow storms,
thunderstorms as well as massive solar storms that have the potential to
seriously damage the electrical grid. You don’t think it could happen?
It took just 90 seconds for a 1989 solar storm to cause the
collapse of the Hydro-Quebec power grid, leaving 6 million Canadians without
power for up to nine hours.
A NASA-funded report noted the risk of significant damage to
our interconnected grid in light of the forecast for increased solar activity.
Acts of Terrorism
This category includes, but is not limited to a physical
attack on the bulk power system, either at its source of generation or
somewhere along its transmission route, cyber-attack on the computers
controlling our interconnected grid, electro-magnetic pulse, or an EMP, weapon.
Have you read my “effects of EMP” article. EMP’s will create
long-lasting damage that would incapacitate electronic systems across the
country and forever change our way of life.
Cyber-threats
are another concern and someone with serious hacking skills could easily take
out computers, networks or information stored therein to cause lasting damage
to our way of life.
The Ailing Grid
Our ailing power grid is almost as sick as our failing
economy. With one malicious event, be it man made or by natural means, it is
down. Our power delivery system is as old and stooped as a pensioner.
As it is upgraded and its capacity is expanded, our
rapacious need for more electrical power races to max it out once again.
A wide-spread emergency, such as a massive power surge,
solar flare or a rogue electromagnetic pulse (EMP) detonation have the capacity
to render our entire power infrastructure useless.
Transformers and other key elements on which the grid
depends could be permanently damaged as a result of massive electric surges.
In an event such as this our immediate problem will be
finding a way to order, manufacture and take delivery of the components needed
to replace the faulty ones.
Most of the parts made for our electrical grid are made in
China – and many are decades old. It would take months to get the parts shipped
to this country and replaced.
During the power cut, millions would be adversely affected;
some even suggesting that within a year 9 out of 10 Britons would be dead from
starvation, disease and violence.
Ladies and
gentleman, if there’s one thing that can cause the veritable “S” to hit the
fan, this is it.
So how do we remedy and or prepare for a grid down scenario?
Think retro – like pioneer retro- and by that we have to go way back to when we
were not so dependent on the luxury of on-demand energy in its various forms.
When preparing for a grid-down scenario, we must comprise
different contingency plans for short-term and longer-term issues. That being
the case, we have to admit to ourselves that it could last longer than we
expect and be much more than just a minor inconvenience.
Therefore, the best way to prepare is to start with your
basic needs. That is the need for light, heat, water, and food. Therefore we
must employ the usual SHTF plans to overcome this potential disaster situation.
The vulnerability of our grid is nothing new to us as
preppers. Some have seen this problem coming for a long time and changed their
entire ways of life by going off-grid.
They have found alternative sources such as solar, wind and
diesel to power their homes and machinery. A majority of us, who have not gone
off-grid, are making a concerted effort to avoid dependence on this ailing
infrastructure and preparing for life without it.
That being said, all we can do is stay the course, prepare
accordingly and continue on.
Peter at buggrub
is not only sponsoring the competition on my website he is also offering a 10%
discount on all his products. So have you got the gonads, can you walk the
walk, dare you, I dear you to buy some buggrub and then eat it, go on I dare
you. Peter’s website is www.buggrub.com
Aquaponics
What if I told you
that you could catch fish for dinner in your back garden?
What if I told you
that right up until you caught those fish, they were growing the veggies for
the rest of your dinner?
Would you believe
me?
Well you should as
this can all be done now by using an ingenious method of gardening called
Aquaponics.
What is Aquaponics?
Aquaponics is the
growing of fish, or other water-based animals, along with land plants in a controlled
environment.
It is used to
maximize the use of energy and nutrients in the system so that it can harvest
the maximum amount of vegetables and fish protein. The word aquaponics comes
from the words aquaculture, which is the cultivation of fish or other water-
based animals, and hydroponics, where plants are grown in a sterile medium or
completely in water.
Basically, the
plants extract the water and nutrients that they need to grow, cleaning the
water for the fish. There are bacteria that live on the surface of the grow
bed.
These bacteria
convert ammonia wastes from the fish into nitrates that can be used by the
plants. The nitrates are relatively harmless to the fish but more importantly
they make terrific plant food.
What Types
of Fish Can You Use in Aquaponics?
