Wednesday, December 30, 2015

And So It Begins – California Law Allowing Seizure of Guns without Notice Begins Jan. 1

Gun control legislation going into effect in California next week will allow authorities to seize a person’s weapons for 21 days if a judge determines there is potential for violence. Proposed in the wake of a deadly May 2014 shooting rampage by Elliot Rodger, the bill provides family members with a means of having an

Source: And So It Begins – California Law Allowing Seizure of Guns without Notice Begins Jan. 1 by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, December 29, 2015

All Of Our Best Prepper Fitness Posts

All the prepping in the world won’t help you if you aren’t fit enough to do what needs to be done in a survival situation. Here you’ll find articles that will show you how to get ready physically. Take on a Runner’s Diet to Stay Fit for Anything If you’re keeping up on your fitness

Source: All Of Our Best Prepper Fitness Posts by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Our Top Green Living Posts

These articles will teach you ways to take advantage of natural resources like rain and sun and put them to use both now and when you can’t rely on public utilities. Solar Ovens For Preppers – Tips & Tricks You Should Know Right now solar oven use is booming. They are becoming more and more

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All of Our Top Self Defense Posts

You don’t need much of an imagination to realize that for as much effort and resources you’ve poured into your prepping, there will be others who failed to plan and want to take advantage of your hard work. Learn how to protect yourself, your family and your home. How To Use A Tactical Pen For

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Monday, December 28, 2015

Collection of Our Best Survival Tactics

If you ever need to rely on your training and the prepping you’ve done to survive, you’ll be glad to have the survival knowledge you’ll find here. 7 Ways Plastic Bottles Can Save Your Life If you ever find yourself in a survival situation, there are several basics that you will need in order to

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Just Getting Started With Prepping? Read These Articles First

If you’re new to prepping and aren’t sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. Check out these articles that will take you from newbie to ready in no time. Prepper Virgin? Here’s Some Great Ways to Get Started Having a preparedness plan is becoming more and more mainstream these days and you can already

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Saturday, December 26, 2015

The Best Emergency Chargers For Your Gadgets

Now that Christmas is over, chances are good that you or someone you know has a shiny new electronic device. It’s hard to overstate the value of a working cell phone in a survival situation. From emergency communication and geo-location to working as a flashlight or acting as electronic library for volumes of survival information.

Source: The Best Emergency Chargers For Your Gadgets by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Mail Order Cell Phone Spying

They have names like Stingray, Windjammer, and Radiance, price tags that range in the low six figures and are appearing on an increasing number of police department wish lists. Like other former military technology, these tech gadgets are finding their way into communities across the United States and into the hands of local police departments.

Source: Mail Order Cell Phone Spying by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Friday, December 11, 2015

150 Cellphones Bought At Walmart After Dozens Of Propane Tanks Go Missing In Missouri

About 150 cellphones bought in Missouri at six different Walmarts has prompted an investigation by the FBI. The cellphones were bought by three men, believed to be from the Middle East, which alerted the FBI, according to The Blaze. The large number of cellphones were bought at six different stores. A large portion of the

Source: 150 Cellphones Bought At Walmart After Dozens Of Propane Tanks Go Missing In Missouri by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Company Creates Anti-Surveillance Gadgets To Level The Playing Field

When riot police descended on protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, last year sporting assault rifles and armored vehicles, the images sparked an awareness of the military technologies and tactics authorities have adopted over the past decade. Many of these tools have quietly become regular components of day-to-day policing. And just as with social networks and cell

Source: Company Creates Anti-Surveillance Gadgets To Level The Playing Field by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Thursday, December 10, 2015

Top 20 Posts for Preppers in 2015

It’s hard to believe that 2015 is almost over. There were a lot of great posts out there to help both seasoned preppers and newbies become more ready and self-reliant. Based upon the number of times articles were shared, we’ve put together a list of the top 20 posts for preppers from 2015. I hope

Source: Top 20 Posts for Preppers in 2015 by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Newly Identified Antibiotic-Resistant Superbug Called Our Most Urgent Public Health Threat

A particularly dangerous superbug, dubbed the “phantom menace” by scientists, is on the rise in the United States, according to a report Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This superbug’s strains belong to the family of bacteria known as CRE, which are difficult to treat because they are often resistant to most antibiotics.

Source: Newly Identified Antibiotic-Resistant Superbug Called Our Most Urgent Public Health Threat by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Friday, December 4, 2015

Are You Ready For The Next Mass Shooting?

It’s terrible to even think about the next mass shooting, isn’t it? I’m not trying to politicize this issue – the politicians are already doing a good job of that. I also don’t mean any disrespect to the families of those who have lost loved ones in the San Bernardino shootings, or any of the

Source: Are You Ready For The Next Mass Shooting? by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

ISIS in America – How ISIS is Recruiting and Radicalizing Americans To Join Them

Today, the George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security released a report entitled ISIS in America: From Retweets to Raqqa which provides an incredibly detailed analysis of the ISIS threat within our borders. From the way that they use social media to recruit and indoctrinate new converts to they way that the newly

Source: ISIS in America – How ISIS is Recruiting and Radicalizing Americans To Join Them by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Karambit Knife Self Defense – Neutralize An Attacker With A Karambit

Karambit Knife The karambit knife or simply karambit is a short-bladed weapon that originated in Indonesia. Modeled after the claw of the tiger, it consists of a short curved handle approximately the length of a man’s palm and a curved blade that varies from a few inches to up to six inches long. Practitioners of

