Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Conspiracy

In the past I’ve railed against mainstream media (MSM). I have a huge bias opposing mainstream media because of the irresponsible, and often dishonest, hacking disguised as reporting. But there are some good reporters and people working in journalism. Like anything else, the bad ones ruin it for everyone. But I also feel that those in charge, producers, editors, etc. should take care of this problem. I fear there is power and politics involved and it won’t change. This is why President Trump doesn’t trust the media. I tend to agree that the media has an angle in almost all that they do. I’m frankly fed up and I stay away from MSM. Having said that, where do you go for “real” news? Most people go to the internet. Going to the internet is dangerous. I’m not saying don’t do it, I’m saying be very careful. Make sure of your sources. There are numerous conspiracy theories out there concerning everything. Con trails, HAARP project, aliens, JFK, 9-11, flat earth, Bilderberg, skull and bones, CFR, and many others are out there to temp you into belief. The problem with all this is even to an unbeliever there is so much theory out there that there is bound to be some truth in some of it. Knowing what is true and what is baloney is often difficult to discern. I was in the military for several years and have worked for the government in many capacities my entire adult life. The government is truly capable of anything. So when I hear a conspiracy theory, I always have a nagging suspicion, especially if it involves the government. So when I hear of a disease that is killing “thousands”, spreads like wild fire, and often has no symptoms I’m very dubious. I know that COVID-19 is real and that it kills, but I doubt the reaction of the medical field and politicians. We have had many COVID viruses and we deal with influenza every year so you’re telling me that this is so different? I think there is some shenanigans going on here. Many would call that paranoia. There is evil in this world. There are some people that may do evil things occasionally but there are some people who are just evil. They live only for gain and power. They get others involved with their evil plans. President Ezra Taft Benson said this about evil in the Book of Mormon: “Now undoubtedly Moroni could have pointed out many factors that led to the destruction of the people, but notice how he singled out the secret combinations, just as the Church today could point out many threats to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God’s work, but it has singled out the greatest threat as the godless conspiracy. There is no conspiracy theory in the Book of Mormon —it is a conspiracy fact.” As we have seen in the latest and current civil unrest, the police cannot protect you. I’m not knocking law enforcement, they are the best. I want to double fund them! So we must protect ourselves. Gun sales are “tracked” by applications for background checks. This does not mean there was a gun purchase attached to the check, but probably. So in June 2020 those applications were up 136% from June 2019. 3.9 million applications is a record for any month. Before that, May 2020 had 3.7 million. Even if only half those applicants bought a gun then that is one and a half million for May and June each. For me. The current “conspiracy” theory is connected to other events. The theory is that COVID-19 is not what the media is saying it is. It’s not what the government (CDC) is saying it is. This article talks about Sweden, who did not lock-down or even mask up, and how the Swedes handled this virus. Sweden has comparable numbers, deaths and positives, to the UK who locked down similar to the U.S. Like I said before, it’s about controlling people. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/sweden-shows-lockdowns-were-unnecessary-no-wonder-public-health-officials-hate-it/ar-BB1904YN?fbclid=IwAR0_b2cX4q7Q_ct-MgfRzK_BoEkh_3jMUSD0hngLbv1prpPOQtssFY2XgMM This is an article about how China “fooled” the world into their panic. https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/coronavirus-theory-that-chinese-propaganda-encouraged-western-nations-to-lock-down/news-story/19c3e85f1f3088e5b06f2fb97ee50629 Now I’m sure I’ll be shamed and ridiculed for even suggesting these things. How could the government get fooled? How could we as a people be manipulated like that? As an aside. I was in the military at an obscure airfield in Panama in 1988. The Iran-Contra affair had already occurred. The U.S. government was ordered by the people and Congress to stop supporting the Contras and the Tower Commission finished their investigation. The affair was over but the support continued in earnest. It wasn’t until December 1989, when the U.S. invaded Panama, that the support stopped. What I learned was that a determined group in our government can and will do anything it has a mind, and the funds, to do. I’m not saying that any of this is true. I’m just saying that it is possible. I have a problem with those who want people control. We live in a country of liberty and I don’t want that to change. I believe there are evil people in this world that only want to consume power and wealth. Controlling the masses has always been an important part of doing that. It may not be a big, all inclusive, full blown, conspiracy, but it is at the lease people manipulating people and resources. We are affected by this and need to our best to fight against it. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Making Home Ground Wheat Bread by FLAG

