Escape Ladder

Food Shortage Foraging

admin — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:51:06 +0000

America has enjoyed a surplus of bountiful foods. We’re used to large meal portions and food available at the snap of the finger. But what would happen if we endured a crisis such as a food shortage? What would happen if our economy slowly grinded to a halt, causing a rippling effect throughout the land, and inevitably affecting our food sources?

Every nation endures tough times, some more than others. Though America has been blessed more than she probably deserves, she is not invincible when it comes to tough times, especially when it comes to food production. All it takes is a few things to go wrong and the uncertainty of the times can spring panic upon the American people.

What would happen if there was a food shortage in the U.S.? How would you get by? How would you provide for your family? Would you be able to? These are tough questions that need serious answers.

With food shortages also comes high food prices. In the event that this would happen, an approach used not so much in the U.S. but in other countries is foraging for food. Foraging for food can vary from hunting and fishing to picking berries and mushrooms to gleaning fields after harvest. It takes effort but when in need of food, it is well worth it!

Often in the fall months, hundreds of pounds of black walnuts lay on the ground unused. Find a couple good trees and run over the walnuts with a vehicle to remove the outer husk (leaving just the shelled walnut). You can collect bushels of these at a time. Be sure to ask landowners or stick safely to public roads. Keep in mind that black walnuts are stronger than the English walnut in taste. So when collecting them, make sure to wear gloves to keep them from staining hands and clothing.

Pecans and other nuts can also be harvested in abundance. If you find a row of pecans where the owner doesn’t use all the nuts, you can easily collect 10 pounds of nuts in a half hour. At $2.99 per pound this isn’t small savings especially for those who love pecan pies. This is almost $60 for an hour’s work…few paid jobs offer that! (Again, make sure you ask the owner before you start picking!)

Blackberries and raspberries grow wild along fencerows in many areas, as does Rosa rugosa, touted as the best source of vitamin C rich rose hips. Many “weeds” have a use also. The stinging nettle gives an itchy and painful notice to anyone who touches or brushes against it but once dried or cooked can be a rich vitamin source for tea or greens.

Among those listed by “Wildman” Steve Brill, foraging expert, as edible wild plants include hackberry, wild apples, crabapples, plum, black birch, black cherry, black raspberry, black walnut, dandelions – all known as food. Less common but useful are chickweed, plantain, sow thistle, burdock, cattails, lambs quarters and Jewelweed.

The #1 biggest risk and therefore something to be absolutely SURE of is misidentification of a plant. This can be fatal. “When in doubt leave it out.” For example, chickweed is edible but can be confused with spotted purge, as both trail the ground with paired leaves, but different flowers. If there is a milky white sap it is NOT chickweed but the toxic look-alike.

Mushrooms are also misidentified and the results can be deadly. Morels are hollow on the inside, and sometimes thimble-caps or false morels are picked by accident. Checking thoroughly reveals these are not hollow all the way through when split lengthwise and even real edible morels should be cooked at least 15 minutes. Puffballs are edible if you have a true puffball. If it’s got a stem and gills when cut open with slimy layers or are hard and black inside then they are toxic varieties confused with puffballs.

If you’re interested in foraging, go with someone who knows how to identify what the plants are. This isn’t the place for experimenting. Nonetheless, with a little research and knowledge, foraging can provide a plethora of food gathering opportunities that may end up saving your life.

Guy McKinney edits the website: http://www.foodshortageusa.com/Articles.html

The website contains articles about food shortages and food crisis globally and in America.

Planning a Fire Escape With a Fire Escape Ladder

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:00:10 +0000

Fire safety is not something that can be half-baked. You cannot simply equip your place of business with all sorts of extinguishers and then not know how to use one. Installing smoke alarms would not be enough if you do not maintain these devices properly. It is not smart to hold trainings and drills among your employees and stop in the middle of the course because you have no budget for it anymore. It is the same thing with formulating a fire escape plan. When you do this, you need to do everything you can to finish it and ensure that everything is in the right place. You cannot just create a comprehensive plan and leave your employees guessing how they would get out of the premises when an emergency occurs.

Planning exit routes requires extensive work. For one, you need to ensure that you have all the devices you need to create one that is effective and feasible. For example, you would need to ensure that there is a fire escape ladder handy for people who would want to get out of the burning area from a window located on the second floor or any higher level. You should ensure that there are ladders that are ready to be used in case there would be people who would be trapped inside rooms that have windows in them.