Source: Karambit Knife Self Defense – Neutralize An Attacker With A Karambit by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Indiana Governor Mike Pence Balks At ACLU Lawsuit Over His Decision To Bar Syrian Refugee Resettlement In Indiana

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Tuesday said he stands by his decision to suspend the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state, a day after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against him for the order. The lawsuit, filed Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and ACLU national on behalf of

Source: Indiana Governor Mike Pence Balks At ACLU Lawsuit Over His Decision To Bar Syrian Refugee Resettlement In Indiana by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Thursday, November 19, 2015

Washington state governor declares state of emergency after storm kills 3, leaves thousands without power

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Wednesday in Washington state after days of rain and a powerful storm Tuesday killed three people, cut power to more than 350,000 residents and flooded rivers. Learn the secret to never worrying how long you’ll be without power when the next storm hits The winds on Tuesday

Source: Washington state governor declares state of emergency after storm kills 3, leaves thousands without power by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Suspected architect of Paris attacks is dead

The suspected ringleader of the Paris attacks was killed Wednesday in a massive predawn raid by French police commandos, two senior European intelligence officials said, after investigators followed leads that the fugitive militant was holed up north of the French capital and could be plotting another wave of violence. More than 100 police officers and

Source: Suspected architect of Paris attacks is dead by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Monday, November 16, 2015

Win An ESEE 6P-B Survival Knife

Just in time for the holidays, ReadyTribe is giving you a chance to win a ESEE Knives 6PB Black Powder Coated Blade Model 6 Plain Edge Fixed Blade Knife with Black Linen Micarta Handles with Black Sheath We’re excited about this giveaway and think you will be too. This knife is a workhorse and will

Source: Win An ESEE 6P-B Survival Knife by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Company Develops New Rifle Straight Out of Blade Runner – Near 100% Kill Rate – Gun Control & Animal Rights Activists Are Furious

With what appears to be straight out of a science fiction movie, a company called TrackingPoint has developed what they call the “Precision Guided Firearm” or PGF. Available in three high-caliber semi-automatic rifle models (5.56, 7.62 & .300) and one bolt action rifle model (.338), the PGF boasts accuracy of up to three-quarters of a mile on a target traveling at up to twenty miles per hour.

The PGF uses the same tracking and fire control technology in fighter planes and the company’s website states that shooters of any skill can now shoot more accurately than the best shooters that ever lived. Here is a video of a 12 year old girl hitting a target at 1,000 yards with the PGF.

By combining an optical tagging system with a trigger control, the PGF allows the shooter to tag the desired impact point, then while squeezing the trigger, the firing control mechanism that contains three gyroscopes and three accelerometers fires at the precise moment that the target is centered in the crosshairs virtually eliminating operator error. tracking-illustration-large-reskin

Additionally, the system constantly maintains a sighted-in rifle with the built-in Barrel Reference System, meaning that the weapon is always sighted-in.

This dynamic firing mechanism allows for jaw-dropping shots made while both the shooter and the target are moving, and with the use of a wearable technology similar to Google Glass called ReconJet and using an application they developed called ShotGlass, shooters can make shots while remaining safely behind some form of cover.

The military applications for this weapon system are obvious, and the US Army has already purchased 16 of the weapons. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has completed its own tests of the FGS and restricted export of the weapon – banning sales to unfriendly nations.

aroundthebend

Starting at nearly $7,500 and topping out at over $24k for the longest range model, the PGF will be out of reach for most, but as production increases, prices will likely go down and make this video game-style weapon more within reach for the average hunter, gun enthusiast, or prepper. This video shows how the system works and what it can do. Almost makes it too easy, right?

Source: Company Develops New Rifle Straight Out of Blade Runner – Near 100% Kill Rate – Gun Control & Animal Rights Activists Are Furious by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Friday, October 16, 2015

Friday Freebies – Free Prepper Resources

We’re back this week with another edition of free prepper resources. These ebooks are available for free download from Amazon as of this writing. Go grab them!

Wilderness and Travel Medicine: A Complete Wilderness Medicine and Travel Medicine Handbook (Survival, Escape and Evasion)Wilderness and Travel Medicine: A Complete Wilderness Medicine and Travel Medicine Handbook (Survival, Escape and Evasion)

A Minimalist Approach to Wilderness Medicine, Travel Medicine, Survival Medicine and Home Remedies

Whether it is first aid, wilderness medicine, travel medicine, survival medicine or home remedies, different scenarios call for different treatments, and Wilderness and Travel Medicine: : A Complete Wilderness Medicine and Travel Medicine Handbook will prepare you for all of them.

Note: Although this book has a minimalist approach, there is A LOT of information covering a VERY wide range of ailments.

 

Prepper's Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Prepper's Handbook for Long-Term Survival and Self-Sufficient Living (Practical Preppers)Prepper’s Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Prepper’s Handbook for Long-Term Survival and Self-Sufficient Living (Practical Preppers)

Would you be able to survive for any length of time without modern amenities? If so, how would you do it? What tools and skills are required and how do you put it all together into a working survival plan? From Hollywood dramatizations to real-life catastrophes that seem to occur on a daily basis, there is no shortage of potential emergencies that could leave society in shambles.

Maybe it’s a blizzard that shuts down roads, supply routes and electricity for a week. Or maybe zombies really do take over the world – leaving a select few humans to rebuild society without modern amenities (just kidding – well, then again…). Whether or not you believe that “World War Z” could happen isn’t the point of this book. Rather, I want to make sure you are prepared for any potential threat should it occur.

