Solar Water Purification...!

Hopefully you'll never have to use something like this, but you just never know.

With all the important things we gather for a "just in case" situation, the most important of all is INFORMATION!

As the old saying goes "Knowledge is power!" If nothing else, maybe you could mentally file this away for future use!

How Do I Use Solar Power to Purify Water?

by Jessica Blue, Demand Media

Choose a clear plastic bottle and remove all labels for a simple water-purification method.

Even when it looks clear, water can carry hordes of microscopic germs — bacteria and viruses that can wreak havoc on your body. Drinking water is normally sanitized at treatment plants before it enters the home, but if you're camping or drinking water from a rural well, for example, you're not drawing water from the typical water purification infrastructure. You can still protect your gut, though, with a simple water-purification method. This approach is similar to boiling water, though it is more effective because along with heat it uses a spectrum of UV-A light that kills many pathogenic microorganisms . However, it does not fully clean very muddy water or water that contains toxic chemical pollutants.

Items you will need:

Plastic bottle with recycling code 1 (PET/PETE)
Funnel
Piece of clean cloth, such as an old T-shirt
Cup or bucket

Step 1:
Wash and dry a plastic bottle and remove all labels. The bottle should be clear to let in as much light as possible.

Step 2:
Choose a relatively clear section of water if you are gathering water from a stream. Mud and other floating matter can detract from this method's effectiveness.

Step 3:
Remove the bottle cap and place the neck of the funnel into the mouth of the bottle. Stretch the cloth across the funnel and tie or hold it in place. The cloth filters particulate matter from the water.

Step 4:
Scoop up some water with a cup or bucket and pour it slowly over the cloth into the funnel.

Step 5:
Stop filling the bottle when it is 75 percent full. Replace the cap.

Step 6:
Shake the bottle vigorously for about 20 seconds.

Step 7:
Place the bottle horizontally on a flat surface like a rock or a rooftop. Ideally, the surface should be dark or reflective. Corrugated tin roofs work best, but any surface works as long as it receives direct sunlight.

Step 8:
Let the bottle sit for at least 6 hours. If the sunlight is indirect or the sky is cloudy, let the bottle sit for 24 hours.

Like I say, you may never need this, but better safe than sorry! Know what I mean?

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. Rain last night made it wet on the patio.

A Little Tuesday Humor...!

I know that everyone is going to spend the next few days getting ready for Christmas.

With that thought in mind, I figured we could use a little humor to level out all the emotions. I do hope that this helps to take the edge off!

The Dead Parrot‏

At dawn the telephone rings, "Hello, Senor Rod? This is Ernesto, the care taker at your country house.

"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?"

"Um, I am just calling to advise you, Senor Rod, that your parrot, he is dead.

"My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?"

"Si, Senor, that's the one."

"Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?"

"From eating the rotten meat, Senor Rod."

"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?"

"Nobody, Senor. He ate the meat of the dead horse."

"Dead horse? What dead horse?"

"The thoroughbred, Senor Rod."

"My prize thoroughbred is dead?"

"Yes, Senor Rod, he died from all that work pulling the water cart."

"Are you insane? What water cart?"

"The one we used to put out the fire, Senor."

"Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?"

"The one at your house, Senor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire."

"What the hell? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle?!"

"Yes, Senor Rod."

"But there's electricity at the house! What was the candle for?"

"For the funeral, Senor Rod."

"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!"

"Your wife's, Senor Rod". She showed up very late one night and I thought she was a thief, so I shot her with your new Kreighoff Limited Edition Custom Gold Engraved Trap Special with the custom Wenig Exhibition Grade Stock.

SILENCE........... LONG SILENCE.........VERY LONG SILENCE. "Ernesto, if you scratched that shotgun, you're in deep shit."

What did we learn from this story? I'm not sure, but I guess that the main thing is...keep your priorities straight! Secondly, SAFETY FIRST!

The only reason I bring this up, folks, is that during this time of all the decorating and food handling we need to be sure and keep safety foremost in our minds! I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to anyone, OK?

Coffee on the patio this morning. Just keep a lookout for the rain!

Maybe We Should Memorize These Words...!

Once in a great while, words are written that strike at our very being.

Sometimes they make us sad, sometimes they make us angry, and most always they motivate us in some fashion! That, in my opinion, is what Thomas Paine did when he published American Crisis !

I'm of the opinion that now would be a good time for us to go back and re-read this piece, because these words will never lose their power!

Dec 19, 1776:

Thomas Paine publishes American Crisis

These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

When these phrases appeared in the pages of the Pennsylvania Journal for the first time, General George Washington's troops were encamped at McKonkey's Ferry on the Delaware River opposite Trenton, New Jersey. In August, they had suffered humiliating defeats and lost New York City to British troops. Between September and December, 11,000 American volunteers gave up the fight and returned to their families. General Washington could foresee the destiny of a rebellion without an army if the rest of his men returned home when their service contracts expired on December 31. He knew that without an upswing in morale and a significant victory, the American Revolution would come to a swift and humiliating end.

Thomas Paine was similarly astute. His Common Sense was the clarion call that began the revolution. As Washington's troops retreated from New York through New Jersey, Paine again rose to the challenge of literary warfare. With American Crisis, he delivered the words that would salvage the revolution.

Washington commanded that the freshly printed pamphlet be read aloud to his dispirited men; the rousing prose had its intended effect. Reciting Paine's impassioned words, the beleaguered troops mustered their remaining hopes for victory and crossed the icy Delaware River to defeat hung-over Hessians on Christmas night and on January 2, the British army's best general, Earl Cornwallis, at the Battle of Princeton. With victory in New Jersey, Washington won not only two battles, but also the love and thanks of man and woman.