I love homemade bread, rolls, buns, bread sticks and muffins. The smell of homemade breads bring back many memories of my childhood and of my grandmother. My grandma Pearl is the one who took the time to teach me how to make whole wheat bread. I remember being in her kitchen and kneading the dough until the gluten was worked properly. She taught me what it felt like to have the right texture to have a good bread. We used to use large juice cans to make the bread. The loaves came out round. I always thought it was fun to have the bread as the same shape as bologna. Since those days that she has taught me, I have purchased my own wheat grinder and bread machine. I use my Bosch mixer to kneed my bread now since I have a large family and have much to do. I love the idea of being able to have my memories of my grandma, give future memories to my children and have my family eating healthy. Plus meals taste good with some type of bread and they are so inexpensive to make. If you are a busy person, which most people are now a days, there are recipes that can be made and frozen for future meals. I try to do all my baking on one day and freeze the bread for those busy nights I have to get dinner on the table fast and out the door again. There are many types of bread, rolls and tortilla recipes that our family really enjoy. If you don’t have experience making bread or rolls from scratch like many people, I would suggest using store bought white flour. When using white flour it is easier to work the gluten. I suggest that you make your first few loaves with just white flour. When you gain confidence with making white bread, add half fresh ground whole red or white ground flour. When making bread from all whole grain flours it is a little heavier bread and the gluten needs to be worked longer. Once I got confidence in myself, I have had great success with making whole wheat breads. I have been making homemade bread for many years and from time to time I have a batch that has a mind of its own and doesn’t quite come out the way I would like it to. Fresh ground whole wheat flours are not the same as wheat flour from the store. Store bought wheat flour is missing many nutrients. They take out the bran. Some flour companies do fortify their flours to give them nutrition. Wheat flour should be used as soon as it is ground up. If not used with a few days a lot of the vitamins are gone. That is why it is important to grind only the amount of grain needed for a recipe. Besides, when making bread it is great to have warm flour to help your bread rise quickly. Grinding your own flour will come out warm from the friction. You can make a successful bread if it is not warm too. Some recipes are also designed to make bread by hand. I started out making bread by kneading it by hand. It does take longer than a bread machine. Most people who start off getting food storage and preparedness items, don’t spend the money on a Bosch or other type of bread machine. My first investment was a wheat/bean grinder. I eventually purchased my Bosch. They are expensive but are worth it in the long run. I use it daily and have had mine for about 15 years now. Having a Bosch has made my life easier in the kitchen. I have a large family and it takes little time to make bread or other dinner rolls. Be patient with yourself in getting to know the feel of the bread and what the proper elasticity the dough texture should be. You can over work the gluten. Don’t give up if your first few tries are a flop. Find someone who has made bread and ask them to show you how to make it. I have had a couple people show me how they make bread. By watching a couple people and reading how to make bread in a book, I learned many techniques and insights. There are many You tube videos that can help you. It is interesting how people will make their bread a little different and still be successful. In time you will come up with your own technique and style. I do my own thing with making bread. You will come up with your own. The steps are the same but I roll my loaves of bread different than my friend does. Our bread still comes out the same. There is an art to making bread. It is easy to gain this skill with store bought white flour. The gluten can easily be worked to the proper elasticity with white flour. Store bought white flour should not be stored in large qualities in your food storage program. The oils in the flour will go rancid. Plus the nutrition in store bought bleached white flour is not very good. All the important parts of the wheat have been taken out. That’s why they have to “enrich” it with vitamins and other things that go with the bran that they want to make other things with. Take your time and learn what works well for you. There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread out of the oven. I usually make a batch that will give me one more loaf than I need. Inevitably I will take the bread loaves out to cool and everyone will want a piece of warm bread. We almost go through a whole loaf before any of the bread has even cooled! FLAG PS by Burn I can tell you that FLAGs bread is extremely good! I’m one of the first to get a piece of a loaf out of the oven! I wish I could bottle that small. It would be wonderful! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Friday, September 25, 2020

