M.D. CREEKMORE

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What Did You Do To Prep This Week?

Good morning everyone… I hope everyone had a great fourth of July Independence Day and didn’t over do it with the hotdogs, burgers, and fireworks. 

Sadly, the main threat to what resemblance to freedom that we have left isn’t from a foreign power but our own government. We live in a country where we have to get a permit or a license for just about everything we do, and or follow a law or ordinance or be fined and or jailed and since 9-11 we have been on a fast downhill slide as far as individual freedom and constitutional rights are concerned. 

Granted we are better off than North Korea for example, however, “our” own government and the powers that be continuously chip away at the freedoms that we still have and will continue to do so no matter who is in Congress, The Senate, and the Whitehouse. 

That’s what governments do… they chip away at freedom while dipping more and deeper into our wallets via taxation and then when the people push back they might back off a little, you know take three steps forward and one step back, and then start again.

It’s never-ending and we have to always be on the lookout for the never-ending encroachments. Sometimes the powers that be will even allow a new president to be elected to calm one political side down for a while so that they think that they have a choice and a say in how things are going while in reality they continue on with their agenda.

It’s like professional wrestling… it’s all a show to keep everyone entertained and pacified while “Rome” burns…   

Okay, now on to the next topic… I still get an email or so each month asking why I stopped posting the original “what did you do to prep this week” segment… so I’m going to answer that for everyone here today all at the same time.

I stopped posting it because it turned into a circus of whining, complaining, and ridiculousness. Every day I’d get emails from the main commenters (probably 70% of the comments were from the same five people), complaining about someone else comment that didn’t agree with them. Ban them or I’m leaving was the general and common thread of the emails.

Oh me oh my, if for some reason the system held their comment for moderation – here came the emails accusing me of “censorship” because their comment wasn’t approved instantly. If you’re going to turn into a dictator and censor comments I’m leaving the site.

And this from people who are supposedly preparing to survive TEOTWAWKI – newsflash, if you can’t deal with a comment in a blog comments sections without falling all apart then you’re probably not going to survive TEOTWAWKI. 

An then there was this one guy who thought that it was his personal mission to reply to EVERYONE else’s comments with his opinion. And even when asked by other comment posters to stop replying to their comments he still would not stop.

This is also, the same guy who publicly stated in the comments that he purposely avoided clicking on my affiliate links to Amazon.com because he didn’t want me to earn anything for my work here on the blog, even though, clicking an Amazon affiliate link costs the reader NOTHING extra when they order. 

And there were the ones who are horrified at the thoughts of me actually making a couple of dollars from my efforts here. I remember back when I first bought my solar panels and posted a photo of those on the site, several left nasty comments saying I should be ashamed, that I was getting “rich” off them somehow. 

And then there were the ones who when a few loyal readers would send a small donation to help support the site and I’d then thank them publicly for their support in the “what did you do to prep this week” segment, the jackasses would respond with the “here MD goes begging for money again” or the “looks like a scam to me” or other stupid crap.

To be honest I just got sick of all of the bullshit and the whining people that came with the segment so I closed it down. And then when I did they really showed their true colors yet again by going to another site and talking about me like a dog in the comments section there.

Some even came back here using different names and posting comments asking others to stop reading this site and to come to the other site… this went on for a couple of months before they “the wolf pack” got tired of trying to destroy me simply because I had decided to shut down their gossip column. 

Anyways, as you can see I decided to post it again today to see how it goes… so feel free to comment below if you have anything to say that you want to share.

As for my preps this week I ordered this, this, and this from Amazon.com – not really prep items but that’s what I’ve ordered.

I’ve also been working in my garden with my three sisters experiment and it’s coming along nicely, however, the weeds are trying to take over, I had hoped that the squash would shade out the weed growth but that’s not been the case. So I’m going to go pull some weeds after I get done writing and posting this.

Also, I’ve been thinking about selling my homestead and moving to another location with more land. While you can do a lot on three acres I could do a lot more on 13 and a half which is what I’ve been looking at buying. 

Oh yeah, for those who think that I’m getting rich running a prepper/homesteading blog I’ll post a couple of screenshots of my recent earnings below…

What did you do to prep this week?