Any type of fresh
water fish works well in an aquaponic system. Carp can be grown by aquaponics
but you can also grow most fresh water fish, trout, and even signal crayfish,
(license required).
It’s not just for
edible fish! You can also grow any decorative fresh-water fish such as Koi or
goldfish. When choosing your fish you will need to take into consideration the
temperature at which they can thrive and survive in.
For example most
river fish can survive down to temperatures in the low 60s, but won’t thrive
until they reach the mid 70’s. Whereas trout will survive up to a maximum
temperature of 65, but they will not thrive until their water is in the high
40s to low 50’s. (Temps given in Fahrenheit)
What Types of Plants Can You Grow in an Aquaponic Garden?
There are too many
to name. It is actually easier to list the categories of plants that DO NOT
thrive in an aquaponics system. Plants like blueberries and azaleas do not work
well as they require an acidic environment to thrive.
With some protection
all of this will work in any climate. A greenhouse is ideal as you can create a
perfect environment for your fish and plants and the bonus is sunlight is free!
Also all the water in the fish tank, sump tank and grow beds will create a thermal
mass in your greenhouse which helps moderate temperature extremes.
Don’t worry if you
don’t have a greenhouse, aquaponics work inside. You can just as easily grow
fish and veg in your garage or even your cellar for example.
Benefits of Aquaponic Gardening
Aquaponic Gardening
enables home fish farming. Fresh fish for you and your family.
Aquaponic Gardening
uses 90% less water than soil-based gardening because the water is
re-circulated and only that which the plants take up or evaporates is ever
replaced.
Aquaponic Gardening
results in two crops for one input (fish feed).
Aquaponic Gardening
is four to six times as productive on a square foot basis as soil-based
gardening. This is because with aquaponic gardening, you can pack plants about
twice as densely and the plants grow two to three times as fast as they do in
soil.
Aquaponic systems
only requires a small amount of energy, this is to run a pump and aeration for
the fish.
Aquaponics does not
rely on the availability of good soil, you can literally set up anywhere such
as any piece of land big enough, abandoned warehouses, schools, restaurants,
cellars and garages.
Aquaponic Gardening
is free from weeds, watering and fertilizing. It is done at a waist-high level
so prevents back strain.
Aquaponic Gardening
has to be organic. Natural fish waste provides all the food the plants need.
Pesticides would be harmful to the fish so they are never used. Hormones,
antibiotics, and other fish additives would be harmful to the plants so they
are never used.
The result is every
bit as flavourful as soil-based organic produce, with the added benefit of
fresh fish for a safe, healthy source of protein.
How to Make
Char cloth
Fire making is a basic survival skill that must be learnt
then practiced regularly or you could find yourself stuck in the wilderness
without a way to boil your water or cook your food.
In order to make a fire, it’s more than just making a spark
from a magnesium firesteel, fire piston, flint and steel, or a flame from a
lighter. You need that ignition source to easily catch on to something that’ll
burn long enough for the kindling to catch, which is supposed to burn long
enough for your fuel wood to burn. That something is called Tinder.
The components of a good tinder are:
- you have it with you or can find it when you need it
- it catches fire easily in whatever weather or environment you’re in
- it burns long enough to catch your kindling on fire
I have to say that having one of Bushcraft tools fire
pistons I recommend Char Cloth. Technically, char cloth is an addition to your
tinder stock.
So what is char
cloth I hear you ask?
Char cloth is an organic material (like cotton) that has
been heated enough that all (most) of the gasses inside have left but has been
protected from burning itself up.
When something burns, it’s actually a chemical reaction with
oxygen or a similar gas. When something like wood or cotton burns, chemicals
like carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide are
released into the air.
If you heat up something like cotton to a certain point and
don’t let oxygen into the area for it to burn, the gasses will be released but
the material itself won’t combust. That’s essentially all you need to do to
make char cloth in theory, but let’s look at how you make it.
How do you make
charred cloth?
The simplest prepper method of making char cloth is to take
something like pieces of cotton from a t-shirt or old jeans and put it into a
small tin, like an altoids tin or an air pellet tin. You can also use a tuna
tin, coffee tin etc. as long as you can seal it fairly well after you put the
material in it and it won’t burn itself up.
I wanted to make some char cloth just using stuff I had
lying around the house so instead of an altoids tin I used an old pellet tin I
had lying around.