Finding Ammo

I am always behind the curve. If there is one drawback to being prepared it’s that you don’t notice shortages until it’s too late! I hadn’t bought ammo in a while because one: I buy in bulk when I do buy, and two, I don’t buy very often because I have ammo storage. Just like food storage with ammo you can shop sales and good deals when you have enough. But that’s how I missed the run on guns and ammo. I also live outside a small town and am limited to where I can buy ammo locally. So I didn’t see it coming. The reason of course is many fold. It’s an election year and some are afraid the Dems will take over and start banning things. Then there is the COVID-19 so more people are home and are thinking about home security. Then to top it off there has been civil unrest and that drives up the insecurity even more. Guns sales are way up and it’s estimated that 40% of guns sales are new gun owners. That means there’s probably no existing ammo in these new gun owner’s homes, so they need to buy some. Then also with empty shelves comes some panic, or just “I’ll pick up a box because I may not be able to later” which of course is self-fulfilling prophecy. Another factor driving increased demand, and higher prices as well are the huge numbers of new gun owners entering the market. With sales at over 8 million guns and going strong, that's a lot of new owners buying guns. They're also buying ammo, but unlike people who have been doing this for a while, they have no idea what ammo is “supposed” to cost. To someone who moved to Texas from LA and now they want a gun, paying $25.99 for a box of 9mm seems reasonable, because that's just what it costs at the moment. There are ways to find ammo though. My local gun store has a waiting list. As soon as they get a shipment in, they call, reserve 100 rounds, and then I pick it up. It’s more than what I paid at Walmart, but Walmart doesn’t carry handgun ammo anymore. I don’t mind a slight rise in prices. I realize that is supply and demand. But I’ve noticed some places on line that are significantly higher. I’m not sure that will change even if supply goes up. I read an article from a guy in the Houston, Texas area who drove 30 something miles to 4 or 5 locations and he was able to pick up ammo of different calibers that he was looking for. He said it took some time, and the prices were a little higher, but it was livable. I would suggest doing this by phone and asking the store to put aside their limit of what they will sell you. Then I would suggest going right to that store. Some stores may not reserve it for you so you must be prompt. Here are many ammunition search engines to help you in your online search. I’ve always used gunbot.net. I’ve noticed sometimes the search engine will say it is in stock, but you go to the businesses website and it is out of stock. Some websites will notify you if they get that particular item back in stock. Again, don’t hesitate when notified. Order it as fast as possible. Be ready for higher prices. The prices I have seen lately are about double the regular prices. I hope that can change as the supply returns to normal. I would also fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a long, bumpy ride back to normal. https://ammoseek.com/ammo/ https://www.ammobuy.com/ https://www.bulkcheapammo.com/public/ http://www.gunbot.net/ http://ammoexpress.com/ I hope these will be able to help you in your search. Good luck! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Who Said It? September

June Quote "A free man must not be told how to think, either by the government or by social activists. He may certainly be shown the right way, but he must not accept being forced into it." Jeff Cooper The late Jeff Cooper is considered the dean of modern handgunning, and popularized the idea that, “Hey, maybe we should hold onto the gun with two hands.” He started Gunsite (the American Pistol Institute), which for many years was the preeminent private firearms training facility in the country, if not the world. I think it still is, but I don’t want to get involved in that argument. I’m biased because I had the privilege of taking part of my military instructor training from Col. Cooper himself. Sorry about no quote for July and August. i don't know whwere the time went! September Quote "In England, if you commit a crime, the police don't have a gun and you don't have a gun. If you commit a crime, the police will say 'Stop, or I'll say stop again.'’

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

A Mask, A Mask, My Kingdom For A Mask! (Update)

