Collectivist Agenda Shows True Colors in Cyprus

The collectivist agenda peaks out in Cyprus.

Well...Well.....This is actually refreshing for a change.  We rarely ever get to see the collectivist's move so openly and nakedly in broad daylight. Normally they operate in the dark like the cockroaches they are.

In order to fund their grandiose schemes of global hegemony and collectivist utopian visions - they have finally taken open steps to keep their lies moving forward - make no mistake - collectivist schemes are ALWAYS destined to devolve to outright thievery and outlaw thuggery.

Socialism, and other forms of collectivism always end up going from soaring rhetorical proclamations about the brotherhood of man, and other bullshit references to how beautiful the world would be if we would all just give them a bit more power....The end result is always, ALWAYS - corruption, mass theft, tyranny, slavery, and genocide. 

If you think your bank accounts in the United States are safe, or even that the US Dollar is safe....you really need to examine your premise. The US Government is corrupt as any, and closer to outright (but legal) thuggery than you might think.

Collectivist governments see no problem in stealing, turning its people into slaves both economically and in reality and even brutalizing and murdering its own people - all for "the common good". Don't worry - they will find a way to sell their corruption to the slack-jawed, doe-eyed public. After-all its well-intentioned and meant to help (insert cause here) Kids, the elderly, minorities, civil rights....etc..etc...as a wise person once said - beware do-gooders from the government.


http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_22815782/panic-cyprus-country-tries-raid-bank-accounts-pay



http://real-agenda.com/2013/03/18/european-governments-seizing-private-bank-accounts-in-cyprus/

"Print" your own AR Lower - using 3d Printing

“Download this gun”: 3D-printed semi-automatic fires over 600 rounds

And the Department of Justice says there's nothing illegal about it, either.

by Cyrus Farivar - Mar 1 2013, 6:00am PST

The white portion of this AR-15, known as the "lower," was manufactured using 3D printing.

Defense Distributed

Cody Wilson, like many Texan gunsmiths, is fast-talkin’ and fast-shootin’—but unlike his predecessors in the Lone Star State, he’s got 3D printing technology to help him with his craft.
Wilson’s nonprofit organization, Defense Distributed, released a video this week showing a gun firing off over 600 rounds—illustrating what is likely to be the first wave of semi-automatic and automatic weapons produced by the additive manufacturing process.

Last year, his group famously demonstrated that it could use a 3D-printed “lower” for an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle—but the gun failed after six rounds. Now, after some re-tooling, Defense Distributed has shown that it has fixed the design flaws and a gun using its lower can seemingly fire for quite a while. (The AR-15 is the civilian version of the military M16 rifle.)

The lower, or "lower receiver" part of a firearm, is the crucial part that contains all of the gun's operating parts, including the trigger group and the magazine port. (Under American law, the lower is what's defined as the firearm itself.) The AR is designed to be modular, meaning it can receive different types of “uppers” (barrels) as well as different-sized magazines.

“This is the first publicly printed AR lower demonstrated to withstand a large volume of .223 without structural degradation or failure,” Wilson wrote on Wednesday. “The actual count was 660+ on day 1 with the SLA lower. The test ended when we ran out of ammunition, but this lower could easily withstand 1,000 rounds.”

Already, he says, over 10,000 people have downloaded the lower CAD file, and more have downloaded it through BitTorrent.

“I just made an AK-47 magazine—I’ve got it printing as we speak”

While it may be easy to paint Wilson as a 2nd Amendment-touting conservative, the 25-year-old second-year law student at the Univeristy of Texas, Austin told Ars on Thursday that he’s actually a “crypto-anarchist.”

“I believe in evading and disintermediating the state,” he said. “It seemed to be something we could build an organization around. Just like Bitcoin can circumvent financial mechanisms. This means you can make something that is contentious and politically important—not just a multicolored cookie cutter—but something important. It’s more about disintermediating some of these control schemes entirely and there’s increasingly little that you can do about it. That’s no longer a valid answer.”
He added, “The message is in what we’re doing—the message is: download this gun.”
And he practices what he preaches. The group’s entire set of design files are made available, for free, on DEFCAD, an online library for everything from grips to lowers to magazines.
“I just made an AK-47 magazine—I’ve got it printing as we speak,” he added. “[I’ve got a] Glock 17, we got a bunch coming, man. We’ve got a library of magazines.”
Wilson’s group was founded last year on similar principles:

The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are: To defend the civil liberty of popular access to arms as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and affirmed by the United States Supreme Court, through facilitating global access to, and the collaborative production of, information and knowledge related to the 3D printing of arms; and to publish and distribute, at no cost to the public, such information and knowledge in promotion of the public interest.

Here are .223 Remington bullets loaded into a 3D-printed magazine.

Defense Distributed

Totally legal

So that raises the question: is this legal? For now, it would appear so.
“There are no restrictions on an individual manufacturing a firearm for personal use,” a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) spokesperson told Ars. “However, if the individual is engaged in business as a firearms manufacturer, that person must obtain a manufacturing license.”
Wilson said that he’s applied for a federal firearms license in his own name with the ATF in October, and he expects to hear a response “any day now.” The ATF did not respond to our request for confirmation of Wilson’s claims.

Specifically, Wilson said he's looking to become a Class 2 Special Occupational Taxpayer, as licensed under federal law (PDF), which would allow him to become a dealer under the National Firearms Act.

The law student said that anyone with the same type of 3D printer (“SLA resin and P400 ABS on a used Dimension”) could replicate his efforts with “9 to 12 hours” of print time and “$150 to $200” in parts. "We’ve proven that you can build one for $50,” he said, presuming the builder is using lower quality materials. (Dimensions typically sell in the $30,000 range—but Wilson says his results could be duplicated using the less-expensive Ultimaker ($1,500) or Reprap.”

Assuming Defense Distributed’s AR-15 lower costs around $150 to print, it likely won't end up being price-competitive with other, commercially available polymer AR-15 lowers—a few minutes of Google searching turned up options priced at $135 to $170, depending on the manufacturer.
Of course, lots of 3D printing enthusiasts extol the fact that the price of the technology is rapidly falling—as we reported previously, a California company announced a $600 model last year.
Some experts who have been following the world of 3D printing for a while say that from a policy perspective, not much has changed in terms of firearm production, even if the parts are cheaper to make.

“When you're thinking about it from a policy standpoint [the question is], was this possible before 3D printing? If the answer is yes, what was the existing policy response?” said Michael Weinberg, a staff attorney at Public Knowledge.

“Has this fundamentally changed the dynamic in a way that we need to revisit the response? The answer strikes me as no. It's amazing. You can imagine a world where the 3D printer is accessible to people—I am not convinced that we need a 3D printing-specific solution.”

An earlier model of the 3D-printed AR-15 lower resulted in a crack by the rear takedown pin.

Defense Distributed

“The guns that will be”

Since December 2012, Wilson and his team have been hard at work on two problems. The first was the fact that the lower’s “buffer tower” (the circular ring part jutting upward that the “upper” fits into) kept breaking—that’s what caused the initial failure that prevented the gun from firing more than six rounds of 5.7x28FN bullets.

To fix that, the group re-engineered the buffer tower so it had increased exterior thickness. “We doubled or tripled the thickness,” Wilson said.

With that fix under their belt, the modern gunsmiths tried firing with .223 Remington bullets (standard in an AR-15), which raised the firing range to about 20 rounds before a failure—but that wasn’t good enough.

By the end of the month, there was a different failure, this time on the “rear takedown pin,” where a metal pin fits between the upper and the lower, connecting them together solidly. There, the 3D-printed plastic was cracking around the pin, making the gun less safe to use.

“There was so much force concentrating around it that that was the failure place,” Wilson said. “At first we started using bigger bosses and using longer pins and realized that it’s still a cross-sectional area. We changed the dimensions of the rear takedown pins.”

