Welcome to this week’s Sunday Survival Buzz – a roundup of preparedness news, tips, articles and recommendations from around the web. But first, an update on my own preps.
This was the week for list-making. I am in the process of breaking my bug-out gear into thee separate packs: a fully loaded kit for the closet by the entrance to our home, a kit for the car (we are in the process of downsizing to just one car), and a secondary kit with food items and clothing that will go back and forth between the closet and the car. As soon as the list is complete, I will share it with you so you can use it too.
The one thing that is missing is a little pack for Tucker the Dog to carry. If you know of a source, leave me a comments. He is a little guy, 6 pounds, but extremely athletic. Surely he can carry some food, toys and a collapsible bowl.
I continue to experiment with essential oils and am delighted with the results. I have had a bit of a cough so I mixed some coconut oil (the liquid or fractionated type) with some Respire blend (a mixture of Peppermint, Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lemon and Clove) in one of these blue roller bottles I purchased at Amazon a few weeks back. I have been using this on my chest and even though I now smell like eau d’ Vicks, it seems to be working.
I also am using the Respire in my new diffuser but honestly, I think it is the oil mixture on the skin that is working. If you want to give it a try, I am using a ratio of 1:3 where the 1 is essential oil and the 3 is coconut oil.
The UPS lady knows us well and this week she delivered a case of FD tomatoes and one of those all-in-one outdoor shovels from Emergency Essentials.
Sorry to go on and on about EOs but take a look at this picture of Shelly’s elbow. There is a bit of a red patch but this used to be a crusty, ugly mess of psoriasis.
Okay, enough about me. Let’s get on to the Sunday Survival Buzz.
SURVIVAL NEWS & ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB
Why Obamacare Will Motivate Millions Of Americans To Make Less Money And Get Divorced: This is an aspect of Obamacare that is not mentioned much. But for some families, this might actually make sense. And by the way, how much did your healthcare premium go up? Mine went up while my deductible doubled. I have an unbelievable amount of angst over this.
Preparedness Quick Tip: Use a Disposable Diaper as a Hot/Cold Pack: Did you know a disposable diaper makes a fabulous hot or cold pack? Here’s how.
Bubble Wrap Window Insulation: With the icy cold weather we have been experiencing this week, this DIY tip is timely. Easy on and easy off – and also dirt cheap.
FBI special agents under scrutiny say they just want a baby: Having taken similar drugs in years past, this one really got to me. A couple, both FBI employees, were arrested and depicted in court papers and in national news reports as being part of an alleged steroid ring. Honestly, there is so much waste in the government. Why not go after the real bad guys instead of innocent folks undergoing fertility treatments?
No security ever built into Obamacare site: According to a cyber-security expert, it could take a year to secure the risk of “high exposure” of personal information on the federal Obamacare online exchange.
Maker Of Wildly Popular Flashlight App Failed To Tell Users It Was Sharing Their Location Info: I don’t have a smart phone so this will not affect me, but still, isn’t it bad enough that our government is spying on us?
AT&T Tells Shareholders: We Don’t Have To Disclose What We Do With Customers’ Data: And more the same.
Genetically Engineered Food – What You Need to Know: This article boils everything down in simple, layman’s terms. From the article:
Genetic engineering is different from conventional breeding. It requires intensive genetic overwriting to allow for genetic changes that cannot occur in nature, such as combining genes of bacteria and viruses with genes of plants, or combining genes from different species of animals. The effects? We don’t yet know.
BACKDOOR SURVIVAL MAIL BAG & READER TIPS
Richard has suggested a small, but useful excellent addition to our emergency kits.
Hello. I’ve read your column for about six months now, and whilst not everything is relevant to life in Australia (try getting a machete through customs) your posting give rise to many productive ideas. Keep up the great work.
One thing I would like to say, tell your readers about throwing rope. You’ve mentioned the importance of rope/paracord in several columns, and it does come in handy for setting up shelters, clotheslines and the like. However, try getting a rope over a high tree branch to protect your food from scavengers, or getting a rope across a creek or ravine, or to someone holding onto their car in raging waters. No so good.
