Karl Denninger has written extensively about the effect of extreme cold on your home's plumbing, heating problems, and related issues. His article is too long to excerpt here, so click over to his place and read it for yourself. Very interesting and useful information.
Stay warm, friends.
Peter
As we gently "melt out" from the snow and ice of the past few days, a number of readers e-mailed me to describe problems they'd encountered, and to ask about aspects of emergency preparation in such weather. Of particular importance to them was solutions that will work in extreme cold, when the power's out for an indeterminate period.
Let's start with light. The simplest, easiest and cheapest way to light your home for a few hours, or days, or even weeks, are the pull-up camping lanterns available under various brand names (but probably all made in the same Chinese factory). This is the cheapest 4-pack on Amazon at the time of writing:
They run on 3 AA batteries, which give several hours' bright light. They're very lightweight, too, and one can use the handle to hang them from any convenient hook or branch, or stand them on a firm surface. To use them, just pull the top up (or partway up if you want less light). I've used them for years. Some may not work very long, because they're Chinesium, and quality is an afterthought for many such products; but at the price, it's hard to complain. I keep half a dozen handy for emergency use. You should also keep a few flashlights on hand to carry around as needed. Candles, tea-lights, etc. are useful if you have a safe place to burn them, but they do add to the fire danger, and you leave them unattended at your own risk.
What about generators? Very useful, but also very noisy, and thirsty for fuel if power remains out for several days. They also have to run outdoors, for safety reasons (carbon monoxide from their exhaust will kill you deader than dead if you run them indoors). I have a smallish, lower-cost model, which I'll use mostly to charge up my battery power banks if and when necessary. It doesn't produce enough power to run all our electrical appliances. (If you can afford it, you can by all means consider a whole-house generator and a dedicated fuel tank to run it for a week or more, but they're usually very expensive.)
Another problem with generators is theft. They're in high demand during weather emergencies. There are those who travel around in such conditions, listening for the sound of generators or evidence of their presence such as lights at night, and then steal them from wherever you've put them. It happened to a friend of mine not far from here a couple of years ago, not 48 hours after he bought the unit. The thieves waited until the small hours of the morning, when the generator wasn't in use, then cut the chain he'd used to fasten it to a pillar and carried it off. He was not a happy camper, to put it mildly!
If you rely on a fuelled generator, make sure you have one powerful enough to run all the appliances you want to use: then calculate its fuel consumption under load (not just idling). A lot of manufacturers won't give you that information in their sales brochure, so you might have to dig around to find it, or establish it by trial and error. Once you know what it is, store enough gasoline or propane to run the generator for however long you might need it. That adds up very quickly, by the way: for a large generator, you may need up to 10-15 gallons per day. Smaller ones are rather more economical. (Don't forget oil: if you have a new generator, you'll normally be expected to change its lubricant after 20-30 hours of operation, and at regular intervals thereafter. Spark plugs of the right size, plus spare air and oil filters, are also worth keeping in stock. A trickle charger to keep the generator battery topped up isn't a bad idea, either.)
Finally, run the generator regularly to make sure it's in good working order. Some recommend every month; others, every quarter. If it won't start when you desperately need it, you aren't going to be very happy (and even less so when your family finds out)!
My preferred solution for electric power is to use one or more electric power banks, which are sometimes referred to as power generators or solar generators. They usually offer a more expensive solution than generators (at least, at today's prices), but they're also much more convenient, can be carried to wherever you need them, can be easily recharged by even a small generator, and don't smell of exhaust fumes or drip fuel and oil on your floor! There are many models, some of which you'll find at the link above, but I'd divide them into three size categories based on likely use.
The first are small power banks up to 1KW (kilowatt - 1,000 watts) in power and a similar storage capacity in KWh (kilowatt-hours - the energy used to produce one kilowatt of power for one hour). These can't run anything very big in power draw, but for lightweight use (portable lights with LED bulbs, charging cellphones or tablets, game consoles, etc.) they can be very convenient. I know some families who keep a couple on hand to let their kids use them while Mom and Dad use a larger power bank for larger power needs (e.g. TV, DVD player, computer, etc.) Small units are also useful to power low-draw appliances such as a CPAP machine or oxygen generating device, which are often important for home health care. Check the appliance's power draw and make sure the battery bank you buy has adequate power and storage capacity to cope with its needs.
The next category is what I'll call medium power banks, 1.5-4KW in power and a similar storage capacity in KWh. These are general-purpose workhorses, usually portable, and with enough stored energy to be useful for several hours before needing to be recharged. My personal favorite at present is the Bluetti Elite 400, for two reasons: one, its capacities are 2.6KW power and 3.84KWh storage capacity, which meet most of our needs, and two, it's on wheels with an extendable handle. Being a larger, heavier unit (about 85 pounds), and because my wife and I both have health issues restricting us from lifting heavy loads, the Elite 400 is much easier for us to move around the house if necessary. There are, of course, many competitors to the Bluetti. Shop around and see which you prefer. Also, don't forget extension cords so you can plug in your fridge, freezer(s), etc. to the power bank, no matter where it is.