Escape ladders come in two types. The first one is the fixed sturdy structure that is attached to the window at all times. The second one is the rope ladder, which is portable and is light enough to be transported anywhere. Aside from this, there should also be fire exit signs that would clearly mark the exit ways and exit doors. Exit doors should be equipped with panic bolts so that they can be easily accessed from the inside and yet cannot be opened from the outside. This can prevented unwanted entries and unauthorized use of this door.

When planning an escape route, it would also be a good move to consult a fire expert. It is also necessary to conduct drills afterwards to ensure that your staff and employees know their way out and they can easily get out if ever a real emergency occurs. Make the drill as real as possible by giving out circumstances such as if the exit door is blocked or the stairs are not available for use. This would help greatly in ensuring fire safety and protection in your business.

Planning emergency escape is one of the most important facets of fire safety and protection. It is a must to see to it that you have every tool and device necessary to formulate an effective and feasible escape. Fire escape ladder can be purchased in many online stores. Just make sure that you rely only on a respectable and trustworthy store that sells state-of-the-art and high quality firefighting devices and equipment. Go for a store that offers products that are manufactured according to British Standards and yet would offer you excellent deals that would enable you to save money.

Bennett Glover is a professional fire safety expert and consultant for commercial businesses to help promote fire safety and awareness in the UK area. He regularly writes articles to inform the general public about the safest ways of handling fires and how to prevent them in the first place. His knowledge and expertise has earned him many writing and speaking engagements. He enjoys teaching fire safety to students, business owners, and learning institutions to help save lives.

For more tips and information about fire escape ladder, please visit: fire exit signs.

Climbing the Ladder of Success

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:17:13 +0000

Climbing the ladder of success

Hurrying along fast and furiously

Though I have no idea where

It shall lead and in the end take me

Nevertheless I hurry along feverishly

No time for a meaningful conversation

My nose is now set to the grindstone

Forget being weary. No time to groan.

I work late night hours before going home

My family it seems I no longer even know

Yet my professional career is most dear

I don’t get much time off during the year

To go on vacation or elicit new inspiration

I’m ready to bleed as a workaholic indeed

I’m important and meet my company’s need

Never do I hesitate to work or do a good deed

My incessant restlessness my employment

Does silence, sedate, distract, and feed

Because after all, the American way is greed

We’ve got to go out, buy, sell, and acquire

Of consumerism, the people must never tire

For we are consumed by our fiery desires

Contentment we can’t possess, neither know

We are forever enslaved to the vain show

Comparing and competing with each other

Disregard considering ourselves equal

As if we were loving sisters and brothers

The exterior and outward has taken over

What we wear, drive, and where we live

Charitable contributions we don’t give

It’s me, myself, and I who I forever love

No time for spirituality, nor God above

Onward I march, press, push, and shove

Paying my bills, life has lost its thrill

I’ve forget as I boy what I dreamed of

Continually climbing up the ladder of success

Deceivingly, I look like I’m all put together

Yet I assuredly know I am one big mess

Look beyond that which I say and profess

Dumbfounded and leaning on the wrong building

I’ve climbed this ladder of reckless success

Only to discover it is an illusion without basis.

Paul Davis is a life purpose and love coach (professional & relational), worldwide minister, change master, and FL real estate agent.

Paul is the author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.

Paul’s compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served in many war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His Dream-Maker Inc. is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.

Paul’s Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Contact Paul to minister, speak at your event or for life coaching:

RevivingNations@yahoo.com, 407-284-1705.

http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com

[http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV]

2012 – How Will it End?

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:00:19 +0000

How will it end – Cosmic collision, global climate change, nuclear holocaust? When will it end – in billions or millions of years, in a handful of generations – or in only a few years? What makes us think there ever will be an end to the world as we know it? Maybe the world is eternal? Big questions that are right up there with the search for the meaning of life. Who knows? How can anyone know? Did our ancestors know? We certainly seem primed to know. I did a little survey of end-of-the-world predictions since the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center. There were a dozen listed for 2006 alone, including two that portended the second coming of Christ (June 6, December 17), one the Islamic Armageddon (August 22), two a nuclear war (September 8-9, September 12), one a collision with a comet (May 25), and one a great earthquake ( January 25).

Other recent prophecies predict positive events-global awakening, hyperspatial breakthrough, sudden evolution of Homo sapiens into non-corporeal beings, and even the return of alien caretakers to assist us-or events more negative in nature, asteroid collision, nuclear war, reversal of the earth’s magnetic field, world blackouts because of the oil crisis, return of the apostle Peter and the destruction of Rome, and, or course, the reappearance of alien caretakers bent on enslaving us.