 

Wilderness. Alone In The Wild. Outdoor Survival Skills: (survival guide, wilderness survival for dummies, finding your way without map or compass, navigation ... pantry, prepper book, Prepping Book 1)Wilderness. Alone In The Wild. Outdoor Survival Skills: (survival guide, wilderness survival for dummies, finding your way without map or compass, navigation … pantry, prepper book, Prepping Book 1)

The wilderness is something many people take for granted nowadays. However, at any time, you may find yourself in the wilderness, unable to call for help. What do you need to do in order to survive? How can you find your way out? What should you do if animals attack? Can you use the sky as a map? How do you know what you can or cannot eat?

 

Mason Jar Prepper's Pantry: How to Use Mason Jars to Store Meals and Prepare for Emergency Situations (Practical Preppers)Mason Jar Prepper’s Pantry: How to Use Mason Jars to Store Meals and Prepare for Emergency Situations (Practical Preppers)

Are you already an experienced prepper wanting to increase your knowledge and skill set? Or maybe you have no previous prepping experience but have become concerned with world events to the point that you want to take any steps possible to secure the safety of your family in an uncertain future?
Either way, this book is for you. We are going to discuss one of the most important supplies that you probably haven’t given a whole lot of thought to in the past. Mason jars. Yup, those glass jars we often associate with canning and other preservation techniques. Believe it or not, mason jars have tons of uses in the context of survival and the goal of this book is to cover all of them — well, at least as many as possible.

Whether you want to preserve food for long periods of time, need a unique way to store necessary items or any of the other uses described in the pages to follow, my hope is that you learn just how useful mason jars are when preparing for the worst.

Survival Box Set: 79 Lessons to Live an Independent and Stress Free Life off the Grid + 15 Outstanding House Ideas. 33+ Items You Will Need to Stay Alive ... preppers survival guide, survival kits)Survival Box Set: 79 Lessons to Live an Independent and Stress Free Life off the Grid + 15 Outstanding House Ideas. 33+ Items You Will Need to Stay Alive … preppers survival guide, survival kits)

BOOK #1: Off Grid Living: 23 Techniques With Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Live Off-the-Grid and Survive in the Wild

BOOK #2: The SHTF Stockpile: 33 Items You Will Need to Stay Alive When Disaster Strikes

BOOK #3: The SHTF Stockpile: Items Every Bug Out Bag Needs for Survival in the Wild

BOOK #4: Living off the Grid: 15 Outstanding House Ideas For Living off the Grid

BOOK #5: Off Grid Living: 23 Tips to Re-Assemble Your Life and Disappear Living off The Grid

BOOK #6: Off Grid Living: 33 Lessons on How to Live an Independent and Stress Free Life off the Grid

Concealed Carry for Beginners: Fundamentals for Every Citizen Carrying a Concealed Weapon for Self-Defense (Prepper's Self Defense)Concealed Carry for Beginners: Fundamentals for Every Citizen Carrying a Concealed Weapon for Self-Defense (Prepper’s Self Defense)

It is every person’s duty and obligation to protect the lives of his family and himself. With mass shootings becoming more commonplace in the media, and high risk of danger in the most populated cities across the nation, having the ability to defend yourself is a no-brainer—but understand how to defend yourself legally can be difficult.

In this book, I seek to set the record straight on why carrying a gun on your body at all times isn’t just a right, but a necessity. I’ll show you how concealed carry laws have saved lives, and what lessons can be drawn from those examples.

Acquiring a permit to carry a concealed weapon varies from state to state—I’ll show you the most common obstacles you’ll find in acquiring your permit, as well as take a look at the most forgiving (and most strict) states where carrying a firearm is concerned.

Survival SOS Pantry: Useful Ideas for Keeping Food and Surviving in Immensely Hot Climates (survival guide, survival tips, bug out bag) Survival SOS Pantry: Useful Ideas for Keeping Food and Surviving in Immensely Hot Climates (survival guide, survival tips, bug out bag)

Survival SOS Pantry is a book designed to bring the reader new and innovative solutions to the problems of keeping food and sustaining life under extreme heat and the most difficult of circumstances. While there are many books on survival, there are very few such as this one wherein the problems are very specific, and unique to certain geographical influences.

 

The Death Of Money: The Prepper's Guide To Surviving Economic Collapse, The Loss Of Paper Assets And How To Prepare When Money Is Worthless (Barter,Dollar, ... Fiat, Grid) (SHTF Survival Book 2) The Death Of Money: The Prepper’s Guide To Surviving Economic Collapse, The Loss Of Paper Assets And How To Prepare When Money Is Worthless (Barter,Dollar, … Fiat, Grid) (SHTF Survival Book 2)

Surviving an economic collapse requires that you be prepared. This small guide will enable you to formulate a plan, allowing you to be proactive instead of reactive to a catastrophic financial crisis. In four chapters, you will gain invaluable knowledge and insight into what it takes to ensure you and your family have the tools necessary to survive the devastating impact of the loss of paper assets. Discover the skills you need to withstand the perils of a vulnerable financial system.

 

 

 

Source: Friday Freebies – Free Prepper Resources by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Thursday, October 8, 2015

How To Use A Tactical Pen For Self Defense

Why do you need a tactical pen? While nearly everything can be a weapon of some kind, it’s reassuring to have the security of knowing that you’re carrying a tactical pen that can also save your life in a self defense situation. I like dual purpose items like these pens because they’re easy to carry and since you need a pen nearly every day, they’re easy to remember to bring with you.  If you’ve ever wondered how effective a weapon this would be if you needed to defend yourself, the folks at Uzi Tactical Pens have created this video to demonstrate some techniques you can use.

