Terrorism the Survivable Threat, Part 5

The threat of terrorism, survivable or not, is a real and scary threat. Surviving actual terrorist attacks is up to us. We need to make sure we have a level head after an attack and not let it ruin our society and economy.

We need to make sure we’re living in an environment that is less prone to attack, and we need to make sure that we’re prepared to survive if something unthinkable happens.

Terrorist organizations around the world are moving their “troops” into countries they deem unworthy of surviving. Right now though, we can take comfort in knowing that while terrorist attacks are devastating, they’re not as frequent in the U.S. as it may seem. Since 9/11 the government has been working very hard to make sure we stay safe.


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Terrorism the Survivable Threat, Part 4

The survivable threat of terrorism on the large scale, 9/11, is going to be the scariest and deadliest kind. The terrorists will spend lots of time and money preparing for this and if it comes to fruition, will be devastating for the target.

To survive terrorism on a large scale, do the things that are already suggested for small and medium scale terrorism. The best way to survive a terrorism attack at a large scale is to be completely prepared. An emergency kit made of essential items that will be unavailable to the public is fundamental at a time like this.

Some important things to have in your home are: prescription medications, non-perishable foods, water, extra pet food, cash and/or travelers checks, first aid kit, bedding, warm-weather clothes (in cooler climate areas make sure there’s enough to keep the family warm), fire extinguisher, feminine supplies and waterproof matches in water tight container.

To help keep the mood light keep some family friendly games around, for a more comprehensive list click here.

Terrorism the Survivable Threat, Part 3

On a medium scale of terrorism, the subway bombing in London for example, the terrorists are targeting a larger group of people in order to instill a fear of travel. Survivable terrorism threats of this kind are more about preparedness then a reaction to an event.

Surviving something on this scale, though maybe not convenient is becoming more true. To prepare for something on this scale avoid living in large cities that will be a target. Also avoid living near government installations, power plants or important land marks. These places have a target on them, avoiding them is the easiest and best way for avoiding the attack.

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Terrorism the Survivable Threat, Part 2

The survivable threat of terrorism comes in three different levels that require different things for survival. The small scale terrorism, a bus bombing for instance, is of course going to be the easiest thing to survive. The point of bombing a bus is to scare the public from doing things in public places therefore people will stop shopping, banking and doing business which results in a collapse of an economy.

The way to survive this form of terrorism is to not rely on doing things in brick and mortar stores. Take advantage of online banking – where you can do almost everything online. There are thousands of stores online that will ship the products directly to your door. Don’t let the terrorists stop you from supporting the economy.

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Terrorism the Survivable Threat, Part 1

Over the last six years terrorism, the survivable threat, has been in the front of minds all over the world. Despite the fear that is engendered by the very word “terrorism”, the good news is that terrorism is survivable.

The point of terrorism is to scare; terrorists use tactics of different levels to kill a small group of people in order to scare a large group of people. Overall the best way to survive terrorism is to not give into the fear that they want to instill in you. Do not react the way the terrorists want you to.

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The Basics of Making Soap, Part 5

This soap can be used for all bathing, hair washing, dishwashing and clothes washing purposes. (It’s what our ancestors did). To dissolve and make very weak suds, try using a knife to shave off flakes or a cheese grater to grate some of the bar soap into the water. You may want to make a couple of different types of soap so that you are not using your softening body soap to wash the dishes or clothes.

Soap-making is also a skill that could be of trade value or useful in a barter situation. It’s possible that a neighbor who hunts or butchers hogs will provide the fat, while another neighbor may provide the lanolin. Then the one with the soap-making skill would actually make enough soap to provide for the three households.

The Basics of Making Soap, Part 4

This soap is not antiseptic. You can add some pine resin or horseradish root to the mixture to make it antiseptic. You can also scent it with wild roses or lavender. Too much alkali or lye will cause the soap to be drying and harsh to your skin.

If you happen to have sheep nearby, lanolin, a type of wax, can be gathered from their wool as shearing time by pressing the wool or boiling it. Cook or boil the raw lanolin to remove any impurities, then it can be added to the soap to help it be softening to the skin. Recently it has been found that lanolin also contains antibiotic properties, but use it sparingly because it also contains allergens that can be irritating to some people.