The study of “last things” has a name of its own. It’s called eschatology (from the Greek word eschatos, meaning furthest in time). Eschatology divides sharply into two doctrines based on how time is understood. The mythic doctrine, widespread in many cultures, sees humanity immersed in a struggle between the forces of order and chaos. People derive meaning from the rituals they conduct to see the world through its impending destruction and the creation of a new world. In most versions, mythic time is cyclic. Destruction and renewal happen over and over again, endlessly. Historical eschatology, derived from Judeo-Christianity, is based on a linear understanding of time. The world will suffer singular destruction because of humanity’s violation of the laws of God, but existence in the eternal world to follow is possible provided we seek salvation and redemption before time’s end. The contemporary Christian version of what awaits us is heavily laden with apocalyptic overtones-the idea that God will intervene violently and suddenly at a preordained moment in time.

The mythic idea that world ages, marked by beginnings and endings of great calendrical cycles, are preordained in the stars belongs to both doctrines and it is widespread and deeply rooted in Western history. This idea has enjoyed a resurgence in American pop culture, especially since the revolutionary 1960s. It approaches a frenetic crescendo in recent prophecies about the impending end of the world in 2012, thought by many to emanate from ancient Maya wisdom. Some prophets say the end of the Maya Long Count cycle (one of many ways the ancient Maya reckoned time) on the winter solstice of that year will be attended either by an apocalyptic doomsday or by a sublime ascent to a higher consciousness. Whether doom or bliss awaits us all depends on which visionary you listen to.

For a more in-depth look on 2012 prophecies – are they real or not, see is2012real.org

Primitive Water Purification Tips

admin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 03:17:11 +0000

In this age of fertilizers, pesticides, and chemical waste, even the purest-looking mountain stream may be contaminated with dangerous chemicals that can harm your body and make you sick. Add in the traditional contaminants of bacteria, viruses, and animal wastes, and you will no doubt conclude that trying to drink water found in the wilderness without purification is not only unwise, but near suicidal.

Water purification methods can be either modern or primitive, and the basic rule to follow is that the more primitive a method, the more time and energy it will take. Because of this, it is always wise when traveling in the outdoors to carry some modern method of purification.

These methods can be in the form of either chemical purifiers, such as the time-tested iodine droplets added to a sample of water, or filters, which can screw onto the top of a water bottle and purify/filter a liter of water in five minutes.

Unfortunately, it is quite likely that you will find yourself in a situation where you have no option but to resort to primitive methods, which usually means boiling and filtration.

Let’s start with filtration, which you can actually do without if you need to. However, for muddy water it is a good idea. You can improvise a filter by taking the leg from a pair of trousers and tying off the leg of it. Pour the water in and let it drip out into a container below the leg. You can improve this filter by adding in charcoal, if you happen to have some.

Next, you need to boil your water. This is a bit trickier, because it requires a fire, and if you are not careful, you will end up burning your water container by placing it directly on the fire. The solution is to set a few rocks in the fire and allow it to heat them up, and then to place them in the container with your water.

But wait — what container? How are you going to get a water container in the middle of the wilderness? The answer is – not easily. If you are lucky, you can find a natural depression in a tree or a rock that form a basin. If you are not lucky, you will have to improvise. You can burn out a piece of a log, use an animal skin (be very careful when skinning the animal!) or you can fashion one out of tree bark.

Once you have a container, heat up your rocks, use green sticks to pick them up, and put them in the water container. If the rocks cool down, take them out and put in new ones. This is also a good method of improvised cooking. You can use it to make soups or stews.

So, while to a person who has no experience, it may seem impossible to secure your own safe water in the wilderness, it is actually not as hard as it might seem. However, the key to success in these techniques is practice. Practice now, and then when you are actually in trouble these techniques will come to you naturally.

Jay has been interested in family, finance and health issues for many years now. Please visit his latest website on how to choose the best Plastic Comb Binding Machine or Perfect Binding Machine for your home or office. The site offers reviews and pricing on many different types of binding machines.

A Woman’s Guide to Safely Using Self Defense Products

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:17:34 +0000

How to safely use pepper spray

Pepper spray is an aerosol that, when sprayed in someone’s eyes, causes several seconds or minutes of burning, blindness, and difficulty breathing. Many people consider pepper spray as the most non violent of all self defense weapons because it does not require force or cause any lasting damage. However, pepper spray users must still invest time in understanding how to safely use and carry this weapon.

Many types of pepper spray have a safety option that you can switch on when you are carrying the spray in a handbag or your pocket. If you are confronted with a situation that requires the use of pepper spray, undo the safety as you retrieve it and then hold it several inches away from your face. Aim it in the eyes of your attacker and spray it in a steady stream, moving back and forth in a fluid motion. Wait 1-2 seconds, spray a second time, and then flee. Make sure you have full control of the pepper spray at all times and hold it with both hands so your attacker cannot turn the spray against you.