Finally, there are whole-house battery banks, some from providers such as Bluetti, some permanent installations such as the Tesla Powerwall. Such banks are much larger than portable units, and many require professional installation, usually along with solar power panels to keep them charged when grid power is shut off for any reason. They're an excellent solution, but very expensive; the least you can expect to pay for all components (batteries, solar panels, wiring, plus installation) is usually $25,000 or more. On the other hand, they tend to work very well, and give owners peace of mind. (For example, you can read Divemedic's blog posts on his Florida installation at this link, from most recent to oldest.)
I find battery banks' convenience and ease of use to be head and shoulders above any other low- to medium-cost solution. We have the equivalent of about 14KWh stored across a few units, charged and ready to go, which should be enough to get us through two to three days before we have to run a generator to recharge them. With judicious use and not wasting power, I think we could go several weeks without electricity from the grid, if we had to.
What about heat? If the HVAC system goes out, we're reduced to what we can power using our battery banks and/or generator. In both cases, in extreme temperatures, we'd move into one or two rooms and heat or cool only them. For heating indoors, a fireplace is a very desirable option, and/or a wood-burning stove: if you don't have one, but can fit one to your home at an affordable price, I highly recommend it. Otherwise, I use and recommend the Mr. Buddy propane indoor-safe heaters, which utilize the familiar green Coleman fuel cylinders and can be fitted with an adapter to run them off conventional propane cylinders. (With any fire or propane heater, remember the danger from carbon monoxide, and take appropriate precautions!)
There are electric options if you don't like fire or other fuel. Given a suitable size of power bank, you can buy low-power electric heaters from 400W up to about 900W. A medium-size power bank can run a 400-500W heater all night long. They're not very hot, but will warm a 10x10 foot bedroom, which will do nicely in freezing weather. Larger rooms, not so much - but then, in an emergency, one has to compensate by adjusting one's lifestyle. If you have an electric blanket, a medium-size power bank will also run that all night long, making things very snug.
What if it's summer, and you want to keep things cool? Air-conditioning units are power hogs, to put it mildly. Even the smallest window or stand-alone unit will drain an average power bank in a couple of hours. I'd suggest using fans instead of air-conditioners, and venting the hot air inside through windows and doors as the day cools down. Only a whole-house power backup system will allow you to run your HVAC as usual, even without incoming power from the grid.
Cooking? Use camping gear such as butane or propane stoves. They're simple, relatively cheap, and work on almost any surface. You won't (I hope!) burn them long enough to pose a carbon monoxide hazard: if that worries you, use them on a table in your garage. I'd suggest having two burners, because a single burner might limit what dishes you can cook (and get extra fuel cartridges for them). The good old Coleman 2-burner camping stove has been around for decades, and still works well, but it's a lot more expensive than it used to be. Buying two single-burner butane stoves can often be much cheaper. Make sure to clean the stove(s) and cooking utensils thoroughly; sanitary cooking conditions are important for your family's health.
I won't speak to needs such as food, clothing, warm blankets, etc. We've addressed those subjects several times in the past, and many Web sites have done likewise. You pays your money and you takes your choice. However, there are a few things you'll do well to remember.
That's a quick pass through most of the questions I was asked. If you have something I haven't addressed, please ask it in Comments: and readers, please feel free to answer such questions, or contribute ideas from your own experience. We can all learn from each other.
Stay safe out there!
Peter
I was intrigued to learn of a new optical technology that allows spectacles to autofocus from near to far vision.
The glasses contain eye-tracking sensors as well as liquid crystals in the lenses, which are used to change the prescription instantaneously. The result, according to the company, is an improvement on current bifocal or varifocal lenses, both of which are meant for people who need assistance seeing both far and close distances, but come with drawbacks.
. . .
By using a dynamic lens, IXI does away with fixed magnification areas: “Modern varifocals have this narrow viewing channel because they’re mixing basically three different lenses,” said Niko Eiden, CEO of IXI. “There is far sight, intermediate and short distance, and you can’t seamlessly blend these lenses. So, there are areas of distortion, the sides of the lenses are quite useless for the user, and then you really have to manage which part of this viewing channel you’re looking at.”
The IXI glasses, Eiden said, will have a much larger “reading” area for close-up vision — although still not as large as the entire lens — and it will also be positioned “in a more optimal place,” based on the user’s standard eye exam. But the biggest plus, Eiden added, is that most of the time, the reading area simply disappears, leaving the main prescription for long distance on the entire lens.
“For seeing far, the difference is really striking, because with varifocals you have to look at the top part of the lens in order to see far. With ours, you have the full lens area to see far — as you were used to when you were slightly younger,” Eden explained, referring to people who had glasses for distance vision from their teens or early adulthood, before starting to also need reading glasses, like most people as they get older.
There's more at the link.
I use reading and computer glasses, with different prescriptions, but don't yet need longer-range lenses. It would be handy to have a single pair that will autofocus from near (book) to slightly longer (computer) distances on demand.