You need the gasses to escape from the inside after they’re
released from the cotton, so you need to poke a small hole in the tin with
something like a nail. You don’t want it too big though, or oxygen will get in
and your fabric will catch fire.
I got my Gillie Kettle out and lit it and put the old pellet
tin on top then I cut a strip denim from some old jeans about as wide as the
tin is long, rolled it up and put it into the tin. The smoke was coming out of
the hole in the top of the tin, and if I was to put a flame to it, that smoke
would catch fire.
This is essentially a mini-gasifier. That gas is flammable
enough to be used in a generator or carb for an engine.
Then, you just cook the tin in the fire for a while until
you don’t see any more smoke coming out, and that’s it. Depending on how much
stuff you have, how big your tin is and how hot your fire is, it should take
anywhere from 15-45 minutes.
Obviously, the proof is in the pudding so I took out my
magnesium fire starter that I keep in my pocket as a part of my EDC kit, and it
lit after one spark.
That’s really all there is to it. You should experiment with
different types of fabrics and different temperatures and times to heat it up
but it’s not really all that hard. You don’t even need to use cloth. Almost any
organic material should work, such as wood or plant fibres. You just need to
get all the gasses out without burning it.
Char cloth vs other tinder?
Char cloth catches so easily that just one spark will
usually catch, so not only can you place it right under your tinder bundle,
things like a breeze or damp air shouldn’t be a problem. It will burn usually
for a few minutes too, giving it enough time to catch. Because it doesn’t
give off a flame though, char cloth isn’t really going to be able to catch kindling.
Other tinder like dry leaves, grass, cat tail fluff, etc.
burns pretty well but isn’t always easy to catch from a spark. Especially if
it’s damp out.
Putting them together though, makes a powerful combination.
How to use char cloth to start a fire.
Char cloth catches easily but it won’t burn hot enough to
catch twigs on fire unless they’re REALLY tiny.
You also probably won’t have a lot of char cloth in your
kit. It will, however, burn enough to catch other tinder on fire. By making a
tinder bundle out of dry material that burns quickly and then putting the char
cloth in side it, you make an easy-to-light pile of stuff known as a nest that
will burn hot enough to catch twigs.
Having a successful fire started is all about sticking to
the sequence of fire starting. The spark catches the char cloth. The char cloth
catches the rest of the tinder. The tinder then catches your kindling. The
kindling catches the fuel wood and you can then boil water or cook a meal.
Nigel at www.hunters-knives.co.uk has offered
you dear listener 10% on all his products simply by using the code PREP10.
UK Blackout Fears are you Prepared?
This is 2014 and believe it or not emergency measures are
needed to ensure Britain avoids blackouts this winter, the National Grid boss
has admitted.
He says that old power stations could be brought out of
mothballs to supply extra energy.
A number of coal-fired power stations have been shut to
satisfy EU targets for cutting greenhouse gases.
Four nuclear plants have closed unexpectedly for repairs –
although Mr Holliday said two may be ready by the end of the year.
The result is the total amount of electricity that can be
supplied could be just 5 per cent greater than demand from consumers.
We could be looking at 1970s-style blackouts. I would say
that managers had ‘failed to plan adequately’.
Winter is on the way depending on where you live and
experiencing a power cut can range from being moderately inconvenient to a
complete nightmare. Being prepared means that a power cut needn’t be a
disaster…
Emergency supplies
Last winter there were families in remote parts of the
country where a power cut left them stranded for days without heat, light,
cooking facilities and hot water. Shops had to be closed and heavy snowfall
blocked roads and railways. With a power cut – no matter where you are – can
cause real problems.
Candles can be dangerous, keeping warm is difficult and
milk and food may turn rancid. A little preparation is definitely worthwhile.
Here’s an emergency check-list of what you should have in
the house:
Candles, minimum four to five dozen.
Candle stick holders. In a pinch, fold aluminium foil around
the candle bases
Matches and disposable lighters.
Emergency heater
Torches and extra batteries.
Canned goods and dry food mixes
Water and juices.
Extension cords, long enough to reach your neighbour’s
house.
Hand tools such as hammer, screwdriver and wood saw.
Seasoned firewood.
Extra blankets.
Paper plates, cups and plastic utensils.
