Seasons4 - Member - The Prepared

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 10, 2023

Bigwig, here is an example of the fish hook removal tool. It starts with the gripper mouth open. You position it where you want and squeeze the handle to shut the gripper. Your hand is a distance away from the object you’re gripping. https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Remover-Extractor-Freshwater-Saltwater/dp/B08P6JM9JT/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3SPLJ8XCMGQKI&keywords=fish+hook+remover+tool&qid=1683720342&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=fish+hook+re%2Csporting%2C125&sr=1-6

Reply to: News for the week 2023-05-01 Posted May 8, 2023

A quick note to the support team — I recently noticed that the “Follow” button has disappeared on Forum posts. I’m wondering if that’s intentional or an oversight? Thanks to all the volunteers for all you do.

Reply to: Fogotten Items for BOB Posted May 8, 2023

Bigwig, my favorite oddball implement is a gripper used to remove a fish hook from the mouth of a fish. It grips all sorts of things that are stuck in small distant places. I’ve most recently used it to remove debris from the curve in a rain gutter downspout. I keep a small bag of hand tools (including a small pry bar) in the car. The hook remover is in the bag. I could imagine myself using it to retrieve something that fell under a car seat or in other hard to reach place. I don’t try to fit everything into a single BOB. I need to keep things more light weight, so I have multiple bags in the house ready to go if needed. The car is also pre-packed. I’m not going to be walking long distances under any reasonable scenario. It does mean there’s some duplication (one pry bar in the car, a larger one in the house, for example).

Reply to: Old hand saw restoration guide Posted March 15, 2023

Noah, wow. The transformation is amazing! I’m just starting to acquire some hand tools. I appreciate the way you put together this guide. Thank you.

Reply to: Prepper Chat Night – Friday March 17 Posted March 4, 2023

I enjoyed chat night again last night. Thanks!

Reply to: 3 Billion less birds in North America since 1970! Posted February 2, 2023

Redneck, it’s great that you feed birds in winter. That’s what I do, as well. It’s a good supplement for them. I placed a small brush pile near my feeder so they have cover. I have lots of squirrels, so I use mostly safflower seeds, which the squirrels don’t seem to like as much. I hope you’re surviving the ice storms.

Reply to: CERT Training Posted January 14, 2023

Typo — I meant emergency communications, not emergency response

Reply to: CERT Training Posted January 14, 2023

Overcaffeinated, I went through basic CERT in a state different from where I’m living now. Some of the instructors were amateur radio operators and encouraged CERT graduates to get their amateur radio license. From there, people were encouraged to get into amateur radio emergency response organizations. I’d call it the CERT “catch and release” model, with no expectation that the CERT basic graduates would be a cohesive group after the class. The CERT organizers taught a class each year. People with a strong interest in preparedness were encouraged to continue learning and bonding with others in a different venue.

Reply to: How to donate to The Prepared? and Happy New Year!!! Posted January 10, 2023

Sharon, “designated grownup” made me smile. Happy new year!

Reply to: Prepper Chat Night – Friday March 17 Posted January 6, 2023

PNWSarah, I plan to be there. See you all later!

Reply to: How do you decide that bad just went to worse? Posted December 6, 2022

Steve, I will throw in my two cents. The “Rule of Law” is always a bit precarious and always being negotiated (as in the legal system and with respect to staffing levels and priorities of local agencies). I will take reasonable precautions to protect myself and my belongings (locks, lights, alarms, knowing my neighbors, having redundant ways to communicate, etc.). I have the attitude that I may have to “self rescue” instead of waiting for others to come to my aid in an emergency. However, I am also emotionally prepared to walk away from my belongings and start over, if that’s the way things go. Things are just things, even the things that I need. We all have to die sometime. I have my final arrangements in order. If I had grown up hunting or had been in the military, I’d own a firearm. But I didn’t. Given my age and situation, I’m not going to start owning one now. I have enough other other things to learn how to do and how to practice and how to maintain in good working order. I suppose that makes me an easier target than some others, but that’s OK. I have situational awareness, de-escalation skills, and ability to improvise. I imagine that people seeking money or goods to sell for drugs may be a greater threat over my lifetime rather than other dangers. An even greater danger is lack of staffing and medical treatment options given the continuing pandemic. Oh, and adverse effects from prolonged electrical grid outages. I guess the line between the end of the “Rule of Law” and the beginning of “every person for themself” doesn’t seem like framing of choices that I can relate to. I’m not trying to be cute here. I think we should be “for” ourselves within the “Rule of Law,” and I think we should remember the “Rule of Law” when defending ourselves, our loved ones, and our belongings. I liked that Twilight Zone episode, by the way.

