I have wanted a flex edge beater for my KitchenAid mixer for as long as I have had one. A few years ago I bought mine from amazon at a deep discount as it was a certified factory refurbished model.
I use mine for more than just baking. A favorite use for my stand mixer for meatloaf as well as for shredding chicken.
Unfortunately, when mixing batters, the edges of the bowl don’t get mixed as well as they should. A flex edge beater is designed to conform to and touch the side of the bowl.
It reminds me of a windshield wiper actually. This flexible edge wipes the sides of the bowl. This causes the ingredients are sent to the middle to be mixed thoroughly.
KITCHPOWER Flex Edge Beater Review
I got this replacement blade from a different company than KitchenAid so the blade was much less expensive. However, it still fit my power-head and matched up as tightly as the OEM blades that came with my machine.
It has a white enamel coating that seems to be very similar to the coating on my OEM blades.
Actually my only issue with the beater is that I bought one that was too small. This is for a smaller model of stand mixer. I could not really review the quality of the blade in use, so I focused on durability.
You are not supposed to put these types of blades in the dishwasher. Even KitchenAid says it will remove the enamel coating.
The amazon few negative reviews for this $15.99 blade says that in the dishwasher the paint flakes off. To test it I ran it though two consecutive heavy duty cycles in my dishwasher – one on the top rack, one on the bottom.
I did not have any flaking issues.
Of course that is a very light test.
I Don’t Need It, Do You Want It?
Since this is too small for my mixer, I will gladly share it with the first person to send me their mailing address. You can use the contact form to send me an email. As long as you have a 4.5-5 quart mixer bowl
A little over three weeks ago I burned both my legs. Now, as a semi-competent experimenter, I have burned myself a bunch of times. However, this was serious. I burned both legs, from just below the knee to the top of my foot almost 360 degrees. The burns were deep second degree burns with a few thrid degree spots thrown in.
I was messing around with gas, an I knew better. So when my wife said not to light the fire, I told her to be quiet. That was pride talking when I knew I should not do what I was about to do.
Pride comes before a fall, and when the gas vapor ignited, the temperature was low enough it did not “whoosh”, but the wind changed and basically, I was engulfed. Now it was only for a second, and did not do a lot of damage, but the fresh bug spray on my legs started to burn, which did me a lot of damage.
So now I have a reason to post about treating severe burns. I am not a doctor, but as I said before I am familiar with burn injuries.
This Article is not About Basic Burn Treatment
We all know to cool a burn and not to apply grease or butter. This post is about supplies and the daily aftercare.
When I first was burned, it did not immediately hurt, I played it off for a few minutes, so as not to “embarrass” myself around my wife. However, once the pain hit, it was horrible. For a old fat guy, I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I have been pepper sprayed and tased enough to have lost count. I have broken a leg, and have sliced crushed, and otherwise injured myself much more than the common man.
Not to put to fine a point on it, after standing in a cool shower for several hours to both cool the burn and control the pain, I had to lay in the bed and cry. The pain was as close to unbearable as anything I have ever felt. My wife wanted me to go to the Emergency Room, but I was afraid they would admit me, and I had the last class of my graduate certificate on Monday. I could not afford to miss a day of work. Additionally, if they did not admit me, I knew the only treatment was pain medication and a prescription for Silver sulfadiazine. I had some left over from when I burned my kitchen down and got to buy my wife a new kitchen and plastic backsplash.
I had lots of roller gauze and non stick pads, so I felt that I would just deal with the pain.
Daily Treatment
My regimen was to put the Silvadene on, cover it with a non0stick pad (it took a bunch to get total coverage), and then wrap it with roller gauze. For additional protection, I also used a ace compression bandage for light compression for the swelling.
I had a lot of swelling, and the reduced blood flow because of it caused me problems. It took me an hour to get out of bed Monday morning. When I put my foot down the blood flowing into the area caused me severe pain. Additionally, stretching the burned skin by walking also caused a lot of pain.
Luckily, the more I moved, the less pain the skin caused. Too bad I was in class all week and spent the time sitting at a table, and getting up at breaks.