He explained that they’ve changed pin design entirely, adding “more surface area around these pins,” as well as an “internal” 90-degree angle, along with various curves and “steps and risers” that take advantage of the fact that the housing is made of plastic, not metal.

“The thing was still built like it would be made out of metal,” he said. “This is about plastic, and everything needs to be curves. It has to act like more of a spring.”

And that, he points out, is the ultimate lesson in gun manufacturing.
“The idea is not to print components for guns that are, but the guns that will be,” he said.
For now, though, Wilson said that Defense Distributed has essentially taken over the bulk of his time, and he’s effectively become a part-time amateur engineer.

“I don’t go to [law school] class, but I do pass the exams—here’s looking at you [American Bar Association]!” he told Ars.

Defense Distributed, Wilson says, receives “around $100” in daily donations, and he has an operating budget of about $2,400 monthly. He says that the next phase will be to publish “primers” teaching people specifically how to make such weapons.

“I don’t consider myself a tech guy, but I do consider myself a crypto-anarchist,” he said.
“I mean the philosophy that Tim May expressed, he predicted WikiLeaks and digital currency. [What I mean is] that the Internet and cryptography are these anarchic tools that can allow for the expanse of citizen action. We like the idea of the market becoming completely black and starving the nation-state from all the money they claim.”

(Thanks to Ars editor Sean Gallagher, a Navy veteran, for helping me with all my gun questions.)

Real Debt is Real Bad News

Real Debt is Real Bad News, or

Preparation does not guarantee success, but the lack of preparation guarantees failure.

 

As a result of the Newtown School shootings, big-government elites have been hammering HARD for their version of gun control- which is really “victim disarmament.”  Indeed, the push has been more aggressive and contentious than anything I’ve ever seen.  The obvious goal of our government (as the NDAA and NDRP amply demonstrate) is complete and total control of the population, and elimination of any possibility of armed resistance to their hidden agenda.  Oh, we know the agenda is power, but we don’t know the details of why, when or where… or do we?

There are plenty of official proclamations as to how much debt the USA has-$16 Trillion.

But the unofficial debt, using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) now stands at $238 Trillion. 

Against an annual GDP of approximately $16 Trillion, that means that every dollar of value created by goods and services for the next 15 years is already spent.  And that number, by the way, is in today’s dollars.

Current estimates place the current “financial weapons of mass destruction,” the derivatives (or bad debts) outstanding, at $1.5 Quadrillion.  How can one comprehend such a mind-boggling number?  To answer that question, I took the measurements of a $1 bill, and calculated that this amount of money would cover the entire Earth with a layer of paper 1.24 inches thick.  This is the amount of phony debt that is outstanding, waiting for the first domino to fall, where a bankrupt country goes to their bankrupt neighbor to collect, and so on.  American banksters own approximately half of those bad bets- another 38 years of GDP gone.

So while the “official” numbers show we’re in deep trouble, the real data clearly shows the USA isn’t merely financially “broke,” which implies we’re out of spending money…  It shows we’re completely bankrupt, without any hope of getting out of the hole we’re in.

Our main export at this point, isn’t jobs.  That’s already gone, given away to the Chinese.  Now, our main export is financial paper- or electronic dollars, to be more precise.  The problem is that the ongoing collapse of the American economy- the basis of value for the American dollar- has made it obvious that the dollar is about to collapse. 

In the past, the dollar was backed by gold.  This ended in 1971, when President Nixon disconnected the dollar from gold, and let it “float.”  That is to say, the value of the dollar after this time, was a reflection of the value of the U.S. economy.  In other words, it was based on faith that the government could repay its debts.  As I’ve already shown, it is now impossible to repay the debts, and there is nothing left to support the dollar as the reserve currency.  We have no gold, no industry, nothing except nearly 50 million people who are broke, out of work and hungry, and roughly half of the electorate believes the other half “owes” them something (i.e., putting your money in their hands).

The Chinese- no fools are they- have merely taken these worthless electronic digits, and used them to purchase real money- gold.  In fact, they’ve imported literally hundreds of tons of it, in the last few years.  At the NY Fed, where they supposedly store some 7000 tons of gold, much of it belonging to foreign countries.  But that was before the Fed became blatant in their manipulation of gold and silver prices, by short-selling precious metals, to suppress gold and silver prices, while making the dollar appear more stable.  Since the prices of gold and silver have gone up, the NY Fed has had to provide the collateral- gold- to cover the shorts,.  As a result, there have been rumors that the gold is long gone- stolen or substituted with “salted” bars filled with tungsten.  

Germany owns 1536 metric tons of gold at the NY Fed, and they want to withdraw ~300 metric tons.  The NY Fed claims it will take seven years to accomplish this.  Of course, in 1965, France repatriated their gold reserves- in one day, by loading it onto a battleship.  Considering how fast the economy is spiraling down the toilet, seven years might as well be 700.  Now the Swiss are lining up a referendum (which will obtain enough support) to demand that all of their gold comes home, too- all 1040 tons of it.  Nobody knows how much of it sits in New York, but I hope you’re getting the picture.  Basically, it appears that a gold run has begun, where everyone who owns gold at the NY Fed wants it back.

That the NY Fed can’t deliver can mean only one of two things: it’s not there, or what is still there has claims of ownership by more than one country, which is legally (and practically) the same thing. 

Going back to the Chinese, they’ve been acquiring gold for years, at artificially low prices.  As well, they’re buying gold mines and physical assets such as land, all over the world.  In other words, they’re getting out of the dollar, buying whatever they can with it, while it still has some value.  Why?  Well, the IMF announced this week that the Yuan is ready to be the worlds’ reserve currency.   When that happens- and it will- the price of imported goods will go through the roof almost overnight, as every country will attempt to get rid of their dollars while they still can, and use some other currency for international trade. 

The dollar will be dumped as the worlds’ reserve currency, in a cascade as other countries holding dollars run for the exits.  When this happens, the price of products that are imported will go up by 4-5 times, almost overnight (my best guess).   This is the logical result of the Cloward-Piven strategy writ large.

The price of oil- when no longer priced in dollars- will have ripple effects that will cause suffering on a scale never before seen in America.  Consider the trucking industry, in a very real way, feeds the country.  The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the furniture in your house…  even the building materials for the house itself, were all delivered by truck.  As the price of fuel skyrockets, trucking companies will attempt to pass on the costs to their customers (stores like Wal-Mart, for example), who will in turn pass it on to the consumer.  Will the consumers pay so much more?

Consider that while those desperate people who live on the dole may still get their checks (or “deposits” on their EBT cards), it will no longer be able to buy anything, because the prices of everything have gone up 500% overnight.  What will happen in the inner cities, when people realize they can’t put food on the table, much less put gas in their cars?  Gerald Celente summarized it best: “when people lose everything, and they have nothing left to lose, they lose it.”  And they will.   It is my opinion, that the downward spiral will far exceed what we’ve already seen in Greece.  The starvation and violence will eclipse Greece by many orders of magnitude.  The key reason is that we’re the most heavily armed country in the world, and when the wool is pulled from peoples’ eyes, they’re not going to be happy with our government “representatives.”

THIS is the reason why the Obama administration is pushing so hard for “gun control.”  The scam is almost over, and when it is, people are first going to be fighting for their survival.  When they realize that the country has been robbed blind by the corrupt politicians in D.C. (and at all more-local levels of government), they’re going to be out for blood.  The DHS, it has been suggested, is the personal army of the Obama administration.  It’s why the DHS has ordered 1.6 billion rounds of hollow-point ammunition, tanks, drones, body armor and thousands of REAL assault rifles.  They know the American citizens are going to come after them, and they truly believe they can intimidate and disarm the public.  They believe they’re more enlightened than the rest of us, and that we don’t matter.