Update of “Masks Research” July 15, 2020 Another study on masks. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449 “At this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any type of surgical mask specifically for protection against the coronavirus, but these masks may provide some protection when N95 masks are not available. (Bold type added) A cloth mask is intended to trap droplets that are released when the wearer talks, coughs or sneezes. Asking everyone to wear cloth masks can help reduce the spread of the virus by people who have COVID-19 but don't realize it. Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus when they are widely used by people in public settings. And countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic have successfully slowed the spread of the virus.” What it comes down to is you’re screwed with an N95 mask worn properly. They just can’t bring themselves to get off these vague words. I guess they don’t want to be legally libel to say “masks will protect you.” Also, they know that they don’t protect you. Another thing that I’ve noticed is that just about every study talks about “proper wear” of a mask. They usually talk about not touching the mask. How often have you seen anyone anywhere do that? So they are vague about protection if the mask is worn properly, what would they say about the reality of masks not being worn properly? That masks do very little. But let’s keep pushing that narrative. Here is the final definitive word from the CDC dated 27 AUG 2020 “Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.” (Bold type added) Nothing has changed since I first posted this article on 15 JUL 2020. All the “new” studies and the CDC could not change the verbiage to be a little more definite? This should concern all Americans. Not only that, I feel too many people only wear a mask. All the other advice is glossed over. I also feel most people don’t wear their mask properly. So how much protection are the American people truly getting? Not much. 94% of those who are positive for COVID-19 live. “For 6% of the deaths, COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned.” So other problems were the cause of death, but the patient was positive for COVID-19. That’s 6% of 182,000 actually died from COVID-19. The reporting procedure is messed up. There may be more, or even less. I don’t know if the error would be 10,000 in either direction but I would say not. This is the Influenza information, even with a vaccine. “CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.” I’m not trying to compare diseases but it does seem that this thing is not such a devastating disease as they want us to believe. It is certainly not something to warrant giving up our rights! I understand a store being paranoid and not wanting to be libel for spreading sickness, but a mask is not going to do it! Walmart has produce just sitting out where people touch it and breathe near it. What about all the handles on frozen foods? I know store try to clean, but I don’t see them following each person around and cleaning up behind them. Yet these masks are saving us. Extreme false sense of security. Security that is not needed. Original article from July 2020 Please hear me out. What I’m going to say here is wildly unpopular. Some think it’s downright dangerous. But I’ve come to the conclusion that wearing a mask is a complete, and total, waste of time! I’m not sure why the medical world is heaping this silly practice upon the world. I’m not a healthcare worker, nor do I have an education in medicine. Because of this, I had to really get in there and study this out as best I could. I’ve come to the conclusion that we are being duped. Masks do little to nothing. Not having a background in medicine and not being familiar with medical terms and phraseology made it difficult for me to understand and read these studies and analysis. So I had to really read these things. My conclusions may not be the same as yours. I originally only wanted to know how much, in percentage numbers, cloth masks helped the wearer or those around the wearer. I was thinking I would find 30% or even 20%. What I actually found was 0.02%, which to me is next to nothing. Here is my research: (I read the articles thoroughly but also looked at some, but not all, of the footnotes, resources, and supplemental material for these articles.) https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/masks-dont-work-review-science-relevant-covid-19-social-policy-0 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/cloth-masks-are-useless-against-covid-19 https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health/cloth-masks-given-ok-do-they-work https://www.nap.edu/read/25776/chapter/1 “Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others” “A cloth face covering may not protect the wearer, but it may keep the wearer from spreading the virus to others.” https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html This is the definitive conclusion that the CDC has come up with? You “may” be, and “most likely” will be safe with masks. How less sure can you be? “Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.” If your mechanic described your fixed brakes in this way would you drive the vehicle? I think it’s criminal to put people’s lives in danger by telling them something will protect them when it won’t. Too bad no one will account for it. I love the 90’s series “The X Files”. It just fed my appetite for conspiracy. But as I watch the mess that has unfolded in this country I feel like I’m living an X files episode. Between COVID-19 and the racial divide in this country I get the feeling there is more afoot than bad timing. I’m not saying this virus does not exist but I think there are sinister hands involved in it. The race angle is constantly used for those with an agenda. I’m also not saying bigotry and racism does not exist. As long as there are humans on this earth there will be racism. Be very careful about what you accept. If the mainstream media is pushing something then be very careful. They usually ignore facts and quote each other. Research this mask thing yourself. See what you think. I just saw another “study” that had to do with 2 cosmetology workers. I don’t think this was actually a scientific study, but it fit the “mask up” narrative just fine. Beware of where you get your information and what that info is based on. This article is not about masks but about COVID-19 deaths. https://www.technocracy.news/cdc-confirms-extremely-low-covid-19-death-rate/?fbclid=IwAR2obGmDzyss5ueBPbC1lpqPGLDng-HD0dRm5yxOhQuVeB0rqk5_1y5qsx0 A quote from a Star Trek character comes to mind. “Spock, I’ve found that evil usually triumphs… unless good is very, very careful” Dr. Leonard McCoy, Star Trek Be very careful out there my friends. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Saturday, September 19, 2020

