Preserving Newspaper Clippings

August 19, 2008 at 7:53 pm • No Comments 

Ever keep newspaper clippings for Family History, only to find out that over time the paper becomes brittle and turns dark yellow? That is part of the “aging” process of newspaper. To slow (or almost stop) this aging process, use the following solution:

Dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in one quart of club soda and leave overnight. Pour solution in a large shallow pan and soak the clippings for one hour. Carefully remove the clippings and pat dry (or hang up to air dry). This process will stretch the life expectancy of the clippings up to 200 years (supposedly). Note that this process is only for printed matter or papers written in permanent ink. Colored inks may fade. Test a small portion first before submerging entire sheet.

Personally, I just either make a copy of the newspaper or scan it into a PDF document. The above formula works if you MUST keep the original.

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Food Storage

August 18, 2008 at 6:52 am • 2 Comments 

I recently got more added to our family’s food storage. It is advisable to have at least a year supply for each member of the family. These are foods that can sustain life: wheat, rice, beans, et cetera. It is always best to be prepared for the unknown. There may be a calamity; you may lose employment; there may be a severe illness; truckers may go on strike causing grocery stores to be bare.

W. Cleon Skousen made a statement regarding the morality of storing food: “If you buy up food when there is plenty, that’s food storage. If you wait until it’s scarce, that’s hoarding.” Right now, we live in a period of time of plenty. Pharaoh of Egypt listened to Joseph and stored wheat during the years of plenty, and thus had food during the coming years of famine.

Don’t wait until the crisis is so obvious that everyone is scrambling for food. It is too late at that point. The time to prepare is now. Begin an orderly, systematic, well-planned storage program immediately.

If you don’t have the money for a whole year supply right now, then start by making some sacrifices and buy systematically each month as much as you can until you have reached your year supply.

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Why Self-Reliance

August 17, 2008 at 9:32 am • 1 Comment 

Self-Reliance and Self-Sufficiency makes us free. When you are prepared, not only can you take care of yourself, but you can help others. When the storms comes and the wind blows, you can still sleep peacefully. The more dependent you are on others, the less freedom you have.

Even though we need to be self-reliant in the world, we are nonetheless completely reliant on God, for we are nothing without Him. We must study the scriptures and the words of the prophets. We must put our trust in God and rely on him to help us provide for ourselves.

We all want to help others, but we should look at how we may be helping them. There is an old saying, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for life.” Regarding the needs of others, we need to do the most responsible thing. We must determine if it is actually hurting others (keeping them from being self-reliant) when we do things for them.

Categories: Self-Sufficiency
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Country Survival and Self-Sufficiency

August 16, 2008 at 11:47 pm • No Comments 

Living in the country is one the the best ways to become completely independent and self-sufficient. Why do people have to have jobs and work and earn tons of money … because of the high expenses of living in the city.

If you lived in the country, you can live “off-the-grid” and have your own well for water, solar panels and wind turbines for electricity, burn your trash, heat your home with a fire place, et cetera. Not to mention the added expense of owning a vehicle and driving all around town, which in essense is for the purpose of spending more money.

Simplify your life. Move to the country. Feel the joy and relaxation.

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Home Remedies That Work

August 15, 2008 at 11:44 pm • No Comments 

I recently came across this list of “Home Remedies That Work.” I haven’t personally tried any of them, but it’s worth a shot.

Milk of Magnesia immediately stops the itch from mosquito bites, poison ivy and poison oak. It’s wonderful, try it.

Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.

Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns.

Before you head to he drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They’ll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes,then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore Throat?? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 Tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with alka-seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Eliminate puffiness under your eyes…..All you need is a dab of preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.

Honey remedy for Skin Blemishes……Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus….Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection….To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Coca-Cola cure for rust…Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer….If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can’t find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover…..just pour a drop of Elmers Glue-all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt’s tomato paste boil cure….Cover the boil with Hunt’s tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters…..To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine….a powerful antiseptic.

Heinz vinegar to heal bruises…Soak a cotton ball in white

vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor….Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites….All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat’s ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Vaseline cure for hairballs…..To prevent troublesome hairballs, apply a dollop of vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat’s nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief….It’s not for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

Categories: Self-Sufficiency
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