MinuteMom Magazine - August 2012

MinuteMom August 2012• Volume 1 Issue 12

w la o n e k a m ll a h s Congress , n io g li e r f o t n e m h s li b a t s e n a g in t c respe e is c r e x e e e r f e h or prohibiting t f o m o d e e r f e h t g in g id r b a r o ; f o e r e th t h ig r e h t r o ; s s e r p e h t f o r o , h c e e p s , le b m e s s a o t ly b a e of the people peac a r o f t n e m n r e v o G e h t n io it t e p o t and s e c n a v ie r g f o s s e r red

Amendment 1

Freedom of Religion

the Executive Branch Basics

Harvest Time Ideas!

YYPresident’s Letter

Welcome

Dear Moms and Moms-at-Heart, Like several of you, I spent this past weekend in Arlington, Texas at “Restoring Love” and associated events. I know, because I had the honor of meeting so many of you!. To be quite honest, I have never liked the title of this event because “to restore” implies that some thing is gone or broken. As a Mom, I see love all around me constantly.

Love is the reason that Moms are Moms. If I had been able to name the event I would have called it “Recognizing Love.” One of the highlights of my week was an outpouring of love by Moms and Moms-at-Heart that needs to be recognized.

Thursday afternoon PJB - Director of Groups called me to let me know that one of our Charimoms was in desperate need of prayers while another was somewhat stranded. While driving to Dallas, Stacy AZ received a phone call informing her that her husband had been seriously injured in an industrial accident. Already eight hours into her drive she turned around and headed home, this left her roommate Samantha TN without transportation. I know that many on the site, particularly other Chairmoms joined Stacy’s family and friends in prayer as soon as they heard.

Meanwhile at the 9-12/As A Mom booth in the Cowboys Stadium... I relayed the information to Jeff - Director at Large, and other 9-12 leaders. A Mom who was at the booth overheard and offered to help get Samantha places she needed to be, another Mom having checked in on the site called unsolicited offering transportation. As I told 9-12 leaders of the situations some stopped immediately to offer prayers. Others said they would make sure it was mentioned in meeting prayers.

Friday Samantha got a call from Stacy. Though not yet out of the hospital, doctors where using words such as “miraculous” to describe the recovery of Stacy’s husband. (At the time of publication I am happy to report he is home and recuperating.)

This is what Love is all about. I urge you to recognize the love in your life.

photo L.. Parker

Lori Parker Co-Founder and President As a Mom… A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots® Inc. From left: Samantha TN, Jeff K. AAM Director at Large/Politics, Joni L. 9/12 Project. At the 9/12 & AAM booth at the Cowboys Stadium

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MinuteMom Magazine August 2012• Volume 1 Issue 12

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Features 6 Take A Stand… For Religious Freedom

If this attack on the first of our rights, our Religious Liberty, is allowed to stand, no faith, no freedom will be secure..

By Barbara Samuells, President 9-12 super Seniors

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8 Religious Freedoms for Obama Administration Overlooked or Under Appreciated?.

By Traci Osuna

14 The US Constitution: A Primer- Part four

This month we delve into the meat of the Constitution; we begin with the Executive Branch.

By Catherine G. White

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20 Sex Segregation In School

Like so many other hot-button topics, the resolution of this issue will not be easily reached as opposite sides simply have different realities.

By Carrie Christiansen

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22 How to communicate if the Government shuts down the Internet

By Ed Corcoran

26 TOMATOES!!!

A Novice’s Guide to Water Bath Canning

By Auntie Anne

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

August 2012

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Features 34 72-Hour Kits Revisited: Add-On Kits Mini kits and more

By Auntie Anne

Departments President’s Letter

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Welcome

12 Values The George Washington Challenge

30 Restoring Humor 32

Preppers Ask the Grainlady: Frequently Asked ‘Prepping’ Questions

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Home storage: “Fake Meat” using Vital Wheat Gluten

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Publisher: As a Mom...

A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots.® Inc. www.AsAMom.org Editor Diana Learn Coordinator Kami Watkins Contributing Writers: Auntie Anne Carrie Christiansen Ed Corcoran GrainLady Traci Osuna Barbara Samuells Kami Watkins Catherine G. White MinuteMom Magazine is published 12 times a year

by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. MinuteMom Magazine is available free, on-line.

Copyright © 2012 by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots, Inc. All rights reserved. MinuteMom Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties.

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Cover detail from Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull in the US Capitol rotunda.

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Take A Stand…

For Religious Freedom

by Barbara Samuells President 9-12 super Seniors In spite of appeals from the Catholic Church and other churches as well, President Obama has chosen to enforce an HHS mandate that forces all employers to provide their employees with health insurance that must include sterilization, abortion inducing drugs and contraception. There is no doubt that this violates constitutionally protected core doctrines of the Catholic Church as well as the consciences of some other churches and employers.

If this attack on the first of our rights, our Religious Liberty, is allowed to stand, no faith, no freedom will be secure. It is up to each of us, in our own life and our own church, to stand for this freedom for ourselves, for our children and for their children.

Right now, in parishes in New York, there is an effective model for defending our Freedom of Religion. Anyone, anywhere can follow the process being used by members of the 912 Super Seniors and other volunteers to work in their own churches to found non-partisan laity groups to educate and advocate for 1st Amendment Freedom of Religion.

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All the materials explaining this concept and providing everything to implement this in your own church are available in a brief, printable “Quick Start Guide” at www.faithful-action.org.

At the same link are additional printouts of supplemental information. Also, short quotes and talking points for Freedom of Religion can be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/LWUDxV. These church community groups are bringing together faithful patriots to stand for the religious freedom that is critical to their spiritual lives.

The history and context of our first amendment, quotes from church leaders of all faiths, and the words of our first amendment are presented along with details of the HHS mandate and its effect on religious principles. This is done without violating IRS restrictions on church activities.

Very like Americans coming together in tea party and 9-12 groups, our fellow church members are heartened to find they are not alone in their concerns and desire to do something to protect their freedom. From non-partisan voter registration to a Freedom Festival, lapel pins, children’s poster contests, speakers and movie www.AsAMom.org

nights, each group is finding unique ways to educate those in their church about the need to be aware and to vote their conscience to elect those who will stand for Freedom of Religion.

The groups are encouraged to invite every other faith community in their area to join in their meetings and events. This is already resulting in cooperation among faith communities in New York. The groups are designed to stand for our freedom now and for every generation as they become permanent, vigilant partners in preserving religious freedom.

Churches in the United States of America have flourished in constitutionally guaranteed liberty for over 200 years. That was our founders’ intention, as borne out in their writings. When forming our constitution they knew well the long history of recurring tyranny and religious persecution in Europe. They intended to insure Freedom of Religion for millions of Americans yet unborn.

Our first amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

We as mothers guard the heart and guide the faith of our families. As moms, I believe we are brought to this time and place by an all knowing and caring Lord. Through our life experiences he has uniquely prepared each one of us to play a role in preserving His church and its liberty, as well as human liberty itself. Our Founding Fathers, through His inspiration, provided us with a model for organizing a society that became a catalyst for the spread of human liberty over vast populations and areas of the globe. All is now at serious risk.

Comments from some of America’s religious leaders:

“Our churches should defend religious liberty, including freedom of conscience, for all people. The Amish do not carry health insurance. The government respects their principles. Christian Scientists want to heal by prayer alone, and the new health-care reform law respects that. Quakers and others object to killing even in wartime, and the government respects that principle for conscientious objectors.”

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“By its decision, the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of biblical believers and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease.” Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), told LifeSiteNews.com last month, “We will not comply with” the HHS mandate. “We want the law changed, or else we’re going to write our letters from the Nashville jail, just like Dr. King wrote his from the Birmingham jail.”

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren asked on his Twitter feed, “I’d go to jail rather than cave in to a government mandate that violates what God commands us to do. Would you?”

“Most troubling, is the Administration’s underlying rationale for its decision, which appears to be a view that if a religious entity is not insular, but engaged with broader society, it loses its “religious” character and liberties. Many faiths firmly believe in being open to and engaged with broader society and fellow citizens of other faiths. The Administration’s ruling makes the price of such an outward approach the violation of an organization’s religious principles.”

– Nathan Diament, Director for Public Policy, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

It is our time to stand for our freedom, a responsibility embraced by generations of our forefathers. As our soldier sons and daughters are standing around the world in great peril for our freedoms, we at home are called to stand for our religious liberty. We moms must stand in our own churches and communities for Freedom of Religion. Can we do any less?

Barbara Samuells is the founder and president of 9-12 Super Seniors. www.912SuperSeniors.org focuses on educating seniors, empowering them through recognition of their experiences, maturity and judgment, and helping them take action! An active member of AAM she often contibutes her talents.

August 2012

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Religious Freedoms for Obama Administration: Overlooked or Under Appreciated?

by Traci Osuna In the Secretary Preface of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011 issued by the Department of State, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton writes: “Across the Middle East, North Africa, and far beyond, citizens stood up to demand respect for human dignity, more promising economic opportunities, greater political liberties, and a say in their own future…This year’s [2011] Country Reports on Human Rights Practices chronicle these dramatic changes and the stories of the people defending human rights in almost 200 countries around the world.”

The United Sates has always been a champion for the oppressed countries throughout the world. We are fortunate enough to have our God-given freedoms and it is only right to fight for the causes of the less fortunate and the oppressed. That is exactly why Congress requires 8

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these Human Rights reports to be published just as the Secretary Clinton stated in the Preface: “Congress mandated these country reports more than three decades ago to help guide lawmakers’ decisions on foreign military and economic aid, but they have evolved into something more.”

The report is undoubtedly chock full of facts and statistics that will inform millions of people as to how radical and restrictive governments are treating their own people and what can be done to protect the most basic of human rights: “Today, governments, intergovernmental organizations, scholars, journalists, activists, and others around the world rely on these reports as an essential update on human rights conditions around the world – where we have seen progress, where progress has come too slowly or at great cost, and all too often, where it has been rolled back.” (Secretary Preface) www.AsAMom.org

Of special interest this year will be the religious freedom section of this report, which should detail the effects of the Arab Spring, which involved the uprising of millions of Muslims throughout the Middle East, and the impact it had on Christianity and other minority religious in the same region.

Oh…just a minute… for some reason, the religious freedom’s section of the report, which has always been included in past years, is inexplicably missing. Hmmm…….

