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2012-02-26T15:47:00.005-08:00

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How to build and install clothes lines that will last!

2011-07-31T08:56:00.001-07:00

by Paul Stevens

GO GREEN, Build A Solid Outdoors Clothes Line.

It’s taken us many years of moving and installing clothes lines, before we finally figured out the secrets of building and installing substantial clothes line post. We have helped a few friends do theirs as well. Here is what we have discovered along the way.

First check your deed restrictions if you live in a deed restricted community. Clothes lines were not very popular before the Green Movement, and some HOA, still views them as rather trashy.

Second, it takes substantial material, we prefer 4” steel pipe. Used pipe will be cheaper and if you don’t have a welder in the family, you may want to contract a professional welder. The main upright post will have to be notched to fit around the cross T for a solid weld. Once these are in the ground, they won’t be easy to repair if the weld breaks. Wood post just won’t last over time. We have tried a smaller size pipe and actually bent it at the ground level.

We weld a 5’ cross T out of 4” pipe on an 9’- 2” upright. This allows for 3’ in the ground and 6’-2” above the ground. For us, this is a perfect finished height for a comfortable reach and to keep long items off the ground, measure according to your needs. It is easier to drill the holes in the cross T before the welding process. A 3/8” hole spaced no less than 10” will allow for 6 lines. Drill the holes all the way through and be sure to keep them all in line. During this process decide if it is economical to have caps welded on the ends, or to later cut wood plugs to plug the ends of the cross T. You will want to plug these ends or birds will build nest, and then spend time on the clothes line dropping poop on your clean clothes. Paint the post, we like using a good metal primer, and then aluminum color paint as it seems to hold up longer. Any good outside enamel paint will work. If the pipe is used, it may need a power wire brushing.

Second the finished post will have to be set in substantial concrete at a depth of no less than 3’ deep. Just the tightening of the clothes lines themselves takes substantial stress on the post, not to mention a full load of clothes flapping in the wind. The side to side and back side of the hole is not as important as the front side, where the post will be pulled toward. We like to dig a hole at least 2’ wide 3’ deep. On the inside we like to dig a trench footing 2’ deep 12” wide out 3’ from the inside of each post. We drop the post center into the hole and add 6 rebar to both sides of the post out into the footing trench. The footing trench gives another underground leg to keep the post from pulling in towards each other. In setting the post we plumb it side to side but kick the post back about 1/8 bubble out of plumb. Even with all the concrete and footing the post will still pull in. Once it is all complete the post ends up being closer to actual plumb. Don’t skip on the concrete; it is very difficult to straighten up a post after the fact. Expect to pour 8-12 bags of concrete around each post. Keep the concrete about 3” from the surface so soil and grass can be planted to hide the trench. We like spacing the post right at 49’ or less. Most of the wire cable comes in 50’ or 100’ lengths. At 49’ this allows plenty of wire to connect to each post without having to splice. If you have a large family and need to have longer lines, consider placing a third post in the center. Also consider where the post will be placed, as they will be very permanent. It is not a good idea to place them under trees, or where birds will congregate. Think about where the tree branches might be in 15-30 years down the road. Also consider the wind patterns; you will want to be able to hang out pants so the wind blows them out like a wind sock for quick drying, sheets work best looped to two clothes lines.

Let the concrete set for at least 10 days. We like using galvanized stranded wire for the lines. It is available at almost any hardware store, Lowe’s, or Home Depot. Plastic coated lines just don’t hold up to the UV. Clean the lines with some vinegar water on a cloth before each use. We use ¼” eye bolts on each cross T, yes they work better in the 3/8” holes. Forget the turnbuckles; go to a good farm store, that sells electric fencing supplies, such as TSC, and Purchase the ratchet tightener used for electric wire fencing, you will need only one per line. We have found two types of these over the years, one has a nut on the side for a regular wrench, and the other needs a tool to tighten the ratchet. Obviously the tool will be needed for these and is usually sold next to the ratchets. Over time you will tighten these many times, much more than a few turns on a turnbuckle, so you will want to purchase the tool. The eye bolt on the ratchet side will have to be opened. Placing one side in a vise and using a pair of pliers to bend it to one side is sufficient enough to slide the ratchet housing into, and then bend the eye bolt back. On the other end, you can either wrap the wire around the eye bolt, or we prefer to use a cable sleeve and not leave the exposed ends of the stranded wire to be exposed. They tend to puncher hands during cleaning off the lines, these little strands really hurt. Be sure to use safety glasses as the wire can spring back quickly at eye level. Unroll the cable and not allow it to spool off the side of the roll, the cable will be nice and straight, less likely to kink. Fasten the fixed end and pull enough to make two complete rounds on the ratchet. Alternate from inside to out and back as you tighten the lines, if you tighten one side down first you will actually twist the post. The lines should have about a 1/2” pull down in the center once they are tightened to the correct tension. Over the first few weeks, they will need to be tightened further, again alternate the tightening.