When I lived in the USSA (sic) I used to buy tobacco pouches to use for fishing. Fill them with sand, rocks or whatever else was at hand and you had a good sinker.
Now, if you carry one or two of those in your BOB (bug out bag) or other survival essential you can tie that onto the end of your rope and presto-chango the rope is over that high branch, or wherever else you want to send it.
If you can’t find tobacco pouches any sort of small strong bag, like what you carry your sunglasses in for example, will suffice. Please tell people to add these to their essentials.
On the subject of Could You Really Shoot Someone?, Harold offered this:
Something you may want to consider. Don’t practice on bull’s eye targets. Yes, you will improve your shooting skill but practice on half size paper human figures. If you are ever faced with a real shooting situation one’s brain will recognize the target form.
Bad guys don’t wear bull’s eyes. This is something the Army learned after WWI and started teaching before WWII. It made a big difference in the fact that the solders would actually shoot a man. Training to shoot is a skill. Training the brain what to shoot is something else.
AND THE WINNER IS . . . THERE ARE THREE!
First of all, the winner of the BDS Book Festival e-book, After the Blackout is “Robert”. Here is how he answered the question “What prepping item would you like to receive this holiday season?”.
The most important resource in a grid down situation is access to clean water. Therefore, a water filtration system should be counted among the most important items to have. So, for this holiday season I would like to receive a Berkey Water System.
Next, the winner of the Royal Berkey from LPC Survival was Danielle. She was notified earlier this week and has already claimed her Berkey. Here is how she answered the question “Where would you get your water if the tap/running water in your home was no longer available?”
For water we have several water barrels to collect rainwater in, and live close to a river.
I know that many of you are disappointed that you did not win. Jeff the Berkey guy has some fabulous holiday specials going on and of course, you can also purchase a Berkey from the LPC Survival Store on Amazon. But as they say on TV, there is more. Jeff has indicated that he will sponsor another giveaway sometime next year! Yay!
And finally, the winner of the Tactical Traveler Bug Out Bag from Ready to Go Survival is Peggy H. Congratulations! You have been notified by email and have 48 hours to claim your prize.
Here is how Peggy answered the question “If you are the winner, what additional items would you add to the Tactical Traveler to personalize it for your own unique needs?”.
Bible, deck of card, personal information and meds, clothing, hygiene items, extra shoes
For those that did not win, I want to remind you that The Tactical Traveler (or any of the other items at Ready To Go Survival) would make a the perfect holiday gift to yourself or to someone you love. Because of that, Ready To Go Survival is offering a special discount of $30 to Backdoor Survival readers using coupon code backdoorRT.
NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS
Today I would like to welcome our newest sponsor, EarthEasy.com. EarthEasy is your source for the entire family of LifeStraw products plus a myriad of other items designed for earth-friendly, sustainable living.
I also want to mention that BDS Sponsor, Survival Based is have a huge sale on food and supplies through December 15th. If you have not given them a try, be sure to sign up for a free sample here. (And yes, there is such a thing as free food.)
As with all of my sponsors, please pay them a visit and let them know you saw them on Backdoor Survival. Speaking of which, check out the Backdoor Survival Sponsors page and support the fine companies that allow me to keep Backdoor Survival free for everyone.
RESOURCES – FREE DOWNLOADS
I have added another free download to the new RESOURCES page.
Our Southern Highlanders: A Narrative of Adventure in the Southern Appalachians
“Our Southern Highlanders” by Horace Kephart is about the old way of living in what is now the Smoky Mountains. It was first published in 1913 and revised in 1922.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?
Reminder: if you are interested in finding a past article on a specific topic, you can use the Search box on the right hand side or select SEARCH from the menu bar.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Are you a Pinterest fan? (And if not, beware, Pinterest is addictive!) I want to let you know that I am now sponsoring a board that consists of original article and photos from member of my Prepared Bloggers group. This small group of individuals (men and women) all post articles about survival, preparedness, homesteading and self-sufficiency. You will find some good stuff here.