 

The Best Way to Secure Your Home

The Best Way to Secure Your Home

by Charlie

There is no doubt that our home is the place where we spend quite a bit of time. It is the place we would like to be happy, safe and enjoy the best of time with our near and dear ones. It is quite obvious that we take all the trouble to spend the best part of our time, money and effort to ensure that our home is perfect in more ways than one.

There are quite a few things that we would like to take care as far as our home is concerned. To begin with, we would like to decorate our homes as best as we can. This does take some bit of thinking and at times, we also need to think out of the box.

Security Of The Home

Apart from decoration and comfort, you would, as a homeowner, do all that is necessary to secure your home. This is extremely critical and vital because of a number of reasons. There are increasing instances of home theft, burglaries, murders, and other such heinous crimes and activities.

Therefore, many homeowners spend a lot of money on fancy apparatuses and gadgets to secure the safety of the home and also its inmates. However, in this article, we will be spending more time finding out some simple, cost-effective and DIY ways that could increase the overall safety and well-being of homes without having to spend a fortune on the same.

Click the following link to read our article 12 DIY Home Security Hacks for Under $20 or better yet finish reading this article and then come back to it… it’s worth your time. Trust me on that.

We are confident that it will not only enhance the safety of your home but also help you to save quite a bit of money and the complexities surrounded by assigning the job to professionals.

Always Secure Your Doors 

Some of the biggest robberies and burglaries happen through the first door. There are enough research studies to prove that almost 34% of thieves find the front door or the main door of the homes, the easiest route to committing robberies and burglaries (click here to read our article on how to secure a front door). Hence, the first and foremost task is to secure your main doors as best as one can.

While installing the front door, there are a few things that you must always keep in mind. Be sure that you thoroughly inspect everything about the exterior doors. The frames of the main doors are extremely critical and it should be very strong.

The hinges must be well protected. Further, it is common for most homes to have a mail slot. The mail slot must be carefully located so that the burglars are not able to find out ways to use it to break or pry open the door.

There are some common DIY reinforcements that are quite good and have stood the test of time and have been proven more often than not. Installing a deadbolt is considered one of the best options to secure your main door. You also could look into the possibility of adding a striking plate.

Spending some money and upgrading from conventional locks to smart locks is also something that you could consider. The instances of burglaries have been reduced significantly whenever homeowners have installed a video doorbell – this is the most popular one at Amazon.com.

Professional home security and safety specialists always recommend reinforcing sliding glass doors. This is because intruders always have a liking for sliding doors. Make sure that the sliding doors are as well protected as you possibly can think of.

The old-school thought of using a dowel or a window bar in the track could prevent the door from being forced open. If you are looking for a high-tech solution, you also could add a door sensor or even a glass break sensor – here is a set of four at Amazon.con. This will help you get an alert when the glass door is tampered with. It should be good enough to drive away thieves.

Keep The Windows Locked

Apart from the main door, back doors and side doors, windows are considered to be the most common place where burglars enter the home. Though all windows do have latches inbuilt, experts believe that they are not of the best quality. In most cases they are flimsy.

A simple look and feel of it would most certainly help you to have an idea of whether the window latches need strengthening or not. There are many simple ways that could be used for beefing up security. These include key-operated levers and locks.

While this is the basic that you could do to enhance home security, here are a few more things that you could keep in mind. Using a window security film to reinforce the glass on the windows could be a good option – here is a roll of the type of window film that I’m talking about. You also should install glass break sensors and window break sensors.

Adding window bars, and planting prickly bushes just under the first-floor window could be useful tips. However, be sure that the prickly bushes are trimmed regularly and properly. You also could add backyard light in the night because thieves and burglars love to operate under cover of darkness.

Let The Landscape Be Lighted Well

Criminals, robbers, vandals, burglars, and other such people always would like to be discreet in their operations. They hate to remain in the spotlight. If you spend some money and have generous outdoor lighting you can keep quite a few such bad elements away. It does not cost big money but it is highly effective.

You also could place adequate lights around the back and front yards. The same applies to pathways, and also near the garage and various other outdoor structures. You will certainly make the intruders jittery and unsure.

Further, it could also be useful for you and the members of your home. You could almost rule out the risk of an accidental stumble and fall because of darkness or insufficient lighting.