Breaking Safety Glass With A Tactical Pen

The top of the tactical pen that is being used in the video has a carbide steel tip which allows you to break safety glass if you or someone else is trapped in a vehicle. Aim for the corner of the window that has the safety glass decal on the inside to break the glass safely.

breaking safety glass with a tactical pen

Using the DNA collector on a tactical pen

Many tactical pens have a crown-shaped end piece that can be used to scrape at an assailant skin and collect flesh in the indentation, which may be useful for identifying the assailant later on. Indentations left by the pen in a wood block can be seen in this image.

DNA Catcher

Striking an assailant with a tactical pen

The primary self-defense benefit of the tactical pen is it’s use as a striking or slashing weapon. The narrator shows three potential slashing motions that you could use against an attacker.

three possible slashing motions with a tactical pen

Using a tactical pen against an assailant who has a weapon

The following sequence of images shows how you can effectively combat an attacker who has a knife by immobilizing the assailant’s hand that is holding the knife and then striking with the tactical pen until the attacker is subdued.

Blocking the knife-holding hand

Blocking the knife-holding hand

securing the assailant's arm

Immobilizing the attacker’s arm

slashing with the tactical pen

slashing with the tactical pen




The video demonstrates the Uzi brand of pen and they have eight different models to choose from. You can check out those options as well as some other excellent ones here. It’s a pretty small price to pay for the peace of mind that a tactical pen can offer to you or a family member.


And, here’s the full-length video. Be sure to share it with a family member or loved one. This information could save a life.


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Source: How To Use A Tactical Pen For Self Defense by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Monday, October 5, 2015

Cool DIY Video: Free Gasoline from Wood, Plastic or Trash

We’ve all probably thought about finding ways to get gasoline more cheaply. For me, it was the last time I filled up my car. But what is your plan for fuel when SHTF? Does your bug-out location have an underground fuel tank to meet your needs long-term? Probably not, right?

Of course, depending upon the type of disaster, many roads may be impassible, yet having gasoline or other fuels on hand for running a generator, a chain saw or other equipment would be part of a well thought out plan. But what if there is no gasoline available? In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, New York and New Jersey were still rationing gasoline for weeks afterward. What if I told you that you could generate an ongoing free supply of gasoline from wood or other organic materials or even from plastic?

The process is called gasification and involves applying high heat to a fuel source while minimizing the oxygen available and a clean burning fuel gas called syngas or synthetic gas is generated (think natural gas or propane rather than gasoline). In this case, a useful byproduct of the gasification process is fuel oil that can be substituted for gasoline.

Incredibly, there have been several times through history that vehicles have operated using wood burning gasification process burning the syngas. Wood-powered vehicles were used heavily during World War II when fuel rationing was common and are still manufactured to this day in German, China and Korea. Among the benefits of “wood gas” are that it provides a nearly limitless supply of fuel and the fact that it burns more efficiently than petroleum fuel. Additionally, both the gas (syngas) that is generated and the liquid fuel can be used to power internal combustion engines.

In this video, Mr. Teslonian demonstrates how to create bio fuel through a gasification process whereby the fuel (wood in this case) is converted into high grade gasoline using inexpensive items that you could easily assemble to generate your own free gasoline. While the one demonstrated is a stationary gasification unit, you could also convert your vehicle to run on syngas using a vehicle-mounted unit. He also has a DIY video series on how to do that. If you’d like to learn more about wood gasification and how to generate syngas, you can find more information as well as free plans here.

Source: Cool DIY Video: Free Gasoline from Wood, Plastic or Trash by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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How To Select A Tactical Backpack

If you’ve spent much time thinking about preparedness, you know that the bag you choose for bugging out or getting home is the first thing that you must consider. In this article, we’ll go over the primary considerations for choosing a tactical backpack so that you can rest comfortably knowing that your choice meets your needs.

Material

Tactical backpacks are usually made from either nylon or polyester. While both are synthetic fibers, nylon is stronger. However, polyester is also strong and may be suitable for your purposes depending upon how the backpack has been constructed. One way that the strength of the material is improved is through rip-stop weaving. This type of weaving creates small diamond shapes in the finished fabric and makes the material resistant to tearing. Additionally, the denier, or thickness of the material is also an indicator of strength, signified by a capital “D.” So, a 600D poly pack is not as strong as a 1000D poly pack. However, denier cannot be compared from one material to another, i.e. a 1000D poly pack vs a 600D nylon one.

This 30L capacity tactical backpack has plenty of internal compartments for your bug-out gear

This 30L capacity tactical backpack has plenty of internal compartments for your bug-out gear

Capacity

The capacity of backpacks is measured in volume. A 30 liter backpack will likely meet your needs if you’re packing a 72-hour bug-out bag. If you have specialized equipment needs or are packing a bag intended for yourself and other family members, you may want a larger tactical backpack.

Design

The design of the backpack is an important consideration. Do you want it to blend in as might be the case for a get home bag, or are you more interested in functionality? Some tactical bags look like the same ones used by our soldiers while could be confused for a college student’s backpack. Whether the bag loads from the top or the back, whether it is short or tall, has an internal frame or is soft are also design considerations when choosing that can affect your comfort and the bag’s overall usability.

Straps

The straps on a bag largely determine how heavy a pack you can comfortably haul. Look for padded shoulder straps, a chest strap to help stabilize the load, as well as hip straps to help to distribute some of the weight to your hips and off your shoulders. Your upper back and neck will thank you.