The pain of getting up increased for a few weeks, and finally went away the start of the third week.
Blisters to Pop or Not?
After about 24 hours I started getting blisters, they were mostly around my ankles to start, but I kept getting more and more. Eventually, I had several blisters that were the size of my fist. I tried not to pop them, because infection is a huge concern with severe burns. The weight of the liquid inside the blister caused the blisters to travel down my legs stretching and peeling the remaining skin. Eventually, after about a week they popped on there own causing my wife much anguish when she saw the “blister juice”.
The smaller blisters never popped, and it is not recommended to pop them. Sometimes large blisters are popped by medical staff to control how it is done so the skin does not rip.
I finally went to the doctor after 5 days. I just could not take the constant pain and I was afraid of infection. She gave me some pain medication, a new prescription for silvadene, and some antibiotics. I was told I would scar, and that it would take about 6 weeks to heal.
Deal With Itching
The itching was terrible, still is after three weeks. At the time, I did not know that itching is a side effect of the cream. It is also a side effect of the healing skin. I had several large areas where the first couple layers of skin was burnt away, and the entire area was sensitive and peeling, so a good satisfying itch was not available. The only thing I could do was to lightly press on the injury and let the pain overcome the itch. After some reading, I learned that anti-histamines could help with the itch, so I started taking the allergy medicine I keep around for when I get bee stung. That actually helped a lot.
You Don’t Have Enough Supplies
As a long time prepper, I have more than just some bandages in the bathroom closet. I felt pretty prepared for first aid emergencies. Actually, as far as the initial treatment, I was about as prepared as anyone could be. However, it was the twice daily dressing changes, and the daily ointments that gutted my supplies. I now know just how ill prepared I am.
Going to the pharmacy, box store, or the local dollar store just doesn’t cut it when you are going through 4 sets of gauze, a tube of antibiotic cream, and 2 boxes of non-stick 2×3 pads daily. I was spending huge amounts on supplies, and my wife was tired of running to the store.
To be fair, I am not as happy with this gauze, as I was with the 2 pack I got at the dollar general, but that was about $4.00 a box so it was really apples and oranges.
This gauze is not sterile, and it comes in a bulk paper container, so once you open it 12 rolls are exposed. However, going through 4 a day mitigated the problem.
From now on, I will have a unopened pack in my medical supplies. I still will have a smaller amount of higher quality roller gauze for smaller scale incidents.
75 non-adherent pads
In the same order I got a bulk pack of 75 non-adherent pads. Because of the size of my wounds, I was going though boxes of smaller 2×3 pads. Because of this I bought the largest pads I could find. These were 3″ x 8″ and were labeled as “No Stick Non-Adherent Film For Ouch Free Removal” These absorbent cotton bandages cost $17.33 (prime shipping) for a box of 75 or $0.23 each.
I find that I can cover the worst areas of the original wounds on each leg by wrapping three of these bandages around each leg. After three weeks, my right leg is not completely healed, but the skin is not intact or scabbed over.
Most of my left leg is scabbed or has intact skin. Currently I am using only one pad per dressing change.
Since these are sterile, it works well with the non-sterile roller gauze. I plan on keeping a box in my medical supplies after this injury heals. Since the large size makes it not as flexible as smaller pads. It is my intent to also buy a large bulk box of similar pads in the more used 2×3 or 3×4 size.
Metal Style Clips Elastic Bandages Spares
Lastly, while I can hand wash my ace compression bandages, and they stay relatively clean as they are covering the roller gauze, and are covered by my pants leg.
I found that with a lot of use, the metal clips break or get lost. Also, some of my newer ace style bandages come with a wierd elastic clip that just doesn’t hold.
While ordering all the other supplies I found a bulk 50 piece set of metal style clips for ace bandages. the 50 peices only cost $3.79 and was free shipping so I bought a pack. Unfortunately, it comes from china and is very slow to ship. I haven’t gotten these yet, and I stopped needing the compression bandages because the swelling period has ended.
I recommend getting some spares, but buy them in advance.