Thankfully, what the State Department failed to include in its annual report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) did report on, extensively, just as they have since Congress created the independent, bipartisan commission in 1998.

As explained on the USCIRF website (www. uscirf.gov), both the State Department and the USCIRF monitor and report on countries’ religious freedoms. Each do so for different reasons: “The State Department’s report documents religious freedom violations in every country in the world. USCIRF’s Annual Report, by statute, recommends countries to be designated as ‘countries of particular concern’ which the Executive Branch must consider. The report also examines select countries, and while also documenting abuses, makes policy recommendations to the executive and legislative branches of government. USCIRF’s report also comments on the effectiveness of the State Department’s efforts to promote international religious freedom.” (www. uscirf.gov, FAQ #3) So, if there are two reports providing the same information, why is it a big deal if the State department did not publish their report this year?

In his article, “State Department Purges Religious Freedom Section from its Human Rights Reports”, written for CSNNews.com, Pete Winn brings the omission of this report to the As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

attention of readers. While not offering a definitive answer as to why - how could he, the State Department did not provide one - he does interview two gentlemen who do provide insight into the situation and some possible explanations.

In the Winn article, Leonard Leo, former chairman of the USCIRF, says that the fact that the State Department did not include the religious freedoms section in the report this year is worrisome. “…because the Human Rights reports receive a lot of attention, and to have pulled religious freedom out of it means that fewer people will obtain information about what’s going on with that particular freedom or right.”

Thomas Farr, a former U.S. diplomat who served in the State Department under both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, was the first director of the Office of International Religious Freedoms. He told Winn that, though it could be a purely bureaucratic move, he also offers that it could be something more. “The other possibility is the Obama administration is downplaying international religious freedom.”

Farr clearly states in the CSN article that he does not know the logic behind the omission, but offers insight from his personal experience.

“I also have observed during the three and half years of the Obama administration that the issue of religious freedom has been distinctly downplayed.” According to the article, Farr added that “far more resources have been allocated by the Obama administration to other human rights issues than have been directed toward religious freedom.”

For those readers who do search the State Department’s on-line report for the most current religious freedom information, they are directed to the last report issued, that is for the time frame of July thru December, 2010, covering the time well before the Arab Spring officially began in Tunisia in mid-December. So those people who August 2012

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rely on the Department of State’s Human Rights Report may not discover what the USCIRF report discloses.

YY The Taliban has used social media to threaten Christians. “In October 2011, the Taliban released on its website a warning that any Afghan suspected of converting to Christianity will be targeted for death.”

(Pg 288) YY In 2011, material vilifying Jews with both historical and new anti-Semitic stereotypes continued to appear regularly in the state-controlled and semi-official media….

Human rights groups cite persistent, virulent anti-Semitism in the education system, which increasingly is under the influence of Islamist extremists, a development the Egyptian government has not adequately addressed. (Pg 60) YY From 2007 to 2009, the State Department reported that religious freedom conditions in Egypt had declined. This assertion did not result in any significant change in U.S. policy toward Egypt other than the increase in public comments and statements…(Pg 64) YY In Nigeria, the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, has assassinated Muslim religious leaders that spoke out against them and said they plan to “purify Islam in the country.” They have also been found to be responsible for attacks against Christians and other minority religious groups, including Christmas day bombings “in or around churches in five cities in central and northeastern Nigeria – Jos, Kano, Madalla, Gadaka, and Damaturu – leaving at least forty dead in Madalla alone.” (Pg 109-110) Based upon their research and criteria set by the International Religious Freedoms Act (IRFA), each year the USCIRF makes recommendations to the Secretary of State of which countries should be put on a watch-list and which should be considered Countries of Particular Concern (CPC). According to the USCIRF website, to be classified as a CPC, the commission must find the following to be true: “ [the country in question is found to be] engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” When a country is designated a “Country of Particular Concern,” the President is required by law to take one of several actions, 10 MinuteMom Magazine

including economic sanctions, or a waiver of action. (www.uscirf.gov, FAQ #9) In the 2012 report, the USCIRF recommended that the following countries be considered Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) : “Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.” (www.uscirf.gov, Pg 4) It remains to be seen what action the President and the U.S. State Department will take on these countries. With the Department of State not including their own findings in the latest Human Rights Report, the USCIRF’s reporting that much more important and vital to protecting the rights of the millions of persecuted people of faith all around the world.

It is important to note that the funding for the USCIRF was originally supposed to come to an end in September, 2011. A bill was introduced in Congress to extend funding for the continuation of the commission, and, in December, it did pass both in the House and in the Senate, but after some major changes to the commission. According to a December 16th article on the Baptist Press website (http://www.bpnews. net/bpnews.asp?id=36808), the bill imposes two, two-year term limits on the commissioner. This new term limit meant seven of the nine commissioners were required to step down within 90 days of the passage of the bill. And the annual budget was reduced from $4 million to $3 million. The commission will be up for review again in December of 2014.

While the renewal of the commission was backed by the majority of theHouse and the Senate, the Baptist Press article goes on to say that one Senator, who chose not to release his name (which is not required) “put a hold on the reauthorization legislation.” The senator was widely reported to be Rep. Dick Durbin D. – IL. When the bill did pass, it was Durbin who attached the term limits and also imposed the requirement that “USCIRF members “… abide

by State Department travel regulations and another extending the reauthorization to 2014.”

Richard Land, one of the nine commissioners required to step down, had served on the commission for nearly a decade. He told the Baptist Press that the closure of the USCIRF “would have been tragic for the cause of religious freedom and human rights around the world… www.AsAMom.org

USCIRF has been so successful in highlighting these issues that other countries have imitated the United States and started similar commissions of their own. How ironic would it have been for the United States to allow its commission to lapse?”

Ironic? Or all part of the plan? As stated previously, the Obama administration has never been one to put religious freedoms ahead of, or even on par with, other human rights issues. Is it that religious freedoms are not a priority President Obama’s administration? Or could it be that by addressing the issue of religious freedoms in the State Department’s latest Human Rights Report, it would cause people to look more closely at the Arab Spring and the impact it had on all minority religions in the Middle East? Unfortunately, we just do not know.

Sources: Open Doors Website: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/press/press-release/2011/November/Religious-Freedom-Commission-Doors-To-Close-Unless-Senate-Steps-Up-to-thePlate Baptist Press Website: http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=36808 United States Commission on International Religious Freedoms Website: http://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/pressreleases/3707-uscirf-identifies-worlds-worst-religious-freedom-violators.html http://www.uscirf.gov/images/Annual%20Report%20 of%20USCIRF%202012%282%29.pdf U.S. Department of State Human Rights Report http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/ CSN News.com http://cnsnews.com/news/article/state-departmentpurges-religious-freedom-section-its-human-rightsreports

Traci Osuna is a happily married mother of two boys, as well as a substitute teacher and teaches Religious Education to 5th graders. She been freelance writing for about 12 years and write for several local publications, as well as ZENIT, a Catholic on-line newsservice. She wants to do what she can to preserve the greatness of our country.

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August 2012 11

YYValues

The George Washington Challenge

The value of kindness is something that we learn as children. As kids we’re taught to share our toys, to apologize if we do wrong and to watch what we say so we don’t injure the feelings of others. As adults we often forget that this childhood value is a necessity as we get older. We all need the reminder that we can never go wrong when we error on the side of kindness. It is one value that is overlooked in our society today, and consequently it creates other ills of a poor-hearted culture, those being, intolerance and malice. We can’t afford to end up a poor-hearted culture. We need to up our kindness barometer and fulfill the needs in our community by simply noticing the needs of others.

Kindness comes in many forms. It may be wrapped in a package. It may be drawn in red, orange and blue crayons by the hands of a child. It may be seen on a simple sticky note with the words, “Have a nice day.”

We may miss it if we’re not careful, because at times it seems illusive, undercover and masked by the everyday on-goings of life. A wife may witness it as her husband opens her door.

A husband may see it on a dinner plate covered in foil waiting for him as he gets home from a hard day at work.

Strangers may feel it in a passing smile or a gesture of change. However it is shared, it is the unselfish gift of love.

I recently heard of a gentleman wanting to do something different for his 65th birthday. After suggestions from his friends he decided to give out $5.00 to 65 people on his birthday. What a 12 MinuteMom Magazine

memorable way to celebrate one more

“The best portion of a good man’s life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” ~ William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

year of life. I also heard of a story of a lost dog and a woman who found it at the animal shelter, just moments from being put to sleep. She brought it home and the dog and its owner were reunited. The dog belonged to a family whose father had just passed away.

This woman knew, deep down, that this dog was loved. She paid attention!

And because she did so, she impacted this family tremendously, all through a simple act of kindness.

So, what can we do to develop the attitude of kindness? We can open our doors and hearts to those that need it.

We can spend our time in the service of our communities to lift the hearts and minds of those that are downtrodden.

We can give a child some reassurance through words of encouragement and a hug. We can let our teens know that we are proud of them regardless of whether they’ve done all their chores.

We can thank our spouses for their hard work. We can likewise thank our servicemen and women for their sacrifices. There is nothing more appreciated than heartfelt kindness from another and we each have the capacity to render this great value to someone each day.

Kindness is directly related to compassion. If we cannot recognize the simple needs of another, we will miss some of the most life-changing experiences possible. Those experiences are the infrastructure of our lives, if we let them be. One cannot be changed if all they think about is what’s in it for them. However, the polar opposite of this is to find the greatest life-altering experiences by stepping out of the comfort zone and genuinely taking notice of the needs of other people This is not something that comes easily to some. The tendency to notice the worst possible attributes of an individual seems the first thing that comes to some people’s mind. If that’s the case, replace those thoughts with positive ones that produce positive actions.

And push the tendency to judge out the window, so that you can open the door to greater opportunities to do something good in the life of another person.

Here are some ideas to help you on your way: www.AsAMom.org

Stock Free Images

Title

Kindness

Start big! I know you may think that for some things, the old adage is to start small, that’s not the case concerning kindness. First, the point is just to start. Simple things can make a huge impact. This is one thing we can ‘GO BIG,’ on and be the better for it.

YY Embrace the opportunity! Condition yourself to begin noticing people outside your everyday life. Take notice of people or moments where you can have an impact big or small. If you feel inspired to do something ‘good,’ just do it! Embrace as many opportunities as reasonably possible to bless the lives of others.