You could make the outdoor lighting system more effective by following some simple tips. Go in for solar-powered lights (these are best sellers on Amazon.com) because it could help save energy. Motion-activated lights could add to the overall safety of the front yard, backyard and the home in particular.

You could use a timer when installing outdoor lights. This could help save energy and avoid wastage quite a bit. There are other things that also could be effective while planning cost-effective DIY home security. They include wireless spotlights, and also encasing the outdoor lighting systems effectively to prevent damage by natural and also human elements.

Do Not Lose Sight Of The Garage

An analysis of all major and minor robberies and home burglaries point out to one thing. The garage is becoming on the most sought after entry point for criminals. Though some garages might be away from the main house, they could have some costly and valuable items stored inside them.

You should always make sure that all the doors of your garage are locked properly. This is for both the exterior and also the interior. It also would be a good idea to have the garage door opener in the house rather than keeping it in the garage.

This will prevent burglars to make use of the same either from the garage or from your cars. Many instances of car theft have been reported because the garage door opener was not kept inside the main home.

There are a few more things that one should keep in mind. You could look into the possibility of upgrading to a smart garage door opener that is digitally operated. Keep the garage door window adequately covered.

This could help to keep the valuable things hidden inside. You also perhaps should seriously consider securing garage doors with the help of extra locks and this could include zip ties. Look for smart, cost-effective and DIY ways of home automation that also takes into account the needs and requirements of your garage.

Breaking into a Garage in 6 Seconds

Plan And Put In Place An Integrated Security System

It is important that your home should have some type of integrated security system. While there are many DIY options available out there, if you are serious about securing the safety of your home, you could look for professional home automation and monitoring system.

If you look around you will be able to identify some of the best home security options. There is something for every budget and to cater to each and every level of protection. You must sit with your family members and then evaluate your specific needs and cover each and every level of protection and security.

You could look into the security systems in your neighborhood and perhaps take a cue or two from the same. It also makes good sense to contact your local police department and get some idea about the crime statistics of your neighborhood.

You could decide on a security and safety system of your home, taking into account the threat perceptions that your neighborhood faces based on records and statistics.

Keep Your Wi-Fi Network Locked Down

There is no denying the fact that each and every home today has a wireless network. While this does make life easier for all of us, it also comes with its own share of problems and challenges. In most homes, your wireless network could be the doorway for all your vital financial and personal information.

When you use home automation, instead of making your home safer, it could make it vulnerable to an unwanted break-in. There are many tricks and tips that could help keep hackers away from your home network.

You should find out ways and means to ensure that your wireless router is well secured. Use the best of WPA2 encryption or enable WPA or Wi-Fi protected access. Ensure that all your home network and hidden and renamed regularly.

Spend some money and have a firewall in place. Do not cut corners when it comes to installing anti-malware and antivirus protection. Follow time tested and proven password regimens and protocols. Always remember to change passwords at least once in three months.

If you have kids in your home, use parental control software. Kids these days spend quite a bit of time going inline for fun and also for their education. Your duty as a parent is to ensure that your kids are kept safe from online predators and also cyberbullies. There are special routers, apps and software packages available for this purpose.

Try Eliminating Hiding Places

While there is no doubt that shrubs and trees help in giving a much better curb appeal, quite often they also become a handy tool for burglars to hide and execute their nefarious activities. It would be better to trim down plants and trees near your home that could be used for cover.

Instead, it would be a better idea to go in for smaller sized bushes and flowers. If you have windows that are adjacent to such plants and shrubs, you should either remove them or ensure that the windows are strengthened adequately.

This is a very simple way to secure your home and does not cost anything much. The main objective should be to thoroughly examine your outdoors as well as the indoors and be sure that you have done away with all possible hiding places.

Stools and ladders should be put away from the reach of possible intruders. Sheds, gates and other outdoor buildings should be locked properly. The use of security stickers and signs is also recommended. The role of a simple outdoor camera is vital and it could prevent many burglaries and thefts.

Have Security Cameras In Place

The importance of security cameras cannot be underestimated. We have all come across news articles where some of the most deadly burglaries have been foiled because of security cameras. They act as a big deterrent for the wrongdoers.