First-aid kit
Fire Extinguisher
Remember to keep these things together and in a place where
they will be easy to reach and find in the dark. It’s also a good idea to keep
some emergency lighting on each level of the house, a lighter with candles
should be fine until you can access the torches.
Try to get children used to candles – from distance!
Bath-time is a good time to introduce candlelight – it makes a relaxing
atmosphere and your child is safely contained in the tub.
During a power cut you’ll only be able to use them on high
surfaces. Do not walk around with a lit candle, use torches instead to get
about the house.
During a power cut
You will find the temperature in your home drops quickly.
Keep a small baby close to you for warmth, and consider co-sleeping. Toddlers
will need extra clothes and blankets at bed times. A torch may make an
impromptu night-light.
However even adults will need extra layers of clothes as
well as blankets hats and gloves.
Report the power cut to your electricity supplier
immediately. They should have a 24-hour emergency telephone number that is on
your electricity bill or in the front of the yellow pages.
Tell them if you have a young children, elderly person or
those with medical problems in the house and ask for an estimated length of
time.
If the power cut is going to last several days, consider
staying with a friend or relative with power. Having no heat or light is going
to be, at the best, inconvenient and at the worst, dangerous.
And finally…
Get your family into good habits. Stairs should always be
kept free of toys and clutter in case you do end up stumbling around in the
dark.
The 1940's Diet
Are we storing 'too'
much food for bugging out?
Could we actually
live on what the British families did in the 1940's?
I know that a
rationed diet would be healthier for us as well?
When rationing was
introduced in England on January 8, 1940 it was to ensure that food was
distributed fairly and that the dwindling food supplies lasted.
However, rationing
did vary slightly month to month depending on the availability of foods
increasing when it was plentiful and decreasing when it was in short supply.
Here is the weekly
ration allowance for one adult in the 1940’s… (Remember that in addition to
this people were encouraged to incorporate lots of fruit and veggies into their
diets and grow even more in their back gardens!
Weekly ration for 1 adult
Bacon & Ham 4
oz.
Meat to the value of
£1.50 (around about 1/2 lb minced beef)
Butter 2 oz.
Cheese 2 oz.
Margarine 4 oz.
Cooking fat 4 oz.
Milk 3 pints
Sugar 8 oz.
Preserves 1 lb every
2 months
Tea 2 oz.
1 fresh egg per week
Sweets/Candy 12 oz.
every 4 weeks
In addition to this
a points system was put in place which limited your purchase of tinned or
imported goods.
16 points were
available in your ration book for every 4 weeks and that 16 points would enable
you to purchase for instance, 1can of tinned fish or 2lbs of dried fruit or 8
lbs of split peas.
Does this sound a lot or little to you?
When you try and
produce all your own food from scratch using the above ingredients and realize
just how precious or even how difficult it was at times to obtain other
necessary food stuffs like flour, oats etc.
It really makes you
appreciate how difficult and how IMPORTANT the role was of the1940’s
housewife to feed her family and keep them healthy. It was for sure a long
and hard job.
I have designed this
recipe from the rations available.
BREAKFAST
2 slices of
wholemeal (whole wheat) toast with margarine and marmalade or marmite or large
bowl of porridge oats (oatmeal) made with water, splash of milk and a little
sugar or honey mixed in.
LUNCH
Oslo Meal-
2 slices of whole
wheat bread spread with a little margarine or butter small block of cheese
grated and placed over salad, fresh lettuce leaves other salad items like
carrot, cucumber or tomato and a glass of cold milk
OR,
Meat Gravy
1 lb mince beef
Corn starch
Water
Thyme
Salt & pepper
Old ripe tomatoes
(optional)
Oxo cubes or marmite
DINNER
Two large baked
potatoes topped with a little bit of strong cheddar, generous serving of meaty
gravy, a chunk of freshly baked wholemeal bread, a few spoonful’s of steamed
carrots, big mound of steamed cabbage. For dessert one pear.
OR
A big mound of
mashed potato (a blob of marg and some thyme, salt & pepper for seasoning),
served with large portions of cabbage and cauliflower and the remainder of the
meaty gravy made yesterday.
For dessert two
freshly baked Rock Buns and two steaming hot cups of tea!
SUPPER
Round off the day
with a glass or two of milk- usually one small glass of cold milk and a cup of
milky coffee.
The amount depends
on how much you have left to use!
