Link Round Up: Random Stuff Edition

Here's a bunch of links that don't quite fit into the Daily Insight link list:

• Lifehacker 'How I Work' series (I'm fascinated by how other people use and increase their productivity)
• Everplans (what to do before and after you die)
• Popurls (where I get my morning dose of news)
• AllTop Survival (CNI is now listed in this news aggregator)
• RIP Zig Ziglar (he was one of the greats in the productivity/motivation industry)
• This guy walked (literally) around the world. Wow.

10 Safety Tips for Turkey Day

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving for those of us in the US.  It used to be a harvest festival, now the festivities center around football, a parade, and food.  For those of you participating, here's ten safety tips to help make the holiday happier:

1. If you are deep frying a turkey in a non-commercial deep fryer, BE CAREFUL!  Those fryers are dangerous and can be a fire hazard (not to mention a serious burn hazard).
2. If you are having guests to your home for the holiday, lock up anything that may be too tempting to resist (whether the person is three years old or 30). This includes firearms, prescription medications, money, etc.
3. If you are participating in the Black Friday sales (which curiously begins on Thanksgiving Thursday) be careful in the crowd.  People are crazy these days and will think nothing of trampling you to save a few dollars on a TV or video game.
4. Reduce the amount of alcohol served.  Domestic violence calls shoot up on the holidays due mostly to the copious amount of alcohol served.  Alcohol makes people crazy, crazy people can be unpredictable and dangerous.
5. Keep an eye on the kids.  When your focus is on cooking, watching football, and chatting with your guests, kids can be overlooked (and they love it when this happens as it means they can get away with a lot more because no one is watching).  So watch them.
6. The holidays can also bring out the worst in those who suffer from depression or PTSD.  Keep these folks in mind, let them know you care about them, but also give them their space and don't "force" them to be festive.
7. Put your pets away.  I know, to some people it sounds like I am saying lock your children in their room for the holiday, but when there are a lot of new people around and a lot of activity, it can make pets stressed.  Some may be better off in a quiet room.  This also keeps them from being underfoot in the kitchen and away from curious children that they may not be comfortable around.
8. Be prepared for a medical emergency.  During the holiday you may have elderly guests and children running around as well as a hefty amount of cooking going on.  All of this can increase the likelihood of  an illness or accident so know how to do CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver, have a first aid kit, know basic first aid (like how to stop bleeding), and call 911 if you have a life-threatening emergency.
9. If you are traveling for the holiday, take care.  Drive early, don't drink and drive, don't speed just to get to your destination a bit faster, etc.
10. After your guests leave, do a safety check even if you don't intend to clean up right away.  Make sure candles and smoking material have been extinguished, make sure all windows and doors are locked (a guest may have opened a window for some air and forgot to close it), toss out the alcoholic drinks if you have kids in your home, etc.

50 Items to Stockpile Before the Next Winter Storm

It's only mid November so it is a pretty good bet that there will be a few more big winter storms before spring rolls around.  Instead of waiting until the newscasters start telling you to hunker down for the next major weather emergency before running out to the store to stock up, how about starting with this week's shopping trip to begin stockpiling items that you will set aside for use in an emergency?  Here's 50 items you should buy ASAP (and don't forget to put them aside in your garage or under a bed so they don't get used up in the normal course of living).