Waterproofing

Both polyester and nylon will absorb water, so waterproofing these backpacks is usually accomplished by lining the packs with some other waterproof material. If you will be traveling in areas where your bag could get wet, be sure to choose a bag that is designated as waterproof. A corollary to this ensuring that the pack has drainage holes to allow any water that gets into the pack to drain back out.

tactical backpack with covered zippers

This tactical backpack has covered zippers to improve water resistance and MOLLE strapping to allow the attachment of additional items to the pack as needed

Fasteners

Most tactical backpacks use a combination of zippers (which are sometimes designed with covers for added water protection) and plastic buckles. Some may also use Velcro on internal compartments. Choosing backpacks with highly rated zippers is important if you plan on stuffing your pack very full.

MOLLE

M.O.L.L.E. is an acronym borrowed from the United States Military and stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. In most cases, it looks like horizontal straps sown on the outside of a pack such as the image to the left which allow addition items to be secured by attaching them to the loops that are created by the spacing of stitching on the straps or webbing. If you anticipate needing additional carrying capacity and adding items to the outside of your pack, you’ll want to make sure that you tactical backpack has MOLLE straps.

pack with hydration bladderHydration

Some tactical bags have a designated water holding compartment designed to hold a specialized plastic or vinyl pouch for hauling water. These bags often have a hole in the compartment to allow a drinking tube to extend from the compartment for ease of use. If you will be traveling in arid conditions, this might be a useful feature.

tactical pack with removable pouchesFeatures inside the tactical backpack

Some packs feature padded internal pockets that can provide added protection to fragile contents such as cell phones or other electronic devices. Some also have breakaway or tear-out pouches that can be used for a first aid kit or other items that might be needed in a hurry. Concealed compartments can hold items that you want to keep hidden such as money, identification or valuable documents.

Now that you are armed with this information, you should be better able to choose the tactical backpack that’s right for you. Once you purchase your bag, you should check out this post about what to put inside of it.

Source: How To Select A Tactical Backpack by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Nine Herbs That Can Naturally Reduce Blood Pressure

One in three Americans have high blood pressure and in the event of a disaster, heart medication is likely to be scarce. That’s a problem, because during a disaster, your stress level will be much higher, making people dependent upon heart medication more susceptible to a heart attack. While you could and should stockpile prescription medications to the extent that you’re able, it’s always good to have a back up plan.

Here are nine herbs and plans that can naturally reduce blood pressure when your prescription stash is gone.  #WorldHeartDay

A controlled study compared hibiscus tea to ACE inhibitors (a common high blood pressure medication) and found that the tea out-performed those medications. Basil has a number of wonderful properties including anti-viral, anti-bacterial as well as lowering your blood pressure. Cardamom is a spice used heavily in middle eastern and Indian cooking. Similar to cinnamon, this seed lowers blood pressure. red sage Cinnamon helps to lower your blood pressure as well as regulate your blood sugar. Hawthorn has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Use an extract or a tea of this powerhouse to lower your blood pressure. Cat's Claw is a vining plant that acts on the calcium channels in your cells to reduce blood pressure. Make a tea out of the leaves and flowers. Known for its relaxing fragrance, it's no surprise that lavender helps reduce blood pressure. In addition to the fragrance, lavender leaves and flowers can be used in cooking. With more than 20 anti-inflammatory compounds, celery seed is a heavy-hitter when it comes to battling high blood pressure naturally.

Source: Nine Herbs That Can Naturally Reduce Blood Pressure by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



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Friday, September 18, 2015

Home Remedies for a Toothache – You’re Doing It Wrong

We’ve all had a toothache at one point or another, but it isn’t always easy to get into the dentist to get it taken care of. I wrote this post to help you in those times when it is impossible or impractical to get to a dentist. Hopefully, after reading these home remedies for toothaches, you’ll be armed with the knowledge to minimize your discomfort and speed up your healing.

What this post is not – this won’t be another tired laundry list of 21 home remedies for a toothache. Unfortunately, these shallow kinds of posts tell you what you could do, but not what you should do and in what order, what things you should do at the same time and which ones will effectively cancel each other out. Unlike other posts I’ve seen, the advice I’m going to give you is using common things you have around the house.

Curing a toothache at home requires a well-thought out plan of attack. It also helps for you to understand what mechanism the “remedy” is working on so that you can make substitutions in a pinch. Make sense? Before we get started, let’s get the disclaimer out of the way. I’m not a doctor or dentist. The advice in this article isn’t a substitute for professional medical care and you shouldn’t use it as a reason to avoid going to the dentist. It is only meant to help if you can’t get into the dentist right away.

2409_ToothFirst, let’s cover what happens when you have a toothache. A severe toothache is caused by an infection (almost always bacterial) of the gums and/or root(s) of a tooth. Side effects of the infection, besides pain, can include swelling and inflammation of the area. The swelling and inflammation are both the cause of the pain and your body’s natural response to try to fight the infection. As the tissue swells, it pinches nerves in the area, causing you to feel pain. One of the more challenging aspects of getting rid of a toothache is that most, if not all of the infection will be below the surface of the skin, making surface treatments relatively ineffective for killing the bacteria outright. Our goal here is to reduce the pain and help our own immune system to beat the infection.

Ways to help your body fight the infection

Change your eating habits while you have a toothache – sugar and foods containing a large amount of refined carbohydrates have an inflammatory effect on the body. This can weaken your immune system and make it harder for your body to naturally fight the infection. It can also make your toothache worse by increasing the inflammation in the infected area. Refrain from sugary food and drink as well as refined carbohydrates while you have a toothache.

11186886436_f889590fc3_oAltering the pH – microbes actually have a fairly limited range of pH that they thrive in. Tipping the balance in either direction (more acidic or more basic) can make the environment less favorable for them and give your immune system a chance to get the upper hand on the toothache.