However, I have questions.
Peter
This very interesting video shows what happened when 100 Ford dealers were asked to quote a best and final price for an identical model of pickup. The first year, relatively few responded. The second year (after Ford had taken notice and presumably talked to its dealers) a lot more responded - but the price variance in both years, from lowest to highest offer, was astonishingly high, well into five figures. Take a look.
I knew dealer margins varied, but I had no idea their pricing structures were so very different, nor did I realize how much the price goes up when dealer add-ons are included. The section on fees and regulatory charges was also eye-opening; I'd assumed that dealers would not dare meddle with statutory costs like that, but it looks like I was wrong.
I'm sure the facts and figures disclosed in the video will be encountered at any manufacturer's dealers, not just Ford's. Nevertheless, I hope Ford notices this video and does something about what it reveals - because business practices like these do it no favors at all in the eyes of the public.
I'm certainly going to follow the video's advice if I ever buy another vehicle from a dealer. Obviously, it applies more to new vehicles, but I'm willing to bet some of it carries over to the used market as well.
Peter
A few readers have contacted me asking what sort of meat they should buy for long-term storage and emergency use. All the usual answers are well-known, particularly a freezer filled with the meat you normally eat: but in a long-term emergency situation, you may not have power to run your freezer. That's where dried and/or canned meat comes in. (Jerky is basically dried meat, of course, although often over-seasoned.) I also keep a stock of pemmican, as I wrote a few weeks ago. What else do I recommend?
Some time ago, author and friend Mike Williamson introduced me to Grabill Country Meats in Indiana. They're an Amish-run company, producing cans of beef, port, turkey and chicken preserved the Amish way, boiled in the can with water and nothing else at all. The meat tastes delicious and lasts a very long time, so much so that they don't put a "best by" date on the can. Last Monday I opened a can of pork chunks that I bought from them twelve years ago, and it looked, smelled and tasted just as good as one bought last year. Delicious!
They sell 13oz. and 27oz. cans in boxes of twelve only. I make sure we always have some in our long-term storage, simply because I've never found better-tasting, easier-to-use canned meat. Their cans may seem expensive, but if you work it out on a cost-per-pound basis (particularly considering the quality of their meat), it's not bad. The larger cans work out considerably cheaper per pound than the smaller ones, of course. Shipping costs are a bear, but anything heavy has that problem.
So, if you want to keep a few (or more than a few) cans of "emergency meat" around to feed yourself and your family, Grabill Country Meats has my strong recommendation. Being canned chunks, it can't be roasted or fried, but it makes great stews and soups. In emergency, it can be eaten cold out of the can with a spoon. Good stuff.
Peter
I recently came across a post on Gab dating back to 2023. User "Mandy_Poppins 🍎🍎🍎" posted:
Sayings of the Amish that go back to the 1600's
“Borrowing makes sorrowing.” (Bariye macht Sarige.)
"There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece."
"That which controls your heart controls your life."
"A person may hoard up money, he may bury his talents, but you cannot hoard up love."
"He who has no money is poor; he who has nothing but money is even poorer."
"Many times we are climbing mountains when we ought to be quietly resting."
"Do more of less."
"The person who kills time has not learned the value of life."
"Today has one thing in which all of us are equal: time. All of us drew the same salary in seconds, minutes, and hours."
"An industrious wife is the best savings account."
"Generosity leaves a much better taste than stinginess."
"Wisdom enables one to be thrifty without being stingy, generous without being wasteful."
"Where love is, there riches be, keep us all from poverty."
"Beware of the barrenness of a too-busy life!"
Food for thought.
Peter
A few years ago I mentioned Steadfast Provisions and their pemmican products. Earlier this year I boosted their fundraiser, aimed at building a brand-new, much-updated commercial kitchen to produce much larger quantities of pemmican and other products. I'm very glad to report that the new kitchen is up and running, and their pemmican is better than ever. If this article sounds like I'm shilling for them, well, I guess I am, because I really like to see small businessmen come up with a good idea and make a living out of it - and I just plain like pemmican anyway!
(In case you didn't know much about pemmican, there's a very informative article about it at their Web site. Recommended reading.)
The new product is similar to the old, but more finely ground, producing a powdery rather than a granular substance when crushed or folded into other foods. I find the flavor much improved, too. Last time I ordered the salted-only pemmican, without seasoning. It was fine, but very bland, designed more to be added to other foods (e.g. soup or stew), or supplemented with flavorings if eaten alone. In this way it would taste more like the main dish, but provide added protein.
This time I ordered the seasoned version, and find it's much more palatable to eat on its own, even without adding anything else. The texture appears much closer to Plains Indian descriptions of it, where it was eaten by the pinch out of a parfleche rawhide bag. I tried some yesterday flavored as the Indians did, with honey dripped over it - delicious! One can also add dried or fresh berries for a fruitier, sweeter flavor.