1. Toilet paper (get one of those big 24 roll packs).
2. Gasoline (three or four 5-gallon cans of gas if you can safely store it, like in a well ventilated out building in a cans made for gas storage).
3. Diapers and formula (if you have infants, babies, or in the case of diapers, elderly family members at home).
4. Bottled water (five cases per person).
5. Plywood and nails (if you live in an area where you need to board up your windows during a storm).
6. Firewood (if you have a fireplace or wood stove).
7. Bleach (the unscented kind for water purification).
8. Camp stove and lots of fuel for your camp stove.
9. Matches.
10. Candles.
11. Blankets and sleeping bags.
12. Warm clothing (long underwear, socks, boots, jackets, gloves, hats, etc).
13. Chocolate and candy.
14. Powdered milk.
15. Quick cook/no cook food (MREs, canned meat, canned soup, breakfast cereal, energy bars, etc).
16. Snack food: crackers, peanut butter, jelly, dried fruit, jerky, nuts, etc.
17. Instant drinks (instant coffee, hot chocolate, tea, etc).
18. Firearms and lots of ammo.
19. A really well stocked first aid kit.
20. Spray paint (I thought the sign in New York spray painted on a piece of plywood warning looters that they would be shot was particularly effective).
21. Rope.
22. Tarps and sheet plastic of varying sizes.
23. Flashlights (at least one per family member).
24. Rechargable batteries.
25. A solar battery charger.
26. Spare non-rechargable batteries.
27. AC/DC converter for your car.
28. Car cell phone charger.
29. Bicycles.
30. Large pots (for boiling water over a fire on on your camp stove).
31. Buckets and food-grade water containers.
32. Outdoor solar yard lights (can be brought in at night to provide light in your home).
33. Chemical hand warmers, hot water bottles.
34. Paper plates, paper towels, plastic silverware.
35. Handiwipes and waterless hand sanitizer.
36. Garbage bags and ziploc bags.
37. Books, games, other non-electric entertainment items.
38. 50' heavy duty electric extension cords.
39. Duct tape.
40. Spare important items: glasses, hearing aid batteries, prescription medication, oxygen tanks, etc.
41. Indoor propane or kerosene heater and lots of spare fuel.
42. Work gloves and tools.
43. Fire extinguishers.
44. Cleaning gear: dust masks, rubber boots/hip waders, rubber gloves, protective clothing, etc.
45. HAM radio/2-way radios.
46. Kitchen/cooking items: non-electric can opener, aluminum foil, spices, etc.
47. Hand crank/solar radio.
48. Vitamins.
49. Siphon/hand pump.
50. Shovel.

Spy Week

It's Spy Week over at Lifehacker so head over here and check out a long list of interesting/useful articles (check the right sidebar as well).

This Week in Preparedness

Have you...

• revamped your BOB for winter?  You don't want to evacuate and end up with a bag full of summer clothes to wear from your BOB.
• made sure you have an alternate source of heat for your home?  It usually isn't if but when a winter storm will knock your power out.
• checked out the Goodwill and other thrift stores for winter gear?  When your kids are growing out of clothes faster than you can buy them, thrift stores are a great place to buy gently used hats, gloves, coats, scarves, etc. to get the kids ready for outdoor winter activities.
• winterized your home?  Doing a few simple things like adding insulation around doors and windows, wrapping your pipes to avoid freezing, and throwing some extra insulation into the attic can make a big difference in your heating bills.
• considered cutting your own Christmas tree this year?  Many state agencies (BLM, Department of Forestry, DNR, etc) will soon make Christmas tree cutting permits available to those who are interested, usually for a small fee.
• decided to participate in some outdoor winter activities this year?  Snowshoeing, cross country skiing, down hill skiing/snowboarding, winter camping...all of these are good exercise, fun family activities, and will give you some real-world cold weather survival experience.

How to Stay Warm When the Power Goes Out

It's been a long, cold two weeks for some folks on Long Island.  Besides living in a disaster zone, they haven't had power for two weeks and while it isn't such a big problem when you decide to go without heat for an extended period of time for say, a hunting trip or an extended backpacking trip, when you are forced by circumstance to endure such a hardship, there aren't enough negative adjectives to describe the misery people can feel when it is as cold inside their house as it is outside.  Here's some ways to keep warm when the power goes out:

• Obviously having a wood stove (best) or fireplace (distant second) in your home is your best option.  A wood stove can keep at least one room of your home toasty warm and you can usually cook and heat water on top of it as well.  Having a good supply of firewood is also advisable.
• I keep a kerosene heater with extra kerosene on hand as one of my alternative heat sources.  You will want to make sure the room you use this heater in is ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.  
• If you can heat water (on top of your wood stove, outside on your camp stove, or if you have a gas hot water tank) a hot bath or shower will warm you up in a jiffy.
• Layers of clothing can help to keep you warm.  Yes, you may feel like the Michelin Man but having multiple layers of clothing (instead of one thick layer) will help you retain body heat.
• Add all of the other goodies you would as if you were going skiing: hat, neck warmer, ear muffs, gloves, heavy socks, insulated boots, etc.  Note that sleeping with thick socks and a hat on can keep you warm and toasty at night.
• A generator can be a good option if you have the fuel for it.  I am guessing that fuel became an issue a few days into the event since 1) most people don't think a power outage will last very long, and 2) most people also don't usually store enough fuel to keep their generator running for weeks on end.
• Sometimes one side of the street will have power and the other won't.  In this case a good relationship with your neighbor who has power plus a long extension cord plus a space heater can do wonders.
• Bring on the blankets.  Probably the oldest idea in heating without external assistance is to wrap up in a blanket...or two...or three.  This is an excellent reason to invest in a 0 degree down sleeping bag.
• Sleep together.  Body heat generated by three or four bodies is better than body heat generated by one body.  There's a reason you see five or six people cuddled up together to sleep on the TV show 'Survivor'--it's warmer that way.
• Consider a hot water bottle or hot bricks.  This was common before modern heating was invented.  Heat water and put it in a hot water bottle or heat bricks/stones and wrap them in burlap then hold these items next to you under your blankets (I put them on my feet) and you will become instantly warm.  Note in a survival situation, peeing in a bottle then holding the bottle next to you is a tried and true survival trick--98.6 degrees can be cuddly warm when you are freezing.
• Chemical hand warmers are also nice.  Expensive, but nice.  These little packets generate instant heat but like hot water bottles and hot bricks, you will want to wrap the warmer in cloth and not stick it right next to your skin.
• Go somewhere that there is heat.  One reason the mall and the library and community cold weather shelters fill up on freezing days is that the homeless tend to go where it is warm.  If you live close enough to go to a place that has power and central heating (mall, library, coffee shop, etc) then do so. Even being warm all day can make freezing nights bearable.
• If you have the option (read: money) and the will to leave the area and stay at a hotel until the power comes back on (or even just sending the family while you stay to guard the house) that may be a best option (especially if you have small children or the elderly living in your home).   
• Make one small room of your home the "warm room".  Seal off the doors and windows of this room and live in only this room until the power comes back on.  With everyone in one room covered in warm clothes and blankets the temperature in the room will rise.
• Use candles to light up your warm room as these will also give off heat (be careful--candles are a big fire hazard).
• Work with the sun to heat your home.  Open window blinds in the morning to let the sun in and close the blinds (preferably heavy drapes) when the sun goes down to keep the cold air out.
• Break out the camp stove and keep the family in warm beverages--this can help warm your body from the inside out.
• Eat and drink more than usual since your body will burn more calories when it is cold than when it is at ambient temperatures.  Also, fatty foods are a good thing in this situation.
• Exercise.  Do some jumping jacks or other exercises to generate more body heat. 

And a couple of warnings:  know the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.  If someone is suffering from these symptoms, get them medical attention ASAP.  Also, beware the danger of death by carbon monoxide poisoning.  Using combustive appliances indoors (basically anything that generates fire like a camp stove, barbecue grill, etc) can cause carbon monoxide to build up and you will probably pass out and die before you know what hit you as CO is odorless and colorless so use these appliances in a well ventilated area.

Happy Veteran's Day!

I want to give a big "Thank You" to all of our Vets (and those who are currently serving) this Veteran's Day.  The service they give to our country is an amazing example of dedication and devotion to keeping our country a safe and free place to live.  Know that your service and your sacrifice is appreciated not just today, but every day of the year.