To alter the pH in your mouth, you can pour a glass of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and swish it around in your mouth for 30-60 seconds. After an hour passes, dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in eight ounces of water and do the same thing. Alternate like this during waking hours until the pain subsides.

Using anti-microbial foods

Several recommended toothache remedies have antimicrobial properties, but because the infection is below the skin surface, they won’t do a whole lot to cure the infection.

GarlicJust like the antibiotics that your doctor prescribes, there are several natural food items that have antimicrobial properties. The best toothache remedy that you may have seen is probably garlic. I’ve seen some posts recommend placing chopped garlic on the site of the toothache, but this is minimally effective for the reason that I just mentioned. A better way to enlist this bacteria fighting powerhouse is to create a cocktail of freshly chopped garlic, V-8 or tomato juice, the juice of a lemon, and a dash of cayenne pepper. I use this drink anytime I feel a cold coming on but it works on toothaches as well. In addition to the antimicrobial power of the garlic, the vitamin C in the tomato and lemon juice and the cayenne pepper provides a double boost to your immune system.

Drink this 3-4 times per day until you get rid of the toothache.

Reduce the pain and swelling

Because the pain of a toothache is caused by swelling, a quick way to reduce pain is to reduce swelling. An ice pack can be applied to the affected area to bring the swelling down. Try alternating with heat and cold. Alternately, swishing with salt water made from a teaspoon of table salt dissolved in eight ounces of water will also work.

Aspirine_macro_shotIf you have them available, some over-the-counter pain medications also work to reduce swelling/inflammation. These include aspirin and acetaminophen. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label. Any swelling reducing techniques can and should be used in conjunction with the other techniques recommended.

Some recommended treatments numb the nerves in the area, tricking your body into thinking that the pain is gone. Examples of this approach are applying a paste of salt and pepper or ground cloves to the area. This paste can be made by mixing a half-teaspoon of any food-grade oil with enough salt and pepper or ground cloves to form a thick paste. Then apply the paste to the affected area. Another technique to numb the area is dipping your finger in distilled alcohol such as whiskey, rum, vodka or bourbon and then rubbing it on the affected area. These numbing techniques can also be used in conjunction with the above approaches until the pain subsides.

Hopefully you can see how each of these home remedies work together to get rid of a toothache. Each works on a different mechanism of the infection and when taken together, create a very powerful and natural toothache remedy. Do you have a favorite home remedy for toothaches that I didn’t mention? Post it below in the comments!

Source: Home Remedies for a Toothache – You’re Doing It Wrong by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



from Ready Tribe » Mark Taylor http://ift.tt/1W92PLh
via ReadyTribe.com

Friday Freebies – Homesteading Edition – Free Prepper Resources To Grab

Based upon the positive response to last Friday’s post, I’ll be continuing to highlight some free resources for preppers that you may not have thought of. As always, remember the free kindle book promotions are only good for one to three days, so grab them for free while you can.

It’s hard to think of prepping without thinking about longer term self-reliance and being able to live a little bit like a pioneer. Here are some resources to get you started.

Free Homesteading Books

Gardening: BOX SET 6 IN 1 Discover The Complete Extensive Guide On The Best Gardening Techniques And Benefits #2 (Gardening, Vertical Gardening , Gardening For Beginners)

 Gardening: BOX SET 6 IN 1 Discover The Complete Extensive Guide On The Best Gardening Techniques And Benefits #2 (Gardening, Vertical Gardening , Gardening For Beginners)Here’s what you get:

*** BONUS! : FREE Natural Remedies Report Included !! ***

Gardening BOX SET 6 IN 1 is your Complete Extensive Guide On The Best Gardening Techniques And Benefits

BOOK #1 Have you ever wanted to try your hand at gardening? If so, then this is the book for you. Sometimes, when you don’t have a lot of space, it makes it difficult to find out how you can use your space wisely and the most efficiently.

BOOK #2 Decorating your yard and landscape is under wording, and will bring you pleasure for years and years afterward. Coming up with a design that makes you happy is a great way to make sure that you love your home and enjoy every minute to the fullest.

BOOK #3 This is a beginner’s guide to organic farming and how to go about it. Organic farming is simple, effective, and tasty as well. I wrote this book because I know that at first I was skeptical about it.

BOOK #4 Greenhouse gardening. Its type of gardening that you can do all year around, and it’s something that many are interested in. You need to have a lot of discipline in order to do this, but it’s possible.

BOOK #5 You can grow fruit indoors, but it’s a bit hard for some. However, this book will make that dream of being able to, a reality.

BOOK #6 This book will introduce the reader to the wonderful world of organic micro gardening, its benefits, and some of the practical and simple things that can be done to start a garden.

MINI FARMING + COMPANION GARDENING! 2 IN 1 BOOK BUNDLE: START YOUR OWN MINI FARM AND USE COMPANION PLANTS (Homesteader, Organic Gardening)

MINI FARMING + COMPANION GARDENING! 2 IN 1 BOOK BUNDLE: START YOUR OWN MINI FARM AND USE COMPANION PLANTS (Homesteader, Organic Gardening)Book 1 offers a stepping stone into creating your own sustainable mini farm, showing you different options, and various methods to incorporate into your new lifestyle. Growing fruits and vegetables, raising chickens or quail and preserving the bounty you harvest are all covered in this book. It is easy to read, with links to further information and can be finished in one day’s commute into the city. Even if you have only a quarter acre of land to with which to work, you too can have all the benefits of a mini farm.