We also like our all aluminum laundry basket cart to transport the laundry out to the clothes lines. It fits through a standard door, and is much easier on the back. We do carry these carts on our back-to-basics site, as well portable clothes lines and Amish folding clothes racks.

Good luck going green on this, it is a lot of work, but I can see the savings on the electric bill when we hang things outside.

Paul Stevens

http://www.cottagecraftworks.com

Prepper Training

2011-03-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Prepper Training, some questions and tips

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Vermont Preppers Roll Call - All Preppers Please Check In

2011-03-07T06:47:00.000-08:00

The American Preppers Network is conducting a network-wide roll call. Whether you are a member or not please check in and let us know what you are doing to prepare.

This is a good opportunity to network with other preppers near you.

Vermont Preppers, to respond to the roll call please follow this link:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=485&t=9287

Reply to the Roll Call and let us know what you have been doing to prepare.

If you are not yet a member of the forum you can register here for free:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

Vermont Maple Syrup, Shelburne 2010

2011-02-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

A DIY system for making homemade Maple Syrup

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Prepping: Getting Started-Food Pantry

2011-02-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

by ReadyMom

Prepping: Getting Started-Food Pantry
(Photo by Suzba, flickr.com;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barracloug ... 0/sizes/s/ )

Preparing to increase your home food storage is a critical part of preparedness. Read this from the American Trucking Associations:

When Trucks Stop America Stops

Significant shortages will occur in as little as three days, especially for perishable items following a national emergency and a ban on truck traffic. Minor shortages will occur within one to two days. At convenience stores and other small retailers with less inventory, shortages will occur much sooner.

Federal & Emergency agency recommendations are for a minimum of two (2) weeks. Read more HERE. Consider the possible response time of federal response agencies, the type of emergency situation that you are preparing for, your financial situation. Then consider preparing for a minimum of two (2) weeks and increasing your preparations as you are financially able.

The rule of thumb for food stocks is “Stock what you Eat. Eat what you Stock.” This will ensure that you are rotating foods that have a shorter shelf life than other foods in your storage. It will also help you maintain some semblence of ‘normal’ in a stressful situation.

From Food-Getting Started (GetPandemicReady.org):

How can I ever do this? Start NOW, but don’t defeat yourself.
Break the task of stockpiling down into stages. Getting your pantry stocked for two weeks is a good initial goal. Simply write down what you eat over a two-week period. Then add a few extra items on each shopping trip. Look for specials and bulk purchases. Remember to add lunches for children who are normally at school,
as well as infants and toddlers.

Once you’ve reached this goal, go for four weeks of food, then eight, and then twelve. In a few months, you will have a full pantry full of you kind of food.

Remember, the idea is NOT to always have gourmet meals, but to feed your family and keep them sustained as long as : To read the reast of post and make comment follow the link:

http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=616&t=3926

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Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Tools of Freedom

2011-01-16T05:21:00.000-08:00

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ethan Jacobs, J.D. -- Activist Post

Introduction:

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated April 4, 1968, shortly after he started speaking out against the global elite and the injustice they inflict on all of humanity though orchestrated wars and economic oppression. He believed that "a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."[1]

While King may not physically be with us today, we are fortunate that he left us with powerful principles and tools for defeating tyranny. King, Gandhi and many others have set the precedent for our liberation, proving that courage, love, persistence, and some simple tools are ultimately victorious.

In fact, the tools and principles utilized by King are so powerful that they rocked the foundation of the global elite’s power structure: Read more: http://www.activistpost.com/2011/01/martin-luther-king-jr-and-tools-of.html#more

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Reasons to welcome a Vermont New Year

2010-12-31T09:55:00.000-08:00

I've lived in several states and find it hard to argue with most of what I see on this list.
Please follow link:http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20101231/OPINION01/12310301/Voice-o

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Terrorist may poison the food supply (but the food companies already have)

2010-12-25T09:45:00.000-08:00

Always on the terror streak, the mainstream media is now warning Americans that terrorists may strike the food supply by dumping poison into restaurant salad bars and buffets, for example. CBS News broke the story, quoting anonymous "intelligence" sources who insist that terrorists might use ricin or cyanide to poison foods in salad bars.