50 Benefits for Active Duty and Retired Military Members

In honor of Veteran's Day, here is a list of benefits that military members receive.  Most are well known in the military community, some, not so much.  Remember when you read this list, however, that while they may seem like great benefits (and they are definitely money savers for the most part) these guys (and gals) earn these benefits--deployments away from the family for a year at a time, cancelled days off, working in harm's way, lots of moving, little to no say over where you are going or what you will be doing, etc. can really cause a lot of strain on the military members and their families.

1. The commissary.  The commissary is a grocery store on the military base which, for the most part, has lower (on occasion MUCH lower) prices than the off-base grocery stores.
2. Medical care.  One of the best military benefits available is the nearly free health insurance provided to active duty military, retirees, their dependents, and reserves.  Years ago the program was completely free.  These days there is a monthly fee which retirees pay which is still exceptionally low compared to civilian medical insurance programs.
3. Additional medical service.  There are some additional medical services that can be had for veterans who would otherwise receive their normal medical care through their regular physicians such as glasses and hearing aids provided by the VA hospital. 
4. Prescriptions.  The military medical system offers an excellent prescription program.  Of course you need to get the prescription from your doctor, but by submitting the prescription to the base pharmacy you can get many common prescription medications for free or only a few dollars.
5. The Exchange.  The exchange (PX, BX, NEX) is a department store located on the military base.  Besides being tax free, some (not all) of the prices are lower than what you can find off base.
6. Education.  The GI Bill is a well-known program that helps current and former military members pay for college.  There are also educational assistance programs as well as scholarships for the spouse and children of military members.  A new program allows for the military member to transfer their GI bill credits to their spouse or children.
7. Entertainment.  Most military bases offer a range of free and discounted entertainment including a library, roller skating rink, movie theater, fishing, shooting, golf course, swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, bowling alley, and ceramics/crafts workshop as well as night clubs and restaurants.
8. Recreation.  Many bases offer a range of recreation options from guided kayaking tours to outdoor gear rental to RV parks and camping facilities.
9. Child care.  Many bases offer infant, toddler, and school-age care on base and at a discount from what off base providers would charge.
10. Family services.  Most military bases offer a range of family support services.  These services can range from individual and family counseling, moving assistance, the ombudsman program which is the liaison between the family and the deployed family member, financial counseling, spiritual counseling, assistance with special needs family members, and social service advocacy (domestic violence, child abuse, etc).
11. Lodging.  Many bases offer "hotels" for visiting military members and their families.  These can be anything from reinvented barracks to new buildings created specifically to house travelers and offered at lower rates than what you can find off base.
12. Space A travel.  If you have the time this is a great way to travel for $15 to anywhere in the world that the military flies.  This means that you basically wait until there is space available on a plane (after cargo and military members traveling on orders), pay your $15, and go.  The down side is that you may be waiting for ages in a foreign country at peak travel times.
13. Life insurance.  Military members get a sizable life insurance policy included for free with their benefits, while dependents and retirees can join for a small fee.
14. Off-base discounts.  Many stores and businesses located near military bases offer discounts for military members with ID.  Generally they give 10% off a restaurant meal or off the price of the items you bought just by showing your military ID.
15. Special discounts on Veteran's Day.  As this list shows, there are a bunch of discounts for the military on Veteran's Day.
16. Red Cross assistance.  The Red Cross is well known for helping military families in an emergency.  Through one program they will help a soldier "get home" during a family emergency by acting as the liaison between the military member and the doctor of the ill family member.
17. VA home loans.  We have used this program a couple of times.  This program offers $0 down mortgage loans and it also waives some of the closing costs for active duty and retired military members.
18. Death benefits.  When an active duty or retired military member dies, the military provides a one-time death benefit payment.
19. Vocational assistance.  Once out of the military some members need help transitioning to the civilian work force, the military offers this assistance for free.