Book 2 does an excellent job of outlining the different organizational principles behind companion gardening. This particular aspect is helpful in illuminating how seasoned gardeners can modify their gardening techniques so as to improve their efficiency. The organizational principles behind companion gardening include intercropping, and sequential planting. Two simple principles that acknowledge the different properties of plants and their varied maturation processes.

Mason Jar Can and Preserve Box Set: Can and Preserve Your Food Plus a Few Recipes to Try (Homesteading & Off the Grid)

Mason Jar Can and Preserve Box Set: Can and Preserve Your Food Plus a Few Recipes to Try (Homesteading & Off the Grid)Easy Way to Can and Preserve: Simple Canning and Preserving Process for Your Food

Have you ever wondered how do the canned and preserved food you usually see or consume in the grocery stores get there? Have you ever thought of how to make one yourself? Here is how, inside this book, you will learn how to can and preserve your own food with the right instruction, successful methods and easily understood processes.

Mason Jar Meals: 15 Quick, Easy and Delicious Recipes for Meals and Desserts

We are all increasingly busy, and we have less and less time for preparing meals. We still want to eat healthy food that is also tasty, but given our schedules, there simply is no time, anymore. But what if I told you that there was a way to make meals feel fun and festive, while still being quick, easy, healthy and, of course, delicious?

The answer is Mason Jar Meals. Yes, you heard right, Mason jars. Maybe you’d never thought of trying it before or maybe you were just looking for good recipes. Either way, Mason jars are IN right now, and they have so many uses, you wouldn’t believe it. One of the best is to serve meals in them, which is something you can learn in this book.

This book was written for the people who lack the proper time to make regular home-cooked meals and need something quick, easy to make, accessible and portable, but still healthy, nutritious and tasty. The recipes featured in this book will cover all of those needs and more, as they include a variety (as many as 15!) of recipes for both meals and desserts. You no longer have to worry about what to pack for lunch!

Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Beekeeping: From Finding Bees to Harvesting Honey (Homesteading & Backyard Farming)

Beginner's Guide to Backyard Beekeeping: From Finding Bees to Harvesting Honey (Homesteading & Backyard Farming)Have you ever seen a bee in action? It’s pretty amazing to watch and it’s something that you can actually be a part of. Keeping bees yourself can actually help you contribute to the world around you because of everything that bees do for the world. Even though bees can do a lot themselves they still need a bit of help with the way the world (and nature) is changing. If you raise bees it can also help you make a little extra money or pick up a hobby, whatever you’re interested in most.

So take a look at this book to find out more about beekeeping. It’s actually not as difficult as you might think. This book is going to talk about everything you need to find bees, raise them and take care of them throughout the time you want to work with them. You’ll also be able to learn more about making a little money with your bees.

Inside You Will Learn:

• How to Set Up Your Bee Hives
• What You Need to Keep Bees
• What Kind of Bees You Need
• How to Care for Your Bees
• What to Do With The Honey
• And Much More

You’ll be amazed just how much you can really do with bees and just how great they’re going to be. You just need to look at this book to find out what you really need to know and get the best for your bees.

JeBouffe Home Canning Step by Step Guide (second edition) Revised and Expanded

JeBouffe Home Canning Step by Step Guide (second edition) Revised and ExpandedThis guide is intended to provide you with the essential information to make your first small jars in a safe and enjoyable way. It will guide you through all stages from preparation to storage of your products.

You will discover the principles of conservation for different types of food, the benefits of home canning, the recommended methods as well as the ones to avoid.

Then you will learn the two proper methods of treatment: the boiling water bath and the pressure canning methods. You will find a list of essential equipment and the detailed steps for a successful canning experience.

Finally you will gain some hands on experience with our easy and delicious recipes.

Backyard Chickens for Beginners: Simple Guide to Choosing Coops, Raising and Feeding Your Chickens (Homesteading & Backyard Farming)

Backyard Chickens for Beginners: Simple Guide to Choosing Coops, Raising and Feeding Your Chickens (Homesteading & Backyard Farming)These days everyone want to control what they eat and one of the easiest is to grow your own chickens for meat and eggs. But outside of someone in 4H or Future Farmers of America, you probably have no clue how to do this.

In this book you will learn:

• How to plan out your site
• How to get a proper henhouse
• How to set up an area for the chickens to walk around
• How to keep these areas clean
• Why you need multiple chickens bought at the same time
• How to properly butcher a chicken
• Simple recipes for chicken

Chickens, Ducks and Turkeys: A Frugal and Natural Approach to Raising Poultry in Your Backyard (Backyard Farming & Homesteading)

Chickens, Ducks and Turkeys: A Frugal and Natural Approach to Raising Poultry in Your Backyard (Backyard Farming & Homesteading)Do you want access to your own guaranteed suply of farm fresh eggs? Perhaps you are looking for a supply of meat or an easy, friendly pet for your young children. Chickens and other poultry meet all these needs and more making them amongst the most versatile of all farmyard animals.

Because they are so self sufficient and need very little space to grow healthily many people, even in the city, are starting to keep chickens in their backyard.

Inside You Will Learn:

• Why poultry are the ideal pet for you;
• How to raise poultry in small spaces;
• How to choose a management method for your poultry;
• What equipment you need to keep your poultry;
• How to keep your poultry secure;
• How to choose the right breed for you;
• How to decide whether or not you need your own rooster;
• Whether to hatch your own or buy baby chicks;
• Coping when the babies get home;
• How to care for your flock as they grow;
• How to care for your poultry;
• How to collect and clean eggs;
• And much, much more

Beginning Homesteading: Your Path to a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle (Prepper’s Survival Gardening & Pantry Stockpile)

Beginning Homesteading: Your Path to a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle (Prepper's Survival Gardening & Pantry Stockpile)Homesteading is a lifestyle choice. It is where we look at ourselves and finally say “I am going to stand on my own two feet and live the life I choose to live.” In today’s modern society we rely on others way too much. We rely on people to give us food, shelter, jobs and everything else we feel that we are entitled to.