I have news for CBS, the federal government, and the terrorists: If you really want to poison the U.S. food supply, just use aspartame. It causes neurological disorders and yet remains perfectly legal to dump into foods such as diet sodas and children's medicines. You don't even have to dump it into the food supply in secret, either: You can do it right out in full view of the public. Heck, you can even list this chemical right on the ingredients label!

Or get into the MSG business. MSG, which is often hidden on "natural" foods under an ingredient called yeast extract, is a potent neurotoxin that promotes obesity and even cancer, according to some experts. Feed people enough MSG and they'll probably die of cancer sooner or later, and that counts toward the goal of terrorism too, doesn't it?

If you really want to get nasty and up the body count, start a hot dog company and dump sodium nitrite into your processed meat like all the other hot dog companies do. Sodium nitrite promotes aggressive cancers -- even in children -- and yet the USDA and FDA allow its use in the food supply (http://www.naturalnews.com/007133.html).

Better yet, feed the population genetically modified corn and then wait for the mutations to kick in. GMOs might actually be called a biological weapon because they cause so much harm to humans and the environment. (http://www.naturalnews.com/GMO.html)

Why be a terrorist when you can do so much more damage as a processed food company?

If you're a terrorist looking to poison the U.S. food supply, get in line, buddy! The food companies have beat you to it!

In the U.S. food supply right now, you can find toxic mercury, BPA, acrylamides, petrochemicals, dangerous preservatives, synthetic chemicals like aspartame, pesticide residues and artificial colors that alter brain function. The FDA doesn't seem to care about any of this, of course: All these poisons in the food supply are legal!

So here's a message to Al-Qaeda and all the other terrorists trying to kill Americans: Don't bother with bombs and missiles... just get into the processed food business!

Or, heck, if you really want to kill Americans with poison, get into the cancer industry! The "Al-Qaeda Cancer Clinic" could really rack up some body bags by doing what all the other cancer clinics do: Inject patients with chemotherapy and watch them die (http://www.naturalnews.com/029996_c...).

Seriously, if you want to kill Americans, all you really need to do is keep supporting conventional medicine and the FDA with its do-nothing position on dangerous chemicals that threaten the health of Americans right now. FDA-approved drugs kill well over 100,000 Americans each year -- a statistic that dwarfs the body count of any terrorist group.

Come to think of it, how do we know the FDA isn't already being run by terrorists? Their actions, which blatantly endanger American lives, are entirely consistent with the aims of a terrorist organization. (http://www.naturalnews.com/001894.html)

By the way, this is all depicted in a CounterThink cartoon I created in 2006 called The Food Terrorists: http://www.counterthink.com/The_Foo...

This cartoon anticipated today's terror news alerts by four years. That's because when it comes to the U.S. government's rhetoric on terrorism, it's not that difficult to see where they're taking it.

Want to know what the next four years will bring us? I'll soon be publishing a list of predictions for 2011 and beyond. Watch NaturalNews.com for that announcement.

In the mean time, you might want to steer clear of FDA-approved foods and drugs, because you just never know what's really in them.

Sources for this story include:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030811_terrorists_food_supply.html#ixzz199AAykNJ

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
Editor of NaturalNews.com

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Vermont drafts food sovereignty resolution to protect health, food freedom

2010-12-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 24, 2010 by: Jonathan Benson

In response to the recent passage of "food safety" bills S. 510 and corresponding H.R. 2751, the Vermont Coalition for Food Sovereignty has drafted its own resolution called "The Vermont Resolution for Food Sovereignty." Crafted to declare and protect the food and health freedom rights of all Vermont citizens, the resolution is essentially a warning to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it does not have jurisdiction over the food choices of the People of Vermont.

The resolution declares that food freedom is a "fundamental prerequisite to life," and that individuals have every right to save seeds, grow what they wish, and buy and sell the fruits of their labor without interference from an over-zealous, tyrannical government. And if any federal official tries to infringe on these rights, the People "shall resist any and all" of them.