20. Benefits for spouses and family members of deceased veterans.  There is a host of programs to help the spouse and children of active duty and retired military members when they pass away.  
21. A pension.  Retired military members get a pension for the rest of their life after retiring from military service.
22. Discounted meals.  All active duty members receive free or discounted meals at the base galley; retirees and family members are usually also given discounts on galley meals as well.
23. Housing.  As part of the active duty package, military members receive a stipend to cover their monthly housing expenses.  On some bases, retirees are allowed to live in military housing at a discount.
24. Disability payment.  Military members who were disabled during or related to their military service receive an additional payment along with their monthly pension.
25. Special assistance programs.  There are a number of programs geared to current and former military members including a suicide helpline, substance abuse programs, and PTSD programs.
26. Special pay programs.  While all military members receive pay based on their rate and rank, some military members receive additional pay for being in combat zones or for having high risk jobs in the military.
27. Tax breaks.  Military members who are deployed to combat zones get special tax breaks from the IRS.
28. Small Business Loans.  The SBA offers special loan programs for military members and veterans.
29. Veteran's preference for jobs.  There is a special classification for veterans which gives them "preference points" when it comes to hiring for some types of civilian jobs.
30. Debt collection protection.  The Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act allows for deferred debt collection when military members are deployed.
31. Foreclosure assistance.  A new program assists military members who are dealing with default and foreclosure on their home.
32. Assistance with unreimbursed medical care costs.  The Veteran's Aid and Assistance benefit provides additional funds to cover a range of unreimbursed medical care costs.
33. Legal assistance.  The base legal office can provide a number of legal services for free to active and retired military members including Wills and Power of Attorney documents to divorce and probate services.
34. Tax services.  Each year you can usually find free tax preparation services offered on many military bases.
35. Cosmetic surgery.  This was a benefit I just learned of today while researching this post but apparently cosmetic surgery is offered at military hospitals.  Interesting.
36. Discounted franchising opportunities.  VetFran assists veterans with buying into franchise businesses.
37. State veteran's benefits.  Each state offers their own benefits to it's veterans.  Here is an example from Alaska but you can also check with your state office of veteran's affairs to see what benefits your state offers.
38. Airport USO services.  Many airports offer USO services to active duty and retired military members.  This can be anything from a free meal and wi fi service to free overnight lodging while waiting for your next flight.
39. Non profit veteran's services.  There are a number of non profits that provide services and support to veterans including the VFW, USO, NMCRS, AFAS, etc.
40. Voting assistance.  There is even a program to help military members vote (which can be harder than it sounds when you are deployed or moving around quite a bit with your job).
41. Veteran's nursing homes and residential care.  The VA offers a range of nursing home and residential care options for retirees who can no longer live at home.
42. Auto hobby shop.  Many bases include an auto hobby shop where you can work on your own car, buy auto parts at a discount, or even take classes on how to fix your car.
43. Base community services. Many bases offer a range of businesses and services just like you would find off base such as a post office, veterinary clinic, barber/beauty shop, fast food restaurants, flower store, dry cleaners, bank, gas station, liquor store, etc.
44. Banking services.  There are a handful of banks that cater to the military population including NFCU and Armed Forces Bank.
45. Free National Park Pass.  The National Parks Service provides free annual passes to active duty and (at age 62) to retired military members.
46. Discounted tickets.  Many tourist attractions offer free or discounted tickets to military members.  These range from Disneyland to pro baseball tickets to lists of discounts by city.
47. Store and other discounts.  A giant list of other special discount programs for military members can be found here.
48. Special laws for service members.  While rare, there are a couple of laws that were made that pertain specifically to protect service members such as this one and maybe this one (I haven't heard much about this one recently, however).
49. Citizenship.  While obtaining US citizenship can be difficult if not impossible, the US government offers expedited citizenship and other services for US military members.
50. Other travel benefits and discounts.  There are a number of other travel discounts and freebies available to military members which range from free camping to discounted airlines tickets and/or free baggage to the Armed Forces Vacation Club.