YY Cast off judgments! Everyone is in need of kindness. There may be moments when you are tempted to judge the station in life of another person to justify withholding your kindness, but don’t! We are the hands of our God. It is through us that many of His blessings are carried to those who need it. We’ve all been on the receiving end of this value, and it’s one we do not want to be without.

YY Anonymity! If you can, do something good for someone without them knowing it was you. Don’t look for accolades, just spread some good in this world of ours. Take the time to listen for opportunities where those random acts of kindness might be needed.

YY No strings attached! Don’t expect anything in return. We all hope to get a thank-you now and then, but it isn’t necessary when we are randomly affecting the lives of those we don’t even know. Some people may be shocked to know that someone is thinking of them, and may not even know what to say.

A kind heart produces kind actions. Train yourself to be that person, the one that does a kindness because you recognize a need in your fellow [wo] man. It is true that we are the sum of our experiences, why not let those experiences be the kind that impact those around us and spread those random acts of love wherever we go.

—Kami Watkins * -George Washington Challenge http://www.beinggeorgewashington.com © 2012, Mercury Inc

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Be a

Mollytician moll•y•ti•cian |mäl i´ti sh en| noun

1. a mom* who is involved in politics, 2. a mom holder of or a candidate for an elected office. antonym – politician: a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.

Back to School time: Do you know what your School board has been up to this summer?

Make sure to take a look around the classroom... What textbooks are being used and what is in them?

How does your child’s teacher feel about what matters most to you?

* Mom: a member of Asamom.org may be a mom or mom-at heart.

The US Constitution: A Primer- Part four This month we delve into the meat of the Constitution; we begin with the Executive Branch.

By Catherine G. White

The US Constitution: A Primer Part Three-Executive Branch

Let us first re-state that the Founders intentionally split power amongst three branches of government in an effort to prevent any one branch from seizing too much power and becoming tyrannical. Article 2 of the US Constitution is the article that addresses the method of choosing the President and detailing the privileges, duties, powers, and limitations of the executive branch.

Under the Articles of Confederation all government was held by the Congress (which had only one House). This was itself a reaction against the days of Royal Governors who were appointed by the King and who ruled harshly in many cases. Under the Articles a decentralized executive function proved to be just as harmful – but from the other direction! With no one person in charge, there were lengthy delays in decision making, finger-pointing when decisions went awry, and general chaos. Still, the Constitutional Convention was nearly over before the participants finally decided upon a system with one executive position and defined areas of jurisdiction separate from those of the legislature.

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In Article 2, Section 1, the title “President” is set forth. The function is stated to be the Executive function of governance. His term and that of the Vice-President is set to a length of four years – and those are to be the same four years. By setting the term to this length, the President will be in office for 2 sessions of the House, but only 2/3 of one session of the Senate. Recall that the House is the closest to the people. They are chosen most frequently. The President’s term spans House sessions, giving the Executive a longer outlook than the Representatives. The Senators, representing the interests of the States as sovereign entities, stay in office six years – giving the Senate the longest overall view of the state, positions, and needs of the country. This is underscored by the offset elections of Senators, 1/3 every two years – leading to a Senate where there are always some old-timers as well as relative “newbies” in office (in theory, at least).

The next clause in this Article is one that always engenders confusion: the Electoral College and the election of the President. People ask, “WHY do we have the Electoral College?” www.AsAMom.org

WikiMedia

by Catherine G. White

This was another in the long list of compromises made in the Constitutional Convention.

Twice the Convention voted against election of the President by Congress, and twice they voted against direct election by the people. Instead, they chose a completely different route. The President is NOT elected by the people — but rather by the sovereign States, as guided and recommended by their citizens and legislatures, through the Electoral College. This procedure also helps preserve Federalism, the division and sharing of power between the state and Federal governments. The people elect Representatives; the states elect the President.

The Electoral College (even with the changes brought about from the original by the 12th Amendment) retains another original purpose – to keep Presidential candidates from only looking at high-population states for votes. Perhaps the best way to describe the function of the Electors in the Electoral College is by a series of questions and answers.

How many Electoral votes are there?

Each state is assigned a number of Electors equal to the state’s total representation in the Federal government. The minimum is three, for two Senators and one Representative (each state has two Senators and the number of Representatives is assigned by population; the country splits 435 Representatives). The highest currently is California, with 55 Electoral College votes.

Washington DC gets three Electoral College votes (per the 23rd Amendment). In total, there are 538 Electoral College votes.

Who is an Elector – and how do the Electors elect the President?

An Elector is a person chosen by his/her state’s official procedure, to participate in the election of the President. The Electors, after the statesanctioned procedure for advising them, meet in their states on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. On that day, they hold their votes and list the names of the candidates for President and Vice-President along with the number of votes for each. They sign and certify this list, seal it, and send that list to the President of the Senate. The Senate President opens and counts all the ballots in the presence of the Senators and Representatives. Two hundred seventy Electoral College votes are required to elect a President. There are additional Constitutional

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provisions to decide the President if a clear majority is not reached (this has not happened since 1825).

How are Electors chosen?

The way Electors are chosen still depends on the laws of the individual states. Some of the original intent has been displaced by the development of the two-party system. Originally, electors could be chosen by the states in a number of ways.

The state legislature could vote, all at once and together, on a slate of electors. The state legislature could vote in separate houses (but at the same time). There could be a general vote by the citizens. There could be a vote by citizens by districts. There could be a hybrid method of partial legislature/partial citizen votes. Other methods were used as well. Madison held the opinion that the district system was the most equitable.

Are there limits on who can be an Elector?

Yes – Electors may NOT be a current Senator, Representative, or any person holding “an office of trust or profit under the United States.”

Outside those Constitutional limitations, state law prevails.

How did the two-party system change the College?

The two-party system has brought changes not foreseen by the Constitutional Convention. In most states, the political parties each choose an entire slate of electors pledged to vote for that party’s candidates. Some states have an “all or nothing” election, where the party of the winner of the popular vote for President in that state gets to send all their Electors to vote, and none of the other party’s Electors get to vote – even if the popular vote was won by only a handful of votes.

Other states apportion Electors by percentage of popular vote, or in other ways.

Can a President be elected who did not win the popular vote?

Yes, this has happened four times in the history of the Republic – most recently with George W. Bush in 2000. (The other Presidents so elected were John Quincy Adams in 1824, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, and Benjamin Harrison in 1888.)

A newly passed California law will require the Electors in that state to vote for the winner of the popular vote per national totals. In the 2004 elections, that would have meant California’s Electoral votes would have gone to Bush (wouldn’t August 2012 15

they have been thrilled about that!). There is also talk of a “national popular vote” amendment – with the result that most of the country would be IGNORED while candidates campaigned furiously in the high-population centers.

Qualifications for holding the office of President are in Clause 4, “No person except a natural born citizen, ...shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the age of 35 years, and been 14 years a resident within the United States.” We understand age 35 with no confusion, and we clearly understand residency in years as well – a person age 36 who has lived in the USA 20 years is fully eligible even if that person spent 16 years living, working, studying, travelling, etc. in other countries. The definition of “natural born” has received a lot of attention in the last several years. “Natural born” is not defined in the Constitution – rather, it is defined by statute (law), and specifically by the law that was in effect when the person was born. “Natural born” absolutely does not include someone who is a “naturalized” citizen – those who immigrate, stay the prescribed number of years, take the test and then the oath. Congress did follow a long-standing British practice, dating to 1350, of considering someone a “natural born” citizen if that person is born abroad to parents who are both US citizens. Therefore John McCain, born in Panama to US citizen parents (while his father was stationed there in the military) is absolutely and uncontrovertibly a US citizen.

Under the provisions of the 14th Amendment, Mitt Romney, born in Michigan, is a natural born US citizen. His father, George, was born in Mexico – but to US citizen parents living in Mexico, who had NOT relinquished their own 16 MinuteMom Magazine

citizenships; his status is also certain, despite the noise being made in some quarters over this fact.

As to the controversy surrounding the current holder of the Office of President – no one knows for sure if he is eligible to hold office as he has never proven eligibility. It will make a very interesting Constitutional case if he is proven at some point not to have been eligible – would every bill he signed be invalidated?

The President swears an Oath of Office to “faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States,” and, to the best of his ability, “preserve, protect, and defend the CONSTITUTION of the United States.” NOT statutes. NOT Executive Orders. NOT agency “regulations.”

His sworn duty is to the Constitution alone.

In essence, the President is somewhat like a hired Town Manager; despite modern efforts, it is NOT the function of the President to set the agenda for the Federal government.

Congress sets that agenda, passes laws (like the Selectmen or Aldermen of a town) to further that agenda, and the President’s duty (like the Town Manager, except with veto power) is to ensure those laws are properly implemented. He has discretion, though, under the Constitution and under his sworn oath to defend it. If the President believes that a law passed by Congress is not Constitutional (for example, it is outside the scope of the enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8), it is his sworn duty NOT to implement or enforce that law (either by veto, or by refusal to comply if his veto is over-ridden).

We see here yet another proof that the Supreme Court was never intended to be the sole arbiter of Constitutionality. The President’s Constitutional authority to act on his own discretion lies ONLY in his refusal to enforce unConstitutional acts of Congress, and his duty to entertain foreign dignitaries. He may make recommendations to www.AsAMom.org

Congress, but they are not required to act on those recommendations.

Executive Orders are not forbidden by the Constitution – they are not specifically mentioned at all. They do come under the restrictions of the oath of office, however, and the President may NOT use “executive orders” to subvert, evade, or avoid the other provisions of the Constitution, nor to establish regulatory agencies who issue rules on their own, not subject to Congressional approval and oversight. Those actions are outside the Constitution, not authorized, and are usurpations; null and void. Congress’ sworn duty requires them to zero-fund ALL such offices and agencies.

The President may use “executive orders” to carry out his duties. For example, if US Attorneys are not prosecuting those who break Federal law (counterfeiters, for example – or those who cross our borders illegally), the President must order those attorneys to prosecute. Executive orders also cover activities within the Executive Branch, such as dress codes, rules for when meetings may and may not be interrupted, the hierarchy

of assistants within his administration, and the like.

Now that we’ve been through all that – Let’s look at what else is under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.

The President is Commander-In-Chief of the military (including the militia) when those services are lawfully called into actual service by Congress. The President can send troops into action without a formal declaration of war by Congress, but the intention was to permit quick response by the country to an urgent threat either as a one-engagement action, or while (the parttime) Congress was gathering to vote on a declaration of war. One could make the case that our troops in Libya had NO Commander-In-Chief, as they were sent in to an area that did not pose a clear and present danger to the safety of the USA, and were not sent in under a declaration of war by Congress.