Additionally, the resolution declares that, on the basis of the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the People of Vermont completely reject any and all "Federal decrees, statutes, regulations or corporate practices that threaten our basic human right to save seed, grow, process, consume and exchange food and farm products within the State of Vermont."

The recently-passed "Food Safety Modernization Act" essentially hands over control of the nation's food supply to the FDA. The legislation gives the agency free reign to mandate food recalls at will and require even small producers to jump through burdensome regulatory hoops in order to buy and sell their goods. The entire scheme has nothing to do with food safety and everything to do with giving the FDA more control over the food supply.

The Vermont Coalition for Food Sovereignty is encouraging concerned citizens to review the resolution and encourage their local and state politicians to co-sponsor it, both in Vermont and in other states.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2010/...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030827_food_sovereignty_Vermont.html#ixzz1995DlONV

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Vermont Preppers Roll Call

2010-11-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

The Vermont Preppers Network is conducting a Roll Call on our forum. If you are a prepper please check in.

* Here is a link to the Roll Call:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=485&t=6173

You have to be registered to check in. If you aren't registered please join here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

* If you are a HAM Radio Operator check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=143&t=6219

* If you are an A.N.T.S. member please check in here:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=618&t=6220

New Member

2010-10-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome our new member:

foliage-leaves

Hello from northern Vermont! Started getting serious about prepping 6 months ago. My husband is on board with me. We got a few of the essentials. We do not know anyone in our circle of friends and family that want to do this. We are not letting there opinions stop us from doing what we know is the right thing to do. We are so happy we came across this sight. I am prior Navy and Army National Guard. Thankyou everyone for coming together to help each other. I hope that we can post something to help at least one person. Thanks again.

Please welcome our new member by following the link below:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=563&t=5698

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How To Join The Vermont Preppers Network

2010-09-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Come learn survival, preparedness and sustainable living with us!

The Preppers networks are all about volunteering our knowledge and skills with each other. We share ideas, tips and basically network with each other to survive any type of disaster whether natural, man made, or economic. Information that you learn and share with others will help everyone learn how to find "Freedom Through Teaching Others Self Reliance."

Joining the Vermont Preppers Network is simple, and most of all, it's Free! To join, just follow these few steps.

1) Register to become a member of the American Preppers Network www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net The registration page is here: http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/ucp.php?mode=register

2) Once you have your account, go to the index page of the forum and do your first post by introducing yourself in the new members area. http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/index.php

3) Once you know how to do posts, visit the Vermont forum and introduce yourself. The Vermont forum can be found by scrolling to the lower section of the index page where you will find a list of states, or you can go directly by following this URL: www.VermontPreppersNetwork.net

4) After you've visited the Vermont forum, follow this link to learn how to join the Vermont Preppers Network group:
http://americanpreppersnetwork.net/viewtopic.php?f=564&t=2738

APN's success depends on your contributions. If you would like to donate to our organization by becoming a Gold Member you can join the APN Gold Members club by following this link:
http://www.americanpreppersnetwork.net/page.php?p=apn-gold-membership&sid=5b241e92a767cdfbe7a345c54dd55127
Gold Membership is only $5 per month. For a list of Gold Member benefits go here

Thank you for your support!

Date change for We Can't Afford It

2010-03-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

I've updated this Meetup. For more details, see the full listing:
http://www.meetup.com/VermontC4L/calendar/12893122/

When: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 6:30 PM

Where:
Rutland Free Library
Fox Room Center Street
Rutland, VT 05701

RSVP limit: 30 "Yes" and "Maybe" RSVPs
If the changes affect your plans to attend, please take a moment to update your RSVP. (You can RSVP "No" or "Maybe" as well as "Yes".)

Announcing a new Meetup for The Vermont Campaign for Liberty Meetup Group

2010-03-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

What: WE CAN'T AFFORD IT TOUR

When: Monday, March 29, 2010 6:30 PM

Where:

Rutland Free Library
Fox Room Center Street
Rutland, VT 05701

Trillions in debt in Washington!
Falling tax revenues and soaring deficits in Montpelier!
Big government spending more and growing bigger with no end in sight!
Your dollar is worth less and the economy is struggling!
Jobs are scarce and our future uncertain!
Why? What happened? How can we fix this?

Join the Vermont Campaign for Liberty and Vermonters for Economic Health as they discuss why:
WE CAN”T AFFORD IT!!!!

A two hour forum about Vermont’s and America’s budgetary crisis and how average Vermonters can join the fight to fix it.