The government has made their choice abundantly clear.  They intend to retain power over the American people, regardless of the cost.  We are all slaves- taxpayers, tax collectors, police, military, people down on their luck, the middle class…  They’re perfectly happy to use 20 dead slave children- and hundreds of thousands more in the Middle East- to maintain that power, and won’t let any “crisis go to waste,” to gain more power.  Their viewpoint- to be blunt- is that we are ALL expendable.  You need to understand that fact. 

It is my firm belief that the financial collapse- intentionally caused- will create a civil war.  Those who think they can escape to Costa Rica (as a fellow traveler told me on an airplane two days ago), Russia, Argentina or some other lovely Caribbean country, are fooling themselves.  Americans have always been inventors, and our biggest invention wasn’t nuclear power, it wasn’t advanced medicine or the harnessing of electricity.  Our biggest invention was the financial virus which now infects the entire world.  There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.   The pain unleashed from this virus, will unleash an ugly side of humanity, not witnessed for hundreds of years.

I beg you, to get prepared, both emotionally and physically.  There are a lot of forums that go into how to prepare for the collapse, if you do web search.   

There is an old Japanese proverb, “Preparation does not guarantee success, but the lack of preparation guarantees failure.”  Do what you can, prepare as best you can.  There’s not much time.

New "Surveillance-Proof" App To Secure Communications Has Governments Nervous

Silent Circle promises to make encryption easy for everyone.

By Ryan Gallagher|Posted Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, at 6:00 PM ET

Silent Circle logo.
Courtesy Silent Circle.

Lately, Mike Janke has been getting what he calls the “hairy eyeball” from international government agencies. The 44-year-old former Navy SEAL commando, together with two of the world’s most renowned cryptographers, was always bound to ruffle some high-level feathers with his new project—a surveillance-resistant communications platform that makes complex encryption so simple your grandma can use it.

This week, after more than two years of preparation, the finished product has hit the market. Named Silent Circle, it is in essence a series of applications that can be used on a mobile device to encrypt communications—text messages, plus voice and video calls. Currently, apps for the iPhone and iPad are available, with versions for Windows, Galaxy, Nexus, and Android in the works. An email service is also soon scheduled to launch.

The encryption is peer to peer, which means that Silent Circle doesn’t centrally hold a key that can be used to decrypt people’s messages or phone calls. Each phone generates a unique key every time a call is made, then deletes it straight after the call finishes. When sending text messages or images, there is even a “burn” function, which allows you to set a time limit on anything you send to another Silent Circle user—a bit like how “this tape will self destruct” goes down in Mission: Impossible, but without the smoke or fire.

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Silent Circle began as an idea Janke had after spending 12 years working for the U.S. military and later as a security contractor. When traveling overseas, he realized that there was no easy-to-use, trustworthy encrypted communications provider available to keep in touch with family back home. Cellphone calls, text messages, and emails sent over the likes of Hotmail and Gmail can just be “pulled right out of the air,” according to Janke, and he didn’t think the few commercial services offering encryption—like Skype and Hushmail—were secure enough. He was also made uneasy by reports about increased government snooping on communications. “It offended what I thought were my God-given rights—to be able to have a free conversation,” Janke says. “And so I began on this quest to find something to solve it.”

Janke assembled what he calls an “all-star team”: Phil Zimmerman, a recent inductee to the Internet’s Hall of Fame, who in 1991 invented PGP encryption, still considered the standard for email security. Jon Callas, the man behind Apple’s whole-disk encryption (which is used to secure hard drives in Macs across the world), became Silent Circle’s chief technology officer. Other employees were top engineers and ex-special-forces communications experts based in England, Latvia, and Germany. Together, they designed their own software, created a new encryption protocol called SCimp, registered their company offshore and outside U.S. jurisdiction, then built up their own network in Canada. (They eventually plan to expand to Switzerland and Hong Kong.)

Though many encryption options already exist, they are often difficult to use, which is a barrier for those without the skills, patience, or time to learn. Silent Circle helps remove these hurdles. As a result, organizations that have a real need for secure communications but have maybe not understood how to implement them are coming forward and expressing interest in Silent Circle.

Janke says he’s already sold the technology worldwide to nine news outlets, presumably keen to help protect their journalists’ and sources’ safety through encryption. (ProPublica, for one, confirmed it’s had “preliminary discussions” with Silent Circle.) A major multinational company has already ordered 18,000 subscriptions for its staff, and a couple of A-list actors, including one Oscar winner, have been testing the beta version. The basic secure phone service plan will cost $20 a month per person, though Janke says a number of human rights groups and NGOs will be provided with the service for free.

The company has also attracted attention from 23 special operations units, intelligence agencies, and law enforcement departments in nine countries that are interested in using Silent Circle to protect the communications of their own employees—particularly on the personal devices that they use at home or bring to work. Some of these same agencies, perhaps unsurprisingly, have contacted Janke and his team with concerns about how the technology might be used by bad guys. Because Silent Circle is available to just about anyone, Janke accepts there is a real risk that a minority of users could abuse it for criminal purposes. But he argues you could say the same thing about baseball bats and says if the company is ever made aware someone is using the application for “bad illegal things”—he cites an example of a terrorist plotting a bomb attack—it reserves the right to shut off that person’s service and will do so “in seven seconds.”

The very features that make Silent Circle so valuable from a civil liberties and privacy standpoint make law enforcement nervous. Telecom firms in the United States, for instance, have been handing over huge troves of data to authorities under a blanket of secrecy and with very little oversight. Silent Circle is attempting to counter this culture by limiting the data it retains in the first place. It will store only the email address, 10-digit Silent Circle phone number, username, and password of each customer. It won’t retain metadata (such as times and dates calls are made using Silent Circle). Its IP server logs showing who is visiting the Silent Circle website are currently held for seven days, which Janke says the company plans to reduce to just 24 hours once the system is running smoothly.

Almost every base seems to have been covered. Biannually, the company will publish requests it gets from law enforcement in transparency reports, detailing the country of origin and the number of people the request encompassed. And any payment a person makes to Silent Circle will be processed through third-party provider Stripe, so even if authorities could get access to payment records, Janke says, “that in no way gives them access to the data, voice, and video the customer is sending-receiving ... nor does it tie the two together.” If authorities wanted to intercept the communications of a person using Silent Circle, it is likely they’d have to resort to deploying Trojan-style tools—infecting targeted devices with spyware to covertly record communications before they become encrypted.

Among security geeks and privacy advocates, however, there’s still far from consensus how secure Silent Circle actually is. Nadim Kobeissi, a Montreal-based security researcher and developer, took to his blog last week to pre-emptively accuse the company of “damaging the state of the cryptography community.” Kobeissi’s criticism was rooted in an assumption that Silent Circle would not be open source, a cornerstone of encrypted communication tools because it allows people to independently audit coding and make their own assessments of its safety (and to check for secret government backdoors). Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist at the ACLU's Speech Privacy and Technology Project, said he was excited to see a company like Silent Circle visibly competing on privacy and security but that he was waiting for it to go open source and be audited by independent security experts before he would feel comfortable using it for sensitive communications.

When I asked Janke about this, he said he recognized the importance of the open-source principle. He says the company, contrary to Kobeissi’s assertion, will be using a noncommercial open-source license, which will allow developers to “do their own builds” of Silent Circle. “We will put it all out there for scrutiny, inspection, and audit by anyone and everyone,” he added.

Another factor is that a number of countries are pushing for new surveillance laws that will force many communications providers to build in backdoors for wiretapping. The Silent Circle team has been following these developments closely, and it seems to have played into the decision to register offshore and locate its multimillion-dollar network outside U.S. jurisdiction. Janke says he has consulted with Canada’s privacy commissioners and understands that the new push to upgrade surveillance capabilities in Canada will not affect the company because its technology is encrypted peer-to-peer (making it technically incapable of facilitating a wiretap request even if it receives one).