10 Places to Give This Holiday Season

The poor East Coast is being hammered once again and the just plain poor people of the country are still continuing to struggle no matter what the powers that be say about the improving economy.  This holiday season, do your fellow man a favor and give if you can.  Here's where:

1. The Red Cross.  This organization always comes through in a disaster; the more donations they get, the more they can give to those in need.
2. Donate blood.  Blood and plasma is always needed, especially in times of disaster or when people are otherwise occupied (due to the holidays, the East Coast storm, etc) and donations drop.
3. Donate to your local food bank.  Food banks have been helping more and more people as the economy has tanked.  During the holidays, the need for food is even greater so find your local food bank  and make a donation to help out your neighbors.
4. Goodwill.  Besides being a fan of shopping at the Goodwill, I also like to donate to the Goodwill and St Vincent de Paul, another thrift store in my city.  These organizations take your donations and turn them into job training and other services to help those in need.
5. Salvation Army.  The Salvation Army is yet another organization that helps those in need.  In my city this organization provides free meals as well as a number of services for the homeless and those in need (they also provide enough bell ringers with donation pots to rattle your teeth about this time of year but like I said, they do good works).
6. Church.  In addition to tithing every month, I also make it a point to help out churches in my community.  Many churches are busy with food drives, coat drives, blanket drives for the homeless, and other good works to help people in the community, especially at this time of year.
7. Schools.  (Way) back in the day when I was a youngin' all I needed to take to school with me was a pencil and a pee chee.  I was fairly surprised when one of the grandkids showed me the list of school supplies they needed at the beginning of the school year--it was longer than the list of stuff I keep in my BOB!  Many schools these days are in need and many students are as well.  By donating school supplies and other needed items to your local school you can help kids have a better educational experience.
8. Random acts of kindness.  Simply by being kind to people you can make your community a better place to live.  I make it a habit to carry bottled water in my car to give to those begging on the corner for money when I pass them.  The spouse and I have also kind of adopted a homeless man who lives by the side of a road that we pass often.  We will drop off a meal, a blanket, a case of water, whatever we happen to have, when we pass by.  You can't help everyone but helping even one person can make a difference.
9. Give your time.  Many community organizations desperately need volunteers to continue to provide the services that help those in need.  By volunteering you can help others in your community with everything from search and rescue to teaching English or being a Big Brother/Big Sister.
10. Give to your favorite organization.  The need is great for every non-profit organization these days.  There are so many people in need but there are also so many previous donors who are now in need themselves so many once thriving organizations are now struggling just to stay viable due to a decline in donations and grants that previously kept then well funded.  Some of my favorites: Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, and CMRT. 

10 Items You Need for the Next Superstorm

Disasters are a great learning experience.  You can plan and prepare all you want but unless you have literally lived through a disaster (or learned from people who have) there will always be things that you were unprepared for even with the best planning.  Here are 10 things that you should add to your preps based on news reports after Hurricane Sandy:

1. Gas cans.  This guy could have been dead because he didn't have actual gas cans.
2. Enough stored fuel to refill your car's tank a couple times over so you don't end up in a story like this.
3. An assortment of firearms AND a robust neighborhood watch program with your neighbors (and maybe some plywood and spray paint to make a nice sign).
4. An emergency fund.  Especially if the loss of a paycheck...or two...or more...would devastate you financially.
5. A stack of blankets and some hot water bottles (disasters mostly seem to happen when it is freezing cold outside).
6. The ability to take care of yourself; this could mean evacuating ahead of time, knowing where to safely shelter during a disaster, and not relying on others to help you (we like to think that a disaster will bring out the best in people--or that they will at least help others when necessary--but that isn't always true).
7. All the stuff you would need for a long camping trip (which can equate to being prepared and experienced to survive a disaster).
8. A month's worth of extra food stored at home (think of what you would need if you couldn't even run to the grocery store for a gallon of milk or a bunch of bananas).
9. A bicycle which makes for an excellent transportation option.
10. Insurance which makes for an excellent way to restore what was lost.