Prepared Bloggers on Pinterest
In a couple of other behind the scenes moves, I have added a link to the Backdoor Survival Holiday Gift Guide and to the article Mapping a Road to Self-Sufficiency to the menu bar. If you haven’t seen them, go ahead and take a peek.
THE FINAL WORD
As we wrap up another week, I am, for once, at a loss for words. There is no particular reason, just a bit tired perhaps. While the days are getting shorter, it seems like the work load is getting longer. Just how does that work?
This next week I have another Winter Blast Giveaway coming up; this time for a couple of EDC items. And don’t forget, if you want to be the first to know, check our my Facebook page where in addition to links to every single article, I share other preparedness articles from around the web and a flurry of free-at-the-moment e-book downloads from Amazon.
Ok now. What about you – what did you do to prep this week? Until, next time, remember to make every day a prep day!
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
If you have not done so already, please be sure to like Backdoor Survival on Facebook to be updated every time there is an awesome new article, news byte, or link to a free survival, prepping or homesteading book on Amazon. You can also follow Backdoor Survival on Pinterest.
In addition, when you sign up to receive email updates you will receive a free, downloadable copy of my e-book The Emergency Food Buyer’s Guide.
Bargain Bin: Here are items related to this article plus selections from the BDS Holiday Gift Guide.
Respire Essential Oil Blend: This blend of Peppermint, Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lemon and Clove is designed to help with cold and flu symptoms and will relieve congestion. I am mixing it with coconut oil (or you could mix in my DIY Healing Salve) and it really does seem to work. (Respire is also a component in the Spark Naturals health and wellness kit.) Be sure to use the discount code “BACKDOORSURVIVAL” to receive a 10% discount.
Cobalt Blue Glass Roll On Bottles : I purchased these roller bottles from Amazon. They are perfect for applying essential oils without being wasteful. Plus, I can carry the bottle around with me in my pack or pocket.
Blocklite Ultra Bright 9V LED Flashlight: A Backdoor Survival claimed that these work great. So I bought one. Then I bought another. All told, I now have 8 of these spread out in drawers, in emergency kits, the car, everywhere. This is my number one pick for a small, but effective flashlight.
As an alternative, consider the itty, bitty Streamlight Nano Light Keychain LED Flashlight.
GI P38 & P51 Can Opener Combo Pack : This is one of the army’s greatest tools. Can be used for dozens of jobs. Makes a great can opener, cutting edge, groove cleaner, screw drive, clean finger nails, open seams and many, many more practical uses.
Survivor Outdoor Fixed Blade Knife with Fire Starter: This knife measures 7 inch long overall, has a full-tang stainless steel blade, is equipped with thick green cord-wrap handle, and has a nylon sheath plus a magnesium-alloy fire starter. How does it work? This is not a Kershaw, Gerber or other high quality blade. On the other hand, the fire starter works great (better than great) and is worth the price entire set.
Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener : I wrote about this is in the article The Easy Way to Sharpen a Knife Without Spending a Lot of Money. It sharpens everything from pocket knives to kitchen blades. Very portable and easy to use.
SE BT20 9-Volt Battery Tester: I do not know anyone that is sorry they purchased or gifted an inexpensive battery tester. Mine sits in my desk drawer and is used 3 or 4 times a week.
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This month Emergency Essentials has a couple of BREAKFAST COMBO PACKS on sale. The breakfast combos include 6 cans of popular breakfast foods from both Mountain House and Provident Pantry.
In addition, all of the Gamma Seal Lids are discounted to $6.49 each. I use gamma lids exclusively with my buckets and appreciate the convenience of simply unscrewing the top to get in and out of my buckets without pinching my fingers (or worse) in the process.
And don’t forget there is still time to get some red emergency candles – including gift bags and bows – for gift-giving off. These are great candles, even for non-emergency purposes.
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Spotlight: After a ton of research, I am now using essential oils from Spark Naturals for wellness purposes. There are a lot reasons one of which is their commitment to both quality and value.
I recommend the health and wellness kit which includes all of my favorites. Be sure to use the discount code “BACKDOORSURVIVAL” to receive a 10% discount.
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