But what if, one day down the line, things change and Canada or another country where Silent Circle has servers tries to force them to build in a secret backdoor for spying? Janke has already thought about that—and his answer sums up the maverick ethos of his company.

“We won’t be held hostage,” he says, without a quiver of hesitation. “All of us would rather shut Silent Circle down than ever allow a backdoor or be bullied into an ‘or else’ position.”

In an age of ever-increasing surveillance, it’s a gutsy stance to take. Perhaps Big Brother has finally met its match.

This article arises from Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, the New America Foundation, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture. To read more, visit the Future Tense blog and the Future Tense home page. You can also follow us on Twitter.

Alternative, Easy, and Economical Bugout Shelter Options

For some Preppers a backup or quickly movable bugout shelter is a major concern. For everyone who plans to have a backup or bugout plan it should be a primary consideration. Shelter is rightly located in the top 3 of any critical priority needs list. Considering its important placement on these lists I offer one solution which might fit many needs. It is highly portable fitting in your backpack, lightweight, cheap, very fast to set up and take down, can be easily configured to provide protection from wind, rain, and insects, and is easily concealable. What is this wonder - the simple hammock.

Other configurations make this an ideal all-around, economical shelter solution. Since it is a hanging shelter it can be hung anywhere, and since it keeps you off the ground - you don't need to lose body heat to contact with the ground , or from rocks or roots under your sleeping bag.

No see-um netting keeps the pesky mosquito's off you.

These sources are a good starting place:

http://www.hammockbliss.com/Index.html



http://www.stylemexican.com/king_mexican_hammocks.html

http://www.seasidehammocks.com/~seasideh/home.php

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html

 http://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/blackbirds.php

 http://www.speerhammocks.com/

With One CO2 System You Can Make Soda and Preserve Your Food -

Okay so recently I bought a couple of old used 20lb CO2 tanks very cheap. Then I got them filled with CO2 for, again – cheap. I then ordered a Regulator online for (you guessed it) …..cheap.

Then I bought an AIR blower wand, a tire inflater extension, some air hose (food safe), and various fittings and check valves for it.

 

Now the Plan comes together. I have two things in mind for this system.

1.                  A Preservation System for our Food Stores:

A Way to purge and then replace the Oxygen laden air in my food buckets with CO2. More specifically I plan to put the rice, beans, wheat, corn, and other food stuffs in my 5 gallon buckets into Mylar bags, then purge and replace the air with pure CO2 and then heat seal the bags. This will preserve the food in my buckets for many years.

2.                  An Economical Way to Make Homemade Soda

I have found several very thick and strong plastic soda bottles. I then bought several tire air nipples. Then I drilled a hole in the cap and screwed the nipple into the cap using the rubber washer to ensure it is a airtight fit.

To make homemade soda all we have to do is fill the bottles to about 4/5^th full of any liquid we like. Put the air nozzle cap on the bottle, open the CO2 regulator and adjust the pressure to about 60 psi. Then it’s as simple as filling up a tire.

 

You “air” up the bottle with the CO2 till it feels tight – you can actually feel the bottle getting firmer. Then you shake the bottle which forces the CO2 into solution. You know its working when you feel the sides of the bottle getting easier to squeeze again. Then you can do it again once or twice more to get the level of “fizz” you like.

We like to make soda water, lemonade soda, Orange juice soda, and you can always buy Cola, or root beer, or lemon lime syrup which mixes with water. It is easy and super cheap. We will be able to make soda for pennies per quart from now on.

Long Term Food Storage - Know the Facts

Long Term Food Storage Using Mylar Bags
& Oxygen Absorbers

(Reprinted from Optimum Emergency.com)

 CLICK HERE to see all Mylar Bags, Oxygen Absorbers, Desiccant & Heat Sealer

When deciding what kind of food storage arrangements to make for you and your family, you have several good options. You may choose food storage systems that are already pre-packed for long term storage and ready to be opened and eaten when an emergency strikes. That is an easy and commendable way to take care of your food storage needs. Plus the shelf life on these foods is an amazing 10 to 15 to 25 years due to the packaging!

However, there are some other excellent options for customizing how you store your food by doing it yourself. Or you may want to just add some special items to your food storage that aren’t in your ready-made food storage systems. Optimum Preparedness is excited to be offering the materials that use the latest technologies to allow you to do your own emergency long term food storage packaging. It is simple, safe and it lasts a long time.

Please read on to find out more about the great products we offer and how to do it yourself. You can package the food you want the way the professionals do it.

Remember, we are always glad to answer any questions you may have and assist you with recommendations regarding your specific food storage needs.

• Mylar Foil Bags
• Oxygen Absorbers
• Desiccants
• Clam Type Heat Sealer

Do It Yourself Food Storage

Mylar Bags

Many people line the 5 gallon pail with a 20.0" x 30.0" Mylar Foil bag and place dry food products in there for long term storage. Another option would be to consider placing numerous pre-packed smaller pouches inside.

   

Not Just For Food Storage

Mylar bags used in conjunction with oxygen absorbers are also a great way to preserve important books and other papers. We also sell a specially sized mylar foil bag that will accommodate rifles and shotguns. The mylar foil oxygen barrier bag is 12" x 60".
See item # H12MGB60 in our How To Hide Anything section.

 http://www.bonanza.com/listings/15-5-Gallon-20x30-Mylar-Pro-Foil-Barrier-Bags-15-2000cc-Oxygen-Absorbers/42780668

 http://www.sorbentsystems.com/mylar.html

 Oxygen Absorbers

These packets eliminate the presence of oxygen in foodstuffs such as grain and milk powder, ensuring long-term shelf stability. They are commonly seen in beef jerky where they prevent mold while eliminating the use of chemical preservative and have been used by the US military to extend the shelf-life of bread for combat troops to up to two years.

Note:  For information on how to make your own Oxygen absorbers - see earlier post on this blog

How much oxygen absorbent capacity do you need for standard containers?

We recommend 2000cc’s of oxygen absorbing capacity for 5 and 6 gallon pails. Thus, you could use 5 individual 300cc packets, or 3 individual 500 cc packets or 2 individual 750 cc packets. It is more cost effective (i.e. cheaper for you) to use 2 750cc packets rather than 3 of the 500cc packets per bucket, so we don’t sell the 500cc packets. We are watching out for you!

For a one gallon pail, jar or Mylar bag we recommend using one 300 cc oxygen absorber.

Concerned about humidity? Use a desiccant

If you are concerned about humidity affecting your food product (rice, wheat, beans and other dry grains.....) we have a clearly established protocol and procedure for providing a solution for this problem.

One to two individual 1 oz. packets of desiccant should be placed in the bottom of your Mylar Foil™ bag prior to filling with product. The oxygen absorber is then placed on top of the grain or beans for sealing. Note: This is the recommended procedure for the 20.0" x 30.0" bag (P/N: # F20MFS30) that is designed for 5 and 6 gallon pails. For some products that are already extremely dry and for which concern is minimal, you may use one packet.

For the smaller barrier bags (10" x 14" and 10" x 16") we recommend two of the 5.5 gram packets. Each packet is marked "1/6" on the outside.

IMPORTANT: The desiccant packets must be placed at the bottom of the pail or barrier bag or in the middle of the food products. The desiccant bags must not be close to the oxygen absorbers. Desiccants will negatively affect the performance of the oxygen absorber when close by. We supply desiccant bags made from Tyvek. Tyvek is a material acceptable for food product contact.