The Executive Branch also has jurisdiction over the negotiation of treaties – but no treaty can go into effect without the consent of the Senate (speaking in the interests of the sovereign

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states). However, just because a President signs, and the Senate (by a 2/3 vote) ratifies, a treaty, that does NOT necessarily make that treaty the “supreme Law of the Land.” The power, in Article 2, Section 2, Clause 2, to make treaties, is LIMITED by Article 6, Clause 2, which states, “...all Treaties made ... under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.” The “Authority of the United States” is the Constitution, which limits the jurisdiction of the Federal government to specific, enumerated areas. Any treaty made in an area outside those enumerated powers is NOT “under the Authority of the United States” – and therefore is null, void, and without effect. In 1871, the Supreme Court stated (in the Cherokee Tobacco case), “It need hardly be said that a treaty cannot change the Constitution or be held valid if it be in violation of that instrument.” Therefore even IF the Senate ratifies the hypothetical UN Small Arms Ban Treaty, that treaty would NOT be the “supreme Law of the Land,” as the Second Amendment assures US citizens of the individual right to keep and bear arms. We must believe ourselves – and be willing to tell others as well – that “they do NOT have authority under the Constitution to DO that!” rather than mindlessly believing the “talking heads” when they tell us these treaties will become our law.

The President has the duty to receive foreign dignitaries.

The President nominates – again with the advice and consent of the Senate – Ambassadors from the US to foreign governments, other public ministers, judges of the Supreme Court, and some lesser categories. It is the job of the Senate to confirm OR reject those appointments. The President is empowered to fill vacancies “that may happen during the Recess of the Senate” – but as this clearly states, the Senate MUST already be IN recess; he cannot force an adjournment and then “pounce” to appoint his previously-rejected nominees. Those recess appointments also EXPIRE at the end of the Senate’s next session.

Except for cases of impeachment, the President may grant pardons; in whole or in part, to individuals or groups, dispensing with fines or not, and can even grant pardons before a conviction of wrongdoing has occurred. That last occurs every year when the Thanksgiving turkey is pardoned, but the recipient of a pardon is not required to be poultry.

18 MinuteMom Magazine

The President is required to report to Congress on the State of the Union “from time to time,” and this has become the annual State of the Union Address. All Presidents except for Thomas Jefferson have done this in person (Jefferson wrote and sent a report to be read aloud).

The President, Vice-President, and all Civil Officers can be impeached (put on trial), and removed from office upon conviction of “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

In the time of the Framers, the term “high” did not mean “more serious,” but rather referred to the status of the office, and the obligation to hold those in special offices to a different standard of behavior. For example, a military officer can be tried for failure to follow orders – a standard that does not hold true for civilians. The President swears an oath to “faithfully execute the Office,” and to “Preserve, Protect, and Defend the Constitution of the United States.” He is under oath the entire time of his term of office – morning, noon, night, weekends. His failure to uphold that oath at ANY time (or to permit those under his direct control, his “Officers” such as Cabinet members or “czars,” to disregard their own oaths) is, itself, full and complete grounds for impeachment, conviction, and removal from office. That presupposes a Congress with the guts and integrity to take the required steps.

Primary references: “Good To Be King” Michael Badnarik, 2004, The Writer’s Collective “The 5,000 Year Leap” W. Cleon Skousen, 1981, National Center for Constitutional Studies “The Federalist Papers” (available online) PubliusHuldah.wordpress.com (attorney and Constitutional scholar) “Meaning of ‘High Crimes and Misdemeanors’” Jon Roland, Constitution Society, 2003, www.constitution.org Justia US Law, Annotated US Constitution, law. justia.com Catherine White grew up in Massachusetts where she also graduated from M.I.T. She is has two terrific daughters and a wonderful husband. She became involved early on in the 912 Project. Catherine has given several presentations on the Constitution in the past year. The most recent talk was at Brandeis University (sponsored by the Brandeis Tea Party) this past March, and it should be available on YouTube in the near future. www.AsAMom.org

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Sex Segregation In School In 2006, the US Department of Education made amendments to Title IX that relaxed regulations on federal funding of schools with sex-segregated programs. Multiple major studies show single sex education programs can be extremely beneficial, and in an effort to help improve student performance and behavior, hundreds of schools nationwide have taken advantage of the loosened government regulations and implemented some degree of single sex classroom education. Opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and other left-leaning groups, claim the Title IX changes are unconstitutional and a violation of the 14th Amendment. They refute the studies resulting in favor of these programs and instead are pushing for increased government control of how schools may educate our children.

Regardless of what studies show, this issue is ultimately about schools being allowed the freedom to educate students to the best of their abilities, and is largely affected by the worldview of the institution and its participants.

20 MinuteMom Magazine

Single-sex public education has been widely available for decades all over the world and major studies do produce hard data showing that, when implemented correctly and with proper training of teachers, these programs benefit students not just in academic performance, but in behavior, and in fighting gender stereotypes. In England, a 2002 study of nearly 3,000 high schools on the effect of school size and school type (singlesex vs. coed) on academic performance by The National Foundation for Educational Research, determined that regardless of students’ academic ability and background, both boys and girls did significantly better in single-sex schools than in coed schools. The study also showed that girls in single-sex schools were more likely to take advanced math and physics courses – countering the gender stereotype of boys’ and girls’ subjects. The Australian Council for Educational Research studied more than 270,000 students over six years in 53 subjects to compare performance at single-sex and coed schools. The report, released in 2000, demonstrated similar www.AsAMom.org

morgueFile free photo Digitaly Modified

By Carrie Christiansen

results and indicated that children educated in single-sex settings were “more likely to be better behaved and to find learning more enjoyable and the curriculum more relevant.” (Singlesexschools. org) And in a 1980s study comparing coed and single sex Catholic schools, researchers at the University of Michigan determined these programs are capable of resulting in students of both sexes exhibiting superior academic achievement, higher educational aspirations, more confidence in their abilities, and a more positive attitude towards academics as well as the girls having a less stereotyped attitude about what girls can and cannot do.

Critics of single-sex education object to studies comparing the two types of schools saying there are too many variables to produce trustworthy results. However, “before and after” studies, which would eliminate many of these “variables” by comparing a single school’s students before and after changing from coed to single-sex only classes, show the same results. One such study, in 2000, of the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Seattle, Washington, changed their classrooms from coed to single-sex in an attempt to decrease discipline problems and saw a dramatic effect. “The change in atmosphere happened overnight,” Principal Benjamin Wright said. (Singlesexschools.org) In addition to the improved behavior of the students, academic scores skyrocketed. The boys changed most dramatically, with their Washington Assessment of Student Learning scores improving 43-63% after switching to single-sex classes.

Advocates, including Dr. Leonard Sax, founder and executive director of Pennsylvania based National Association for Single Sex Public Education, do recognize that there is no guarantee of anything good happening just by putting boys and girls in separate rooms, and that there are schools who have experienced that, but for critics to vehemently oppose sex-segregated education, and choose to completely disregard and discredit the numerous studies showing its potential, instead focusing on the risks of segregation, even comparing sex segregation to race segregation, is telling of their fundamental beliefs that boys and girls are not different enough to benefit from teaching tailored to specific sexes.

The ACLU Women’s Rights Project says these “unlawful” programs are based on “disturbing stereotypes” and “questionable science” about As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

how boys’ and girls’ brains are different. They claim these programs are often harmful to the students, reinforcing gender stereotypes and increasing sex discrimination – exactly the opposite of the above studies’ findings. The Feminist Majority Foundation claims “even advocates agree that there is more variation within groups of girls and boys than between them, but this important truth [is ignored] when excluding everyone of one sex from a class intended for all boys or all girls, even if the excluded girls or boys would fit the criteria for the single sex class designated for the ‘opposite’ sex and want to enroll.” (feminist.org) Like so many other hot-button topics, the resolution of this issue will not be easily reached as opposite sides simply have different realities.

Proponents of single sex education programs believe boys and girls are fundamentally, developmentally, and genetically different. Many opponents, including those referenced here, do not.

Instead, they equate difference between boys and girls to the difference between two races, making this a constitutional issue, violating the 14th Amendment and deserving of increased legislation over our schools.

No matter what you believe about how same or different males and females are or what you want schools to look like, the data is clear and compelling. Let schools and parents have the control to implement programs that work best for them. More government in our schools is not the answer.

Sources: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-07-08/single-sex-classrooms/56100126/1 http://feminist.org/education/SexSegregation.asp http://www.feminist.org/education/TitleIX.asp http://www.singlesexschools.org/evidence.html

Carrie Christiansen is a Seattle native, now residing in Loveland, CO. She earned a B.S. degree in Animal Science from Montana State University, which she now puts to good use as a wife and stayat-home mom of two young children.

August 2012 21

How to communicate if the Government shuts down the Internet Ed Corcoran Re-printed by permission From Survival and Beyond http://www.survivalandbeyond.net/how-to-communicate-if-the-government-shuts-down-the-internet/

With all the bills that Congress has been proposing lately to control the internet, and considering what happened in Egypt last year, it got me thinking about what would happen in the U.S. if there were massive civil unrest, as a result of an economic collapse, grid collapse, martial law or a complete suspension of the Constitution. I have no doubt that the government would attempt to shut down internet access in the America just as they did in Egypt.

This is not so much a “survival” communications issue, but one of relaying information to large groups over long distances here in the U.S., and making sure that the outside world knows what’s going on here if the darkest days of America were to come to pass.

I came across this interesting article on Liberty News Online . It has some good suggestions for communications in the event that the internet gets blocked in the United States. Some of these methods are well known to preppers and survivalists (like CB and HAM radio), while some others (like using a Nintendo DS) I was completely unaware of.

22 MinuteMom Magazine

Bear in mind, this is not a grid-down or TEOTWAWKI communications article. Many of these methods require electricity or a semblance of an operational infrastructure. These are just alternatives methods of getting information out to large groups of people and/or communicating over long distances should the internet become unavailable to us.

(Liberty News Online) Scenario: Your government is displeased with the communication going on in your location and pulls the plug on your internet access, most likely by telling the major ISPs to turn off service.

