Check out this post from the Jodie and Julie at Food Storage Made Easy. If you aren't familiar with their website, this is a good time to check it out. This is one of the best websites out their for those new to the food storage scene.
Baking powder is a real must for baking, and yet its storage life is quite short. Store the basic ingredients, baking soda and cream of tartar (both of which have very long storage lives) and you are set for years of baking to come.
Another great site is Safely Gathered In, which recently posted on this same topic.
Friday, December 10, 2010
What You Can Learn from Playing Video Games
I had an interesting conversation with a fellow at work yesterday about what you can learn from video games. Now, I've always thought video games are great for teaching eye-hand coordination. It worked well with my youngest who had real problems in that area. But apparently, there is more that you can learn.
One thing my young friend mentioned is that you learn not to panic. Suddenly, a raptor jumps you from out of nowhere; what do you do! Apparently, long time gamers learn to not panic. Another skill is to anticipate possible scenarios and plan for them, or planning strategies. Thirdly, another skill is to learn to deal with tedium as in "grinding out rep", and "farming". So, my friend thinks that all that time spent playing World of Warcraft is good survival training.
I can see the value in learning to not panic, but strategic thinking is best developed in handling real world events. In real life, your strategy cannot include running through your opponent, and rezzing if things don't go as planned. Indeed, if your main skills are game related, and you are a computer potato, you are not going to be physically prepared.
It's possible that in a bad situation where you need to direct younger folk who are clueless about real life, drawing upon gaming analogies can at least help them understand the situation, and why you need them to follow a certain strategy. For example, you can tell them it's like doing a boss raid where you have to do everything just right, or the raid will wipe. And if they complain that you don't trust them, let them know that all the tedious little jobs you are giving them to do is "grinding rep" with your faction, or they are "farming" for mats.
If you have kids that spend all their leisure time in the cyber world, you may need to offer them a "quest" and help them apply their "skills" in the real world.
One thing my young friend mentioned is that you learn not to panic. Suddenly, a raptor jumps you from out of nowhere; what do you do! Apparently, long time gamers learn to not panic. Another skill is to anticipate possible scenarios and plan for them, or planning strategies. Thirdly, another skill is to learn to deal with tedium as in "grinding out rep", and "farming". So, my friend thinks that all that time spent playing World of Warcraft is good survival training.
I can see the value in learning to not panic, but strategic thinking is best developed in handling real world events. In real life, your strategy cannot include running through your opponent, and rezzing if things don't go as planned. Indeed, if your main skills are game related, and you are a computer potato, you are not going to be physically prepared.
It's possible that in a bad situation where you need to direct younger folk who are clueless about real life, drawing upon gaming analogies can at least help them understand the situation, and why you need them to follow a certain strategy. For example, you can tell them it's like doing a boss raid where you have to do everything just right, or the raid will wipe. And if they complain that you don't trust them, let them know that all the tedious little jobs you are giving them to do is "grinding rep" with your faction, or they are "farming" for mats.
If you have kids that spend all their leisure time in the cyber world, you may need to offer them a "quest" and help them apply their "skills" in the real world.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Canning
A few weeks ago, I was reading Kellene Bishop's Preparedness Pro blog and she had posted about reusable canning lids. A number of readers commented on the lids, and I recommend that you check out the blog, AND the comments. Initially, when I saw these re-usable lids, I was all enthused, and thought I would like to have some. This seems like it might be a useful item to have on hand.
However, I'm put in mind of a few recent blogs I read that asked if you are going broke prepping. It seems like there's always someone coming up with some new "must-have" preparedness product, and people flock to purchase them, which is fine if you have the money to spend.
However, for those of us on a budget, these new "must-haves" can be depressing to contemplate.
I reuse my metal ones. And I can pick them up at the dollar store very economically. For the price of one flat's worth of re-usable plastic lids and rubbers, I can pick up 10 or more packs of the tin lids. If you carefully inspect a used tin lid, you can readily tell when the sealing material is gone and not suitable for reuse. And even a new lid can fail to seal, which is why we test the seal after cooling.
So, while I think it would be wonderful to have the plastic re-usable lids, I believe that I will stock up on the tin lids.
However, I'm put in mind of a few recent blogs I read that asked if you are going broke prepping. It seems like there's always someone coming up with some new "must-have" preparedness product, and people flock to purchase them, which is fine if you have the money to spend.
However, for those of us on a budget, these new "must-haves" can be depressing to contemplate.
I reuse my metal ones. And I can pick them up at the dollar store very economically. For the price of one flat's worth of re-usable plastic lids and rubbers, I can pick up 10 or more packs of the tin lids. If you carefully inspect a used tin lid, you can readily tell when the sealing material is gone and not suitable for reuse. And even a new lid can fail to seal, which is why we test the seal after cooling.
So, while I think it would be wonderful to have the plastic re-usable lids, I believe that I will stock up on the tin lids.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Economic Collapse
It seems clear that some sort of economic collapse is on the way in the U.S., and that would tend to have a domino effect around the world. When that will happen, no one can predict because there are simply to many factors to consider, and it's possible that the triggering event will not even look financial, if you know what I mean.
And remember, there are groups in the United States that are actively trying to take away freedom of speech. If they are successful, a great many blogs and sites with useful information for the prepper minded may simply disappear because they are deemed offensive and alarmist.
Be prepared! Checked out this video from RickVanMan.
And remember, there are groups in the United States that are actively trying to take away freedom of speech. If they are successful, a great many blogs and sites with useful information for the prepper minded may simply disappear because they are deemed offensive and alarmist.
Be prepared! Checked out this video from RickVanMan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)