Sealing the Mylar Bags Properly

The mylar bags must be sealed properly for the whole thing to work as expected. You’ve got the food, the mylar bag that is more air-proof than a bucket, the oxygen absorber (or the CO2 gas purge and replacement) that will remove all the air so your food won’t go bad, but if you don’t seal that bag properly all your effort goes down the drain. Because the mylar bag is made out of a multi-layer material you CANNOT use a regular Food Saver or Seal A Meal unit to seal these bags. Those units just don’t reach a high enough temperature to do the job.

We have used, and found them to be EASY and quite effective - clothes irons. They get very hot and seal with ease leaving an air-proof sealed bag. Make sure you use the Linen or Cotton setting (cordless irons won’t work because they can’t sustain the high heat long enough – you need to be up at 400 degrees Farenheit or 204 degrees Celsius) For most irons, Linen is the highest setting, so that will be your best choice with an iron.  (Instructions for using an iron are just below the info on the heat sealer.)


Note: using the home iron works quite well, we were able to get great results using this method our first time. It produced a thick, airtight seal.

Options for Food Storage

Storage for Grains, Rice, Beans etc....

1. Food storage in a 5-6 Gallon Pail:

The Bag

Mylar Foil bag 20" x 30" – this bag fits inside a 5 or 6 gallon pail and needs to be used with oxygen absorbers and then heat sealed. Most companies selling pre–packaged grains use this bag when packing grains and other foods.

4.3 mil thickness Food Grade FDA approved mylar foil oxygen barrier bag
(order item # F20MFS30)

The Oxygen Absorbers

2 750cc oxygen absorbers for items like wheat, rice, whole oats and other grains and beans that pack fairly tight in a bucket will be sufficient for a minimum TWO YEAR shelf life. You could also use 5 of the 300cc oxygen absorbers (5 x 300cc = 1500cc). For food such as pasta, pet food and items that have a higher amount of residual air use the 2000cc oxygen absorbers. It is OK to use the 2000cc oxygen absorber in a bucket of wheat, rice and other items that use 2 750cc absorbers.

750 cc oxygen absorbers, 25 per bag, use 2 per pail (order item # FOAP750/25)
2000 cc oxygen absorbers, 10 per bag, use 1 per pail (order item # FOAP2000/10)

The Desiccant

One to two individual 1 oz. packets of desiccant should be placed in the bottom of your Mylar Foil™ bag prior to filling with product. The oxygen absorber is then placed on top of the grain or beans for sealing. For some products that are already extremely dry and for which concern is minimal, you may use one packet per pail

Desiccant 1 oz each - Pak of 50 (order item # F205050PK01)

The Optimum Hi-Temp Heat Sealer

Heat sealers are critical to provide a proper barrier to oxygen for barrier bags. We recommend the 6-inch "constant heat" Clam type hot jaw heat sealer. The jaws are sufficient to close any type of heat sealable multi-layer structure. They can be used to seal the standard 20" x 30" barrier bag used in the five-gallon pails as well as the smaller bags.

The Optimum Hi-Temp Hot Jaw Heat Sealer (order item # FIPKHS606T)

2. Food storage in a bag only in lieu of using a 5-6 Gallon Pail

The Bag

If you have a space or storage limitations, you can use this bag all by itself with no bucket or pail! The 20" x 30" PAKDRY7500 bag is made from Ultra high oxygen barrier Mylar Foil that is 7.5 mil and an FDA approved structure. This bag holds the same amount as a 5 or 6 gallon pail.

7.5 mil thickness Food Grade FDA approved mylar foil oxygen barrier bag
order item # FP75C2030)

The Oxygen Absorbers

Use the 2000cc oxygen absorber when using this bag without a pail whether you are storing grains, beans, etc or things like pastas.

2000 cc oxygen absorbers, 10 per bag, use 1 per pail (order item # FOAP2000/10)

IMPORTANT: Without the additional barrier of the plastic pail, it is important to use a 2000cc absorber to insure long term product quality.

The Desiccant

One to two individual 1 oz. packets of desiccant should be placed in the bottom of your Mylar Foil™ bag prior to filling with product. The oxygen absorber is then placed on top of the grain or beans for sealing. For some products that are already extremely dry and for which concern is minimal, you may use one packet.

Desiccant 1 oz each - Pak of 50 (order item # F205050PK01)

The Optimum Hi-Temp Heat Sealer

Heat sealers are critical to provide a proper barrier to oxygen for barrier bags. We recommend the 6-inch "constant heat" Clam type hot jaw heat sealer. The jaws are sufficient to close any type of heat sealable multi-layer structure. They can be used to seal the standard 20" x 30" barrier bag used in the five-gallon pails as well as the smaller bags.

The Optimum Hi-Temp Hot Jaw Heat Sealer (order item # FIPKHS606T)

3. Storage for 1 gallon volume (approximately equivalent to a #10 can)

The Bag

You can use either one of these 2 bags, which each hold the same volume as a #10 can which is equivalent in volume to a 1 gallon jar. This will be approximately 7.5 pounds of grains or beans.

Mylar Foil® bag 10" x 16" - 5.0 mil FDA Approved Material and equivalent in volume to a #10 can. (order item # F10VF4C16)
Mylar Foil® bag 10" x 14" - 3.5 mil FDA Approved Material and equivalent in volume to a one gallon container (order item # F35M1014)

The Oxygen Absorbers

For 10x16 or 10x14 bags (equivalent to #10 cans or a 1 gallon container), use 1 300cc oxygen absorber.

300 cc Oxygen Absorbers for #10 Cans & Gal Jars, 50 per bag (order item # FOAP300/50)

The Optimum Hi-Temp Heat Sealer

Heat sealers are critical to provide a proper barrier to oxygen for barrier bags. We recommend the 6-inch "constant heat" Clam type hot jaw heat sealer. The jaws are sufficient to close any type of heat sealable multi-layer structure. They can be used to seal the standard 20" x 30" barrier bag used in the five-gallon pails as well as the smaller bags.

The Optimum Hi-Temp Hot Jaw Heat Sealer (order item # FIPKHS606T)



         

ROTATE YOUR FOOD STORAGE!

Hi Temp Heat Sealers

Heat sealers are critical to provide a proper barrier to oxygen for barrier bags. We recommend the 6-inch "constant heat" Clam type hot jaw heat sealer. There are heat sealers out there that are fancier and that cost double the price, but this one does the job that needs to be done, and is designed to be used with the mylar foil oxygen barrier bags that you use for Long Term Food Storage. The jaws are sufficient to close any type of heat sealable multi-layer structure. They can be used to seal the standard 20" x 30" barrier bag used in the five-gallon pails as well as the smaller bags.

Hot Jaw Heat Sealer (order item # FIPKHS606T)

Note: FoodSaver and Seal-A-Meal vacuum sealers do NOT reach a high enough temperature to seal the mylar foil bags. You will not get a seal that will hold. Those vacuum sealers are designed specifically for the clear plastic bags sold to be used with them. They do make vacuum sealers that would work but a low end one is $1500 and they jump immediately into the $3500-$4500 range.

An alternative but not as easy way to seal the bags is to use your steam iron (with steam off) on the Linen or Cotton setting (cordless irons won’t work because they can’t sustain the high heat long enough – you need to up at 400 degrees Farenheit or 204 degrees Celsius) For most irons, Linen is the highest setting, so that will be your best choice with an iron. (For instructions on how to use your iron to seal the mylar bags CLICK HERE)

The Heat Sealing Process Illustrated

CLICK HERE to see all Mylar Bags, Oxygen Absorbers, Desiccant & Heat Sealer

Mylar Foil® Oxygen Barrier Bags

In the food processing area, these bags are known as oxygen barrier bags. Many people refer to them as Mylar® Foil bags because the outer layer of the bag is Mylar® Foil, which is a brand name for the DuPont Corporation's polyester film.