This diet depends on
what is available or what recipes have been created.
You can always make
veggies stews with beans and pulses in for extra protein.
Does the Bible say
anything about the current wave of doomsday predictions and violence throughout
the planet?
Movie trailers for
the science fiction disaster film 2012 added to the hype, showing entire cities
devastated by enormous tsunamis and earthquakes, meteors raining down fiery
death from heaven and human history coming to a violent end.
According to Wikipedia, "The studio also launched a viral marketing website operated by the fictional Institute for Human Continuity, where filmgoers could register for a lottery number to be part of a small population that would be rescued from the global destruction."
Other scenarios picture a wonderful change in human consciousness and the ushering in of a New Age. John Major Jenkins, author of Maya Cosmogenesis, describes the coming New Age this way: "Around the year we call 2012 a large chapter in human history will be coming to an end.
All the values and assumptions of the previous World Age will expire, and a new phase of human growth will commence."
According to Wikipedia, "The studio also launched a viral marketing website operated by the fictional Institute for Human Continuity, where filmgoers could register for a lottery number to be part of a small population that would be rescued from the global destruction."
Other scenarios picture a wonderful change in human consciousness and the ushering in of a New Age. John Major Jenkins, author of Maya Cosmogenesis, describes the coming New Age this way: "Around the year we call 2012 a large chapter in human history will be coming to an end.
All the values and assumptions of the previous World Age will expire, and a new phase of human growth will commence."
Well as we now know
he was wrong, or at least he got the date wrong at least.
All the hype about 2012 was based on a mixture of speculation about Mayan calendars, the book The Bible Code, some ancient Oriental prophesies, supposed writings of Nostradamus and a little of the biblical book of Revelation.
But does the Bible say anything about the end of human history?
In Matthew 24:3, Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming and the end of this age.
He gave prophecies of many events to happen before His return. He said there would be religious deception, wars and rumours of wars, famines, disease epidemics and earthquakes, all leading to a time of Great Tribulation when mankind would be on the verge of destroying all life on the earth if the time wasn't cut short (verses 21 and 22). Could that be a reference to WW111?
Then Jesus prophesied there would be heavenly signs, and He would return with power and great glory (verses 29-30).
While Jesus gave His disciples signs to watch for that indicated His return, He stated clearly that no one knows the exact date except His Father.
In Mark 13:32 we read, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew's account puts it this way, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13).
The Bible does not tell us the date Jesus Christ will return to save humanity from destroying ourselves.
But it does promise that Christ will return and set up a government that will bring peace and prosperity to this earth. In the meantime God doesn't ask us to explore the intricacies of ancient Mayan calendars, or believe the Hollywood film scripts either.
He warns of rampant deception and tells us not to be fooled by those who claim secret knowledge of His return (Matthew 24:4, 23-26).
What are we to do? The purpose of the biblical prophecies and warning signs is to remind us of our need to always be growing closer to God and to be spiritually ready.
We need to be preparing spiritually for Christ's return and the end of this world now, and every year.
"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44).
All the hype about 2012 was based on a mixture of speculation about Mayan calendars, the book The Bible Code, some ancient Oriental prophesies, supposed writings of Nostradamus and a little of the biblical book of Revelation.
But does the Bible say anything about the end of human history?
In Matthew 24:3, Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming and the end of this age.
He gave prophecies of many events to happen before His return. He said there would be religious deception, wars and rumours of wars, famines, disease epidemics and earthquakes, all leading to a time of Great Tribulation when mankind would be on the verge of destroying all life on the earth if the time wasn't cut short (verses 21 and 22). Could that be a reference to WW111?
Then Jesus prophesied there would be heavenly signs, and He would return with power and great glory (verses 29-30).
While Jesus gave His disciples signs to watch for that indicated His return, He stated clearly that no one knows the exact date except His Father.
In Mark 13:32 we read, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew's account puts it this way, "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13).
The Bible does not tell us the date Jesus Christ will return to save humanity from destroying ourselves.
But it does promise that Christ will return and set up a government that will bring peace and prosperity to this earth. In the meantime God doesn't ask us to explore the intricacies of ancient Mayan calendars, or believe the Hollywood film scripts either.
He warns of rampant deception and tells us not to be fooled by those who claim secret knowledge of His return (Matthew 24:4, 23-26).