Its open to the public, so join the discussion

There are other locations across the state so check to find one near you!
Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/VermontC4L/calendar/12893122/

Rutland Sheriff Unveils New Iris Scanner

2010-01-25T03:15:00.000-08:00

http://rutlandherald.com/article/20100125/NEWS01/100129972/1002/NEWS01

Article published Jan 25, 2010
Long eye of the law
Sheriff unveils new iris scanner.
By Brent Curtis Staff Writer
The Rutland County Sheriff’s Department is putting the “eye” in “identification.”

The department recently became the first law enforcement agency in Vermont to acquire an iris scanner which photographs the characteristics of a person’s eyes and records them in a national database used to track everyone from children and Alzheimer’s patients to inmates and sexual offenders.

“No two are alike even in twins,” Rutland County Sheriff Steve Benard said. “After 9/11 the (National Sheriffs’ Association) found the most accurate form of identification to be the iris scan.”

With the help of a $10,000 grant from the NSA, Benard’s department was able to buy the scanner — which looks like a box with a mirrored, eye-shaped camera mounted on a tripod — and the software that allows the department to access the database.

Benard said his department won’t be ready to use the new technology for a few weeks. But once it’s ready to go, the sheriff said he hopes residents and other police agencies will see the value of the eye scanner.

While iris scans will never identify crime scene evidence in the way that fingerprints can — no one leaves their iris prints at the scene of a crime — Benard and representatives from the company helping to train him to use the scanner said prints of the eye are more accurate forms of identification and easier to use in the majority of cases.

For example, fingerprints of children can be less reliable, especially for young children whose unique fingerprints haven’t fully developed, according to Patricia Lawton, a representative with BI2 Technologies, which developed the scanner and maintains the database.

“There’s not a lot of ridge detail in children’s fingerprints,” she said. “There’s a fair amount of margin of error and some of the prints are unreadable.”

Benard, who said he plans to make the scanner available to schools and other organizations that work with children, said the NSA, which houses the database, also allows individuals to expunge their iris scans when they turn 18 years old — an option that children whose fingerprints are on record don’t receive.

For the elderly, Benard said the scanner would be an aid for people in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Say there’s someone in Poultney with Alzheimer’s who shows up in Rutland where no one has a clue who they are. All you have to do is scan their eyes for an answer,” he said.
Performing a field check would also be simpler than checking fingerprints, the sheriff said, once the department installs software in its cruisers allowing them to take the scanner on the road.

In other parts of the country, the iris scanner has been put to use to identify inmates and sexual offenders — options Benard said he’s not ready to implement yet but would like to in the future.

“It could be handy with sex offenders in particular,” Benard said. “Last year, we had two out-of-state sex offenders who moved into the county using fictitious addresses. The nice thing about iris scans is that they’re tracked nationwide so if someone is on a sex offender registry in Santa Cruz they can’t disappear by coming to Vermont.”

Higher tritium level found at Vermont Yankee Nuke Plant

2010-01-20T17:27:00.001-08:00

APN Thanks PreppinMama from our forum at www.AmericanPreppersNetwork.net for discovering this news from bostonherald.com

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont state officials say more radioactive tritium has been found at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant — at much higher levels than were found in a test well nearly two weeks ago.

Read more here:
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/ge ... ion=recent

Great Newsweek Article on Prepping

2009-12-29T17:18:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/228428/page/1

Winter Weather Advisory

2009-12-05T14:44:00.001-08:00

.ACCUMULATING SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS S. VT THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

.LOW PRESSURE OFF THE COAST OF VA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST
OVERNIGHT.& WILL BRING LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO CNTL AND
SOUTHERN VT THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

VTZ011-012-019-060500-
/O.NEW.KBTV.WW.Y.0013.091205T2227Z-091206T0500Z/
WESTERN RUTLAND-WINDSOR-EASTERN RUTLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.RUTLAND.SPRINGFIELD.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION.EAST WALLINGFORD.KILLINGTON
527 PM EST SAT DEC 5 2009

.WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN BURLINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW ACROSS RUTLAND & WINDSOR COUNTIES OF
VT.WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT.

TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 5 INCHES IS EXPECTED.

IN ADDITION.REDUCED VISIBILITY IS POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER SNOW.

LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MIDNIGHT.THEN TAPER OFF.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND
LIMITED VISIBILITIES.& USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

PLEASE www.emergencyemail.org.YOUR LOCAL MEDIA.OR
GO TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BURLINGTON FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS
WEATHER SITUATION.

Power Outage Priorities & Tips

2009-10-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

Power Outage Priorities & Tips

Power outages can happen at any time to anyone in any place. Extended power outages can be scary and dangerous if you are not prepared, especially in times of extreme cold or heat, but if you are prepared before hand and know what your priorities are, the danger can be eliminated and the time even enjoyed. After all, if the power is out, you can stay home with your family and spend some quality time together. Below are the top three priorities and some tips to help you and your family be safe, secure, and comfortable when the power goes out.

#1: Protect Yourself & Family
The first thing you need to worry about in a power outage is the safety and health of yourself, your family, and any other individuals in your home or neighborhood. Here are some tips for keeping you and your family safe:

If there are damaged power lines in your vicinity, DO NOT go near them, call your utility company or 9-1-1 immediately.

Check on any friends or neighbors that may require electrically powered medical devices and make sure they are OK.

If you have to drive somewhere, be careful. Remember that traffic lights could be inoperable and cause accidents or delays.

If it is dark, be careful. Minimize movement in the dark. Most injuries during power outages occur when people are rummaging around in the dark for something. Hold still and wait for your eyes to adjust, and then get what you need. Keep a dynamo flashlight in an easy to access place, so you don't have to search around for flashlights and batteries.

Warmth & shelter is your number one priority in any emergency. If it is cold outside, put some warm clothes on. Close all doors and windows to maintain a safe temperature inside. Take a hot shower to increase your body temperature if you get too cold, but use hot water sparingly. Most water heaters are insulated and can keep water warm up to three days. If it is hot outside, keep your windows and doors closed until it gets hotter inside than it is outside, then open the windows to increase air circulation.

Generate your own power. Gasoline, solar, or wind generators can be extremely useful during power outages. These devices can be used to power safe electrical heaters or coolers, used to power your refrigerator or freezer, and even for communication devices. There are many options that don't require a significant investment. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are especially useful because fuel supply for gasoline generators can be scarce in times of emergency and it is not feasible or sometimes not even legal to store large amounts of fuel to run generators for extended periods of time.

Don't poison yourself with carbon monoxide. Don't use combustion fume producing devices inside your home without proper ventilation. Things like small gasoline engines, generators, lanterns, gas ranges or ovens, burning charcoal and wood, charcoal grills, hibachis, lanterns, or portable camping stoves can produce potentially deadly carbon monoxide gases. Prepare yourself before hand with carbon monoxide detectors in your home and a safe way to heat or cool your home in the event of a power outage.

Make sure your water is safe. Power outages can also disable local water treatment and could cause your drinking water to be unsafe. Prepare yourself before hand with bottled water, a water filter or purifier, or a way to chemically treat your own water. Our MIOX water purifier makes the same technology many municipal water treatment centers use available to you and your family in cases of emergency.

Make a plan to communicate with or locate your family members that might not be home. Have a standard corded phone available to use. Cordless phones will not work without electricity. Cell phones will usually work, but local towers may be without power or necessary communication lines may have been damaged as well. Your cell phone battery might be dead or low, so prepare yourself with a dynamo cell phone charger.

If the power outage was caused by an electrical storm, don't use corded phones unless you absolutely need to. Lightning has been known to strike and travel along phone lines injuring persons using corded phones.

Know where your switch box, fuse box, or breaker box is located. Know how to reset the circuit breaker or safely change a fuse, and keep proper spares on hand.

#2: Protect Your Food Supply
After you and your loved ones are safe, the next thing you need to worry about is your food. If the power outage lasts for an extended period of time, you will need to keep any perishable food from going bad, and know when food is not safe to eat. Here are some tips to keep your food edible and know when not to eat it:

Prepare yourself with an emergency stove to heat water and cook your food without electricity.

Keep a supply of shelf-stable food such as freeze-dried food or dehydrated food to use if your perishable food runs out before the power returns. These foods, especially freeze-dried food, will require little or no preparation or cooking to eat and will stay safe without refrigeration.

Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed. If the power is out for 2 hours or less, the food in your refrigerator is fine. If it is out for more than two hours, then remember that food in a half-full freezer will be safe for 24 hours, and food in a full freezer will be safe for 48 hours. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of food before you eat or cook it. If it is more than 40 degrees, then it is possibly not safe to eat.