OXYGEN BARRIER BAGS (Mylar®FOIL BAGS) will greatly increase the shelf stability of your food products. Polyethylene pails are not a true oxygen barrier by themselves. The oxygen transmission rate (OTR) is critical. For example, our bags have a transmission rate of 0.001 cc's of oxygen per square meter per 24 hours. A clear Mylar®/poly bag is 0.5 cc's/ square meter/ 24 hours. This means the Mylar/poly bag is 500 (FIVE HUNDRED!) times greater.

WARNING: Some companies and people will try to tell you that clear "FOODSAVER" bags are good for long term storage. THEY ARE NOT. For long term food storage you should use the mylar foil oxygen barrier bags.

How do I know if I have the right type of Mylar Foil™ bags?

This is an extremely good question. The Mylar® foil bags that are used for long-term food storage were originally designed for exporting Macadamia nuts in bulk. This bag is 4.3 mils thick and appears to look like aluminum foil. Although the Mylar® foil layer is transparent, long-term food storage bags are NEVER transparent. Here at Optimum Preparedness we sell only FDA approved food grade mylar foil oxygen barrier bags made for long term food storage.

Another type of Mylar® Foil with which many consumers are familiar is the "Mylar® Foil balloon" that is often sold at supermarkets for birthdays and other occasions. The industrial name for the Mylar® Foil balloon material (NOT the same as the bags we sell!!) is metalized polyester. This is product mostly cosmetic and has minimal oxygen barrier properties.

Any concerned individual should be very wary of an organization trying to promote "transparent" barrier bags as a food storage bag. Long-term food storage should never be one of them. (One good example to watch for is the US Military MRE products. The packaging material used to produce the MREs has a very high oxygen barrier.)

What is the worst that can happen if I do not use a Mylar Foil™ bag inside my pail?

First the plastic pail is not an oxygen barrier (like a #10 can is) so there is a slow transmission of oxygen through the polyethylene walls of the container over time. According to grain processors, the most common problem is insect infestation. Nothing will eliminate this as certainly as an oxygen barrier bag and an oxygen absorber. (Gas flushing will always leave 2-5% oxygen minimum.)

Also, since the oxygen absorber will actually remove 20.5 % of the air that is within the container, it is possible for the absorber to pull in the wall of the container (the vacuum effect) to such a degree that the lid separates from the pail.

IMPORTANT: IF THE LID, WHICH SHOULD HAVE A GASKET, SEPARATES FROM THE BUCKET ENOUGH TO CREATE EVEN A VERY VERY SMALL OPENING THE OXYGEN ABSORBER WILL BE DEPLETED WITHIN 72 hours MAXIMUM. THIS IS WHY THE HIGH QUALITY FOOD PACKERS USE A 4.3 MIL Mylar BAG INSIDE THEIR PLASTIC PAILS.

Food Storage Packing 101

Food Storage Packing - Do-it-yourself Facts & Myths

By Denis Korn

Know the facts about do-it-yourself packing!

The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for packing your own shelf stable foods for food storage, including what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen free atmosphere for long term food storage, and the common misconceptions of how to do your own packing will be covered.  While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.
Some material will be repeated in this article that has been covered in previous articles concerning the use of oxygen absorbers, storage conditions, and 30 year shelf life claims.  While I could write a book on every specific detail of every packing option and all the technical specifications of all available packing containers, it is not the purpose of this article.  I will cover important highlights, facts, insights, and information gained from over 37 years in the preparedness and outdoor recreation industry.  It is important to keep in mind that I have not only been a retailer of preparedness and outdoor foods, I have been a manufacturer, developer of hundreds of recipes, packaging and product  innovator, and researcher of shelf stable foods.
Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the web or in some do-it-yourself circles.  Many people assume preparedness information to be accurate without careful consideration of the expertise of the source or the validity of the facts.  I encourage you to research on your own any of the information presented in this article – or in any article for that matter – and to use basic critical thinking skills to evaluate the evidence and data you are offered.  A little common sense goes a long way in assessing many of the claims being made about shelf life and do-it-yourself issues.  I talk about the issue of trust and reliability in my articles: Who do you Trust?, The Research and Evaluation Process, and Purchasing Food Reserves – The Essential Questions.

Basics

Before you start packing your foods, be clear about what it is you want to store and for how long.  Are the foods appropriate for your plans?  Do you know how to prepare them?  Do you have an adequate quantity?  Do you have all the equipment necessary to prepare your foods?  What is the nutritional quality?  I suggest you study the key foundational information in my article Beginning and Improving Preparedness Planning.
This is an article dealing with dry food products with a low to very low moisture content – depending upon the item usually between 2 and about 10 %.  Products can include grains, beans, seeds, dehydrated or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, seasonings, and powders and flours.
Grains and beans can be whole or processed into numerous forms.  Keep in mind that when a whole grain or bean is processed it can compromise the integrity of a natural barrier, expose any oils, and begin a process of oxidation or rancidity leading to a shortened shelf life.  Some processed bean products, such as TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) have been defatted to insure a longer shelf life, and some grains have naturally lower oil content.  Because of the position of the germ in rice, brown rice is not appropriate for long term storage.  Also, because white flour has no wheat germ, it will last significantly longer than whole wheat flour.  Research the products you are storing to determine both the moisture and oil content.
What are the goals and expectations for your food preparedness planning?  What are you hoping to accomplish and for whom and how many?  How realistic are your plans?  How long do you want your stored foods to be palatable – edible – nutritious – agreeable?  Be honest.  I once again refer you to another very helpful article in assisting you in preparedness planning: The 12 Crucial Questions of Preparedness Planning.
Why oxygen free?
At the end of this article I have included information on the 6 critical conditions for storing food.  In this section we explore the need for an oxygen free atmosphere when storing food for long periods.  Basically there are 2 reasons for wanting to store food in an oxygen free environment – eliminate the possibility for infestation from insects and microorganisms, and control oxidation, which leads to the rancidity of fats and oils, foul taste, off color, and nutritional deterioration.  The lower the oxygen levels – the more effective in preserving the integrity of the foods stored.  Some foods are more susceptible to oxidation deterioration than others.  It is important to know how susceptible the foods you are storing are to oxidation, because as you will see the type of container you store your foods in may at some point no longer be an adequate oxygen barrier.  Research by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, the inventors of oxygen absorbers and manufacturer of the Ageless® brand absorber, indicates that in an oxygen free atmosphere (their absorbers can reduce the residual oxygen level in the proper container to 0.1% or less) all adults, larvae, pupae, and eggs of the most prevalent dry food insects are killed within 14 days.
If oxidation and elimination of all stages in an insect’s development by eliminating available oxygen is not an issue, there are other methods that can be utilized with varying effectiveness in controlling insect infestation.  Options include:

• Exposure to freezing temperatures for an adequate length of time (this may kill adults and larvae but not all eggs)
• Using bay leaves and other aromatic herbs to inhibit insect reproduction
• Using food grade diatomaceous earth to kill adults (the microscopic very sharp texture of the particles pierce the bodies of the insects and they dehydrate and die).  In this case the live adult must come into contact with the diatomaceous earth.  Some folks put the material on the bottom of a container hoping the insects will go there, while others coat all the contents of a container with a fine layer of material and wash it off when it is time to consume the food.

Methods of reducing residual oxygen levels when you pack your own

Utilize an oxygen absorber – properly (see the very informative article Using and About Oxygen Absorbers)
Pro:

• Very effective in reducing residual oxygen levels – in my opinion it is the most effective technology available today.
• Relatively inexpensive and easy to use if done properly.
• Harmless components – iron oxide.
• Easily obtainable.