In Conclusion
The best burn treatment is prevention. My mom says that this means I should listen to my wife more. So do my co-workers. I work with some great people, they have been very supportive, while making fun of the limp and my stupidity.
Be careful when working, if this injury occurred during a disaster, then it could have easily gotten infected and could have killed me. As it stands, it really impacted my abilities, and takes up a huge amount of time in my daily schedule.
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I did not write this, but I do take environmental stewardship seriously. I don’t believe that carbon dioxide is a pollutant, and I think that straw bands are worthless virtue signalling. I also believe anyone that says the “science is settled” on man-caused global warming is an idiot that does not understand either science in general or the specific idea of man climate change.
Actually, I dislike the tone of the opening paragraph. However, I do thank we need to raise our children to respect the environment and to know how important it is to make the world better. I try to raise a my son to be better than I am, but I also try to leave him a world better than the one I was left.
That being said, here is the article:
The environmental issues are not a joke. We get calls to action all the time. People from all around the world are taking the Plastic Pledge. We’re becoming more aware of the damage we’ve been doing to our planet, and we want to take it back or stop it as much as possible.
Everything starts with education. When we become aware, we change our actions. When we teach our kids to be friendly with nature, we prevent damage.
But children can be careless sometimes. You take them to a picnic, and they throw the cans of Coke in the water. You explain that’s not okay and they pick them up, but do they understand why it’s not okay to pollute the nature?
It’s time to talk with your kids. Don’t worry; you won’t be providing full environmental education that would make them bored. You’ll be teaching them how to love the nature and show that love through actions.
We’ll give you essential tips on how to talk to your kids about nature.
First, Take Them Outside!
Let’s get one thing straight: you can’t teach your kids about nature if you don’t show it to them. Sure; there are beautiful TV shows and even apps that can help you teach your kid about plants and animals. But they do not replace the real experience.
So get outside! Even if the weather is cold, hot, or rainy, you can still find a nice place to go to. Your kid might complain about the wind, but you’ll tell them that it’s necessary because it spreads seeds to help the plants grow. If it’s raining, you’ll explain how important water is for everything that’s alive.
Be a Good Example
Your kids watch your every move. They like copying what you do. So when you go out in nature, be mindful about your behavior. If you see plastic or other things that don’t belong there, pick them up even if your family didn’t throw them. Always carry bags where you can collect the trash and then throw it where it belongs.
Your kids will appreciate seeing your responsibility towards nature. They will see you making contributions, and they will want to do the same.
Take Some Nature Inside
Ula Richards, a writer for BestEssays, spends most of her time at home: “By the time I’m done working, it’s already too late to go out,” – she says. “When I don’t have someone watching my kids, they have to stay at home with me. But I don’t let them spend the entire time stuck on a screen. I always find a way to bring bits of nature inside. Rocks, sticks, shells… whatever. We also have many plants around the house, so the kids can take care of them.”
When you don’t have the opportunity to take them out every single day, that doesn’t mean the kids can’t stay mindful about nature. Playing with rocks and shells is fun! Planting herbs and watching them grow is even more fun. Using them in the food you prepare is the ultimate lesson on how nature contributes to your life.
Explain How Important the Environment Is
You won’t do this through some intellectual talk that your kids can’t understand. Simplifying works, but saying “Nature is important” simply doesn’t cut it. Instead of saying, you should start showing.
So when your kid eats a banana, you can talk about bananas. Explain how they grow and how they help your kid grow. Show them photos of banana trees, so they will understand they come from the environment. Show them what to do with the peel. They can use it to clean their teeth or treat their skin.
Nature gives us benefits beyond the obvious use of its products. Explore them together with your kids!
Teach Them to Appreciate Fresh Air
When you’re walking around the city, ask your kid to be mindful about the air they breathe. How does it feel?
Then, when you’re in nature, ask the same question. How does the air feel?
The simple thought of air is very important for raising environmental awareness. The air in the city is polluted. It doesn’t feel fresh, and it often makes you tired. The moment you step into the unpolluted environment, you feel a difference. You’re able to take deeper, longer breaths and they have an awakening effect on you.