100 Barter-able Skills and Services

In our everyday lives, if we need something done we usually break out the wallet or credit card and take care of the problem.  It's coming to the point for many people, however, that they need other options besides cash or credit, to obtain the things they want and need.  Enter the concept of bartering.
Bartering has been used for centuries and only went away from common use within the last century or so.  These days many people feel uncomfortable with the concept of bartering (not ALL people as many communities have thriving underground bartering networks).  Among the issues: they think they lack anything to trade, they are uncomfortable with the whole process, they don't know how to approach people about a trade, etc.
While much of the bartering process simply requires a bit of nerve and people skills, you will also need something (or many somethings) to trade.  Note that trading things--like a rifle or a car or something smaller--is perfectly fine for bartering but once the item is gone, it's gone.  With skills and services you can barter these things repeatedly.  Here are 100 barterable skills and services that many people are happy to trade for:

1. Car repair
2. Sewing
3. Computer repair
4. Computer setup and networking
5. Construction
6. Plumbing
7. Electrical work
8. Finish carpentry
9. Tree trimming/cutting
10. Butchering
11. Food production (meat, vegetables, fruit, etc)
12. Cooking/baking
13. Babysitting
14. Elderly sitting
15. Dog walking
16. Website design
17. Doctor
18. Nurse
19. Home health aid
20. Home improvement (build deck, clean gutters, etc)
21. Yard maintenance
22. Fire wood
23. Legal services
24. Dentistry
25. Logging/lumber
26. Hair cutting
27. Party/wedding planning
28. Tutoring
29. Teaching (dance, music, English, etc)
30. Furniture making
31. Reloading ammo
32. Artist (painting, sculpting, etc)
33. Animal husbandry/animal breeding
34. Well drilling
35. Heavy equipment operator
36. Foraging/dumpster diving
37. Wine making/beer brewing
38. Defensive skills training (karate, tactical shooting, etc)
39. Welding
40. Gunsmithing
41. Veterinarian services
42. Food procurement (hunting, fishing)
43. Small appliance repair
44. Electronics repair
45. Watch repair
46. Soap making
47. Candle making
48. Photographer
49. Musician
50. Writer
51. Video making/editing
52. Midwifery
53. Herbalist
54. Educator (how-to on any of these listed topics)
55. Land surveyor
56. Tax preparation
57. Accounting
58. Architect
59. Sports coaching
60. Fitness trainer
61. Software/app developer
62. Aircraft mechanic
63. Heavy equipment mechanic
64. Dental hygienist
65. HVAC repair
66. Interpreting
67. Locksmith
68. Parts machinist
69. Blacksmith
70. Residential/commercial painting
71. Sheet metal working
72. Iron working
73. Transportation (driver, boat captain, etc)
74. Auto painting/body work
75. Mining
76. Masseuse
77. Nail tech (manicure/pedicure)
78. Private detective
79. Security guard/body guard
80. Houskeeper/maid
81. Bicycle repair
82. Ministering (conduct weddings, funerals, etc)
83. Graphic arts
84. Flooring installer/cabinet installer/appliance installer
85. Glazier services
86. Masonry 
87. Tool and die maker
88. Pet grooming/boarding
89. Screen printing
90. Hauling/moving
91. Reselling
92. Bee keeping
93. Cheesemaking
94. Septic system design/installation
95. Security system design/installation
96. Spinning/textiles/making cloth/quilting/kniting
97. Canning/smoking/other food preservation
98. Producing electricity from solar/water/wind
99. Bee keeping
100. Skilled clean up (crime scenes, mold, after a disaster, chemical spill, etc)

The Age of Entitlement Is...Pretty Damn Annoying

While I understand that people along the East Coast have had a rough week of it, there were a couple of articles that I read recently that made me conclude that the culture of entitlement that the government has cultivated has gone way past any sort of reason.  To wit...

