TPC BUZZ

5 Tips for Small Space Preppers

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We can’t all live on a self-sufficient ranch in the foothills of Montana. And truth be told, most of us really don’t want to… despite our romanticized impressions of living in out “in nature.” There’s an awful lot to be said for living within a reasonable driving distance of a doctor’s office, grocery store, movie theater, etc. The truth is, not everyone is cut out for living in isolation, no matter how beautiful the views are. And that’s OKAY. Don’t think you can’t practice self-reliance because you live in a small apartment or condo or even a zero-lot line home […]

Top 7 Food Hoarding Blunders

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Q: What’s better than a survival food cache?  A: A survival food cache that you can actually use in a crisis… You might think I’m being disingenuous, but I’m really not. Creating a survival food cache takes a lot more effort than just piling up some canned goods in the hall closet. And believing you have a comprehensive food cache when you really don’t can be more dangerous than not having one at all. Not only should you spend some time thinking about nutritional needs and how your store foods can be used to make actual meals… there are countless other considerations that can […]

9 Easiest Veggies for Beginners

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Getting off the grid isn’t just about electricity. If you truly want to be self-sufficient, you have to get off the “food grid.” Shopping at your local farmers market is not enough… The local farmer’s market is a very good resource, however, because it helps you learn about what kinds of veggies are grown on local farms. It also puts you in contact with others who can help give you guidance as your start planting your own survival garden. Gardening is a learning process, to say the least. You’ll never know it all, but you want to avoid getting in […]

DIY Paper Log Hack [VIDEO]

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It’s hard to beat the smell of seasoned pinion pine logs burning in your wood stove… but there comes a time when even the sweetest of smoke smells get pretty dang tiresome. During a long, cold winter like this one, you may get sick of smelling like a fireplace every single day. Even more likely, you’ll run out of seasoned wood and turn to burning junk or even fresh cut or green wood. While it does provide warmth, unseasoned wood isn’t the best, cleanest, or the cheapest option. In fact, wastepaper logs can burn for 5-6 hours, substantially longer than […]

6 Ingenious Survival Hacks [PHOTOS]

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Necessity, so they say, is the mother of invention. And that mother’s righthand man is a little thing called resourcefulness. No matter how well thought-out your hiking backpack is, or how complete your emergency preparations are, it’s nearly impossible to keep every item that you may need around you at all times. It’s certainly impractical. The best way to combat this urge to bring “one of everything,” everywhere we go, is to embrace the art of “MacGuyvering,” AKA “resourcefulness.” Take, for example, learning to go without a kerosene lantern (see Exhibit A: Nearby photo). 1. The Water Jug Lantern Two of the most […]

9 Minutes of Expert Tactical Firearms Training for FREE

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When it comes to learning new skills, it’s really hard to beat YouTube. Often times, when I’m doing some automotive work on my truck, I’ll find an instructional video that details exactly how to replace the failing part. It’s amazing. However, the problem with YouTube is determining the credibility of the so-called “expert” in the video… especially when you’re dealing with serious topics like firearms and home defense. That’s why I was so excited to find these 3 short videos from tactical shooting instructor Clint Smith from the Thunder Ranch (Clint’s tactical shooting school in Oregon). In these 3 videos, Clint […]

[REALITY CHECK] How Much Water Do You Really Need?

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We’ve all heard the vague statistics about how much water we use each day, or how much we should drink, or even how much we should keep on hand for emergencies. Rarely do we question these numbers, because we never really have to… Unless a chemical spill contaminates a major waterway that serves an entire region of the country, leading officials to issue a historic water ban that last for over 5 days… like what occurred this week in West Virginia. Over 300,000 residents in and around the state’s capital, Charleston, we’re suddenly told not to drink, touch, bath in, or even […]

How To Start a Fire With Urine [VIDEO]

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True or False: You can start a fire with your own pee. TRUE. Depending on how hydrated you are, it may be far easier than you would ever think. In fact, if you can fill a clear plastic water bottle with fairly clear urine, then you have a lens. With that lens, although its not as efficient as a magnifying glass, can be used in much the same way. By holding the bottle upside down and allowing sunlight to pass through the convex top, you can focus the light onto tinder and create smoldering embers. Simply fan those embers, add […]

5 Ways to Boost Your Night Vision

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We can all agree that seeing in the darkness is a huge advantage under everyday circumstances. In a crisis situation, the quality of your night vision will be that much more important. Now, I wish I had 5 easy steps that would allow you to suddenly have the night vision of a cat (they require only 1/6th the light we do)… but unfortunately there are no known exercises, pills, or surgeries that can pull off that miracle. You can dramatically improve your vision at night however. With a few simple techniques, tricks, and even a couple of “magic pills” you […]