How to safely use a stun gun

A stun gun is a device that will shock someone with a strong electric charge when directly applied to a person’s body. Although a stun gun is not as dangerous as the name suggests, it is important to take precautions when operating one. When you are ready to use a stun gun, make sure it is at least a foot away from your body when you turn it on, keeping your hand away from the probes.

When firing a stun gun, choose a vulnerable area on your attacker’s body like his shoulder, hips, or knees. Hold the weapon against the individual’s body for a second and then depress the trigger. Do not worry about the shock being transferred to you through your attacker’s body. If you are touching your attacker with any part of your body you will not be affected by the shock. To ensure your stun gun is always ready it is important that you test it from time to time to make sure that the charge is working properly.

How to safely use a taser

A taser is a device that deploys an electric barb from up to fifteen feet away from an assailant. The barb can penetrate clothing and deliver several timed pulses of electricity, which causes temporary neuromuscular incapacitation. Tasers are probably the most dangerous of all non-lethal self defense weapons because there have been instances of death or serious injury after frequent taser shocks.

To safely and effectively use a taser, practice measuring a distance of fifteen feet. When you are ready to fire the taser, keep your hand away from the front and hold the weapon in front of your body as you aim. Aim and fire at the center of your attacker’s body and once the electrodes are deployed, drop the taser and run to safety.

Tough Puppy Technology is a self defense company that is dedicated in helping people all over the United States by providing affordable self defense weapons and security products. Visit our website for more self defense products at http://toughpuppytech.com/

The Case For Food Storage

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:00:04 +0000

When gas prices skyrocketed, all of the airlines were affected except Southwest Airlines. Southwest had purchased approximately ten years worth of fuel in advance so the price hike didn’t have nearly the impact on their business. Imagine if you could have stored 6 months worth of gasoline for your car when fuel was still under $2 a gallon. While everyone else was downgrading cars, pinching pennies, and getting second jobs, you wouldn’t have felt a difference in your lifestyle at all.

I teach people a similar principle but in relation to food and water storage. Regardless of what the situation is, if food becomes scarce, we should all have some amount set aside to help us get through the rough time. There are several reasons why people really should look into building up a food storage program starting immediately.

Helping Your Budget

Aside from the obvious benefits of having food stockpiled when prices go up, you can also save a lot of money in the short term in the following ways: buy less pre-packaged foods by cooking more from scratch, only buy foods when they are deeply discounted, and avoid those last minute “emergencies” that cause you to buy full-price items at high-end stores.

Emergency Preparedness Planning

In natural disaster situations food storage can literally be a life saver. Long-term and shelf-stable foods can provide meals for your family even if you don’t have access to electricity. In most cases rescue workers should be able to reach you within 3-5 days, but in some emergencies people are without access to regular resources for several weeks or months.

Religious Reasons

There are several religions that counsel their members to work towards having some sort of emergency food stockpiled in their homes. Whether or not they outline the reasons why, many members choose to follow the counsel of their leaders. The Mormon church is one of the most outspoken about its guidelines relating to emergency preparedness and building a year supply of food. Church members are encouraged to also learn how to use the foods so they will be more useful in a true emergency.

As you can see, there are many reasons why someone might choose to start build up a supply of food in their home. It will definitely help your family to feel a little safer knowing that even in a worse case scenario there will always be food on the table.

For more great tips on planning, buying, and using your long term food storage visit me over at Food Storage Made Easy.

To help you figure out how much of each food item you should actually store, make sure to check out the Food Storage Calculator located on my blog. You simply input the number of adults and children in your family and it automatically gives you a report of how much to store. You then fill in how much you currently have on hand and it will calculate the amount you still need to buy.

10 Best How-To Books Ever Written

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:34:23 +0000

Somebody once said there are more book titles beginning with the words “how to” than with anything else. Perhaps that’s because we all want to learn to do things better.

I’ve spent hours combing library shelves for how-to titles. (I’ve also spent several minutes combing my hair, but that’s another story.)

What follows is a completely subjective list of outstanding books that teach us how to improve ourselves. Warning: Some of these titles do NOT begin with the words “how to.”

1. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie – written in 1936 – offers great tips on “six ways of making people like you,” “12 ways of winning people to your way of thinking,” and much, much more. It’s one of history’s greatest guides.

2. “How to Make Your Advertising Make Money” by researcher John Caples provides great advice for just about anybody, especially those looking for ideas to help them write better.

3. “Simplify Your Life” by Elaine St. James offers “100 ways to slow down and enjoy the things that really matter.”

