A close friend of mine sent me this email, and while I cannot find the source to give a citation, I feel it is very important to share.
I feel it has a dual meaning, both for Christians, as well as preppers. I hope you enjoy it, as it gave me something to ponder on.
Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.
He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic . They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic , wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.
As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. “Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him.
“Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work.
Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.
Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.
To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.
Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
When you’re prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear.
Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?
The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.
We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.
We don’t need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.
There are many misconceptions about firearm suppressors or “silencers”. That is a shame since suppressor information is very easy to find if you just look. This post is about firearm suppressor basics.
Suppressors were one of the items that became regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. This means that suppressors are classified as a restricted “firearm” and each has its own serial number. As with all gungs the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is tasked with enforcing suppressor regulations in accordance with federal law.
While the federal government regulates suppressors, they do not outlaw them. That is a state action. Therefore, depending on what state you live in, you may or may not be able to own a suppressor. Since a basic tenet of common law is that everything is legal until it is made illegal, I will give a list of what states currently outlaw suppressor ownership (if the state allows ownership, but narrowly defines who can own one to special classes of people I consider that to be outlawing them).
Suppressors are outlawed in:
California
Delaware
Hawaii
Iowa
Illinois
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New Jersey
New York
Rhode Island
Vermont
Washington (You may own, but you cannot use it on a gun).
If you live in any other state, and are willing to navigate the NFA regulations then you can own a suppressor.
As the video below shows, a suppressor does not “silence” a firearm. It just makes it quieter, which makes shooting safer and reduces friction with the neighbors. I think it makes shooting more fun. They are the most effective plash suppressor you can buy, and if shooting from the prone, they reduce dust being raised by the muzzle blast.
Suppressors reduce audible sound to differing degrees. They do this by diffusing the gas released at the muzzle so that it is diffused. It is kind of like opening a champagne bottle or popping a balloon. High pressure and a single opening make a loud noise, but slower release of the pressure, or multiple openings make a much quieter sound. A suppressor has openings that are 20-30 times the size of the muzzle which allows the gas to be released in a more controlled manner.
Of course, the reduction in sound only occurs at the muzzle. If you are shooting a semi-automatic some sound will escape at ejection port, the mechanics of the gun (such as bolt cycling) are not dampened, and projectiles still make noise on their way to the target. If you are shooting supersonic ammunition, no matter how well you suppress the gun, the bullet will create a loud “crack” when it breaks the sound barrier.
Some suppressors are designed to be used “wet”. This means the shooter has the can fill the baffle cavities inside the suppressor with water or possibly manufacturer specified oil. While not very practical in the field, firing a wet suppressor will provide more sound suppression than when dry. If you have a “wet” suppressor, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Water does not compress, and improper suppressor filling can break your expensive gun into large non-repairable pieces.
Suppressor sound reduction is usually expressed as sound pressure level (SPL). SPL is measured in decibels. Most manufacturers publish SPL either as a reduction from the unsuppressed sound or as a total decibel measurement. Differences in the type of sound meter used, microphone placement, calibration, weighting scales, ground surface and many other factors can change the actual reading, so take the numbers with a grain of salt and use it more as a comparison rather than as a firm number.
There are several different popular suppressor designs, and a quick patent search will show you hundreds more. But for the recreational shooter, I feel the material a suppressor is made of is more important. Due to the high heat of the muzzle gas, and how it circulates inside the suppressor body suppressors are exposed to a lot of wear.
Suppressors are rated for with semi-auto or full auto fire based upon the alloys used to create them. All things being equal, a fully auto rated suppressor is made of materials that better handle heat. If you use a full auto rated suppressor on a semi-auto you will enjoy a much longer suppressor life. However, if you reverse this and put a semi-auto suppressor on a full auto firearm you could melt the darn thing.
As with gun in general, suppressors are tools, and all tools have specific purposes and problems.
When you attach a suppressor to a gun, you will increase the pressure inside the barrel. This is especially true in centerfire, semi-auto rifles. A semi-automatic that relies on gas to drive the operating system only needs a specific amount of that gas to function properly. The excess gas normally expands out of the barrel’s muzzle after the bullet leaves the gun. When using a suppressor, some of that gas remains in the bore, expanding back into the gas system, which can result in malfunctions.
Any semi-auto rifle intended for regular sound suppressor attachment will benefit from an adjustable gas block or regulator. Many of the piston-driven semi-automatics have adjustable gas systems that allow for some modulation of pressure. By contrast, AR type rifles are typically nonadjustable. Just you need to find out what type of ammo your particular gun likes to eat the best; it is a good idea to several ammunition types to see what your gun works with best when it is wearing a suppressor.