The problem with this way of thinking is that we have lost our way and as a result our society is in the trouble it is in today. We have sat back way too long waiting for others to solve our problems for us. Well the day has come for us to stand on our own two feet and take responsibility for our own actions. In this book you will learn what it is to be a homesteader. You will learn tips, tricks and techniques that you can use to become more self-reliant in your day to day activities.

At the end of this book you will have the foundation you need in order to take the next steps in order to become a homesteader or embrace the principals of the homesteader lifestyle.

Straw Bale Gardening: Simple Step by Step Guide to Successful Gardening without Any Digging (Backyard Farming and Homesteading)

Straw Bale Gardening: Simple Step by Step Guide to Successful Gardening without Any Digging (Backyard Farming and Homesteading)If you are someone who loves to garden, who loves to be outside and enjoying the beautiful summer, and who loves to taste the fruits of their labor at the end of it all but you do not like all of the work and the back pain that comes with a traditional garden, straw bale gardening might be the best solution for you. It is easy and does not cause all of the strain that you are used to with gardening while still giving you amazing produce at the end of the season. Anyone can do it and it is so easy and great that once you give it a try, you will wonder how you didn’t do it years ago.

County Ag Extension Offices

If you’re new to farming/homesteading, you may not have thought about your county agricultural extension office. They provide a great resource to the beginning and seasoned farmer alike. Here’s a place where you can find your nearest extension office.  From instructional publications, short courses on all things agricultural, and having an expert on hand to answer questions, there’s lots of free info here. They can also be a great resource for low cost items too. Check them out.

Craigslist Free Items

I’m constantly amazed at what can be found for free on Craigslist. For the homesteader/prepper my quick perusal of the free section of my local Craigslist today returned several listings of dry firewood, fill dirt, mulch, large thick sheets of glass (greenhouse or cold-frame project?), ducks, lumber, a chicken coop, fencing, a camper shell, an irrigation system, plastic pots, and chicken wire. And that’s just on the first page of results.

Here’s a pro-tip. If you’re looking for something in particular, you can set up a Google Alert to notify you when it gets posted to Craigslist. Go to http://ift.tt/hspf9M. In the search box, type the item that you’re searching for along with the Google search operator “site:Craigslist.org” like this:

google alerts for craigslistThis search will send you an alert for every time a chicken coop is posted to craigslist.org. You can narrow the results by using only your local Craigslist subdomain, such as seattle.craigslist.org. If you live in an area that has several Craigslist versions nearby, you may want to create an alert for each city.

This works for any website, so if your city uses a public Facebook buy/sell/swap page or some other domain, just substitute the website after the “site:” search operator as needed.

Garage Sales – Late In The Day

This is one of my favorites and really a good tactic for getting lots of things for free or low cost. Wait until near the end of the advertised time for a garage sale. By this time, the sellers are worn out and ready to be rid of their stuff. Ask them if they’d be willing to give items away or offer them a discounted rate for multiple items. Sellers are ready to make deals toward the end of the day. This works for flea markets/swap meets too.

Hopefully, this has given you some great free resources to unleash your inner homesteader. Are there any of your favorite sources that I missed? Post them in the comments.

Source: Friday Freebies – Homesteading Edition – Free Prepper Resources To Grab by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



from Ready Tribe » Mark Taylor http://ift.tt/1inqU27
via ReadyTribe.com

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Building The Ultimate Get Home Bag – Get Home Bag Contents You Must Have

Why you need a get home bag - commuting on the 405Do you need a get home bag? As preppers, we often think of preparing for bugging out. Luckily, there are a lot of resources out there on building a bug-out bag for when SHTF. You might think, “I’ve got my bug-out bag, I’m covered.” The only problem is that a well stocked bug-out bag is probably impractical to use as your get home bag since it is intended to get you through a longer time frame in a survival situation.

Just like the name implies, a Get Home Bag (GHB) is meant to see you through on your trip back home, most likely from work.  Because of this, it needs to be light and inconspicuous enough to blend in whether you’re driving a Hummer or sharing a bus seat. According to the Census Bureau, the average American spends 25 minutes per day commuting to work. That’s about one year of your life over the course of your career. Additionally, the average American spends 90,000 hours at work or another 10 years. Seems like a decent enough chunk of your life to be prepared for, doesn’t it?

Like many things in prepping, knowing where to start can be daunting. Luckily, TheUrbanPrepper has you covered. If you haven’t subscribed to his Youtube channel yet, it’s worth your time. In a very thorough two-part video series, The Urban Prepper walks you through his gear, including all of his get home bag contents. What I really like about his pack is how well organized it is and how well he economizes the available space.

Get Home Bag Video 1

Download the complete list of get home bag contents

Get Home Bag Video 2

Hopefully, these videos have given you the motivation to put together a GHB for yourself. It’s worth your time and effort to get your get home bag ready. Here are those lists one more time.

Download the complete list of get home bag contents

Source: Building The Ultimate Get Home Bag – Get Home Bag Contents You Must Have by Mark Taylor via Ready Tribe - Don't Just Survive, Thrive!.



from Ready Tribe » Mark Taylor http://ift.tt/1MkWkTG
via ReadyTribe.com