Even if burglaries and thefts happen, it is quite possible that these cameras could play a big role in finding out the culprits and have them arrested and punished as per the provisions of law. It also could help in recovering the stolen household belongings that in some cases could run into thousands of dollars.

You must do your research and choose the right home camera and surveillance systems. You must look for cameras having motion detection features, built-in wi-fi capabilities, night vision features, and the cameras should be nestled in a casing that is weatherproof.

The Final Word

In fine, the responsibility for ensuring home security lies clearly on the homeowners. Tenants will not be ready to invest money and time for obvious reasons. While there could be many who could propagate the use of professionals for doing the job, there are many DIY tips and suggestions that could help secure your home.

A few have been discussed above and if you look around, do your research and gather knowledge and information you will be able to identify a few more without much of a difficulty.

Can You Paint a Log Cabin? [Please Don’t] Do This Instead!

Can You Paint a Log Cabin?
Can You Paint a Log Cabin? Yes, of course, you can paint a log cabin if you want, but please don’t! Staining in a much better option.

Can You Paint a Log Cabin? That’s a common question among log cabin owners and the answer is yes, you can paint a log cabin of course but you shouldn’t. Let me explain… Painting a log cabin will destroy the wood. You should stain it instead.

If you own a log cabin house then you know the maintenance costs that come with it. From the detergent you use to the frequent inspection of the logs; these kinds of houses require special attention. Wood is a sensitive building material prone to rot, especially when exposed to harsh weather conditions.

Protecting your wood from rot, termites, and mildew is your biggest challenge if you own a log cabin house. But what’s the best way to protect your log cabin from damage and rot?

You can paint a log cabin however, this isn’t the best option and you shouldn’t do it. Painting a log cabin will allow moister to be trapped inside the logs which can cause rotting even if coated heavily with good quality paint. Staining the wood has proven to be a much better method of protecting it from damage.

Why Stain and Not Paint a Log Cabin?

Whether to paint or to stain is a personal choice. After all, paint offers a broad range of aesthetic appeals. Your cabin may look much brighter and livelier when painted with bright colors, but this move will not protect your logs.

It may even do the complete opposite…

Painting a log cabin is likely to cause more harm than good. While paint protects other things like metals and stone, it actually destroys wood. Unfortunately, logs on cabins are exposed to harsh weather conditions which create the perfect environment for rotting to take place, when coupled with paint.

Why Does Wood Rot

Before logs became part of your house, they were part of some trees in the woods. They were then chopped and shaped to create your beautiful haven. Trees are living objects and obviously, when a living object dies, it rots. Therefore wood is prone to rot regardless, but there are ways to slow down or even prevent the rot. It takes these three elements for wood to rot;

  • Fungus
  • Moisture
  • Oxygen

If you eliminate any one of them, wood will definitely not rot. Fungus exists around us and we can, therefore, eliminate it. Not even with a generous coat of paint. Oxygen is also freely available in the air and we cannot control it.

As for moisture, it’s possible to prevent contact between cabin logs and water though it’s difficult. When these three conditions meet, they begin to at’ your logs slowly by slowly. Rot can have a fatal ending if the logs rot to an extent of collapsing.

Why Paint Won’t Prevent Rotting

When people paint their cabin houses, their intention is to block water from getting into contact with the logs. Given that fungus and oxygen will find their way into the logs’ cells, preventing water from sipping through them will save them from rotting. Paint, however, creates conditions perfect for rot to occur.

At first, the paint will prevent contact between the logs and water. However, paint tends to chip off after a while. Every time it rains, you can rest assured that your paint will chip little by little. This exposes the logs to raindrops which in return, are absorbed into the logs.

This then creates a perfect environment for fungus, oxygen, and water to thrive at the same time. Remember, wood is a porous material.

Ordinarily, the wood would dry when exposed to heat or to the sun. However, the paint you’ve splashed your logs with has merely chipped, allowing for raindrops to sip in. Therefore, your logs are exposed but they’re still heavily coated. This means water can pass through and spread from one cell to another, but it cannot leave with ease. The water is therefore trapped inside the logs.

Pros and Cons of Painting a Log Cabin

Maybe you’re yet to choose between painting and staining because you’ve always wanted a brightly colored cabin house. Well, you’re still at liberty to paint but at least read on to understand the pros and cons;

Pros ?