Starting A Coal Fire

We live in a fairly hot place. We get little snow and have cool winters. Occasionally it gets real cold. We heat with a wood stove and have for over 30 years. I've always wanted to try coal but could never find it. That makes sense, very few people would have use for coal where we live. We were at a country type feed store where I saw 50 pound bags of coal. I bought 4 and when I got home and showed my wife she wanted more. We went back to the store and they showed us what they had. These bags were in sad shape and were starting to deteriorate. They wern't going to sell this stuff and were going to have to dispose of it. We asked what kind of deal we could get if we bought it all. They gave us a really good deal and we took it all off their hands. We've been using it for the past two years and love the extra heat it gives us and how it lasts! Plus, if you think about it, you can store this stuff in a pile outside and it will never go bad or deteriorate. It comes from the ground! We store ours in 55 gallon drums and it is part of our fuels storage. I thought someone out there might be interested in how to use it. Coal fires are not as easy to start as wood fires and the ease of burning will vary with different types and makes of stoves. The burning of coal requires patience and a specific and regular procedure of loading, shaking, adjusting, etc. If you do not follow the right procedure the coal fire will go out. This can happen in a short period of time and once the extinction process has begun, it is almost impossible to reverse. 1. In this article: Starting a Coal Fire Additional Tips on Starting Raking and Shaking your Stove Maintenance Safety First STARTING A COAL FIRE 1. Use paper and dry kindling to start the fire. 2. Add small pieces of hardwood when fire is burning hot. Keep the draft control fully open till a hot fire is established. 3. When a decent bed of red wood embers is built up, start adding coal—small amounts at a time. Keep the draft control open!! 4. Continue adding small amounts of coal until there is a 1” to 2” bed of burning coal. Don’t add too much coal at one time and allow sufficient time between each small loading for the coal in the stove to thoroughly ignite. 5. It is important at this point to fill the stove to the highest level possible. A deep bed of coal is critical for the proper function of all coal stoves. Since coal can be regulated better than wood, a deep bed does not mean that you can only run the stove hot - rather you can control the stove by setting the air control on your stove. 6. After all the coal has been ignited and is burning with a blue flame, then the draft control can be turned down. Serious damage can result if the stove is run wide open for extended periods of time. Make sure that the ash pan door is closed at all times. CAUTION—DON’T ATTEMPT TO START COAL FIRES UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE FALLS BELOW 55 DEGREES ON A 24 HOUR A DAY BASIS-YOUR CHIMNEY WILL NOT DEVELOP ENOUGH DRAFT UNLESS OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW THIS. ADDITIONAL HINTS ON STARTING 1. Some users have tried MATCHLIGHT CHARCOAL to light their coal stoves—also some brands of SOLID charcoal starter (royal oak, minute light) will do the job. This eliminates the mess of wood. Just spread the charcoal out until it barely covers the grate and put a small amount of coal on top don’t cover the charcoal completely!! Light the charcoal - OPEN AIR CONTROLS 100% and when the coal is burning with a blue flame add more coal as before. Never use liquid starters on a coal or woodstove….starters with large quantities of wax or softwood in them may not burn hot enough. 2. Always make sure that your chimney is drafting upward before you start your stove. Some chimneys have a tendency to reverse while not in use. In most cases the following procedure will start the chimney : Place a small piece of newspaper as far up in your stove or chimney as possible and light it. When it burns and gets pulled up the chimney-then light the coal fire. 3. Never poke or stir the coal fire when starting or at any other time. Coal fires like to be left alone and many former wood burners tend to fool around with their coal fires, thereby putting them out!!! RAKING AND SHAKING YOUR STOVE Shaking should be done at least twice a day and as many as sixtimes if the stove is being run at high outputs. Shake only with a hot stove. If the fire is very low and you must de-ash the grates follow the following procedure: 1. Open draft control and damper fully. 2. Shake or rake fire slightly to encourage air flow thru the fire. 3. Add more coal if needed. When fire is burning well then shake thoroughly. Best results will occur if short choppy strokes are used rather than long even strokes.The amount of shaking or raking is critical. Too little or too much can extinguish a fire. The proper job has been done when red coals first start to drop through the grate. Always allow some ash to remain on the grate as this will extend their service life. MAINTENANCE Ashes should never be allowed to accumulate in the ash pit. This can impede the flow of combustion air into the fire. Excess ash in the pan can cause the fire to go out and also cause severe damage to your grates. Inspect the replaceable parts of your stove (glass, gasketing, grates, etc.) often to determine if they need to be replaced. Glass can be cleaned (when cool). If the glass is extra dirty, MR. MUSCLE brand oven cleaner will do the job. Coal does not produce creosote, so chimney fires are not a concern. It does, however, produce a fly ash which can clog elbows or heat exchangers. Inspect any area of your stove where you suspect this may have happened and vacuum if needed. Since coal residue contains sulfur, the stovepipe and chimney systems tend to deteriorate much faster than when burning wood. Be sure to check the pipe at least once every six months to determine if it has corroded. Replace if it shows signs of rusting through or if it can be penetrated with the point of a pocket knife. SAFETY FIRST Use caution when loading your stove. Always open the door or hatch slowly so as to allow oxygen to enter and burn any combustible gases that are present. Failure to do this could result in"mini explosions” (sudden ignition of unburned gases). With the exception of the start-up period, an ash door should never be left open. Serious damage from overheating can result. Coal stoves should only be used with chimneys that provide a strong and constant draft. If you have followed the advice given in this article, then you probably have it licked. If any problems persist, follow these steps: 1. Make sure you are using low ash high-quality coal. Low heat output, large ash accumulation and difficulty of overnight burning are signs of bum coal. Try buying a bag or two at a different place. 2. Chimney problem—if you suspect that your draft is too strong then a barometric or manual damper should be installed. If your draft is too weak, try the following: Chimney may not be warm enough. Try a hotter fire. Seal all pipe joints and leaks in the chimney system. Check outside clean-out doors and fireplace sealing plates.—-increase height of chimney—-line chimney with stainless steel pipe—-install a draft increasing cap—-make sure all heat exchangers and manifolds on your stove are clean—Fly ash accumulation in these areas can restrict your chimney. There you have it. Being prepared means being ready for all things. Fuel storage and how to use that fuel is an important part of being prepared. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