Reply to: Teach me about life insurance Posted November 28, 2022

Hi, Robert. I worked at the home office of a life insurance company for six years in the 1980’s. I took classes for a professional certification back then. I feel comfortable that I understand the basics, but I’ve been out of the field for a long time. I have term life insurance (no cash value if you were to surrender it). It has had a very low, fixed premium for 19 years. After year 20, the premiums skyrocket. The theory behind the pricing was that when people presumably had dependents, the premium would be low, and when they were at a different place in life, they could afford the premium increase. I am seriously considering trying to cut the face value of the policy in half since I don’t have dependents. I still want to have money to cover my final expenses, and I’d like to leave some for beneficiaries. I need to investigate, but I doubt that I could “convert” the term policy to another type (whole life) for an affordable premium. I wouldn’t have to prove my insurability if I convert it. Basics of life insurance — The younger you are when you take it out, the less expensive it will be. I wonder how the life insurance actuaries are viewing premiums in the age of covid? Folks are dying younger. I wonder how that’s going to be reflected in premiums. Best wishes to you.

Reply to: Winnerwell Nomad camp stove Posted November 27, 2022

JB in AZ, packed in the one of the chimney pipes was the spark arrestor for the top of the chimney. The wire bristle cleaner for the small size stove is out of stock at the moment. I managed to find something that I think will work at my local hardware store in the grilling section.

Reply to: Winnerwell Nomad camp stove Posted November 26, 2022

It’s so sad that happened. One thing I wonder about is how to safely store fire-making supplies. Should the flame source be stored separate from fire starter supplies, for example?

Reply to: Winnerwell Nomad camp stove Posted November 25, 2022

Thanks, Gideon. I appreciate your encouragement. I still need to get the brush for cleaning soot and creosote from the chimney.

Reply to: Winnerwell Nomad camp stove Posted November 25, 2022

Thank you, Hikermor. I lived for years in California and was sensitized to wildfire risk. If I have a choice, I won’t build one. I appreciate your encouragement to keep learning.

Reply to: Winnerwell Nomad camp stove Posted November 25, 2022

Hi, Ostrich Eggs. It’s quick to set up. It took maybe 10 minutes the first time, plus setting up the guy lines. It’s only 14 pounds. I decided to order the leg extensions so it can be farther off the ground. I’m such a beginner with fires that it was awkward to check how things were going given that it’s low to the ground. It comes in small, medium, and large. Most people would probably want medium or large, but I wanted low weight.

Reply to: What was the catalyst that compelled you to begin prepping? Posted November 20, 2022

Hi, Steve. Living for many years in earthquake country, for a few years in hurricane country, and now in the Midwest as we head into winter, I’d say weather-related power outages and risk of fire from infrastructure damage got me into prepping. Along the way, I took a CERT class and became involved in amateur radio and its emergency communications aspect. In the early 1990’s, I studied for two years, part time after work, to earn a certificate in toxic and hazardous materials management. I was introduced to risk assessment and learned that human beings are often poor at it — overestimating some risks and underestimating other risks. In various settings, I saw how “under stress, we regress.” I understood that it actually doesn’t take too much stress for people to start losing good judgement and making mistakes having cascading effects. The covid pandemic and what I would call the politicization of public health and the reluctance of people to protect those who are medically vulnerable showed me what I can and can’t expect of government agencies and of my family, friends, and neighbors under present conditions. So if I started being oriented toward preparedness some 40 years ago, each decade since then has reinforced the importance of it.

Reply to: A prepper’s perspective on gratitude this November Posted November 13, 2022

Welcome, Debby. You make good points about gratitude and perspective. Yesterday I lost electrical power to four outlets in my house, outlets used for my coffee pot, computer printer, and TV/internet. (I will need an electrician to sort it out.) At first I felt aggravated. Then I felt gratitude that other outlets / other circuits worked and that I could do without for a while until things are fixed. One of my core beliefs is that many things are true at the same time. Wisdom consists of which of many truths to act on (or not act on) in the moment. Thanks for your post.

Reply to: 60 Minutes segment this Sunday Nov 6 about TP and how sane prepping has gone mainstream! Posted November 3, 2022

This is terrific. Thank you for all the time you spent getting to this point!

Anticipatory grief

Winnerwell Nomad camp stove

Anticipatory grief

Winnerwell Nomad camp stove

Volunteer fire departments

Electrical surge protection for older homes

No empty roller bags / suitcases

Reflections on “Move: The Forces Uprooting Us” by Parag Khanna

U.S. government debt ceiling / technical default

The Everyday Grommet (humor)

Storing 1 lb. propane cylinders

More than one cell phone?