• In this article, business owners who had their businesses wiped out by Hurricane Sandy were offered long-term, low-interest SBA loans so that they could rebuild.  Turns out they don't want loans, they want the government to GIVE them money.  I'm sure they realize that the government doesn't actually generate money, it just re-appropriates tax money to various expenses and that tax money comes from me and you and everyone else who pays taxes.  So these people want ME to help pay to rebuild their businesses and I will get exactly nothing out of the deal.  Sounds like BS to me.  I think the people in the comment section of the article pretty much covered all of the things that I think about this unreasonable request to jack the money right out of my wallet.  tldr;  If you are a business owner you are responsible for having a disaster plan, having an emergency fund, and insuring your business (and, if like some of these people, no insurance company will cover you...there's your sign. Duh).
• And then there was this video.  The lady featured in the video made a wonderful sound bite which all of the news shows pickup up.  I mean who wouldn't feel sorry for an old woman who has only had one piece of pizza to eat in two days?  This was shot two days after the storm, in a place where the residents were told to evacuate but who stayed in their homes and...didn't have enough food at home to keep them fed for two days??  In many places you are lucky if anyone shows up after a disaster to help you and also in many places it becomes a "neighbor helping neighbor" kind of thing but in the US  people demand that they receive help and receive it now yet they don't seem to make any sort of preparations to help themselves.  EVERYONE should be responsible for taking care of themselves, with no outside help whatsoever, for at least a week after a disaster which would allow enough time for aid to get to you.  I mean if there are millions and millions affected why would it even seem reasonable that YOU are the one that gets help NOW?  Everyone should have a month's worth of extra food in their house.  Everyone should have an alternate heat source, an alternate cooking source, and a way to purify water.  Your BOB alone should encompass all of these items so that no matter where you end up--in your wrecked home or in a shelter or camping outside for a couple of weeks--you will be able to take care of yourself until help arrives.   

Yes I know I am preaching to the choir. I'll hop off my soapbox now.

Storm Recovery Tips

As people on the East Coast are digging out from the after affects of the Superstorm, here are some useful tips from people who have "been there, done that" when it comes to storm survival and clean up:

• Tips from Katrina Survivors
• Katrina, Joplin Survivors Offer Advice
• CDC How to Clean Up After a Disaster
• FEMA Help After a Disaster
• Managing Traumatic Stress
• FEMA Recovering from a Disaster
• Red Cross: Recover After a Disaster or Emergency

10 Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

Here's a quick wrap-up of lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy:

1. Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere.  You would have expected a hurricane to demolish part of Florida, not part of New York, but it happened.
2. When told to evacuate, evacuate.  Attempting to "ride out" a disaster because you are prepared and tough enough to do so is dumb when you are given enough notice to evacuate and ensure you and your family's safety.
3. Some people who were killed during Hurricane Sandy died from trees falling on them.  During a disaster, it may not be the actual disaster (hurricane) that can kill you but the side affects of the disaster (falling trees and debris, downed power lines, etc).
4. Some people decided not to evacuate thinking that they could survive a hurricane.  What they didn't count on was the fires and gas leaks that came afterwards.
5. The things that will be missing/hard to find/impossible to get after a disaster: electricity (8 million + people were without electricity after the storm), clean water (wells and municiple water systems were impacted by the flooding), food (most stores are closed or damaged beyond repair in some neighborhoods), gasoline (lines for gas are extensive today), transportation (it will take a while for the subway system to start working again and yesterday the roads were in gridlock).
6. Sometimes your best preparations,  like back-up generators, won't work and then you have a crisis (two hospitals had to be evacuated during and after the storm because their back-up generators failed).
7. Don't underestimate the power of water.  A mother was carrying her two children through a flooded area when they were washed right out of her arms by a wave of water.  Rushing water that is more than ankle deep can carry you away in a heartbeat.
8. Use common sense.  A boat captain decided to head straight into the storm (two people ended up dead, 14 others needed to be rescued), a father and son were killed in their flooding basement (if you are inland during a hurricane the basement may be the safest place to be, if you are in a flood-prone area you should seek shelter in an interior room on your main or second floor).
9. The technology we have come to depend on may be wiped out during a disaster.
10. As in many disasters, people do tend to come together to help each other out afterwards.