I plan to keep several bricks of this stuff in stock as an emergency supply. One could exist by eating only pemmican, if one had to, but that would get boring fairly quickly! I regard it as an excellent "bug-out" food, energy-rich and nutritious, easy to get to while walking or driving. The new version tastes good enough that I'll probably be eating some as a snack on a regular basis, too. I don't think one could possibly get foods that are more "keto" than pemmican, so I'll take advantage of that.
I prefer to buy the "brick" package of pemmican, containing 2.2 pounds of concentrated beef.
It may seem expensive, with a price tag of $97 for 2.2 pounds of pemmican, but bear in mind how greatly the "raw" weight of meat has been reduced in the production process. One of those bricks contains over 10 pounds of raw beef, and given the price of good-quality beef today, that's a bargain in anyone's language. If you'd like to try something smaller and lower-cost, the company also makes a pemmican bar for $17. Expect them to be hard to find for a few months as the word spreads about the company's new production and new flavors.
To all my readers who contributed to Steadfast Provisions' fundraiser, thank you very much. IMHO, it's been worth the wait to get their new premises into production.
Peter
Following my recent article about snubnose revolvers, I've had a few readers ask whether the long double-action trigger pull of most such weapons can be lightened and/or smoothed, to make it easier to shoot them accurately.
A competent gunsmith can do what's called an "action job" on them, which involves stoning the mating surfaces until they're as smooth and slick as possible, and perhaps adjusting spring tension (lopping a couple of coils off a factory spring, or installing a new spring kit from a company such as Wolff Gunsprings - you can also install the latter on your own gun at home, if you know what you're doing). However, you can expect to pay at least $150 for a good action job, and possibly double that, depending on the expertise and reputation of the gunsmith involved.
There's a quicker, simpler, easier way that isn't necessarily as good, but can be surprisingly effective. It's known as the "toothpaste action job", or words to that effect. Toothpaste is a very mild abrasive: it has to be, to clean gunk off your teeth when you brush them. That makes it suitable for delicate surface smoothing on things like trigger mechanisms. You can also use actual abrasive solutions such as valve grinding compound, but they're usually far too abrasive to use safely unless you're a qualified gunsmith and/or mechanic and really know what you're doing. I do not recommend them.
How does a "toothpaste action job" work? Obviously, you need to know your way around the innards of your firearm. If you don't, ask a knowledgeable friend or your local gunsmith to show you how to disassemble your gun to the level required (and make sure your friend[s] really are knowledgeable - they may not be as good as they think they are, which can lead to very expensive damage to your gun!). For a quick visual introduction to how the trigger mechanism looks, see this short video on how to improve a Smith & Wesson revolver's trigger pull. Even if yours doesn't look quite the same, the way it works will be basically similar.
Take off the sideplate of your snubnose revolver (or, if yours doesn't have a removable sideplate, do whatever yours needs to expose the trigger and hammer mechanism), and smear toothpaste over and well into all the moving parts (i.e. the mating surfaces, that move over and/or against each other when the trigger is pulled) of the trigger and hammer. Reassemble the gun, and (making sure it's not loaded - use snap-caps if the owner's manual recommends them) dry-fire it several hundred times; then disassemble it again and clean it very thoroughly, probably using hot water and a toothbrush to make sure all the toothpaste is removed from the moving parts. Dry the gun thoroughly, and before reassembling it, give the moving parts a good spritz with WD-40 to ensure that all water has been removed. Oil or lube as normal, then reassemble the gun and test it. You should find that the action is smoother, although not necessarily lighter unless you've worked on the springs as well.
You can read more about the "toothpaste trigger job" on firearms forums: an online search will reveal several links. Here are three representative discussions:
Action slick up with toothpaste
Toothpaste or valve grinding compound???
That should give you enough information to understand how this works. I've done it to several of my revolvers, and found a noticeable improvement in trigger smoothness. If you're still not happy about trying it yourself, there's always a professional trigger job by a gunsmith to make things even better.
Peter
The state of the art in so-called red dot sights (which, confusingly, also come in green, and may be a simple dot, or a circle-dot, or a more complex reticle) has advanced considerably in the last few years. I've previously used Swampfox Optics units such as the Liberty, Justice and Liberator, all of which have since been updated to second-generation versions (follow the links provided for more information). More recently, I've been mounting Gideon Optics Omega and Advocate units, both for my own use and for a few of my disabled students from earlier times. I'm also testing two new models from Riton Optics.
As part of the process, I researched the problems some have reported with mounting red dot sights. Common complaints include (but are not limited to):
Second, the mounting process. Using a thread-locker on the screws (such as Loctite, Permatex, or a competitor) is essential! I strongly recommend using a gel-type thread-locker, rather than a liquid, for two reasons. One is to avoid splashes or drips on things you don't want to lock (and believe me, that happens!). The other is that thread-locker liquid appears to be a perishable substance. Leave it unused too long and it becomes less effective, to the point that it may no longer serve its purpose. Gel thread-lockers, in my limited experience, don't appear to have the same problem. Can any more knowledgeable reader comment on that, please?