Your kid will feel the difference, too. That alone is enough for them to start appreciating clean air and take action against polluting it. They will understand why it’s important to ride a bike or take public transport instead of using the family car all the time.
This is the planet where all kinds of miraculous things have happened and will continue to happen. Dinosaurs used to roam these lands. Where is the future headed? One thing is sure: the future will be nice only if we take care of our planet. If each one of us were slightly more conscious and less responsible for pollution, we’d be living in a better world. Everything starts from ourselves and from the way we teach our kids. So teach them well!
In recent years we have seen an increase in the increased risk and possibility of SHTF crisis type situations actually happening. Most emergencyies are relatively small. However, that is not always the case. To be honest, if you really want to keep your family safe, you definitely wouldn’t want to risk planning for anything other than the worst case scenario!
So let’s take a look at some of the main steps for how to protect your home and survive a SHTF crisis. You’ll probably find a calm and analytic approach may even save your life, if you do your planning well in advance.
1. Start by Assessing What You Need
If you haven’t made an inventory of what you might need in a crisis situation, it’s never too soon or too late to do so. Evaluate your needs, and see what you don’t have. Do you have enough batteries for radios and flashlights, got yourself a hand crank lantern? Do you have a portable generator in case the power goes out? Have you prepared a place to stock up on food rations and water?
All these considerations have to be kept in mind. Make a list of all the necessary survival tasks and supplies, and then do your best to check every item on that list as soon as possible.
2. Get Your Home Ready
Installing new strengthened windows, strong metal doors and a sturdy fence can be among the best means of keeping your home safe in a SHTF situation. Additionally, you will want to replace all outside locks with some heavy-duty deadbolts and prepare a few secret hiding places that friends or family members can use, if they find themselves outside at a bad time, possibly even having to run away from an angry mob.
3. Top Up on Supplies
When it comes to food, make sure you get supplies that will last for a long time. Cans of soup and meat are a great idea, and you should also get stocked up on cans of peas, beans, pickles and other vegetables. If possible, avoid buying large quantities of white bread and food that tends to go bad after a shorter period of time. Instead, consider getting your own flour and preparing survival bread by using one of the numerous recipes you can find online, although truth be told, if you cannot get by without bread when you have ample other foods stored, then you are going to struggle!
4. Instruct Your Friends and Family Members
Even if you don’t have all the supplies and weapons you need, you can gain a great deal of assurance simply by instructing family members and friends on what to do in an emergency.
Consider setting up a code for easy communication or a special knock to avoid opening the door to looters. Also, instruct your children to stay in areas you designate for their safety. They should keep away from the windows. Teach them to communicate immediately if they hear strange noises.
5. Keep Up with the News and Emergency Broadcasts
You’ll need to have a minimum amount of electricity allocated to radios and phones. It might be the case that your phones are not working and the likelihood of an internet connection will be slim at best.
However, an emergency radio can be great for keeping up with emergency broadcasts and getting the scoop on what’s going on outside, when you have to sit tight, and when it’s safe to go out.
Before a crisis happens, always check the most important local and nationwide news bulletins. You can even set up a Google alert on your phone. That way you’ll be alerted if a SHTF situation is at hand.
The time has come for the big renovation! While you’re probably deep in planning the new look of your house, there are some other things you should keep in mind. Safety! Some people opt for moving out while the renovations take place. Ohers choose to stay at home and navigate the new circumstances in the best way possible. But a construction site is a place where a lot of dangers creep if you haven’t eliminated them on time. Here are 5 things to think about before remodeling to ensure the safety for yourself and your family.
Make It Well Lit
A lot of times accidents could have been prevented if only someone knew what they were stepping on or walking into. So to make sure none of such things can happen at your place, make the whole construction site well lit. This means installing lighting at night all around the place. Think: where are you usually walking coming home, or taking the garbage out? What about going to the garage or backyard to fetch something? The terrain can be bumpy, or there might be nails on the ground. By installing good lighting you’ll be able to see where you’re walking and avoid anything that can do you harm. Apart from that, good lighting is always a plus when it comes to potential burglars breaking into the house. The fewer shadows – the less chance for someone to hide.