Maybe we should reprint the American Crisis and hand it out at every opportunity! Sure couldn't hurt, in my humble opinion!

Coffee in the kitchen this morning, OK? I have some fresh Clementines to go along with it!

Family Time Is Done...!

I am pleased to say that the family tree is over with and , for the most part, all went well!

Some didn't show, but that wasn't much of a surprise. I'll never understand why some folks commit to going somewhere, and then don't show or call! Very disappointing!

When all was said and done, I think that Mom had a good time and that was the whole point. This is really her holiday. I think that it's just too early for me to get all caught up in the holiday spirit, if you know what I mean.

Besides, I think the folks that get full of the holiday cheer are the oldsters and the youngsters! Nothing lights up like a child's eyes at Christmas, except maybe an oldster's face when remembering the joys of Christmas' past!

Thanks to all that dropped by the blog yesterday and I apologize for not being able to answer the comments. Like we say, sometimes life gets in the way!

Coffee on the patio again. I have some cherry pie to go along with it! Are you game?

No Serious Post Today...!

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I have a family get-together at Mom's today.

Being as I already know how things are going to turn out, and that I need to get things in shape at Mom's, this will be short!

Since I don't have anything worthwhile to say, and I'm going to need all the grins I can get...I'll just share this video instead! After all, isn't that the main reason that adults watch cartoons?



Sorry for the short posting, but I'm already in a foul mood and the crowd isn't due until later! It's going to be a very long day!

Coffee on the patio this morning. I think I have enough time for a cup!

Remember These "Firecrackers..."?

This is a repeat post from last year, in case you don't remember it.

My niece requested that I make some of these for our family get-together this weekend, so I figured they must be pretty good! I like 'em, myself! But then, several things I like are not real popular with other folks.

The beauty of these snacks is that they are easy to fix and CHEAP! I like cheap!

Heck, these are certainly cheaper than making home made cookies! Believe me, I know!

Firecrackers

Things You'll Need:

* 1 box of saltine crackers
* 1 envelope of BUTTERMILK Ranch Dressing Mix (powder)
* 1 1/3 c. canola oil
* 1 Tblsp. crushed red pepper flakes
* Gallon size Ziploc bag

Empty all 4 sleeves of crackers into the Ziploc bag, being careful not to break or crush the crackers. If many of the crackers are broken, you may want to remove the smaller pieces.

In a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, pour the 1 1/3 c. canola oil (healthier and absorbs quickly into crackers). Whisk in the dressing mix and the crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well. Pour over the crackers in the bag. Seal the bag tightly so oil will not leak out while you toss the bag to coat the crackers with the seasoning mixture.

Turn the bag every 10 min. for one hour; this helps coat the crackers evenly. You may store these in the Ziploc bag or any airtight container.

* May use Ritz crackers as well.

* Great for the holidays.

* Wonderful for just snacking -- just the right amount of salt and spice.

* May add extra crushed red pepper if you really like it HOT!!!

I really am not looking forward to this gathering this year, but for Mom's sake, I'll make the best of it. Seems like the least I can do, ya know?

Anyway, I hope you try and enjoy this snack. Goes over pretty good for something that doesn't take a lot of time! That's a good thing!

Coffee on the patio this morning if it doesn't rain. Don't worry, though, the kitchen isn't far away!

Never Forget These Rights...!

These are probably some of the most important amendments in our history.

The main thing about these milestones is that they make it clear that the people do not give up all their rights to the government. That is something we need to keep in mind all the time, and we need to make sure that the folks in Washington always remember this as well!

This is one bit of history that should always be foremost in our minds!

Dec 15, 1791:

The Bill of Rights becomes law

On this day in 1791, Virginia becomes the last state to ratify the Bill of Rights, making the first ten amendments to the Constitution law and completing the revolutionary reforms begun by the Declaration of Independence. Before the Massachusetts ratifying convention would accept the Constitution, which they finally did in February 1788, the document's Federalist supporters had to promise to create a Bill of Rights to be amended to the Constitution immediately upon the creation of a new government under the document.

The Anti-Federalist critics of the document, who were afraid that a too-strong federal government would become just another sort of the monarchical regime from which they had recently been freed, believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government by outlining its rights but failing to delineate the rights of the individuals living under it. The promise of a Bill of Rights to do just that helped to assuage the Anti-Federalists' concerns.

The newly elected Congress drafted the Bill of Rights on December 25, 1789. Virginia's ratification on this day in 1791 created the three-fourths majority necessary for the ten amendments to become law. Drafted by James Madison and loosely based on Virginia's Declaration of Rights, the first ten amendments give the following rights to all United States citizens:

1.Freedom of religion, speech and assembly.

2.Right to keep and bear arms for the purpose of a well-regulated militia

3.No forcible quartering of soldiers during peacetime.

4.Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.

5.Right to a grand jury for capital crimes and due process. Protection from double jeopardy, self-incrimination and public confiscation of private property without just compensation.

6.Right to speedy and public trial by jury and a competent defense.

7.Right to trial by jury for monetary cases above $20.

8.Protection against excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishments.

9.Rights not enumerated are retained by the people.

10.Rights not given to the federal government or prohibited the state governments by the Constitution, are reserved to the States... or to the people.

These amendments are law, and they are law for the people! Any person or persons attempting to skirt these amendments is breaking the law! Maybe we should make sure that we remember this and act accordingly! At least, that's my opinion!

Coffee on the patio this morning. It's foggy, but warm enough!