Con:

• This product was developed for use by professional food companies who understand how to properly use and store it.  There are important guidelines which must be followed for the absorber to work properly and not lose its effectiveness.  The do-it-yourself person will defeat the purpose of using this technology if the guidelines and instructions are not properly followed.  It is imperative that the absorber user obtain all necessary information from a qualified supplier on its correct use. (Using and About Oxygen Absorbers)
• The absorber user needs to do their homework and make sure the correct sized absorber is being utilized for both the size of the container and food product packed.

Insert a wand into a pouch, can, bucket, or jar and attempt to replace the atmosphere by squirting it with nitrogen (the most commonly used inert gas)
Pro:

• Fairly easy to do
• Relatively inexpensive

Con:

• Without the proper testing equipment there is no way for the pack your own person to know the residual oxygen levels of their containers.  If the levels are too high, you have defeated the purpose for which you intended.  How much nitrogen to use and the length of time to insert it into the container are both speculation and assumption.  Do you want to rely on guess work?
• When removing the wand and sealing the container some amount of oxygen will be introduced into the container, which will affect the atmosphere in the container.
• To achieve the desired effect of a very low residual oxygen level this method has many weaknesses.  (NOTE: Before the days of the oxygen absorber, companies such as mine used elaborate equipment designed to draw a vacuum and nitrogen flush in a chamber.  The goal was a residual oxygen level of 2% or lower, because this was the military specification for long term storage of foods in a #10 size metal can.  Even with the proper equipment reaching these residual levels required experience, testing, and effective methodology.  Can “wanding” by hand achieve these levels?)

The dry ice method – There was a time (and there may still be) when folks would put dry ice at the bottom or top of a container, leave the lid slightly ajar, wait for the ice to evaporate, and then seal the lid.  This method has so many problems that I won’t bother to give it pros and cons.  It is not recommended.
Use a home model vacuum sealer with either a plastic pouch or available attachment to put over a jar
Pro:

• Equipment is easily accessible
• Can be effective for short term storage
• Easy to use

Con:

• Equipment and extra pouches can be costly
• The vacuum pulled (measured in inches of mercury) may be helpful for short term use, however is neither strong enough nor effective for a long term storage requirement.  The plastic pouches and jar seams are not designed to hold a vacuum for extended periods (longer than 1-2 years).

Go to a cannery –  You can do your own canning of your own product in #10 metal cans.  Some canneries will sell you cans and bulk foods.
Pro:

• Very effective method for long term food storage – metal cans are the best containers
• Depending on the cannery, costs can be low for using the equipment
• You can easily insert an oxygen absorber into the cans for maximum shelf life

Con:

• While metal cans are the most effective containers, they can be costly and very difficult to obtain in smaller quantities
• Canneries are not readily available to most folks – most are sponsored by members of the Mormon Church, check on usage and membership requirements, hours of operation, and costs at each cannery
• You’ll need the proper vehicle to transport bulk foods and cans

Use a manually operated or electric, smaller, model open top can seam sealer
Pro:

• Very effective method for long term food storage – metal cans are the best containers
• You have significant flexibility as to when to use the sealer, and with whom it is to be shared
• You can easily insert an oxygen absorber into the cans for maximum shelf life
• They are easy to use once you get the hang of it

Con:

• They can be expensive
• You must do your homework and determine the best manufacturer and model
• You must make sure you are operating them correctly and that the seams are being sealed properly
• You need access to a supply of cans

Containers

Of all the issues relating to packing your own shelf stable foods, the most effective container to use can be the most confusing and misrepresented.  As stated in the beginning of this article be clear about what you are storing, how much, and for how long.
Plastic buckets (HDPE – high density polyethylene) – 5 and 6 gallon round and square sizes with handles are very popular for packing grains, beans, and other commodities in bulk
Pro:

• A convenient container to store larger quantities of dry foods – stores and stacks well, is compact, and can be carried easily.
• Inexpensive new and can be obtained used from a number of sources.
• A thick walled (90 mil) container with the proper gasket can be used effectively to control the atmosphere within for up to 1 to 3 years.
• Can be used in conjunction with foil pouches for convenience of storage.
• You can use multiple foil pouches stored in the bucket for convenience of use.
• Insects don’t easily penetrate the thick walls.
• Can withstand some rough handling.
• Because insects at all stages are destroyed within about 14 days, the short term effectiveness of using an oxygen absorber to create an oxygen free environment is useful.

Con:

• HDPE is a permeable (porous – albeit microscopic) material and gas transmission rates (the length of time gases such as oxygen will travel through a given material) indicate that it will take 1 to 3 years for the atmosphere within the bucket to match the atmosphere outside (our normal atmosphere is normally about 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen with a very small amount of other gases such as carbon dioxide).  This means that if you started with an oxygen free or low level to begin with, that over time the oxygen level in the bucket will continue to increase until it reaches parity or equality with the normal atmosphere.
• If you want the atmosphere to remain constant inside your container, or be oxygen free for extended periods of time, HDPE plastic buckets are not appropriate – check with the manufacturers (as I have done) and find out their specifications and recommendations for your needs and the specific container you want to use.
• The ability to maintain whatever atmosphere you desire within the container will depend not only on the quality of the HDPE walls, but also the integrity of the gasket seal.
• HDPE will absorb odors and they will eventually permeate into the contents of the bucket.  Direct packed foods will also absorb the odor.  Do not store plastic buckets in areas that have a strong smell. (NOTE: Foil pouches within a bucket will prolong the odor absorption)
• Rodents and other animals can easily break into plastic buckets.
• Not recommended for long term storage (3+ years) of directly packed foods.

Pouches – There are literally thousands of possible combinations of materials and sizes available to create a pouch that will contain food.  Normally a food manufacturer or packer goes to a company that specializes in manufacturing pouches and gives the company their specifications and requirements for the specific foods to be packed.
IMPORTANT NOTE:  It is common these days among those who sell empty pouches for food storage, or food already in pouches, to use the term “Mylar pouch.”  This is very misleading.  By itself the term can mean anything and it tells you nothing of importance so that you can make the appropriate decisions on what pouch to use.  The “Mylar” brand is the registered trademark name of a PET polyester film manufactured by DuPont Teijin Films.  They produce hundreds of variations of this polyester resin material.  It is a component used in the production of many variations of packaging material.  It can be clear or opaque such as in wrappers for food bars or Mylar balloons – that look “metalized” yet contain no foil.  Mylar by itself is not an appropriate material for long term pouched food.  Ask you supplier what they mean when they say “Mylar.”
For those reading this article the requirements needed are to pack dry foods for the long term.  If you buy stock pouches from a distributor you need to tell them what you plan to put in it and what your expectations are for the long term.  You should insist on knowing the specifications (especially the gas and vapor transmission rates) of the pouch and whether they suit your needs.
If you want a pouch that gives you the longest possible shelf life for your foods, you will need a laminated pouch consisting of multiple components and layers.  As far as pouches are concerned, one of those layers must be foil (NOTE: All plastics are gas and vapor permeable – some rates are very high – meaning that gases transmit through them very quickly – and some plastics both individually and in combination have slower rates).  Only quality foil is a non-permeable gas and moisture barrier – that is foil without microscopic holes)
Ask the distributor the specifications of the pouch, the different components used – not only for barrier properties but also for durability, the transmission rates if not foil, if foil – its thickness, and the reliability and reputation of the manufacturer.
Pro:

• The variety of available sizes offers flexibility in choices of quantities to store.
• Costs are reasonable.
• Can be effective as a short term oxygen free container.
• Small pouches of food can be very useful for bartering and distributing among those in need during in an emergency.

Con:

• Not recommended for very long term packaging of products for an oxygen free environment.  Shelf life of pouched foods is recommended for 3 to 10 years depending on type of food product, storage conditions, handling, and composition packaging materials.
• Excessive or rough handling, loss of seal integrity, and pressure of sharp edges on the pouch from the products within can create “pin holes” (microscopic holes in the pouch material) that eventually will cause gases to be transmitted through the pouch (NOTE: I am concerned when I see and hear some folks instructing people to cram and squeeze foil pouches into plastic buckets).
• Rodents and other creatures can easily penetrate pouch material.