• Paint is obviously visually appealing. You can do so much with the wide range of colors available in the market. While stain is aesthetically appealing too, it does not give you as many color shades as paint.
• Bright colors such as yellow, light green, cream and white can create a warm feel in your house compared to the various brown hues of stain.

Cons ?

• Paint tends to fade when exposed to the sun. Therefore, it’s beautiful appearance may not last long after all
• When the paint begins to chip off (due to rainwater). It has a distressed appearance which may not be what you’re hoping for in the long term.
• It traps everything inside the logs and if they were not completely dried before building, the damage can be extensive since the moisture is trapped inside.

Why Your Log Cabin is Better off Stained

Unlike paint, stain sips through the wood, thus leaving room for breathing. Staining does not coat the logs. It only boosts its natural grained beauty while leaving to breathe. Think of it as the difference between applying lotion to the skin and applying makeup.

Staining your wood is highly recommended because when it rains, the rainwater will be sucked through the logs as expected. However, the water will dry up once the rain stops because nothing is blocking the logs’ outer surface.

Moisture has room to enter and leave naturally. It’s therefore highly unlikely that moisture, oxygen, and fungus will be trapped inside the logs for too long. In a nutshell, staining your logs is less likely to lead to rotting.

Staining your logs is likely to save you some money. You don’t need several layers of stain and neither do you have to prime the logs with an undercoat before staining. In addition, staining takes less energy and time. With painting, you have to coat the logs until you achieve uniformity.

However, staining takes the log’s natural (but improved) appearance. You can apply one or two coats and you’re done.

Finally, the stain does wear off with time, but after a much longer time frame compared to paint. Even so, it does not expose your wood to any dangers. You only need to retouch the stain with a coat or two.

It’s important to note that when repainting your cabin, you’ll have to scrape off all the paint before applying a fresh coat. This is not only time consuming and insanely costly, but it can affect your logs negatively.

Can You Pain Log Cabin Interiors?

Now that we’ve established paint is not good for your outer logs, does that mean you can splash your living room’s ceiling with a white coat of paint? After all, the inner parts of your cabin do not get rained on.

It all narrows down to personal choice at the end of the day. You can choose to paint or stain the interior part of your cabin. Paint may not do as much damage in this area because there is minimal contact with water. However, it may trap moisture if the logs are not completely dry.

Can You Paint a Log Cabin interior?
Rustic Fully Equipped Log Cabin Kitchen.

As mentioned above, logs could have moisture inside them before the building process. Maybe they were not dried properly or perhaps they were exposed to water before you purchased them for building. If any of these scenarios is true, you could trap the moisture inside if you choose to coat the wood with paint.

Remember, wood takes a while before drying and the interior environment does not expose it to heat from the sun. It may, therefore, need more time to dry up.
In addition, if the rooftop is leaking the water goes directly to your ceiling, thus creating room for decay.

Log Home Interior Wall Ideas

Another notorious culprit when it comes to hidden causes of rot is the gutters. They often get clogged with dirt, causing water to drip towards your wood rather than through the right channels.
If you can confidently eliminate these sources of moisture, then you’re free to paint the interior bit of your cabin.

Tips for Painting the Interior Cabin Walls

? Ensure the wood is completely dry by checking the roof for leaks. In addition, get rid of humidifiers inside the house and give the wood some time to dry up completely before painting it.
? If you’re privileged to build or supervise the building of the cabin, purchase the logs earlier on and give them time to dry up completely before painting them
? Lastly, paint the house during the summer. There is less moisture during this season and you’re less likely to trap in moisture

Time-Saving Tips for Staining Your Cabin Logs

? Work quickly because stain tends to dry faster than paint. Therefore, you may find yourself painting a second coat over tacky wood.
? Stain in a well-ventilated area. Ventilation is not only good for your lungs (in case you breathe in the stain fumes), but it also aids in drying up the stain faster.
? Choose a good brand of polyurethane. Polyurethane is supposed to give a good finish to your logs. You may go for brands with stain and polyurethane in one can or pick a brand that dries faster.
? Follow the log’s natural grain pattern when staining. Do not go against the grains, otherwise, you’ll have a difficult time achieving an excellent look.

What About Used Engine Oil For Stain?