This is what happened in Egypt Jan. 25 prompted by citizen protests, with sources estimating that the Egyptian government cut off approximately 88 percent of the country’s internet access. What do you do without internet? Step 1: Stop crying in the corner. Then start taking steps to reconnect with your network. Here’s a list of things you can do to keep the communication flowing.

www.AsAMom.org

Preventive Measures: Make Your Network Tangible Print out your contact list, so your phone numbers aren’t stuck in the cloud. Some mail services like Gmail allow you to export your online contact list in formats that are more conducive to paper, such as CSV or Vcard, and offer step-bystep guides on how to do this.

Broadcast On The Radio: CB Radio: Short for “Citizens Band” radio, these two-way radios allow communication over short distances on 40 channels. You can pick one up for about $20 to $50 at Radio Shack, and no license is required to operate it.

Ham radio: To converse over these radios, also known as “amateur radios,” you have to obtain an operator’s license from the FCC. Luckily, other Wired How-To contributors have already explained exactly what you need to do to get one and use it like a pro. However, if the President declares a State of Emergency, use of the radio could be extremely restricted or prohibited.

GMRS: The General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a licensed land-mobile FM UHF radio service in the United States available for short-distance two-way communication. It is intended for use by an adult individual who possesses a valid GMRS license, as well as his or her immediate family members… They are more expensive than the walkie talkies typically found in discount electronics stores, but are higher quality.

Family Radio Service: The Family Radio Service (FRS) is an improved walkie talkie radio system authorized in the United States since 1996. This personal radio service uses channelized frequencies in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band. It does not suffer the interference effects found on citizens’ band (CB) at 27 MHz, or the 49 MHz band also used by cordless phones, toys, and baby monitors.

Microbroadcasting: Microbroadcasting is the process of broadcasting a message to a relatively small audience. This is not to be confused with low-power broadcasting. In radio terms, it is the use of low-power transmitters to broadcast a radio signal over the space of a neighborhood or small town. Similarly to pirate radio, microbroadcasters generally operate without a license from the local regulation body, but sacrifice range in favor of using legal power limits.

As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

Packet Radio Back to the ’90s: There do exist shortwave packet-radio modems. These are also excruciatingly slow, but may get your e-mail out. Like ham radio above it requires a ham radio license because they operate on ham radio frequencies.

Telephone: Set up a phone tree: According to the American Association of University Women, a phone tree is “a prearranged, pyramid-shaped system for activating a group of people by telephone” that can “spread a brief message quickly and efficiently to a large number of people.” Dig out that contact list you printed out to spread the message down your pyramid of contacts.

Enable Twitter via SMS: Though the thought of unleashing the Twitter fire hose in your text message inbox may seem horrifying, it would be better than not being able to connect to the outside world at all. The Twitter website has full instructions on how to redirect tweets to your phone.

Call to Tweet: A small team of engineers from Twitter, Google and SayNow, a company Google acquired recently, made this idea a reality. It’s already live and anyone can tweet by simply leaving a voicemail on one of these international phone numbers ( +16504194196 or +390662207294 or +97316199855 ) and the service will instantly tweet the message using the hashtag #egypt. No Internet connection is required. People can listen to the messages by dialing the same phone numbers or going to the Twitter account, speak2tweet.

Alex Jones and infowars.com have a telephone number for people to listen to his radio show by phone, in case the internet goes down, or if you don’t have internet. The phone in listen line is 512-646-5000 .

Fax: If you need to quickly send and receive documents with lengthy or complex instructions, phone conversations may result in misunderstandings, and delivering the doc by foot would take forever. Brush the dust off that bulky old machine, establish a connection by phone first with the recipient to make sure his machine is hooked up, then fax away.

You may not need a fax machine to send or receive faxes if your computer has a dial-up fax application.

August 2012 23

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www.KrisAnneHall.com Non-Virtual Bulletin Board Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the virtual world that we forget about resources available in the real world. Physical bulletin boards have been used for centuries to disseminate information and don’t require electricity to function. If you are fortunate enough to be getting information from some other source why not share it with your friends and neighbors with your own bulletin board? Cork, magnetic and marker bulletin boards are as close as your nearest dime store and can be mounted just about anywhere. And if push comes to shove you can easily make your own with scrap wood lying around the house.

Getting back onlineWhile it might be relatively easy for a government to cut connections by leveraging the major ISPs, there are some places they wouldn’t get to so readily, like privately-owned networks and independent ISPs. Find The Privately Run Isps In densely populated areas, especially in central business districts and city suburbs there are multiple home WiFi networks overlapping each other, some secure, some not. If there is no internet, 24 MinuteMom Magazine

open up your WiFi by removing password protection: If enough people do this it’s feasible to create a totally private WiFi service outside government control covering the CBD, and you can use applications that run Bonjour (iChat on Mac for example) to communicate with others on the open network and send and receive documents. **needs more clarification If you are a private ISP, it’s your time to shine.

Consider allowing open access to your Wi-Fi routers to facilitate communication of people around you until the grid is back online.

RETURN TO DIAL-UP According to an article in the BBC about old tech’s role in the Egyptian protests, “Dial-up modems are one of the most popular routes for Egyptians to get back online. Long lists of international numbers that connect to dial-up modems are circulating in Egypt thanks to net activists We Re-Build, Telecomix and others.”

Dial-up can be slow. Often, there is a lightweight mobile version of a site that you can load from your desktop browser quickly despite the limitations of dial-up. Examples: mobile.twitter. com, m.facebook.com, m.gmail.com. www.AsAMom.org

Ad-Hoc Networking Most wireless routers, PCs, laptops, and even some ultramobile devices like cellphones have the ability to become part of an “ad hoc” network, where different “nodes” (all of the devices on the network) share the responsibility of transmitting data with one another. These networks can become quite large, and are often very easy to set up. If used properly by a tech-savvy person, such networks can be used to host temporary websites and chat rooms. There are many internet tutorials on the internet for ad hoc networking, so feel free to google some.

Apple computers tend to have very accessible ad hoc functionality built in, including a preinstalled chat client (iChat) that will automatically set up an ad hoc “Rendezvous” chatroom among anybody on the network, without the need for an external service like AIM or Skype.

Ad hoc network-hosting functionality is built in to the Wi-Fi menu.

Windows computers have several third-party ad hoc chat applications available (such as Trillian) and setting up an ad hoc Wi-Fi network is almost as simple as on a Mac. Linux operating systems, of course, have plenty of third-party apps available, and most distros have ad hoc network-creation support built in.

Build Large Bridged Wireless Network Using popular wireless access point devices like a Linksys WRT54G, you can create a huge wireless bridged network — effectively creating a Local Area Network (LAN), or a private Internet that can be utilized by all users within range using a Wi-Fi enabled device.

You can also link multiple devices together wirelessly, extending the range of your network.

Most access points will cover a 100 meter area and if your wireless device is built to support the 802.11n wireless standard, you will get almost a 500 meter coverage area for each access point.

To build a wireless bridge, check out the ddwrt wiki, and learn how to configure Linksys WRT54G as a wireless client using this Anandtech thread.

Nintendo DS A used DS family device can be purchased inexpensively. In addition to wi-fi, the DS supports its own wireless protocols. Using Pictochat, it is possible to chat with nearby DS users without As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

having any DS games. Unfortunately, the range is quite short.

Some games, such as the fourth generation Pokemon games, support mail items. Thus you can send your message under the guise of just playing a game. Mail items can be sent through the Internet if you can get on the net and you and your partner(s) have each other’s friend codes.

The original DS and the DS Lite do support the Opera web browser, but finding the game card and memory pack may be very difficult. Starting with the DSi, Opera is downloadable.

Intranet Your computer has the ability to set up your own INTRANET. This was done BEFORE the internet was popularized in two ways: Your computer dialed up other computers and sent them the contents of a message board, or local people people dialed into your computer. A nationwide system can be set up this way with a central location sending to many cities then each city sending out the info locally.

Become Untraceable If you’re going to post government secrets on your work-around site, you may want to set up an untraceable account. Really, you only need a mail drop, an assumed name, a prepaid credit card you can get at many stores to set up service.

Get Satellite Access You can have very, very slow internet if you have something similiar to an Iridium phone, which would allow you to do dial up at 2400 baud, which at least gives you e-mail. This will also work when your government has shut down GSM and telephone access, and will work pretty much anywhere on the planet. If you’re in the right place, get yourself KA-SAT access which is satellite broadband and will not be routed through any internet exchange that certain local governments may monitor or block (unless that government is part of EU or er … Uncle Sam. Back To Basics Make some noise: Have an air horn or other loud instrument handy. It may just come down to being able to alert people in your local geographic area, who would otherwise be unaware of an emergency. You may also want to learn a bit about Morse code and have a cheat sheet available.

August 2012 25

TOMATOES!!!

A Novice’s Guide to Water Bath Canning

You say you got carried away planting tomatoes last spring and now you’re up to your – uh… hips – in tomatoes? Great! That means you did it right and can look forward to enjoying them straight through the winter!

How? Can them! Especially if you’ve never canned before, tomatoes are a great place to start.

Since they’re not generally considered a low-acid food, you don’t need one of those huge, expensive pressure cooker/canners – just get yourself an inexpensive enamel-coated steel kettle – often black. It comes with a wire rack for keeping the jars off the bottom and separated from each other, along with a simple pot lid. You can purchase one for less than $30.00 just about anywhere; and, you can sometimes find them at garage sales or flea markets for far less. Make sure the rack is inside, or purchase a replacement rack your local hardware store.

These pots are great! When I was a kid we’d have three of them going on top of the stove – one for scalding or cooking down the tomatoes; one for keeping jars, rings and lids hot; and one for processing. As one load was emptied, another was started. We could can dozens of quarts of tomatoes in one day that way.

Water bath canners must be deep enough so that 1 to 2-inches of boiling water will be safely over the tops of the jars during processing. If you use a regular water bath canner, that should be no problem; but, if you use a different kind of pot with your rack, make sure it is deep enough – and 26 MinuteMom Magazine

make sure the rack fits in the pot without being too tight or too loose. Water bath canning pots will have either a flat- or a ridged-bottom. While either can be used with a gas range, a flat-bottom pot should be used with an electric or glass-top range to ensure jars are heated uniformly. Also, the pot should not be more than four inches wider than the burner on which it is heated.

You are going to need some other things too: YYJars. Pint and quart jars are most commonly used for tomatoes. They are available with regular or wide-mouth openings. Personally, I prefer the wide-mouth jars, but it’s pretty much a matter of preference. Don’t try to save grocery jars to use for home canning. The lids and rings do not always fit properly and they may not hold their seal. Plus, regular canning jars are made of special, tempered glass that will withstand high temperatures.