4.”The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People” by David Niven, Ph.D. talks about the “traits, beliefs, and practices” successful people share.

5. “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom tells the true story of a dying professor who offers great lessons on living. It’s a wonderful book for any reader.

6.”Free Publicity” by Jeff Crilley. This “TV reporter shares the secrets of getting covered on the news.”

7. “Panati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things” by Charles Panati discusses the origin of hundreds of “items, expressions, and customs,” and offers fascinating facts.

8. “The Practical Guide to Practically Everything” by Peter Bernstein and Christopher Ma offers ideas and advice on many, many subjects.

9. “What Every American Should Know About American History” by Dr. Alan Axelrod and Charles Phillips discusses “200 events that shaped the nation.”

10.”Cracking the Network Code” by Dean Lindsay. This terrific book from Lindsay – a popular business speaker – offers ideas for “meeting, connecting, and developing long-term relationships with co-workers and others.”

Rix Quinn wrote the new book “Words That Stick,” a practical writing guide for people who hate to write. It’s available from your local bookstore, or http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580085768/qid/

Service Business Owners – To Attract Clients, Brag About Yourself on Your Website

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:17:07 +0000

Online service business owners face a unique challenge. They have to introduce themselves to prospective clients without a face-to-face meeting. Even when prospective clients hear about you through referrals, they will still come to your website before buying. They want to learn more about you.

Many service business owners and independent professionals are reluctant to showcase their skills and strengths. They are afraid of bragging and boasting. As a result, they forego an opportunity to connect with prospective clients in an important and meaningful way.

What you may not realize is that your clients want you to brag. They want to believe they’ve hired the best possible resource for their problems. They want to be convinced they’re getting their money’s worth. When they ask, “Are you good at what you do?” they get nervous when you hesitate. After all, who wants to hire a loser?

Your website offers you an excellent place demonstrate your strengths and stand out from the pack. You have an opportunity to “show, don’t tell,” so you sound confident and knowledgeable rather than boastful. Here are a few ways to accomplish this goal.

– Write up stories of your professional success. How have you helped your clients? What was your role in helping them meet challenges and solve their problems? Emphasize results rather than your own processes.

– Use numbers to report facts. For example you may be able to claim truthfully, “Eighty-two percent of people who take this course tell me they increase business by at least 30%.”

You can also refer to the number of clients you’ve worked with, years you’ve been in business or percentage increases in results.

– Relate your past interests and experience to the way you serve your clients. For instance, if you spent twenty years climbing the corporate ladder, you might be well suited to coaching clients who are trying to escape the corporate world or manage their careers more effectively,

– Collect testimonials. Your most convincing promotional copy gets written by others colleagues, customers, bosses, and occasionally friends. However, you probably will need to edit these testimonials to present yourself effectively. Often satisfied clients open their testimonials with, “Carl was an interesting person…”

– Use article marketing to communicate your expertise.

Articles are a good way to increase traffic. But they’re also extremely effective as a way to showcase your expertise. Readers will get a sense of what you know, as well as your enthusiasm for your work. Typically you can incorporate a few examples of how you worked.

And now I invite you to learn more about showcasing your expertise on your website. Visit Braggng101.com and download website marketing tips targeted specifically to independent professionals. From Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., the website marketing coach. Copy-Cat-Copywriting.com.

5 Reasons to Revamp Your Attic

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:51:09 +0000

Almost every home has an attic but shockingly many of us have never ventured into it and most of us forget we even have them. Stuffed to the rafters with forgotten junk, many homeowners are missing out on making the most of their loft space which can be revitalised to suit your family or business needs for next to nothings. The benefits of loft ladder installation or increasing your storage space are endless:

1. Increased storage facilities – You can stop rummaging for that treasured item hidden away in a mountain of cardboard boxes. With proper storage shelving you can fully optimise the space available in your attic and finally have everything you want in place.

2. Increase value of your property – The addition of a well-presented loft space can add a great deal of value to your home. By installing quality loft access you can show potential buyers the possibilities of utilising the loft space.

3. Add a Room – Whether it is an office or a play room for the kids, properly fitted floorboards can turn your loft into that extra room you desperately need.

4. Improved Safety – A secure ladder is essential when climbing up any height especially with children around. A reliable loft ladder installation retailer can ensure the loft floor is secure and that you purchase a quality ladder to suit your needs whether you want extra handles or support.

5. Insulation – A properly fitted and draft-proof attic door will ensure heat is kept in your home and does not escape through the roof which keeps heating costs down and prevents damp and poor air quality.

If you are looking to revamp your attic space you can find professional loft ladder installation and services for all your attic needs at Attic Access Group

Attic Access Group Ltd.