What are we to do? The purpose of the biblical prophecies and warning signs is to remind us of our need to always be growing closer to God and to be spiritually ready.
We need to be preparing spiritually for Christ's return and the end of this world now, and every year.
"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44).
How to Make a
Survival Heater
Getting stranded in
your car can be a dangerous possibility, being stuck in your home during a
power cut can be equally as dangerous without the ability to heat your
surroundings. Therefore I suggest that you plan now to have the ability to
provide that lifesaving heat.
This is the equipment you will need
A small empty metal
tin: You want this to be slightly taller but thinner than a standard roll of
toilet paper. My can of choice is an unused 1 quart/ 2 pint paint tin found in
most DIY shops. You can also use an empty food tin that is the same size.
A larger metal tin
that can easily accommodate the first one: I use a 1 gallon unused paint tin
(again found in most DIY shops). Another option is a coffee tin or a metal
bucket and so on.
Some type of lid
that can be placed over the larger tin: I also like to get a lid for the
smaller can which I will explain later.
Toilet
paper (unscented)
Six bottles of 70 to
91% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) seen on Ebay £2.229 for 500ml
Matches or some
other fire starter
This is what you do
Prepare the toilet
paper: The first step is to take out the central cardboard tube from the toilet
paper roll, leaving only the paper behind.
Squeeze the paper
into the smaller tin: Next you’ll want to squeeze and roll the paper into the
smaller tin. If the tin is so small that a full-size paper roll has no chance
of fitting inside it, then you can remove some of the external sheets (just
like you would if you were going to the bathroom) until it does squeeze into
the tin. It’s important that it fills up the entire volume of the can.
Add the fuel: If you
are now ready to use it, simply add the alcohol until the toilet roll inside
the can is completely saturated. One of the benefits of using a 1 quart/2 pint
paint tin is that you can store the stove with the fuel already added by
placing the air-tight lid over the can. This saves space and allows you to have
more fuel available. The lid can also be used to control the output of the
flame.
Place the smaller
tin into the larger one and position it in your car or room to be heated: The
larger tin provides an insulating barrier and some protection for passengers
and your car. You’ll also want to position it in a place that’s far enough from
anything combustible. Use the palm check. Put the back of your hand against the
surface you’re worried about and if you can’t keep your hand there without
burning it then it’s either to close or you’ll need to adjust the flame.
Light the stove:
First, open a window just a crack to provide some airflow and then carefully
place a match (or throw some sparks using a firesteel) onto the saturated
toilet paper and viola! You’ve got yourself a burning stove.
Use caution in
lighting as it will combust very quickly. It’s best to partially cover the
smaller tin with a lid to decrease the size of combustion (you can always
increase it later).
You may notice if
you follow the steps above, that a pretty sizable flame results from having the
smaller tin’s opening completely exposed. While this is fine if you want to
warm up faster, it does tend to go through the fuel fairly quickly and is not
so efficient.
A better way is to
partially cover the smaller tin with a lid. Or if you used a 1 quart/2 pint
paint tin, you can make a small hole (about the size of a 10p piece) in the lid
it comes with and place that on top of the can. Both of these methods control
the burn rate and allow the stove to provide a constant heat.
Another option is
instead of completely saturating the toilet roll you can pour just a few ounces
of alcohol on the paper and regularly add more as it burns up. This will also
control the size of the flame and conserve fuel. I prefer to use the lid method
over this one, since you don’t have to regularly add alcohol (it’s nice to
sleep for a stretch of time and not have to regularly add fuel)
A Word on Carbon Monoxide
I’m sure by now many
of you are thinking, “What about the dangers of carbon monoxide?”
Carbon monoxide is
produced from the partial oxidation of carbon-containing compounds. “Partial
oxidation” is just a big word for what happens when combustion (fire) takes
place in an area where there isn’t much oxygen. This is most apparent when one
operates a generator inside a home or if their wood stove is improperly vented.
In the case of this
alcohol stove, while there is risk of carbon monoxide emissions (rubbing
alcohol contains carbon: C3H7OH) the risk is very minimal. Opening your window
slightly should provide sufficient oxygen for a clean burn.
If you still are
concerned about it, I would recommend purchasing a battery-operated carbon
monoxide alarm and turning it on (putting in the batteries) when running the
stove. This will provide you ample warning should there be an issue.
