When we think of long-term food storage, it is often easier to focus on the storage of dry foods. Dried foods often pack the most nutrients into the smallest amount of space. They don’t often, however, provide a well-balanced and tasty diet for long-term survival. For the long-term storage of wet foods, canning is the right answer. Industrial Canning vs. Home Canning As modern consumers, we can purchase an incredible variety of foods packaged in durable metal containers. Alternatively, we can grow (or purchase) fresh foods and “can” them ourselves in glass jars with relatively simple equipment. Both options are […]

In most wars, more people die from disease and infection than from combat wounds.  The ability to provide immediate first aid to family members and guests can mean the difference between an interesting story to tell the grandchildren and a disaster that ends with a shovel and a bouquet of flowers. You cannot count on emergency medical personnel to always be available — or to respond in a timely manner.  In the event of a real disaster, your “emergency” could be put on hold for days while first responders are dealing with other wounded.  It is the responsibility of each […]

Antibiotics are a special class of drugs which deserve special care and respect. If the junkie down the street misuses heroin or oxycodone, it does not affect me. On the other hand, if one of my neighbors misuses antibiotics, it can create serious negative consequences for the entire world. Bacteria evolve very quickly and one of the most successful evolutionary changes for a species of bacteria is to develop resistance to antibiotics. Bacteria are able to develop resistance when they come into contact with an antibiotic, but are not killed by the antibiotic. The classic case for this happening is […]

Every few years another “expert” on wild mushrooms dies from poisoning themselves by eating the wrong mushroom. They die painfully of liver, kidney, or heart failure. There is no fool-proof test for differentiating edible and poisonous mushrooms. There are simply too many mushrooms species for any human to learn all of them — and the penalties for being wrong are often fatal. Experienced mushroom gatherers can pick mushrooms in their own local area fairly safely but even they cannot safely pick mushrooms in another region. Identification of wild mushrooms is extremely difficult. People die every year by mistaking Amanita phalloides […]

Many jurisdictions outlaw not only firearms, but also knives, pepper spray, mace, and expandable batons, or any other tool which the powers that be deem too dangerous for your use. On the other hand, many common household items can serve double-duty as improvised weapons — and these won’t get you into trouble with law enforcement. Weapon Types Weapons do damage by blunt force, slashing, or piercing. Slashing weapons are anything with a sharp edge. Improvised weapons in this category consist mostly of kitchen knives. I do not recommend focusing on slashing weapons because 1) they are difficult to make look […]