Another useful technique helps overcome the limited holding power of smaller screws. Apply RTV silicone gasket maker, sealant and adhesive to the base of the sight and the base of the mounting plate before installing them on the gun (or directly between gun and sight, if it doesn't use a mounting plate). That will hold them pretty strongly in its own right, even without the help of the mounting screws. Be careful not to use too much, or too strong an adhesive, because you will probably want to remove the sight at some point! I use Permatex 80050, but there are many other brands and varieties out there. You pays your money and you makes your choice.
One potential problem is that on some firearms (particularly the Glock MOS narrow-slide models, but including a few others), the extractor system is fitted beneath the screw holes used by the red dot sight and/or mounting plate. If a screw is too long, it can protrude into the space used by the extractor system, and cause problems. Filing or cutting a small amount off the bottom of the screw (being careful not to interrupt or damage the screw thread) will cure them. You'll find videos about it on YouTube; for example, try this one. If you have a different type of pistol, but the mounting screws can still interfere with internal parts beneath them, the same fix may work for you.
So, there you are. Sealant-adhesive holding the sight to the mounting plate, and the mounting plate to the gun, plus clean, thread-locked screws, and you shouldn't have a sight come loose just when you need it to be rock-steady.
Peter
I've had a few questions on that subject from readers in recent weeks, enough that I figured it was worth devoting an entire blog post to the subject. However, I'm not an expert on the subject, so allow me to introduce you to someone who is.
Mike Branson was with Swampfox Optics for several years, and then moved on to Gideon Optics, where he works today. He's acknowledged by many in the firearms industry as highly knowledgeable in the field of fighting optics, and has recorded several very useful videos on the subject.
Let's start with an interview he did with Ian McCullum of Forgotten Weapons at last year's SHOT Show about the differences between cheap and expensive red dot sights.
At the same event, Mike described Low-Power Variable Optics (LPVO's), which are a step up from red dot sights, and what to look for in an LPVO.
How do you choose between optics and reticles? Mike explains below.
While choosing one's optic, what sight should one use? Dot, circle-dot, or a more complex reticle? Red or green? There are many options.
Finally, how cheap can you - or should you - go in the price of your optic? It depends on its expected use.
There you have it - about as comprehensive an overview of fighting optics as I think you'll find anywhere. Sure, there are more specialized videos and documents out there, but many of them are classified materials, and others are so specialized they'd be over our heads. Thanks to Mike Branson for producing a very clear summary of the most important information, helping ordinary folks like you and I find what we need. I've bought from him at both Swampfox Optics and Gideon Optics, and I'm a very satisfied customer. (No, I'm not shilling for him, nor is this an advertisement for his company: he's not even aware that I'm writing this article. He's just a good guy whom my wife and I are pleased to call our friend.)
Peter
John Farnam advises that a new policy development aid is available for churches and other houses of worship that want to establish their own security teams. (In this violent day and age, I fully support such initiatives.)
When such teams are appointed, organized, and charged with various duties, a competent, comprehensive, written policy quickly becomes an acute necessity for safety, competency, and legal reasons.
My esteemed friend and colleague, Manny Kapelsohn has now composed, and is marketing, such a written policy. I assisted in the final editing.
Manny is simultaneously a renowned attorney and firearms trainer, and the two of us have conducted countess training programs together. Manny also regularly provides professional expert assistance to litigants in deadly-force cases, both criminal and civil, renders critical trial testimony routinely, and is one of the very few who is genuinely qualified to compose such a document.
This “House of Worship Firearms and Use of Force Policy Bundle” (Policy, Comments, etc) document is now available at:
On the website, click “Products.”
Upon checkout, enter the discount code “FARNAM25.”
Individual users will, of course, need to tweak this policy document in order for it to specifically apply to their particular situation. The final version they intend to implement will naturally need to be reviewed and approved by their own attorney before being placed in force.
There's more at the link.
Yes, this is passing on an advertisement, I suppose: but I trust John Farnam implicitly. He's one of the best defensive firearm instructors around, and has been for decades. If he says this policy guide is so good, I'm going to take him at his word: and knowing how many houses of worship struggle to define what their security team is, what its duties should be, and how it should operate in the legal constraints that apply to their area, I think such a guide can only benefit all of us.
If your church or house of worship has, or is considering setting up, a security team, I suggest you mention Mr. Farnam's article and the link above to your pastor or church administrator. I think they'll find it useful.
Peter
I heard some terrible news yesterday. A friend and his wife had a daughter in her late teens or early 20's, I don't recall exactly which. She was severely asthmatic, and had been so from an early age. They were driving through Arizona and New Mexico, heading for Texas, when they encountered a very heavy dust storm, which reduced visibility so much that they had to stop on the roadside. Unfortunately there was also a brush fire in the area, driven by the fierce winds of the dust storm. To make matters worse, their vehicle's ventilation system malfunctioned, letting in the smoke and dust. The combination caused their daughter to suffer an asthma attack. They tried to call for help, but the poor visibility and road conditions prevented any from reaching them before their daughter went into cardiac arrest.