The world of suppressors is much like the world of guns, how deep you want to delve into the specifics depends on your personality and end goals. But they are useful and useful tools. It’s a shame that, in the United States, suppressors have such a negative stigma and are seen as tools of the hit man. In many European countries, suppressors are seen as polite hunting accessories. It was really interesting, as the guys helping me in the suppressor video came down for a class, and brought several suppressed guns. While running the class at the indoor range we got lots of looks from the other shooters. I could just feel the side conversations wondering who we were and what we were doing. But, when offered the chance to shoot the guns, there were a lot of very excited guys enjoying shooting such neat tools.
The guy in the video is Terry Hassler from http://www.rockinguns.com/. He is a very knowledgeable guy, as well a registered firearm manufacturer. I want to thank him for helping me put this information out to you, and if you are in the Cookeville or Crossville TN area and are looking for a gun, you ought to check them out.
This post is about how to make your own curing chamber.
Our ancestors cured meat to survive, so it can’t be that complicated, right? Well, as humanity has advanced so has the science of food preservation. Curing meats is part of the cooking field called charcuterie.
Curing Process Basics
A combination of spices and drying methods preserve meats. Modern technology allows chefs to finely tune the environment used for curing meats.
Bacteria is unable to survive once the water content in a meat reaches a low lever. This is also helped by having a high salt content.
However, the ability to monitor the conditions of a curing chamber does not necessarily boost taste or quality. Although it can help the novice charcuterie chef to develop a safe and efficient methodology.
Control the Conditions:
Even without modern technology, curing meat requires a certain control of environmental factors. The conditions that must be controlled during the meat curing process are temperature, humidity and air flow. Although you may be able to use a storage room, basement or other area for curing meat, the ideal area will be isolated from volatile external elements. For example, curing meat in a garage can expose meat to exhaust fumes as well as various temperature and humidity changes.
For most people, building a meat curing chamber is the best option. The chamber protects meat from fluctuating conditions and can be closely regulated. Surprisingly, a meat curing chamber is relatively easy to construct. It is between the beginner and intermediate DIY level. Luckily it is also extremely inexpensive.
Materials:
An old frost-free refrigerator
Search your local classified listings or Craiglist for an old refrigerator. Free is the best price and $25 should be the maximum. Remove the shelves as needed. Perhaps leaving the top shelf as a hanging mount. There should be enough room in the bottom of the refrigerator for additional equipment.
A Freezer Temperature Controller
Those old refrigerators produce temperatures much too cold for curing. A Freezer Temperature Controller regulates the temperature of a refrigerator. It works by turning power on and off to achieve the pre-set conditions.
A Humidity Controller and an Ultrasonic Humidifier
A Humidity Controller measures and regulates the power needed to reach the ideal humidity levels in your curing chamber, As that occurs, the Humidifier adds moisture to the air. Only add distilled water to your Humidifier. Also, choose one that will power up automatically in response to the Humidity Controller.
A Fan
Humidity Controllers are built with a power outlet, and by connecting a power strip to this outlet, you can simultaneously power the Humidifier and a Fan. The Fan will circulate the air and disperse the moisture in the air.
A Dual Temperature and Humidity Sensor
This tool makes it easy to monitor the conditions of your curing chamber and can catch any discrepancies between measurements from your Freezer Temperature Controller or Humidity Controller. Additionally, a Calibration Kit is an inexpensive, optional tool that will ensure accurate measurements.
Additional Notes: Recipes and Rodents
Curing chambers are located in areas without a lot of activity. However, this positioning, paired with food, can be rather inviting to rodents.
If you are concerned about rodents, you may want to drill holes in the side of the chamber to run all electrical cords. Small mesh openings provide airflow.
In conclusion, your curing chamber is going to look awfully funny without any meat! You can find recipes. on sites like this one as well as Honest-Food.Net. Honest Food has simple, straightforward approach to living and eating as our ancestors have.
Those old refrigerators produce temperatures much too cold for curing. A Freezer Temperature Controller regulates the temperature of a refrigerator. It works by turning power on and off to achieve the pre-set conditions.
External audio input connects to MP3 players and scanners
Food mill includes 3 stainless-steel discs for preparing foods of fine, medium, and coarse textures
0.2 micron filtration efficiency
Precision stainless steel milling cone is durable and makes fine bread quality flour
Diameter measures 3-1/2-in
Compact 65-piece road assistance kit for winter conditions by AAA and LifeLine First Aid