I remember back when I was 15-years old helping my dad stain a wooden fence with used motor oil that he got for free at a local garage. It worked, didn’t look back, and never rotted the whole time that we lived there. However, I don’t advise using used (or new) engine oil to stain a log cabin.

Use a regular stain that’s made for the purpose. Your log cabin will look and smell better and probably be much healthier and better for the environment too.

Is Prepping Keeping You Poor?

Is Prepping Keeping You Poor?

Face it, you probably don’t have the financial resources of the fictional survivalist character ‘Burt Gummer’. Most of us don’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared for disaster, but I’ll admit, it would be nice to have all the toys and survival gear the character has on the Tremors movies and television series…

The underground bunker with hardened panic room and escape tunnel, the five-year supply of MRE’s (meals ready to eat), 1,000-gallon fuel storage, backup generators, percussion grenades, tricked out four-wheel drive truck, Barrett .50 caliber and a room full of other firearms, weapons and other assorted gear.

I’m getting excited just thinking about all of that stuff. But, getting back to reality, (yes, I know it sucks) I know I’ll never be able to afford all that stuff and chances are you won’t either. But that’s okay because we can be prepared for disaster without spending a lot of money. I’ve done it and you can too.

The truth is, you don’t have to be rich or spend a lot of money. Unfortunately, emergency preparedness has been commercialized to the point where most people give up before they start, thinking what’s the use, I’ll never be able to afford all this stuff. Why should I even try…

I often hear this from new readers who have just started reading the blog. Like I tell them, there is no need to spend a lot of money, there are alternatives to big-budget survival planning.

Let’s take a look at three areas that we all must consider…

Survival Food

There is nothing wrong with commercial survival foods (I have some myself), they take up little space, are lightweight and have a long shelf life – but they are expensive. A basic years supply can cost several thousand dollars and most of us don’t have that kind of cash.

Most of what you need can be bought at your local supermarket or grocery and best of all you don’t have to buy it all at once. Since most canned foods from the supermarket shelf have a listed self-life of two years or more if stored properly you can add to your supplies as finances allow.

The key to keeping a fresh supply is to eat what you store and to rotate – first in, first out. You can build a rotating canned food shelf or you can buy one prefabricated but these are expensive.

What should you buy at the supermarket you ask. That depends on your particular needs and tastes, but this post “10 Things To Do Now!” should start you in the right direction. Be sure to read the comments as there’s some great advice given by readers there too.

The bulk of my food storage consists of whole grains, however, a lot of people aren’t interested in processing their own foods from basic grains. That is a shame because stocking up this way is the most cost-effective way of building your food storage and saving money now on your food budget.

Even if you skip the farmers market and buy your grain pre-packaged for long-term storage through one of the commercial survival food vendors the saving can still be huge compared to an equal amount of other commercial survival foods.

Just be sure to use what you store in your everyday meals to avoid the shock that can result from a drastic change in diet and be sure you’re not allergic before stocking up on large amounts of wheat.

Water Filters

A source of clean drinking water is essential to survival and while there are many ways to go about this, from boiling to purification with sunlight, I think an effective water filter still makes a lot of sense, especially for a family, but they can be expensive.

I’m a fan of the Berkey Water Filters but most of us can’t afford to spend $258 for a water filter (I got mine through a barter deal with an advertiser) luckily it isn’t difficult to make your own for less than half the cost. I give full details, with photos of how to make your own filter in my book “31 Days to Survival“.

Firearms For Foraging and Defense

I recommend starting with a reliable .22 caliber rifle. A .22 rifle will allow you to take both small and large game with proper shot placement and it can be used for self-defense if needed. Best of all ammunition is cheap enough to allow the stockpiling of thousands of rounds without emptying your wallet.

As to budget rifle choices, I’ve received good reports from several readers about the Romanian M-69 .22LR Training Rifle, however, I can’t vouch for these myself, because I’ve never owned one, but I think they are worth looking into if you can still find one for sale.

If anyone has any experience with these rifles please share with us in the comments below.

A good used break open single shot shotgun such as the 12 gauge H&R Pardner can often be found in used / like new condition for under $100. I’ve seen several recently at the local pawn shop priced for under $75. A 12 gauge shotgun is a very versatile survival tool.