My friend is understandably distraught after that experience, as is his wife. However, he's trying to make it count for something positive by passing the word to everyone he knows that such conditions - or combinations of conditions - can be extremely dangerous to an asthmatic, or indeed anyone with any sort of breathing difficulties such as COPD, etc. Since both my wife and I have breathing-related issues, he made sure to call me and tell me the sad news.
No sooner had I ended the call than I drove to the nearest Harbor Freight branch and bought four of these Gerson P95 disposable respirators, two in Medium size (to fit my wife) and two Large (to fit me).
One of each size will go into our vehicle emergency kits, to travel with us wherever we go. They're disposable, so they're not very high-tech, but they'll do for the sort of incident my friend and his family encountered; and they're low-cost enough that we can afford to replace them every year, to make sure they're still functional.
There are other respirators out there, some a lot more capable - and more expensive - but they're probably overkill for use as emergency travel aids. Shop around. However, I don't think the simple paper or cloth masks we used during the COVID imbroglio, or even the stiffer painting-style masks, will be as effective as this design, with its close-fitting face mask and external filters. I'd rather spend a bit extra for better protection.
In the hope that my friend's tragic loss may help others besides his friends and acquaintances, I share the news with you, and the solution I've adopted. If any of you suffer from, or have family and/or friends who suffer from, breathing-related issues, I strongly recommend that you do something similar to make your travels a little safer.
Peter
I was intrigued to read that China may have come up with a unique way to recharge submarine batteries while underwater.
China’s new nuclear-battery attack submarine – a unique hybrid boat running on batteries like a conventional sub but which recharges them using a tiny nuclear reactor – could be the ultimate near-shore defence sub, and a big problem for US and allied forces in the western Pacific.
. . .
Most notably the type seems to have a unique propulsion system – one that sidesteps longstanding engineering challenges in order to deliver a quiet attack submarine for near-shore operations, one that can stay submerged for long periods of time in order to preserve its stealth. The Type 041 is reportedly the first submarine with a tiny nuclear reactor that, while too small to power the entire boat, is big enough to charge the batteries for submerged operations.
. . .
With its nuclear-charged battery, a Type 041 might be able to remain submerged for 20 days straight, according to Kirchberger and Carlson. That’s a 10-fold improvement in underwater endurance compared to traditional diesel-electric submarines.
There's more at the link.
This is particularly interesting news given new developments in battery technology, plus new modular small nuclear reactors. The latter are particularly important, because current designs are intended to power a small town, or an industrial facility. If all they have to do is recharge banks of batteries, they can be made even smaller - in effect, miniaturized. It's not inconceivable that they could be reduced to the size of a small motor vehicle, which could easily be installed in a submarine hull in place of conventional diesel engines or air-independent propulsion (AIP) units.
There's another side to that, of course. Some smaller countries such as Iran and North Korea build their own submarines, almost all of them using World War II-vintage diesel engines and lead-acid batteries. They're relatively unsophisticated. If such countries can buy or build small modular reactors, they could possibly build their own nuclear-recharged battery-powered submarines that would offer far greater range and speed than their old-fashioned units. A few such submarines at "choke points" for maritime trade, such as off any one of dozens of major harbors, the entrances to the Suez Canal or Panama Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca or the Bab-el-Mandeb, and maritime trade worldwide could take a massive hit. The relative inefficiency of their old-fashioned batteries, with their lower capacity and endurance, wouldn't matter nearly so much if they could be recharged silently, on demand, without surfacing, by an on-board miniature reactor.
The USA long ago decided that all its submarines should be nuclear-powered. There were good reasons for that, but it's resulted in very, very expensive and complicated vessels, and arguably not enough of them to accomplish all the missions and tasks expected of them. Could nuclear-recharged battery-powered submarines affect that decision, making a greatly increased submarine fleet both affordable and effective? It is to hope . . .
Peter
Readers may remember that in 2023, I wrote about an outfit called Steadfast Provisions, which produces some of the best-quality pemmican I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I said at the time:
I've been so impressed by pemmican's effect on my own health that I wanted to share some of the results in advance, as it were. For two weeks, excluding the weekend between, I ate no other solid food at all besides minimal quantities of pemmican. I found I didn't need much of it at all to satisfy me, along with liquids such as water, black coffee and tea, bouillon, and occasionally some bone broth. I've used it as part of an intensive weight-loss fasting diet, and the pemmican more than made up (nutritionally speaking) for the "regular" foods that I was no longer eating. (Yes, I'm checking that through blood tests, which are an integral part of such a strenuous diet for obvious health and safety reasons.)
Steadfast Provisions makes pemmican in one-meal-size 750-calorie bars (in seasoned, unseasoned and "simply salted" flavors) and bricks containing enough nutrition for one person for three days or more (in seasoned and "simply salted" flavors). I bought the latter, simply salted, because it was the only item available in their online store at the time (they sell out their production runs very quickly, to a dedicated customer base). As noted above, it appears expensive at $97 per brick; but when one works out the amount of fresh meat involved, the price is far more justifiable. At over two pounds in weight, one brick of pemmican contains over ten pounds of lean fresh meat; then there's the cost and time involved in drying, crushing, preparing and packaging it. On a pound-per-dollar basis, that's a very reasonable price, IMHO.