Metal cans – For food storage purposes #10 size (about 7/8 gal) and #2 ½ size (about 7/8 qt) are the most popular used with the proper can sealers.  It is possible, if you keep searching, to find 5 gallon square metal cans with a large pressure lid on the top side.  These are ideal for bulk food storage, although they may be hard to find (NOTE: I sold these cans packed with foods at AlpineAire Foods about 20 years ago).  You also may want to consider clean or new metal garbage cans as a means to store smaller size foil pouched foods.
Pro:

• Ideal for long term food storage.  The atmosphere within the cans, with the proper sealing, can remain oxygen free indefinitely.
• Metal is non-permeable for gas and vapor – a zero transmission rate.
• Difficult for rodents or animals to penetrate.
• Can withstand some rough handling.

Con:

• Costs can be higher than other materials.
• Extra attention must be given to proper sealing.
• Some metal containers may be difficult to obtain.
• Some cans may rust if exposed to moisture.

Glass
Pro:

• Excellent for long term food storage.  The atmosphere within the jars, with the proper sealing, can remain oxygen free indefinitely.
• Glass is non-permeable for gas and vapor – a zero transmission rate.
• Difficult for rodents or animals to penetrate.
• Easily obtainable and relatively inexpensive.

Con:

• Very fragile – must be stored and handled with care.
• Practical only in smaller size containers.

Personal recommendations and tips for long term pack your own food storage

First choice – if possible store foods in metal cans with the proper size oxygen absorber
Second choice –

• Pack foods in a heavy duty foil laminate pouch with the proper size oxygen absorber.  I prefer using a variety of smaller size pouches rather than one large pouch.
• If you seal the pouch with an iron – as opposed to a commercial impulse sealer – make sure you know the proper method to use.  If your seal isn’t adequate you are wasting your time and money using an absorber.
• Place the foil pouches carefully – to avoid “pin holes” and seam damage, into another larger plastic or metal container (NOTE: Sturdy cardboard boxes will do if infestation from insects, rodents, and other animals is of no concern).  This will facilitate handing and storage.
• When you use the proper size oxygen absorber in a foil pouch it will create a slight vacuum and the pouch will tighten up somewhat (Remember you are not creating a complete vacuum that would produce a brick hard pack, you are only removing about 21% of the air volume – it will be absorbed by the iron oxide in the oxygen absorber sachet).
• Periodically – especially in the first two weeks – check on the pouch to make sure it still looks tightened up.  If at some point it looks normal, then the integrity of the pouch has been compromised and the atmosphere in the pouch has equalized with the outside atmosphere.

I see no point in putting additional oxygen absorbers into the plastic bucket or container in which the foil pouch is placed.
Third Choice

• If you have a smaller quantity of dry goods to store and you can protect or store foods safely – use glass jars.  Either half gallon size Ball canning jars or one gallon size jars – both need lids with a small rubber seal on the lid to create an air tight container.
• Drop an appropriate size oxygen absorber in the jar then seal it tight.
• Store away from light.

Tips

• I do not recommend using the nitrogen “wand” method of atmosphere replacement in pouches, plastic, or metal containers if you want to create a truly oxygen free environment.
• The oxygen absorber properly used is the best method for creating an oxygen free environment.
• Certain foods packed for long term storage may not need an oxygen free atmosphere.  I have covered the reasons for creating this type of environment earlier, and your specific needs may focus only on containers and storage conditions.
• I do not recommend storing commodities in their original paper or cloth sacks or boxes for the long term – unless you possess a very secure and unique storage facility.  The important issue here is infestation and environmental influences such as heat, moisture, and other airborne contaminants.
• Periodically inspect your food reserves for any sign of infestation or contamination.
• Read my article on Using and About Oxygen Absorbers.

Storage Conditions

There are six conditions to be aware of when storing food for emergency preparedness food storage, or outdoor recreation.  The foods being referred to in this post are shelf-stable freeze-dried, dehydrated, dried commodities.  Optimal storage conditions can also be applied to wet pack:  retort, MRE’s, canned goods, and other specialty longer term wet pack foods.
NOTE:  The six conditions listed are chosen because these are factors in which we have the control to optimize for the longest reliable shelf life.  TIME is the one factor that we can not control – and it does have a significant effect on the shelf life of various foods.  Nutritional value is lost with many foods over time.  To know with certainty the viable nutritional value of all food reserve items at any given time after a lengthy period of storage – is at best complex or most likely mere conjecture and guesswork.  What we can do is to apply proper planning procedures – do your research with trusted resources, rotate and consume your storage foods, and be realistic about how long you will really need the foods you choose to store.

• Temperature- This is the primary factor affecting the storage life of foods.  The cooler the better. 40 degrees-50 degrees would be great. Room temperature (65 degrees-72 degrees) or below is generally fine.  Avoid above 90 degrees for extended periods of time. The longer food is exposed to very high temperatures the shorter the edible life and the faster the degeneration of nutritional value.  Note:  There are some “foods” available for emergency preparedness that are known as “emergency food or ration bars.”  These products are generally referred to as “life raft bars” because they were originally designed for life rafts and can withstand high heat for extended periods of time.  They primarily consist of white sugar and white flour, and were not meant to be the sole source of nutrition for a long period of time.
• Moisture- The lower the better.  Moisture can deteriorate food value rapidly and create conditions that promote the growth of harmful organisms.  The moisture level contained in foods varies depending on the type of product it is.  Have foods in moisture barrier containers (metal, glass) in high humidity areas. Note:  Mylar bags or plastic buckets are not a long term (over 3 years) moisture or oxygen barrier. The moisture and gas transmission rates through these materials vary depending upon the specifications of the manufacturers.  Plastic absorbs gases, moisture, and odors.  Note:  Be careful where you store dry foods in cans.  Very cold flooring or any condition where there is a dramatic temperature differential may cause a build up of condensation inside the container.
• Oxygen – A high oxygen environment causes oxidation, which leads to discoloration, flavor loss, odors, rancidity and the breakdown of nutritional value in foods. It also allows insects to feed on dried food reserves. Without oxygen, insects cannot live, nor can aerobic (oxygen dependent) organisms. Whole grain and beans have natural oxygen barriers and can store for long periods of time in low humidity and if free from infestation. All other processed grains, vegetables, fruits, etc. must be in a very reduced (2% or less) oxygen environment for long term storage.  Note:  Mylar bags or plastic buckets are not a long term (over 3 years) moisture or oxygen barrier. The moisture and gas transmission rates through these materials vary depending upon the specifications of the manufacturers.  Plastic absorbs gases, moisture, and odors.  The best long term storage containers are glass and metal.
• Infestation – Examples include rodents, insects in all their stages of growth, mold, microorganisms, and any other creatures that get hungry – large or small.  The proper packaging and storage conditions are required to control infestation and not allow critters to both get into the food, or have the necessary environment for them to flourish if they are sealed into a container – such as in the form of eggs or spores.
• Handling – Rough handling can not only damage the food itself, but it can also adversely effect and compromise the integrity of the container in which the food is stored.  Glass of course can break; any pouched item can develop pin holes, tears, or cracks.  The seams on buckets and cans can be tweaked, twisted, or damaged to allow oxygen to enter the container.
• Light – Food should not be stored in direct sunlight.  Both for the potential of high temperature, and its affect on food value.  Sunlight directly on stored foods can destroy nutritional value and hasten the degeneration of food quality, taste, and appearance.  Foods packed in light barrier containers do not pose a problem with the affects of light.