Any retailer selling ammunition will carry at least a few different sizes and weights of shotshells, but in my option #, 6 shot offers the most versatility for hunting small game. Slugs and #00 buckshot work best for larger game and self-defense (check local laws).

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 Military & Police Revolver is the most successful handgun of all time. This revolver has been manufactured since 1902 and has been produced with many variations for both commercial and military use.

Even after a full century of technological advancements the Model 10 is still hanging in there as a reliable weapon with respectable stopping power. As a survival handgun one could do much worse than having a model 10 strapped on your side. Used ones start at around $275 in my area but are getting hard to find.

As you can see you don’t need a lot of money to prepare for disaster but you do need realistic expectations. In the words of Burt Gummer; “You have to do the best you can with what you’ve got”.

We would love to hear your ideas on how to prepare on a budget in the comments below… I’m sure we can all learn something new from each other…

The First 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves During an Emergency

The Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an EmergencyBy Tom Sciacca

Have you ever noticed how, whenever a big storm is predicted, people start rushing to stores to clean them out of every food item and supply they have on the shelves? In one sense, it’s probably good that they are trying to anticipate the emergency, despite being last-minute about it. It sure beats those people who don’t bother to prepare at all, then complain when emergency services are overwhelmed by requests for assistance.

But why panic in the first place? Why not have a stash of necessary items always ready for such an emergency? Even if there isn’t a storm approaching, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to rush out to the store every time you run out of toilet paper. Keeping some extra around the house is always a good idea!

With this in mind, I decided to ask CampingSurvival.com’s Facebook fans what they felt were the emergency supplies that stores were most likely to run out of when people start to panic. Then I compiled the top comments in various categories so I could share it with you.

Since this list is based on the comments of our Facebook fan page, some of the items (canned meat, for instance) may not be the absolute first things for a store to run out of but are still items that you should consider having among your emergency supplies nonetheless.

Without further ado, here the list of the Top 50 Things to Disappear from Store Shelves during an Emergency, compiled by yours truly:

FOOD

1.Bread
2.Butter
3.Cereal
4.Coffee
5.Eggs
6.Flour
7.Fruit, canned and fresh
8.Honey
9.Meats, canned
10.Milk
11.Peanut butter
12.Pet food
13.Salt
14.Sugar
15.Vegetables, canned and root vegetables
16.Water

POWER AND LIGHT

17.Batteries
18.Candles
19.Charcoal
20.Coolers
21.Flashlights
22.Gasoline
23.Generators
24.Glow sticks
25.Ice
26.Lamp oil and oil lanterns
27.Lighter fluid
28.Matches
29.Propane, propane stoves

FUN

30.Alcohol, drinking
31.Beer
32.Cigarettes
33.Condoms

FIRST AID

34.Alcohol, rubbing
35.Antiseptic
36.Aspirin/pain relievers
37.Cold medicine
38.First aid kits

HYGIENE

39.Feminine hygiene products
40.Paper plates/napkins
41.Shampoo
42.Soap
43.Toilet paper

BABIES

44.Baby food/formula
45.Diapers

IMPROVISATION

46.Duct tape
47.Plastic bags
48.Plywood
49.Radios
50.Rope

Now, before you file this away as mildly interesting reading, take this list and compare it to what you have stocked up. Check to see what you may be missing or what you need more of. And don’t forget that this is only a Top 50 list, so there are plenty of other items that I don’t have space to talk about in this (already long!) blog entry.

Tom Sciacca is a former US Marine, a veteran of the Gulf War, a survival enthusiast and President of CampingSurvival.com.

What You Need to Know About Storing and Disposing of Medications

What You Need to Know About Storing and Disposing of Medications

by CB

There are some basic principles that need to be taken into consideration when saving medication, which includes the expiration date, storage conditions, and what type of medication you are attempting to store. 

The easiest way to get extra medication would be to start refilling your medications five days early from the pharmacy.  This will give you a small amount that will slowly increase over time.  Alternatively, you could get samples from the doctor’s office (this will only apply to brand name products).

Make sure to keep the medications in the original containers, if possible, and, as with food storage, employ the FIFO (first-in-first-out) strategy to help ensure the best expiration dates possible.