Use the ice from your freezer and a cooler or thermos to pack any milk, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable food. This will keep it safe longer than in your refrigerator. If you don't have enough space in your freezer or ice-packed thermos, eat the food that will spoil first.

#3: Protect Your Belongings
Power outages are most often caused by electrical storms or other storms causing damage to the power transmission lines. Continuing electrical storm activity or surges in the grid when power is restored can cause damage to electrical devices. Here are some tips to prevent damage and the need for costly repairs.

Make sure all of your electrical devices including kitchen appliances, computers, stereos, clocks, televisions and dvd players, modems, wireless routers, and phones are plugged into a surge protector before a power outage occurs. This includes communication lines such as phone lines and internet cables as well. Power surges can travel through these lines and irreparably damage devices. Power surges will most likely occur when the power goes out, so these surge protectors should protect you from damage.

Power surges can occur when the power comes back on as well, so it is wise to unplug all electrical and communication cables from devices until the power comes back on, especially those not connected to a surge protector.

Desiging and building a green home in Vermont

2009-10-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

http://rutlandherald.com/article/20090927/ENVIRONMENT/909270313/1048/ENVIRONMENT

Liberal, Libertarian Economists to Debate Merits of Stimulus Package

2009-10-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

I thought some of you might find this interesting.

** Start: 10/05/2009 - 4:00pm

** Description:

Was the $787 billion federal stimulus package an enlightened act of
government intervention that averted economic catastrophe or a colossal
waste of taxpayer money that has done more harm than good?

That provocative question will be the subject of the latest installment in
UVM's Janus Forum, a popular debate series now in its second year that
matches prominent thinkers with opposing views on important social issues.

The debate, titled "$787 Billion: Stimulus or Sedative," will take place
Monday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Davis Center's Grand Maple Ballroom. The
approximately 60-minute debate, which is free and open to the public, will
be followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer period.

Arguing for the benefits of the stimulus will be Justin Wolfers, associate
professor of business and public policy at the Wharton School at the
University of Pennsylvania and a senior fellow at the Brookings
Institution. Arguing against will be Jeffrey Miron, senior lecturer and
director of undergraduate studies at Harvard University and a senior fellow
at the Cato Institute.

** More information:
http://www.vermontbiz.com/event/october/liberal-libertarian-economists-debate-merits-stimulus-package-oct-5

Frost warning

2009-09-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Central Vermont has a frost warning tonight. Temps expected to get down in the 20s or low 30s. If you still have tender plants outside or in your garden, make sure you get out the sheets & cover them.

Severe thunder storm warnings

2009-08-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.emergencyemail.org/weathergetwang1.asp?src=DS.p19r0/si.kCXX&scr=1

Throughout VT this afternoon.

Look Up!

2009-07-31T04:49:00.000-07:00

See those white lines up there in that crisp blue sky? Think there are just a few extra airplanes out today carrying passengers to their destinations? Well you might be wrong.

Contrails are normal airplane exhaust. Contrail is short for condensation trail. A contrail forms when the hot jet exhaust mixes with the low pressure, low temperature air. It’s very similar to when you breathe out on a cold day & can see your breath. A normal contrail will dissipate after one to ten minutes.

Have you ever heard of chemtrails?

The word chemtrails is short for chemical trails. A chemtrail is similar to a contrail except that instead of harmless water vapor, the chemtrail is made up of more harmful chemicals. It doesn’t dissipate quickly and spreads out over the sky turning hazy.

There are many theories for what’s in the chemtrail exhaust. Theories range anywhere from weather modification to population control. The spraying is typically done in large x’s or in grid patterns. Often spraying is done right before storms.

Testing has been done right after chemtrail spraying and results have included samples of rain water testing positive for pathogens, aluminum, barium, and even dried human red blood cells(!) after a spraying.

There have also been studies showing increases in hospitalizations after chemtrail spraying for things like respiratory illnesses. People have noticed a metallic taste in their mouths as well.

I’m still learning about chemtrails and there’s lots of information out there. It concerns me that “someone” is playing around with the weather or people’s health this way. If the topic is new to you, I urge you to search “chemtrails” on the search engine of your choice and learn more.

If what you read concerns you, let others know about chemtrails so they can be aware too. While supplies last, I will mail a free chemtrail bumper sticker to anyone who wants one. Just email me your address to scentednights2002 @ yahoo.com (remove spaces).