The Basics of Making Soap, Part 3

The mixture will turn opaque and somewhat brown or tan, and then gradually get lighter. The soap is done when a drop of the soap dripped on the surface of the mixture is supported. It should actually be the consistency of yoghurt or sour cream.

Pour liquid into mold, pie tins, cookie sheets or on strips of tree bark to cool. Once the soap has hardened, it can be cut using a warm knife into bars. If possible store the bars uncovered for a couple of weeks to harden.

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Basics of Making Soap, Part 2

Next you will need some type of alkali, either lye that you purchased for this purpose or create your own with wood ash. Collect the ash from your campfire or fireplace. Sift it to remove any pieces of charcoal or unburned wood, leaving a fine powder.

Wash the ash with water and then strain it (a tee shirt works great). Mix the ash/alkali water with the rendered fat in a pot over the fire until it reaches a boil. Lower the heat or move to the side of the fire and allow the liquid to simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the water has evaporated.

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Basics of Making Soap

Someday you may need to know the basics of making soap. There’s nothing that feels as good as clean skin and clothes after spending time in the woods. If you were to find yourself unable to run down to the local Piggly Wiggly for a bar of skin-softening soap or that wonderful foaming pump-action liquid gold, then knowing how to make soap could be a very handy skill.

First of all you are going to need some fat or vegetable oil. If you are hunting or raising livestock, be sure to save every little bit of fat when you butcher. Collect the fat and render it by cooking it down and skimming off the impurities that raise to the top. Let it cool and solidify.

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What do you think?

I've started a survey to get your thoughts about the possibility of an imminent attack on U.S. soil.

Yesterday the news was talking about bin Ladin again and how he's managed to elude the US and rebuild his network of terrorist followers. According to the news the threat level is even higher and those in the various think tanks believe that there is a definite danger.

That having been said, no real warning was given. People were not advised to make any kind of preparations, not even for food or water!

My advise to you? If the government thinks there might be danger of an attack, yet fails to tell you to prepare, then you'd better take it upon yourself to do whatever it takes to protect you and your family. Water and food are the two items which are necessary for survival. They are also the two easiest items to gather and store against a future need.

Visit Survival Homestead for more information about survival preparation.

A Gut Feeling?

Today the Director of Homeland Security said that he had a "gut feeling" that the United States may experience some kind of terrorist attack this summer. I also heard the word "nuclear" and "transportation". There was also some question about how much was really a certainty being disguised as a "gut feeling".

Whether you call it a "gut feeling", "intuition" or "paranoia" there are some people that are convinced that sooner or later there will be a nuclear incident in this country. Whether the incident would be limited to one place, or would be a well-planned, coordinated attack occuring in multiple locations at one time is just a matter of guess work.

However, given the propensity of the enemy to want the most "bang for their buck", even a seemingly localized incident could have far-reaching effects. For instance, the 9/11 attacks in New York, caused job layoffs in Texas (and elsewhere). The effects were not just limited to NYC.

If you haven't made any survival preparations, now would be a good time to see about preparing for the survival of your family. After all, if you are a good parent, chances are that you have a life-insurance policy that would help your family survive in the event of your death. Isn't it just as important that you do what you can to guarantee their survival in the event of a wide-spread terrorist attack?

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Who What How and Why

When confronted with the idea of disaster and emergency preparedness many (most) people prefer to simply ignore any suggestion that they should prepare. In an effort to help you not become more of a victim than necessary in the event of a local or wide-spread natural disaster or man-made terrorist event, we are going to answer a few basic questions.

Who should prepare? What should be prepared? How do I prepare? Why should I prepare?

The "why" has already been answered: to avoid being a victim. However, it actually boils down to a very basic: survival. "Survival of the fittest" is more than just an evolutionary idea, it applies to any event that threatens lives.

Hurricane Katrina was a perfect example of why one should be prepared. Those who weren't prepared ended up crowded into an arena filled with other victims. There they were subject to being victimized even further by violence and rape and even murder.

Why should you prepare? How about to ensure that your family doesn't suffer for your arrogance. Are you so arrogant that you think that bad things, hurricanes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks only happen to other people? Get over it! Sooner or later the "other people" become you, and suddenly you are a victim and a refugee, as are your spouse and children.

The people you won't see standing in line to get food and drinking water are those who took the time and made the effort to store a few weeks of food and water. They're hunkered down waiting for the tragedy to pass, while you are wishing you'd done things differently. Regret is not easily swallowed.

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