On its own, the "simply salted" version of pemmican doesn't taste particularly appetizing, in my opinion (although it's not at all unpleasant - just bland; the seasoned version might add more flavor). However, if one cuts a slice and then spreads a little honey on it, or even a fruit preserve, it becomes far more palatable. (I note that Native American tribes used to eat pemmican with wild honey.). Also, when combined with beef bouillon or bone broth, pemmican adds a huge dose of protein to the drink. That's mainly how I've been using it. As part of my liquid fasting diet, I've occasionally used Campbell's Beef Consommé, which has minimal calories and/or carbohydrates but a lot of flavor. Chopping a small amount of pemmican into it is a great way to increase its food value.
There's more at the link, including the usefulness of pemmican in an emergency or travel situation. It's amazingly useful stuff, and lasts a long time. (We've just opened a pemmican brick that's sat in a storage cupboard for two years. Tastes and looks just fine.)
I recently tried to re-order some pemmican, only to learn that Steadfast Provisions is busy setting up a brand-new commercial kitchen with all the necessary hardware to expand their production. They're running a KickStarter to fund the new building, and are offering some significant discounts (up to 20%) on their products for those sponsoring it. They're already well along with the project, and will resume production in their new premises within a couple of months.
I'd love to see them succeed with their fund-raiser. This is a small company in a remote part of the country, producing a food that's almost unique (at least when done properly, as they do), that offers measurable health benefits and many uses. (I'm here to tell you from my own experience, it really helps with keto and carnivore diets, and weight loss.) If you, like me, are trying to follow such diets, and/or would like to help a small business that (IMHO) deserves to succeed, please click over to the KickStarter and contribute what you can. I've already made my pledge there.
Thanks in advance.
Peter
My favorite ammo supplier, SGAmmo of Oklahoma, is having an end-of-year clearance sale to reduce their inventory tax bill at the end of the year. No, they're not compensating me in any way for spreading the word - I just like bargains, like most of us, and I share them with my friends and readers when they're particularly good.
Click here to see SGAmmo's end-of-year sale. It's a good one.
(I just made the mistake of looking at my purchase history with SGAmmo. I've spent a small fortune there over the many years that I've been their customer! On the other hand, I can't complain about their prices. I got value for my money.)
Peter
Having read some absolute howlers by aspirant authors, I couldn't help laughing out loud when I came across this advice from Stephan Pastis. Click the image for a larger view at the "Pearls Before Swine" Web page.
Recent events demonstrate that some politicians might need to learn the same lessons . . .
Peter
I recently came across two very useful resources for those planning how they'll cope with emergency situations. In the light of very recent experiences with Hurricanes Helene and Milton, they take on added value.
First is "Food Storage & Shelf Life Charts From Months To 25+ Years". It covers almost all important foods, including what most families seem to eat. Recommended reading.
Next is an article titled "Home Prep Guide: What You Need To Last 2 Weeks In An Emergency". It includes a graphic that's particularly valuable: click on it to view it at a larger size. Here's a brief excerpt.
Prepping doesn’t have to be daunting. “Preparedness is very simple,” Stewart said, “but without a proper guide, you are going to become overwhelmed.”
In this guide, we streamline the process by outlining the essential items recommended by survival experts.
“Think of preparedness as an insurance policy,” preparedness expert Paul Martin told The Epoch Times. “None of us like paying insurance premiums, but we do it in order to transfer the risk of loss.”
A robust preparedness plan has three core elements: family communication, evacuation, and sheltering in place.
There's much more at the link. Very useful reading.
Peter
A continual problem during my kidney-related adventures (!) over the past nine months or so has been how to describe my pain level to doctors, nurses, etc. They all ask about the 1-10 scale of pain, from negligible to unbearable, as if it's a Gospel truth, and when I can't really pinpoint my pain level on that scale, they get impatient. Some even seem to wonder whether I'm malingering.
They just don't get how debilitating ongoing, permanent, chronic pain can be, or how it affects one's pain tolerance overall. Since suffering a disabling back injury in 2004, followed by two surgeries, a spinal fusion and permanent nerve damage, my pain level has been constant. On the 1-10 scale typically used, I'd say it's routinely at a 3-4 level, spiking to 5-6 on bad pain days (which come along every ten days to two weeks or so, almost on a schedule). However, medical personnel don't understand how one can cope with such a constant pain level. They regard it as impossible, and find it hard to believe that anyone can exist normally while living with it. Very few actually listen when I describe what it feels like.
I came across the post below (by someone using the moniker "invisiblefoxfire" on an unknown social media site; the post was copied to MeWe by someone else). It describes pretty accurately, from my perspective, what a pain scale should be for chronic pain sufferers. I know some of my readers have that problem, too, so I'm re-posting it here as a way for us to describe our situation to those who can't experience it for themselves.