Non-canning jars can explode during processing or later during storage. Exploding jars are no fun. My aunt tried using an old mayonnaise jar once – it exploded and sent her to the hospital. Don’t take the risk – use only jars made specifically for canning.

YYLids and rings. These also come in regular or wide mouth – to fit the jars, of course.

If you plan on putting canning lids in your long-term storage, be advised they are shelf stable for about 5 years. You can extend that by sealing them in vacuum bags and keeping them out of direct light or temperature www.AsAMom.org

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Auntie Anne

extremes. Or, you might consider getting re-usable canning lids. I’ve never used them myself, but some people swear by them.

YYAssorted kitchen items. – You should have most of these items already, including kitchen towels, hot pads, long-handle spoons, a good-sized ladle, a paring knife, a cutting board, bottle brush, soap and hot water and possibly a food processor or food mill. It is also helpful to have cheesecloth and/or a strainer and jelly bag. You may want to invest $8-10.00 in a canning “tools” kit, which usually includes a wide-mouth funnel, magnetic lid lifter, plastic bubble remover, tongs and a jar lifter. I found it best to have a kitchen timer too – thanks to my wandering brain.

YYTomatoes!!!!

You will want to collect and have on hand general canning instructions and recipes. Ball Canning Co. has been selling its “Blue Book” for about as many years as people have been using their jars! Ball is a recognized expert in all things canning and their book is a comprehensive source of information. The books are not expensive and can be found just about anywhere, including on a variety of internet sites and at your local library.

If you’re new to canning, get one and read it from cover to cover. If you’re already a canning expert, it might be time to get an updated one. While Ball’s book is wildly popular, there are other publishers who offer similar books. In addition, most state colleges and universities have web sites that deal with food preservation, and you can always check with your local county extension office. Just make sure your recipes are tried and proven. That hand-written recipe your Great-Aunt Mary gave you for canning Tomato Juice sounds great – but what if dear Aunt Mary wrote it down wrong?

Check the recipe against a similar one in an official canning book.

Follow these general directions for water bath canning: • Check the jars for nicks, cracks or sharp edges. Check the ring bands for dents or rust. Use only jars and rings that are in excellent condition. If you use regular lids, only use new ones – do not try to re-use old lids.

• Wash your jars in hot soapy water. Rinse thoroughly in more hot water. We used to keep an extra canning pot, filled with water, simmering on the back burner so we could As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

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put the clean jars in there to keep them warm. Also, wash the lids and rings, rinse well, and put them in with the jars. Keeping all the components warm will prevent breakage from “thermal shock.”

Before you start preparing your food for canning, fill the canner halfway with water.

Preheat the water to 140° F. (use a candy thermometer) for raw-packed foods or 180° F. for hot-packed foods.

Follow recipe instructions for preparing food and filling the jars.

Work out any air bubbles with a clean, nonmetallic spatula.

Wipe the jar rim clean with a warm damp cloth and add the hot lids and rings. Adjust the rings so they won’t leak but so that they are not too tight.

Load filled jars fitted with lids and rings (finger tip tight) into the canner rack and use the handles to lower the rack into the water.

Or, lower the rack into the water then use the jar lifter to load the jars into the canning kettle one at a time.

It’s best to keep a container of water boiling on the back burner in case you need it – and now would be the time to add water to the canning pot maintain that needed 1 to 2-inch above jar top water level. (A tea kettle works great for this.)

Turn the stove burner up to its highest level until the water boils vigorously.

Set a timer for the appropriate amount of time – or carefully keep track of it by the clock. Be sure to adjust your time for altitude!

Put the lid on the canning pot and lower the heat enough to maintain a gentle boil throughout the time jars are being processed.

If you lose your boil for any reason, you must start your processing time over from the beginning!

Add more boiling water as needed.

When time is up, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid, but wait five minutes before removing the jars.

Lay out a couple towels on a counter-top area that is out of drafts.

Using the jar lifter, carefully remove each jar, wipe off the excess water and set it on the towel, allowing at least 1-inch of space between the jars while they are cooling.

August 2012 27

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• Allow jars to cool 12 to 24 hours.

• Test to see if the jars are sealed: • Remove the ring and press down firmly on the center of the lid. If the lid springs back up when you remove your finger, the jar is not sealed.

• Hold the top of the jar at eye-level. The lid should appear concave – or curve downward slightly. If the lid is flat or slightly bulging, the jar has not sealed properly.

• If a jar fails to seal properly, you can remove the lid, check the jar’s rim for any nicks, change the jar, add a new, properly prepared lid, and reprocess within 24 hours using the same processing time as you did originally. Or, you can store it in the refrigerator and use the food within a few days.

• Once jars are cool and have sealed properly, remove the ring bands, wash the lid and jar gently with a sponge or cloth to remove any residue, rinse, and dry the jars. Reapply the bands, if desired. Label and date the jars (or use a permanent marker on the lids) and store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Your food should retain its taste and quality for up to one year. After that, as long as the seal is maintained, the food will remain safe to eat, but its quality will slowly degrade.

Oh! One more thing. There are a lot of low-acid varieties of tomatoes these days. If you have the lowacid variety, you cannot use the water bath method for canning without adjusting their pH. The water bath method is only good for canning high-acid foods. In addition, certain growing or harvesting conditions can cause your tomatoes to be low in acid content – damaged, over-ripe or bruised tomatoes; ripe tomatoes attached to dead vines; and, tomatoes grown in shade or ripened in shorter hours of daylight, for example. It’s best to simply not use such tomatoes.

Green tomatoes, however, are more acidic than ripened tomatoes and can be preserved safely using the water bath method.

You can test your tomatoes with litmus paper or an electronic pH meter if you like. The acid level for tomatoes should be below a pH level of 4.6 in order to use the water bath method. Or, you can simply add bottled lemon juice, citric acid powder (NOT the same thing as ascorbic acid!) or vinegar to your jars of tomatoes. Most recipes will specify the proper amounts to add, but a general rule of thumb would be 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each quart (1 tablespoon for pints), 1/2 teaspoon citric acid powder per quart (1/4 teaspoon per pint) or 4 tablespoons of 5% acidity vinegar per quart (2 tablespoons for pints).

Add a bit of sugar to offset the taste of the lemon juice or citric acid, if desired. Using vinegar could cause a flavor change that you may not like. Of course, you can always use the pressure canning method instead.

In general, one bushel of fresh tomatoes weighs about 53 pounds and will yield 18 quarts of canned tomatoes or 15-18 quarts of tomato juice; and, it takes approximately 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes to make 1 quart of canned tomatoes. (For pints, use half the amount of tomatoes or double the yield amounts.) To prepare them for canning, wash them well and allow them to drain. Dip them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until the skins split, then transfer them to cold water. Use a sharp knife to cut out the stem and all of the white core. Peel off the skin and trim off any bruised or discolored areas.

(The following recipes are courtesy of Purdue University’s web site. For a great, free publication from their Consumer and Family Sciences department, go to www.extension.purdue.edu/ extmedia/CFS/CFS-583-W.pdf.)

Crushed Tomatoes: Prepare tomatoes as described above and cut tomatoes into quarters. Place one-sixth of the tomatoes in a pot and quickly bring them to a boil, crushing and stirring to release their juice. Gradually add the rest of the tomato quarters to the pot while stirring constantly. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Test for acidity or add lemon juice, citric acid powder or vinegar, as mentioned above, to each jar.

Add 1 teaspoon salt to each quart (1/2 tsp for pints), if desired. Fill hot, prepared jars with hot tomatoes, leaving 1/2 –inch headspace. Close jars and process. For altitudes of 0-1000 feet, process quarts 45 minutes (pints for 35 minutes) and for altitudes between 1001 and 3000 feet, process quarts 50 minutes (pints for 40 minutes).

Tomato Juice: Wash tomatoes, remove stems and trim off discolored areas or any imperfections. To prevent juice from separating, quickly cut up about 2 lbs. into quarters and put into a large pan, heating it to a quick boil while crushing them with a potato masher. Continue to slowly add and crush tomato quarters into the mixture, making sure they continue to boil quickly while you add the rest of the tomatoes. After all the tomatoes are in the pot, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Press the heated tomatoes and liquid through a sieve or food mill to remove the skin and seeds.

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Reheat the juice to boiling. Test for pH and adjust acidity as necessary using bottled lemon juice, citric acid powder or vinegar. Add 1 tsp. salt to each hot quart jar, if desired, along with acid adjustment treatment (half that for pints). Fill jars with hot tomato juice, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Wipe rims carefully, apply lids and rings – finger tip tight – and gently lower into the hot boiling water bath.

Processing times are the same as for regular tomatoes, above.

Try adding a bit of dill, parsley, onion powder, basil or a combination of seasonings to spice up your juice.

Vegetable Juice: Follow the directions above, but for each 22 lbs. of tomatoes (7 quarts of juice) add no more than 3 cups of any combination of chopped celery, onion, carrots and/or peppers.

Simmer the mixture together for 20 minutes. Press hot mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove skin and seeds. Test and/or adjust acidity as discussed above. Reheat juice, fill jars, wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process as for regular tomato juice.

Vegetables, meats, soups and seafood are low acid foods and can NOT be canned using the water bath method. The water bath method CAN be used for most Fruits, Fruit Juices, Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Tomato Sauce, Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce, Jellies, Jams, Preserves, Marmalades, Fruit Spreads and Butters (like apple butter), Pickles, Chutneys and Relishes. Observe basic safety procedures. Check acidity. Be scrupulously clean, and always use tested recipes.

By the way, some folks will argue, but oven canning is NOT an approved method of canning under any circumstances – not even for dry goods.

Canning jars are not meant to be exposed to dry heat like that and there’s a real danger they may explode sending shards of glass in every direction just as you open the oven door. That, my friends, could really ruin a perfectly good day!

Novice or expert, you’re going to really enjoy those tomatoes come January!

August 2012 29

YYRestoring Humor

Reprinted by permission Antonio Branco

http://conservativedailynews.com/category/political-cartoons/ 30 MinuteMom Magazine

www.AsAMom.org

                                    

As Seen at Restoring Love

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     

Paperback: List $12.99 - $11.00 Audio Book: List $24.99 - $20.00 Audio only downloads also available: www.longingforeden.com

August 2012 31

YYPreppers

Ask the Grainlady: Frequently Asked ‘Prepping’ Questions CindyLu Asks: I have one large raised bed (8x4) with green bush beans. They are starting to put on. How do I preserve the beans until I have enough to can? I thought that maybe I could prepare them for freezing and then can them when I have enough. What do you suggest?