Medications should be stored in a dry, cool space that is preferably in a darker place.  Medication cabinets in the bathroom places next to heat (like stoves) and areas of high humidity should be avoided because they cause the medication to deteriorate faster and reduce shelf life. 

Generally, the medication should be good for 1 year past the date on the prescription bottle.  Occasionally, some pharmacies will print the expiration date on the medication bottle.

Medications that DON’T store well

Some medications that are for serious conditions, like myocardial infarctions (or heart attacks), some anticoagulants, or “blood thinners,” and other medications have shorter shelf lives.  These should be followed closely since the amount of medication in these disease states is extremely important.  A short list of medications that should be closely monitored for expiration dates and storage include:

  1. Pradaxa (dabigatran) – store in an original bottle; expires 4 months after opening
  2. Nitroglycerin (sublingual, spray, etc) – store in original container; expiration: sublingual – 6 months, spray – 3 years
  3. Insulins – all insulin should be stored in a refrigerator until ready to use.  Insulin can be stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight after it has been used for the first time.  Expiration dates for insulins vary (see table).  The expiration date should be the date from 1st use or the expiration date on the vial or pen, whichever comes first. 
Drug Name Expiration date – after 1st   use
Lantus (insulin glargine) vials, cartridge, pens 28 days
Apidra (insulin glulisine) vial, cartridge, pen 28 days
Humalog (insulin lispro) vial, cartridge, pen 28 days
Humalog mix 50/50, 75/25 Pen – 10 daysVial – 28 days
Humulin R U-100, U-500 vials 31 days
Humulin 70/30 vials, pens Pen – 10 daysVial -28 days
Humulin N (insulin NPH) vials, pens Pen – 14 daysVials – 31 days
Levemir (insulin detemir) vials, pens Vials – 42 daysPens – 42 days
Novolog (insulin aspart) vials, pens, cartridge 28 days
Novolog mix 70/30 vials, pens Vials – 28 daysPens – 14 days
Novolin N vials 42 days
Novolin R vials 42 days
Novolin 70/30 vials 42 days

 

  1. Insulin Test strips – store in the original bottle away from direct sunlight at room temperature.  Follow the expiration on the test strip bottle.
  2. Also, note that the meters themselves can go “bad” after several years and can give false readings if not replaced.
  3. Aggrenox (aspirin and dipyridamole) – store in the original container

Medication Disposal

Medication disposal is crucial to keep medications from contaminating the drinking water supply.  Some medication does enter the water via human waste, which has shown up in fish that have been sampled.  We can control, however, unused medications from entering the water supply. 

Unused or expired medications, including medications that you can buy over-the-counter, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) should all be disposed of properly.  That can be accomplished a few different ways.

There are now yearly medication “take back” programs at local pharmacies and even law enforcement offices (for controlled substances such as pain killers) where patients can drop off unwanted or expired medications.  If you choose to do this, black out your name, address, and the prescription # off of the bottle.  If it is a controlled substance (such as Oxycontin®), make sure to leave the name of the drug on the bottle.

If you want to dispose of the medication at home, pour a little water in the pill bottle (after removing the label) to dissolve the pills.  Then, add a substance such as coffee grinds or bleach that will make the pills unpalatable to anyone that may dig through your trash.

Recap the bottle and throw away.  If the pills are in the “blister packs” that require you to pop them out individually, wrap them in several layers of duct tape and then dispose of. For patches, like Lidoderm® or nicotine patches, fold in half and wrap in duct tape or put unpalatable substances on them.

As a brief aside for nicotine products, especially the patches, make sure they are in something that dogs cannot or would not want.  Dogs can easily develop nicotine poisoning by chewing on used nicotine patches.

There are also services available, like the TakeAway® program where you mail the unwanted medications (postage paid) to a disposal factory. For details on the TakeAway® program, ask your pharmacist if that program is available in your area.   Note: this does not include controlled substances such as prescription pain killers, testosterone.

Note: This information is not intended as medical advice or to replace the advice of a physician – always seek the advice of your Doctor first. Also, medication information, including stability, is sometimes updated and listed dates and information presented here are an approximation only.  For the most up-to-date information on expiration dates of any medication, check the package insert or information provided from the pharmacy.  You can also ask your pharmacist or Doctor for more information.