By FLAG, Food Storage: Salt

In the coming weeks I'm going to post these food storage articles written by FLAG. She has been buying, storing, using food storage everyday for almost 40 years! Her knowledge is immense. Salt is an important part of your food storage program. It is recommended that we store 5 pounds per person for a year. I have discovered that if you preserve food, more than 5 pounds should be stored. Salt is very cheap and an easy item to obtain as part of your food storage program. Make sure to store salt in an airtight container. Also make sure to not store your salt around items with strong odors, it will absorb it. Salt is the symbol of life in many countries. In the Orient if someone says, “He was not salted when he as born”, it means he is none too bright– going back to the native custom of washing and salting newborns. The word salary comes from the Latin word for salt. If a person didn’t do their job right, he was said to be “not worth his salt.” Salt is something all animals (including man) MUST have. Without it they will die. We usually crave the amount of salt we need. Salt was and still is used for curing. Soak meats in brine for 10-14 days, then rub it with salt and smoke it in a smoke house for several weeks. Not only meat and butter, but any food with a high water content can be preserved with salt. Fruit, however, wouldn’t taste very good. In bread, salt performs more than just adding flavor; it helps control fermentation, gives dough a better texture, and produces a brown crust.** Salt helps eliminate heat exhaustion. **Salt is used to glaze pottery. **Salt is used to tan animal hides. **Salt is used to melt ice and snow. **Salt is a purifier. Salt water is an effective gargle, cleaner of wounds, a mouth wash, and a dentifrice. **Salt rubs relieve nervous body tension. **Rubbing damp salt on burns, insect stings, itching places, rashes or hives, smarts like the very devil for a little while, but draws of the soreness. **Salt added to the water in your bath tub gives you the same effect as a dip in the ocean: It relieves fatigue, invigorates, and soothes. **Mixing a little salt water with flour keeps lumps from forming in gravies. **Frequent application of salt water acts as a deodorant. ** A dish of butter may be kept firm without ice by wrapping around it a cloth wrung out in salt water. **Soaking nuts over night in salt water, makes it easy to remove the nut meat whole. **To prevent a frying pan from splashing grease, sprinkle a little salt in it. **Fresh milk keeps sweet longer when a pinch of salt is added. **To remove that “muddy” taste from fish caught in small streams, wash them in a strong, cold brine. **Salting the water in which eggs are poached make the white “set”. **Mix on heaping pint of salt, a scant pint of lime, six quarts of water to make an excellent medium which to store fresh eggs in. **Salt mixed with lemon juice cleans brass. **Salt alone rubbed on silver brightens it. **Soot and or oil stains on a carpet may be taken off by rubbing salt with it–several applications may be necessary. **Rubbing hands with salt will remove the odor of gasoline and onions. ** A good dry cleaner may be made by mixing equal parts of salt and cornmeal moistened with turpentine. ** Do you have ants? Sprinkle fine salt on the floors and shelves and them disappear. **Pouring salt brine once a week down the kitchen sink drain prevents grease from collecting and eliminates order. **Adding a pinch of salt to water in a flower vase makes the blooms and leaves remain fresh for a longer time. **Sprinkle salt on the crevices of brick and cement to kill off weeds and grass. Salt is a essential part of food storage FLAG