Grainlady says: According to the “Complete Guide to Home Canning” (which is available on-line): Many vegetables begin losing some of their vitamins when harvested.

Nearly half of the vitamins may be lost within a few days unless the fresh produce is cooled (refrigerated) or preserved. Within 1 to 2 weeks, even refrigerated produce loses half or more of some of its vitamins. The heat process during canning destroys from one-third to one-half of vitamins A and C, thiamin, and riboflavin. Once canned, additional losses of these sensitive vitamins are from 5 to 20 percent each year. The amounts of other vitamins, however, are only slightly lower in canned compared with fresh food.

If vegetables are handled properly and canned promptly after harvest, they can be more nutritious than fresh produce sold in local stores.

I’m a fan of dehydrating. In fact, it’s my go-to method for home food preservation. It’s much cheaper for me to dehydrate than to can foods.

Unfortunately food preservation is not a perfect world. When it comes to taste, texture, look and nutrition, 32 MinuteMom Magazine

preserved food is not the same as fresh. Dehydrated produce does not re-hydrate exactly like fresh. Freezedried fruits and vegetables however, come very close and do not take nearly as long to re-hydrate. Home-canned green beans (or other produce) do not taste like commercially canned, fresh or frozen; and frozen, canned and dehydrated green beans have all the enzymes destroyed.

Even though I have home canning classes scheduled consistently these days (as well as classes on dehydrating, home milling and bread making),

I don’t do home canning anymore because of the expense and the poor nutrition of the finished products. I rely on fresh food from the garden for all but about 3 months out of the year, and use my stored fall crops (root veggies), grow micro-greens, sprouts, and fresh herbs indoors in the winter for our sources of “fresh” food when there isn’t any from the garden. I am also installing a Windowfarm this year, and putting my AeroGarden to better use as well. I already grow wheatgrass (or other similar grains) for making wheatgrass juice as another source

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What about beans?

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of fresh food high in nutrition. I’ll have REAL fresh produce I can pick myself at the peak of ripeness, since anything we purchase from the store is DOA nutritionally.

In my opinion, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods are an extender or filler for soups and casseroles, not something we could actually thrive on. Keep in mind the “Seven Survival Foods” - grains, legumes, seeds for sprouting, salt, sweeteners, oil and powdered milk (or alternative). You don’t find canned foods on the list, but those preserved foods make the Seven Survival Foods more versatile. I do not have a free-standing freezer either. Although it’s a great convenience and a wonderful place to stash bargains, I would rather put the money that would be spent on the freezer and the additional utilities towards long-term storage foods. If I had an additional freezer full of food and the electricity is out for any length of time, there goes my investment.

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We are not supposed to live on home-canned foods 365-days a year, so we really shouldn’t plan on covering all our food needs that way. In truth, we consume fresh from the garden while it’s available, preserve the extra, and only use home-canned when fresh isn’t available. I’ve also found I can grow more food in the form of seeds/beans/grains in my garden, in a small space, and then make better use of them, than I could trying to can or dehydrate enough food for us. You might find this link to an article by Rita Bingham helpful: http://www.stretcher.com/ stories/00/000612d.cfm I realize I have a different take on food preservation than most people, and I think we’ve been brainwashed a little into thinking home canning is THE answer and best method for food preservation. Fermentation is an all but a forgotten method for preservation that doesn’t require a lot of effort, and it is another method that

has a lot of health benefits we just don’t use much anymore.

In an emergency situation, most of us wouldn’t have alternative cooking sources for canning that could fuel the heat process needed for safe canning. Long-term, would you have the canning ingredients, enough jars, lids, etc. to depend on home-canning as your main source for food preservation? I can, however, run my dehydrator using my solar-generator all day long.

And last but not least, we can’t thrive without fresh food rich in nutrition and enzymes. You cannot get that from preserved foods (dehydrated, canned, freeze-dried or frozen), so I focus on ways I can make the best food available without relying too much on food preservation.

Preserved foods aren’t my first choice, rather, they are more like having convenience foods on hand.

Just thinking outside the canning jar....

August 2012 33

72-Hour Kits Revisited: Add-On Kits

by Auntie Anne

34 MinuteMom Magazine

most important rule to remember is that each personal kit should be able to “stand alone” and support one person’s needs for three days, while a car kit should support your entire family for three days.

Add-On Kits This month I’m introducing what I call “add-on kits” for emergency situations. They are designed to be used only when you will have access to your vehicle and especially if you feel you may be leaving your home for more than just a few days – or even permanently; but, can also be part of your short or long term shelter-in-place plan. Add-on kits are never a bad idea, but keep them where you can easily access them – like your 72-hour kit(s).

Add-on kits can extend your resources to 30 days or beyond, if need be. By the way, now is not the time to worry about redundancies…..remember the saying, “Two is one and one is none!” The more resources you have at your disposal, the better off you and your loved ones may be.

Sanitation Kit - See Right.

Camping Kit – Camping in your own yard until your house is again habitable or living in a tent until you relocate, design your camping kit to meet the needs of your family. Start with a large container into which you put things like: (See Camping Kit to right) www.AsAMom.org

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Recent storms left millions of people without electricity and some without even a home – a dramatic reminder that emergencies can and do happen – even when you least expect them. Have you thought about what kind of emergency kit(s) might be best for you and your family?

Just to be perfectly clear, 72-hour kits can be as big or as small as you want them to be. Surf the web and you will find all kinds of readymade kits for purchase, along with hundreds of suggestions on making your own. Consider the BPA-free 32 oz sports bottle shown here (http:// beprepared.com/ ), or the 1 gallon jug kit (www. foodstoragemadeeasy.net), or the fanny pack (http://www.thesurvivalzone.com/ ). But note that none of these include water; and, kits should be age appropriate.

Or, you might decide to put your own kits together: 1) You can decide what you want to include in each kit, which may determine what size container you want to use; or, 2) You can decide what size and type of container you prefer and fill it with whatever you can fit into it.

July’s article was full of detailed lists giving suggestions on what you might want to include in your kit(s). Please go back and review those lists.

I’m not saying each of your kits should include ALL of the items listed. Rather, I hope you will use these comprehensive lists to help you decide which items are most appropriate for you. The

Camping Kit : may need multiple collapsible solar shower; two 9 x 12-ft tarps; 2 sets spare tent stakes; 150-feet of parachute cord and 6 carabineers; two 9 x 12-ft sheets of heavy-duty plastic; tri-fold shovel; camping axe tool; camping or finger saw collapsible wash basin; collapsible bucket; 1 scrubby sponge; 2 flour-sack towels; small bottle of dish soap; 2 scouring pads; 20 large garbage bags; one box each of gallon, quart and sandwich zip bag; 1 roll aluminum foil folding fire grate and wind screen; hiking stove requiring alcohol fuel plus 2 pints of alcohol (or equivalent) AND a hiking stove that burns multiple fuels with 3 cans sterno and 24 fuel tablets (it should also burn small sticks of wood); magnesium fire-starter; 2 disposable lighters, 50 wind-resistant matches in a waterproof container metal camping cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils for entire family; set of nesting hiker’s cooking pots measuring cups and spoons; set of 4 nesting enamel-coated metal bowls with lids; a set of small kitchen tools (whisk, sharp knives, spatula, etc.); 2 wooden spoons, bottle opener and manual can opener rechargeable batteries (AAA, AA, D) and solar battery charger; 24 votive candles with 2-4 votive holders; 2 LED lanterns fishing kit; snares and hunting knife cast iron Dutch oven set in its own carrying pouch sleeping mats and bags for each person (use vacuum bags for storage to reduce bulk) a full size tent in its own storage bag, with patching kit collapsible camping chairs – OK, so these are admittedly, a luxury! But you’ll be glad you have them!

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Sanitation Kit :

for 2 people, a 7-gallon bucket with toilet seat lid containing….

3 rolls of toilet paper & 1 roll of paper towels (cardboard centers removed and flattened will take up less space) 30 heavy-duty kitchen garbage bags (liners for the toilet bucket) 6 portable toilet chemical packets (multiple treatments in one packet), a small bottle of bleach 2 pkgs of sanitary napkins, ( tucked into small spaces); and/or, tampons – if appropriate 1 bottle of hand sanitizer, 6 pairs vinyl gloves 2 towels and 1 wash cloth per person (inexpensive, thin ones dry faster) 1 big bar of deodorant soap in travel box, per person 1 regular bottle of shampoo 15-ft of clothes line plus 12 clothes pins, a small bottle of liquid laundry soap (8 oz), a qt-size zip bag of Borax, 3 bars grated FelsNaptha and/or ZOTE soap (to make more laundry soap – with recipe!)

August 2012 35

You’re probably going to end up with several containers which, when combined, are going to be pretty heavy. My advice is to break it down into however many individual containers is necessary for you to easily “grab and go” when putting them into your vehicle; however, consider fastening them all together with bungee cords so that all the components remain together in storage. When it’s time to go, take it apart and load it into your vehicle.

Wilderness camping safety: 1. Be extremely careful with any open fires – there’s never a good time to start a forest fire!

2. Make one of your bug-out food containers a bear-proof canister with enough parachute cord to hoist it up into a tree, away from camp. Bury any leftovers. If a bear even smells food, he’ll tear apart whatever he can to get it – your tent, your car…..get the drift? Even some of the smaller furries can cause you problems. Ever tangled with a family of raccoons in the middle of a wilderness camping site at 3 am?

3. Dig your latrine well away from living/ eating areas and well away from streams or rivers where you may be getting your water. Keep it covered or you’ll still attract unwanted animals.

4. Bathe downstream from where you may be getting your water supply for cooking/drinking so as not to contaminate it further.

5. If you’re going to camp in the wilderness, read up on wilderness safety! And pack accordingly. Me? You’ll find me in a friendly farmer’s cornfield somewhere….fighting off the crows!

• “Long-Term” Food Kit – Consider an add-on kit of two or more 5-gallon buckets with Gamma lids. Fill them with additional food to supplement your 72-hour kits. The example given here would extend resources for two people to 30 days: (See box) NOTE: All items – except for canned items – should be individually packaged, then put into clearly labeled Mylar bags and sealed with oxygen absorbers. Their contents should be examined and/or rotated out at least every two years, assuming they are stored in a temperature stable environment.