Keep the Tools Away
Good construction workers will try their best to not leave anything behind, but mishaps can occur here and there, and this is especially dangerous if there are kids in the house. Children love toys, and above all, they are curious beings who love everything that looks like it could be used as a toy – so a tool poses a real threat, as it can seem interesting enough so they want to play with it. Tell the contractors to not leave power tools at your place overnight – or at least not plugged in and within reach, if it’s too much of a hassle to bring them and take them away every day.
If jobs are large and happening all over the place, a good idea is to have a tool gathering at the end of the day. If the tools are definitely staying at your place overnight, ask the workers to collect them and put them in one designated, secure place out of reach of the little ones. The workers themselves will benefit from this as there will be no issues over who left what where, but the more important thing is, no child will find a tool somewhere on the site and wonder what the button does.
Keep the Construction Site Isolated
This is an even better idea to prevent children and pets from rummaging around the rubble. This will prevent them from accidentally hurting themselves, or running into a worker. Isolate the construction site by installing temporary barriers systems, or temporary fencing. These portable fence panels will prevent little ones from stepping onto the area where they might get hurt. They also signal to everyone else that the area is shielded for public safety. Safeguarding the site, but also passersby, this is an ideal solution for ensuring safety, but also because it can be easily removed once the work is done.
Change Your Family’s Habits
This will require some planning and talking. What are the areas being renovated, what do you use them for, and how do you plan to replace them? Make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what they should be doing. You will obviously have to get used to changing the way you use your home and teach your children to follow in your footsteps. Sometimes this means teaching your spouse not to cut corners! If the remodel is focusing on an area you use every day, work together with the contractor to set up alternative areas that will fulfill your needs while the work is being done. Hopefilly, of it is a bathroom, you have anther to use. If it’s the kitchen, set up a temporary kitchen in an extra room, or a garage.
Make sure you always, always use it for everything you usually use your kitchen for. That means no going to the old kitchen to grab some tools! If you’re relaxed about it, kids will follow, and that’s the last thing you want them to do while the renovation is underway. Help them remember to stay out of areas where the work is being done. Lock the doors, put up physical barriers we’ve mentioned, or add signs if they can read.
Know the Dangers of Unfinished Areas
Even when the tools are stored safely, and there are no workers around, unfinished work area has a lot of potential hazards – especially to children, but also adults who are unaware that some things are off or malfunctioning. For example, sometimes the room looks done, but the wall socket covers are off. You most definitely don’t want your child examining this. And if there’s nothing that might physically hurt you, there can be things full of dirt and bacteria, or just being plain unsafe. When safety features are missing, the area is a hazard. Prevent unwanted situations by staying away from unfinished areas, and teaching children to do the same.
Renovating can be a daunting task, even when it’s the contractors doing all the work. And of course, it especially rings true when you’re on the site, trying to lead your life as usual. But if you take into account all the safety measures and mostly keep away, it gets a little easier. So take care, and have a lovely new home!
A little over three weeks ago I burned both my legs. Now, as a semi-competent experimenter, I have burned myself a bunch of times. However, this was serious. I burned both legs, from just below the knee to the top of my foot almost 360 degrees. The burns were deep second degree burns with a few thrid degree spots thrown in.
I bought a three pack of 
In the same order I got a bulk pack of 
Lastly, while I can hand wash my ace compression bandages, and they stay relatively clean as they are covering the roller gauze, and are covered by my pants leg.
*Note from Dave:
In recent years we have seen an increase in the increased risk and possibility of SHTF crisis type situations actually happening. Most emergencyies are relatively small. However, that is not always the case. To be honest, if you really want to keep your family safe, you definitely wouldn’t want to risk planning for anything other than the worst case scenario!
The time has come for the big renovation! While you’re probably deep in planning the new look of your house, there are some other things you should keep in mind. Safety! Some people opt for moving out while the renovations take place. Ohers choose to stay at home and navigate the new circumstances in the best way possible. But a construction site is a place where a lot of dangers creep if you haven’t eliminated them on time. Here are 5 things to think about before remodeling to ensure the safety for yourself and your family.