Friday, September 18, 2020

Burning Your Preps

This is what can happen when your preparedness trailer has a faulty trickle charger on it. Be very careful about how and where you store your preparation gear. Even if it is in your house, you might want to take pictures of your gear and even your food storage if you want it replaced in the event of a house fire. This happened in the guys drive way and thankfully did not spread to anywhere else. Be aware of how you store combustables and what the electrical situation is with your home or where ever you store your preparedness gear! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Overwatch: Random Drill For September

Random Drill for Sep 2020 The Shooting Square A square should be delineated with traffic cones or barricade tape. The shooter starts with three rifle magazines loaded with seven rounds each and a loaded pistol. The shooter needs 28 rounds to complete the drill. The shooter must use all 21 rifle rounds. This can be a square or rectangle and can be of whatever dimension you want. Distance will vary according to the shooter's abilities. The shooter moves forward from the 1-2 corner; there are two targets in that lane. On the instructor's command of "gun," the shooter puts two rounds on each target. There will be two commands of "gun" while moving forward. At the 2-3 corner, the shooter moves right, firing two rounds at each of the three targets, which should be 10 yards to the front of the square. At the 3-4 corner, the shooter moves backward, firing two rounds at each of the two targets in that lane. The shooter will do this twice on command. At the 4-1 corner, the shooter moves across, firing two rounds at each of the three targets at the front of the box. The shooter makes the decision when to reload and when to transition. If the shooter's rifle malfunctions during the run, he must transition to the pistol for the remainder of the drill. Along with the weapon manipulation and shooting on the move, the shooter is on the clock (for stress inoculation). You can cut the round count down to 14 rounds by changing the rounds fired at each target to one. For more advanced shooters, this drill can be done in pairs to foster teamwork. Lt. Robert Parker served with the Omaha (Neb.) PD for 30 years and commanded the Emergency Response Unit. He is responsible for training thousands of law enforcement instructors in NTOA's Patrol Response to Active Shooters courses. From SWAT magazine • March 8, 2012 • by Bob Parker See “Overwatch: Random Drill” page for more drills Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Friday, September 11, 2020