36 MinuteMom Magazine

Long Term Food Kit: 5 lbs flour 3 lbs sugar 1 lb salt 3 lbs cornmea 1 tin baking powder 1 box baking soda tin cream of tartar 4 envelopes of powdered milk 3 bars Crisco, 1 can coconut oil 2 lbs dry beans 3 lbs rice 6 Ramen noodles 2 Jiffy cake mixes 2 Jiffy muffin mixes Meat-flavored TVP or freeze dried meat (bacon, ham, chicken & beef – 1 or 2 cups each) powdered bouillon (chicken & beef – 1 cup each) 3 cans tuna 1 cup powdered cheese Pepper garlic powder onion powder Italian seasonings vanilla powder – put into small craft cups with lids and seal in a Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers 1 cup cocoa powder, 12 pkts instant coffee, 2 tea bags 20 individual tubes of powdered fruit drinks Several tablespoons of sprouting seeds and a sprouting cup A variety of dehydrated or freeze dried fruits and vegetables packaged using a vacuum system to remove oxygen, 1-2 cups each

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Special Pet Kit – I have three cats, so my pet kit might consist of two 5-gallon buckets with lids.

The 1st for holding 3 bags of cat litter crystals (light weight), several small plastic bags for waste disposal, a collapsible camping basin to serve as litter box, vitamins, a slicker brush, flea powder, a flea comb and a couple cat toys. The 2nd would be packed with several bags of cat food, along with oxygen absorbers to keep them fresh.

For dogs - no cat litter needed, of course (LOL) – but you might want to add an extra harness and leash, ground stake and chain, doggie coat, etc. If you have one small dog, you might be able to fit everything in one bucket. Multiple dogs or large breed dogs might require 2 or more buckets. Aim for at least 30 days of supplies.

Special Medical Kit – This add-on should be designed to include whatever medical supplies you think you and your family might need in extended circumstances - blood pressure cuff, oral and rectal thermometers, hot water bottle, ice pack, pain relievers and other medications, electrolyte pkts, bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, iodine, alcohol, splints and sling, etc. But, you might also consider some alternative, herbal medicine supplies. (I won’t tackle that subject here as it could fill a book by itself! But it’s something to As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots®

think about.) Use a medium to large cooler with a shoulder strap to keep it all in.

Special Reference Library – I have a collection of books I’d very much like to take with me if I was ever forced to leave my home permanently in a true SHTF situation. For example, books on how to identify edible mushrooms, berries and other “wild” growing foods… books on identifying, tracking and catching wild birds, snakes and animals… first aid/medical books, including information on farm animals and herbal treatments …..books on how to garden, save seed, raise chickens and other farm animals, tend bees for honey, be a blacksmith, butcher, build emergency shelters, etc… an SAS survival book… a Dutch oven cook book, etc. I have a bookcase near my front door where the books reside. In back of the bookcase are two, folded, cardboard, banker’s boxes. I’m hoping for enough time to grab the boxes and load up the books.

Bartering/Give- Away Box – Fill with items to be used for bartering or given away as need requires – Bibles, mini-sewing kits, hats with visors, paper & pencils, sun glasses, drugstore reading glasses, first aid supplies, matches, combs and brushes, travel size shampoo, soap, aspirin and acetaminophen, mini-fishing kits, August 2012 37

Additional Notes: Check discount stores, hardware stores, pharmacies, thrift stores and dollar stores for ‘kit’ items. Neighborhood garage and yard sales or local flea markets are also great places to shop.

Camping/hiking stores are a good resource, but expensive.

Put things like household bleach, rubbing alcohol, laundry and dish soap in travel bottles you can purchase from a variety of sources. However, buy sample/travel size bottles of things like baby oil, lotion, deodorant, toothpaste and mouthwash because these things could be accidently but easily contaminated by you during the re-bottling process.

Also, I recommend putting things that could leak or melt into zip bags and replacing them 38 MinuteMom Magazine

annually as needed. For example, my car kit stays in the car all-year-around, so anything that can freeze and/or melt, will and does. Although items are usually fine after thawing out or re-solidifying, they may need replacing regularly.

One quick FYI – if you pack deodorant soap, the smell can permeate other objects. While that might keep clothing fresh, it’s not desirable for food and some other items – so you may want to package things separately or seal the soap in Mylar.

Should you provide children with their own kits? Absolutely! It will help them to have their own things near and give them a sense of inclusion; but, sit them down now and explain what the kits are for and when they would be used.

Smack dab in the middle of an emergency is not the best time for handling little ones who are terrified and screaming. Leave some room to tuck in their favorite stuffed toy or “woobie”…there is more to survival than food and water – especially when you’re only four years old!

Don’t freak out if your young son insists on taking his baseball glove or your teen daughter wants to pack her iPod and journal at the last minute. If these are things that will give them comfort in an emergency, so be it – they are the ones who have to carry it. The degree to which these items prove useful will eventually become clear to them and is part of the learning process – it’s simply not worth arguing about when you’re trying to get out of the house as fast as you can in a situation that is probably already traumatic.

And don’t forget your own comfort items. I chose a small Bible, a paperback book, a deck of cards for playing solitaire, a skein of yarn and a crochet hook – these are things that will comfort me and/or keep my mind and hands occupied when necessary.

Whew! I know this seems like an awful lot of information to digest. But, as with most things, anything worth doing takes time and effort, and usually starts with taking a first step. And that’s really the secret – you have to take that first step.

Using this and last month’s article, make some lists of your own and start to gather what you need. Start with a good 72-hour kit for each member of your family – then branch out as you can and/or want to. It’s a form of insurance you really can’t afford to be without.

Blessings! ~ Auntie Anne www.AsAMom.org

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water purification packets, electrolyte packets, etc. Push comes to shove, they might get you a few fresh eggs or a gallon of gasoline when you need it.

By the way, gold, silver, precious gems and even semi-precious gems could have some barter value in a true SHTF scenario, so you’ll want to be sure to take them with you if you are forced to leave. Even if you only have a few items, separate your good jewelry from costume jewelry now – put the good stuff in a travel roll or travel case of some sort so you can easily find it should the need arise. Buy some muslin bags – health food stores sell them as re-usable tea bags – put your important jewelry items in them and you can use safety pins to pin the bags to your underwear, coat lining, etc.

YYPrepper

Home storage: “Fake Meat” using Vital Wheat Gluten

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Vital Wheat Gluten, what a great storage item! It is also a nutritious way to stretch your food dollars when meat is so expensive.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat and other grains. It can be removed from the flour and used in a variety of unique ways. It is easy to make gluten at home using flour, whole wheat flour, or for greater convenience, Vital Wheat Gluten (a flour made from the gluten protein found in wheat). It can be prepared into a large variety of high-protein, meat-like foods, and used to extend meat. Gluten is also known as “wheat meat” and “seitan.”

Gluten contains all 8 amino acids that make up protein, although the amount of the amino acid - lysine is low. To complete the protein spectrum, I like to add amaranth flour (which is very high in lysine) to my gluten to make it a complete protein (2 c. Vital Wheat Gluten (flour) + 1/3 c. amaranth flour). I grow my own amaranth, so it’s very inexpensive for me to use, and is a nutritional bonus. “Food scientists consider the protein content

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of amaranth of high ‘biological value,’ similar in fact, to the proteins found in milk.”

You can make gluten (aka seitan) by washing the starch and bran out of whole wheat flour (how to: http://tinyurl.com/wheatgluten2pdf, or by mixing water with regular commercial flour, but I like to use Vital Wheat Gluten I keep in storage, purchased from Honeyville Grain in #10 cans. It’s one of my few “convenience” foods. One #10 can will create 10 pounds of “meat.” It takes less water to make gluten from Vital Wheat Gluten, than it takes to extract the gluten from regular flour or whole wheat flour – something to consider if water is scarce.

Nine cups of ground gluten is the equivalent to using 3-pounds of ground beef, and they have nearly the same amount of protein. I like to make gluten and grind it in a meat grinder. I mix it 50/50 with any kind of ground meat (ground beef, ground turkey, pork sausage, etc.) as a meat extender, in order to stretch a high-priced

protein (meat) with a low-price protein (gluten). If you grind your own meat, it’s easy to add during the grinding.

It’s the ultimate way to extend meat so you get another protein source, instead of “stretching” meat by adding carbohydrates such as pasta or rice (which most people already consume in excess in their diets). Gluten is very bland, so you can add flavorings and seasonings and make it taste like almost any other kind of meat. It’s also easy to form, so you can even make a “sausage” link, hot dog, or thin-sliced like deli meats for sandwiches, all from gluten.

Gluten is not just for “fake” meat (mock steaks, cutlets, meatballs, cubes for adding to casseroles or soup/stew, burgers, jerky, chicken, crab, etc), but it can also be made into a high-protein, crunchy, cereal-like mixture that can be eaten like granola or GrapeNuts. It’s a great low-carb, high protein cereal alternative.

If you are interested in learning more about making gluten as a high-protein, low-cost, meat substitute or meat extender, I’d like to suggest: “The Amazing Wheat Book” by LeArta Moulton Or the video - “Quick Wholesome Foods” by Rita Bingham & LeArta Moulton You can purchase small packages of Vital Wheat Gluten at most grocery stores (in the baking section) and give it a try-check out this video to get you started: http://tinyurl.com/wheatgluten3.

Word of caution: Anyone with gluten intolerance (Celiac Disease) should avoid using Vital Wheat Gluten!

—GRainLady August 2012 39

The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign is not a group or a program.

It is an Attitude.

The purpose of Save it! Read it! is to encourage patriots everywhere to do two things: 1. Commit to reading The Constitution and review it often.

2. Encourage others to read the Constitution.

We have received challenges to read and defend the Constitution of the United States of America from various sources. All of us must commit to reading the Constitution of the United States of America and review it often. Only by understanding the principles upon which our government was founded can we recognize Constitutional abuses and be able to step up and stop that abuse.

The Save the Constitution - Read It! Campaign started as an extension of the Patriot Pin Program developed by As a Mom... A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots to encourage patriots everywhere to save the principles of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Classroom packs of 25 bookmarks are available from www.AsAMom.org Pins, Pendants and bumper stickers are at www.asamomestore.com

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