Been telling my (young and abled) physiotherapist for years that I'm in pain all the time and when he asks me to tell him how bad something hurts from 1-10, I really don't know how to answer that. He'll say "Tell me if it hurts" and I have to say every time "You mean... in addition to how much it always hurts?" Anyway I love the guy, but he kept asking the same questions in the same way and not understanding why it was hard for me to answer.
Then I found this graphic ... and I showed it to him at an appointment. (Click the image for a larger, readable view.)
He started reading from the bottom to the top, reading each "normal" level followed by the "chronic" level next to it, and at first he was laughing. When he got to about 7/4 he stopped laughing and said "Okay well this is getting less entertaining and more concerning." He went completely silent for a moment after he finished, then turned to look at me with real concern in his eyes and asked me if this chart was really accurate. And when I said "Yeah, dude" and gave him a big goofy grin and a shrug, I saw something click for the first time.
I'll let other readers who endure chronic pain make their own comments, but as far as I'm concerned, yes, that chronic illness pain scale is accurate. I live daily at the 6/3 to 7/4 levels. I've gotten so used to background pain that I sometimes don't notice minor injuries, because their hurt is lost in the overall "noise", so to speak. On bad pain days, I endure the 8/5 and sometimes the 9/6 levels, popping pain pills to make myself livable-with (if you know what I mean). During the worst weeks of my kidney problems, with that pain added on top of what I normally endure, I was taking up to half a dozen (strong, prescription-level) painkillers every day. They made the pain bearable, but only just.
My physician commented that she'd put notes on my charts with other specialists, to warn them that because of long-standing chronic pain, my pain tolerance was much higher than their average patient, but many of them didn't appear to listen to her. I hope she sends that chart to them next time (yes, I'm forwarding this blog post to her). If your doctor or medical practitioner(s) find it hard to grasp how bad your pain levels are, you might want to print out that chart and show it to them. It's the best description I've yet found of how really severe, ongoing pain affects our lives.
(BTW, I'm not posting this to gain your sympathy, or brag about my pain tolerance. I'm doing so because I know from personal experience how hard it is for "normal" people to judge just how debilitating long-term chronic pain can be. I'd like to help other readers, who suffer from the same problem, explain it to their caregivers and loved ones. I hope this helps.)
Peter
Nobody knows how the November 2024 elections will turn out. Frankly, I'm expecting major social problems before then, as left-wing and progressive pressure groups ramp up their activities and try to intimidate their political opposition. How serious those problems will be is anybody's guess.
I hope that by now, most of my readers have put their emergency preparations in order, and are ready to hunker down and stay away from trouble spots - or, if trouble comes in their direction, to defend themselves against it. However, some might like a reminder checklist. For those who do, see this very informative article dating from 2021, and harking back to an even earlier version. It's concise and condensed, packing a lot of information into a relatively short summary.
Recommended reading, even for those of us who are relatively well-prepared for trouble. A double-check never hurts.
Peter
I just had an interesting exchange with the bereaved friend I mentioned earlier. He says he has to provide a "family supper" for a dozen or more people this evening, but he's not a real good cook. What do I recommend?
Well, that's easy. A cheesy chicken pasta bake is dead simple, and you can get the ingredients almost everywhere. However, his extended family prefers fish to poultry. I checked, and he does have some boxes of paella mix in his pantry; so that's what I've recommended. If you don't know paella, I thought you might be interested too.
You can make up your own paella from scratch, and if you have time and energy to do so, I think it's the best way (there are lots of recipes out there). However, to speed things up, you can also buy paella mixes from stores. I prefer this one, either large size or small size; the big one will feed 3-4 adults (or 2 hungry teenagers!), so I usually make three or four of them at once in a giant paella pan. (I use this huge family-size skillet; it makes enough that I've fed twelve people out of it, including seconds for those who wanted them. It's not a pan I use often, but when I need to cook for a lot of people, it's the one I reach for.)
When it comes to adding seafood, the can that comes with the paella mixes mentioned above is very tasty, but there's not enough of it. I usually add more seafood, which can include cuts of fish from a supermarket (cod or another white fish from the sea [not freshwater fish], pre-cooked, usually, then pulled apart and added to the paella); cans of any combination of smoked oysters, chopped clams, mussels, etc.: and (for a treat) a couple of cans of sprats. I usually at least double the amount of the seafood in the can(s) from the paella mix(es), and often triple it.
As for the cooking, it's dead easy with the paella mix; just follow the instructions on the box. It takes no more than half an hour or so to have it ready, or a bit longer if you're adding extra ingredients. (You might also decide to use chicken instead of fish, if you don't have enough seafood in your pantry and don't have time to buy it. I prefer to make chicken with pasta instead of rice for a big, cheesy dish, but that's just my personal taste.) There are many recipes to make the whole thing from scratch, which aren't difficult to follow. At any rate, if it's a difficult time such as a bereavement, a quick, easy-to-prepare dish that will make everybody feel a bit better is a very useful thing.
Peter