9-11 Remembrances and A Call To Be Prepared

Tom Burnett was one of those who died in United flight 93 in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. He was one of the many victims who died in the cowardly attack on this country. I remember all those who died, and their families and friends their deaths effected. Transcript of Tom’s Last Calls to his wife Deena 6:27 a.m.( pacific time) First cell phone call from Tom to Deena Deena: Hello Tom: Deena Deena: Tom, are you O.K.? Tom: No, I’m not. I’m on an airplane that has been hijacked. Deena: Hijacked? Tom: Yes, They just knifed a guy. Deena: A passenger? Tom: Yes. Deena: Where are you? Are you in the air? Tom: Yes, yes, just listen. Our airplane has been hijacked. It’s United Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. We are in the air. The hijackers have already knifed a guy, one of them has a gun, they are telling us there is a bomb on board, please call the authorities. He hung up. 6:31 Deena calls 911 6:34 The phone rang in on call waiting, Tom’s second cell phone call. Deena: Hello Tom: They’re in the cockpit. The guy they knifed is dead. Deena: He’s dead? Tom: Yes. I tried to help him, but I couldn’t get a pulse. Deena: Tom, they are hijacking planes all up and down the east coast. They are taking them and hitting designated targets. They’ve already hit both towers of the World Trade Center. Tom: They’re talking about crashing this plane. (a pause) Oh my God. It’s a suicide mission…(he then tells people sitting around him) Deena: Who are you talking to? Tom: My seatmate. Do you know which airline is involved? Deena: No, they don’t know if they’re commercial airlines or not. The news reporters are speculating cargo planes, private planes and commercial. No one knows. Tom: How many planes are there? Deena: They’re not sure, at least three. Maybe more. Tom: O.K….O.K….Do you know who is involved? Deena: No. Tom: We’re turning back toward New York. We’re going back to the World Trade Center. No, wait, we’re turning back the other way. We’re going south. Deena: What do you see? Tom: Just a minute, I’m looking. I don’t see anything, we’re over a rural area. It’s just fields. I’ve gotta go. 6:45 a.m. Third cell phone call from Tom to Deena Tom: Deena Deena: Tom, you’re O.K. (I thought at this point he had just survived the Pentagon plane crash). Tom: No, I’m not. Deena: They just hit the Pentagon. Tom: (tells people sitting around him “They just hit the Pentagon.”) Tom: O.K….O.K. What else can you tell me? Deena: They think five airplanes have been hijacked. One is still on the ground. They believe all of them are commercial planes. I haven’t heard them say which airline, but all of them have originated on the east coast. Tom: Do you know who is involved? Deena: No Tom: What is the probability of their having a bomb on board? I don’t think they have one. I think they’re just telling us that for crowd control. Deena: A plane can survive a bomb if it’s in the right place. Tom: Did you call the authorities? Deena: Yes, they didn’t know anything about your plane. Tom: They’re talking about crashing this plane into the ground. We have to do something. I’m putting a plan together. Deena: Who’s helping you? Tom: Different people. Several people. There’s a group of us. Don’t worry. I’ll call you back. 6:54 a.m. Fourth cell phone call to Tom to Deena Deena: Tom? Tom: Hi. Anything new? Deena: No Tom: Where are the kids? Deena: They’re fine. They’re sitting at the table having breakfast. They’re asking to talk to you. Tom: Tell them I’ll talk to them later. Deena: I called your parents. They know your plane has been hijacked. Tom: Oh…you shouldn’t have worried them. How are they doing? Deena: They’re O.K.. Mary and Martha are with them. Tom: Good. (a long quiet pause) Tom: We’re waiting until we’re over a rural area. We’re going to take back the airplane. Deena: No! Sit down, be still, be quiet, and don’t draw attention to yourself! (The exact words taught to me by Delta Airlines Flight Attendant Training). Tom: Deena! If they’re going to crash this plane into the ground, we’re going to have do something! Deena: What about the authorities? Tom: We can’t wait for the authorities. I don’t know what they could do anyway. It’s up to us. I think we can do it. Deena: What do you want me to do? Tom: Pray, Deena, just pray. (after a long pause) Deena: I love you. Tom: Don’t worry, we’re going to do something… And “do something” they did. Quite possibly giving their lives to save that plane from hitting The White House or The Capitol. This country is going through a lot as we live the Last Days before the Second Coming of Christ. We will likely see more of the same and we need to be ready and prepared. We too should "do something". In the words of another who was on that plane, Todd Beamer, “Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll.” Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Police and Kyle Rittenhouse Shooting (Updated)

The following is two opinions from my friend and brother Don Verde. He was (and is) a federal agent with over 20 years under his belt besides being a Marine. He understands what it's like to be on the front lines putting yourself out there in defense of this country and Americans. His unique experience and frankly mature spirituality means a lot in his opinion. I agree with him and want to share his views with you. The man who was shot in the back by police in Wisconsin was a sadistic rapist with a knife. Floyd was a violent felon with a body full of drugs. Criminals in Wisconsin who attacked the armed 17 year old and ended up being shot were felons, one, a child sex offender. Criminals prey on the innocent and many meet their destiny in this life. Police are not there to serve and protect the criminal, they are there to serve and protect the INNOCENT!! I will not double guess police actions based on videos anymore, after seeing how deceitful the Main Stream Media has become. I will pray for the police tonight, for the soldier, for freedom, for the unborn, for the children victimized by sexual predators and for the innocent law abiding citizen of any color... God bless America!! Don Verde What is an example of a vigilante? The definition of a vigilante is a person who takes the law into his or her own hands. An example of a vigilante is a person who makes it his mission to kill murderers. Because some have accused Kyle Rittenhouse of being a Vigilante, it is important to clarify what that really means. If I go to an area of town with a high crime rate and I carry a weapon for my protection, I am “not” a vigilante. If I decide to help a friend protect his business from violent rioters who outnumber police, I am “not” a vigilante. If the business is burnt to the ground and I go the next day and kill the person who did it, then yes, I am a vigilante. So, my armed presence in front of a store to prevent a crime and my defense of life if attacked “is” protected by the constitution. My actions to get even after the fact, are not. Carrying a weapon should never be viewed as a lack of commitment to Christ. I will always praise those who are willing to lay down their life for their friends, weather it is a sworn officer, soldier or a simple citizen. “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Don Verde Addition: In November 2021 Kyle Rittenhouse was found "Not guilty" of all charges against him. I see my wise friend Don Verde was correct, he is not a "vigilante".